Hello everyone! Happy to report that Nikki and I had a wonderful 1st day teaching at the Gifu Branch on Monday! It was very exciting to meet all of our new students and start to get familiar with the location.Nikki and I both will teach at the Gifu Branch multiple times a week, so make sure you stop in and say “Hello!”. I can’t wait to meet the rest of you all once we come back to Hello! s in 2 weeks! Until then, be safe , wash your hands, and please try not to get sick.See you!

-Blair

Lately I have been spending a lot of time at home with my cats. It’s hard not to travel in spring break, but it’s been fun to read and relax with my pets. Nick & Teddy are adults now, so they mostly sleep. Even though they are lazy, they have very strong personalities — that’s why I like cats. Nick is affectionate and smart and Teddy is curious and playful. Cats can live happy lives even if their owner is busy, especially if they have another cat to play with. I notice that the cats do really like it when I am home, though, so they have enjoyed having this downtime together.

みなさんこんにちは。

コロナウイルスという言葉を聞かない日はないほど猛威を振るっています。

外に行けない、学校がない、家にいなきゃいけない！こんなときだからこそできることがあると思います。

僕は3月に受ける予定だったTOEICが延期になり、5月にまた受ける予定です。それに向けて週末は勉強の時間をたくさん取れています。そしてやることがなくなっていたPS4の電源を久々に入れました。意外とハマってしまい、4月にアメリカに帰ったジャーマイン先生とオンラインで会話をしながらゲームをしたりしています。ジャーマイン先生も海外からアメリカに帰国したので2週間自宅で自主隔離を行っています。

家にいなきゃいけないと思うのではなく、こんなに長く家にずっと入れる時間を大切にしようと最近は思います。

ゲームばっかりして怠けてしまうのではなく、勉強だけして息苦しくなるのではなく、良いバランスを取ってこの不測な事態を精神的にも健康に乗り切りましょう。

僕も手洗いうがいをしかっりとし不要不急の外出は控えるようにしています。みなさんも自分のためにも、周りの人のためにも徹底できると良いですね。

My home in the Seattle area had a big yard with lots of grass, tall trees, and an active population of location wildlife making a living or just passing through. I really enjoyed looking out my window to see hawks, deer, raccoons, squirrels, and all manner of birds. It reminds me of where I am, and makes me feel at home.

So I’ve really enjoyed seeing the wildlife in Ogaki, as well. The variety is slightly different than what I’m used to, but the novelty makes the experience even more interesting. So far, I’ve seen all manner of local birds, one tanuki, a potentially poisonous snake, way too many cicadas, and some frogs. It’s been really cool.

Most exciting, however, are the cranes. I associate cranes with Asia, and with good reason. There are no cranes in Seattle. So it’s always startling to see their graceful, white bodies stalking about in the rivers or flying overhead. It reminds me of where I am, and I feel excited at the reminder. Living in Japan everyday, what was once extraordinary eventually becomes mundane. But whenever I see the local wildlife, and especially the cranes, I’m reminded of where I am and the amazing animals I get to encounter in this environment. It makes every day exciting.