Really Hard Trouble

This week has been devoted to Japanese study, so writing has taken a backseat once again. Please enjoy this excerpt..........

                                     FROM THE DESK OF MRS. BUNBERRY

Friday, July 18th

My sister likes languages. When I'm struggling for a word I'm more likely to shoot her an email than to open up a Thesaurus. Back at home, just before I left for this trip, we were talking. Random stuff probably, but during the conversation she said this phrase "really hard trouble." Of course, I teased her about it for as long as I could. "Don't you mean 'difficult'?" I asked. Words are funny like that, I guess. Like, if I said that Monday, July 14th, was a difficult day, what would that mean to you? Or if I said that it was a little sad, or kind of depressing, would that preclude me from saying I enjoyed it? From saying "it was a good day, I had a nice time"? 

Well, Monday was a hard day. And it was a good day too. We went to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and spent around three hours in the museum. It was awful, but it was also, in a sense, inspiring. 8:15. Time takes on a new meaning..... 

But one can't really talk about something like that, not for long. That Thursday we went to Iwakuni and were shown around the Marine base. We ate off base, though, passing up taco bell, pizza hut, and Baskin Robins for a little curry restaurant known as Cocos. It was spicy good. Rice, gravy, okra, eggplant, and chicken. All eaten with torn off pieces of nan. And of course we went shopping too. We even saw some guys breakneck dancing.

          Next week We go on our first homestays, and teach at Hiraoi and Nijigaoka for the last time. We've only two more weeks before Friendship English Camp (FEC) starts, but we're sure the time will go quickly.