Fall weather in Japan changes like a woman's feelings

... according to my physical therapist. Funny man.

It's October now and it's definitely fall, and apparently the weather varies quite a bit. But we get a lot of beautiful clear days (which are referred to in Japanese as akibare 秋晴れ, my principle taught me).

So, last month the season changed to autumn quite suddenly. The summer was hell, absolute humid hell - typical Japan weather that Hokkaido is supposed to be the exception to, but instead we probably got about 2 weeks of perfect, comfortably warm summer weather before fall came in and the temperatures dropped to sweater/jacket weather. Sigh.

Speaking of sudden changes, I leave my base school (once I had gotten used to it and all that :/) and start visiting other schools. So from Monday I'll be at another middle school near home for 2 months, followed by a 2-month visit at another middle school that's like an hour commute to Jouzankei, a little onsen resort town up in the mountains (unlike my other schools, it's insanely small - something to the tune of 20 students and 20 staff). And then after that, it's back to my base school for a few months. Until then, it's going to just be me struggling to remember 500 students names and faces, and then just when I get the hang of some students I'll have to switch schools. Haha.

Last night I went out to Sapporo's nightlife district Susukino with my co-workers to celebrate the end of the school festival, my coming to the school (ironically on my last day there for 4 months), etc. Two-hour nomihodai (all-you-can-drink) and food, followed by a nijikai (second party) resulted in having to pay like 6,000 yen, which is probably almost 70 USD with the current bad exchange rate. Nope, wait, according to google it's 77 USD. Holy crap.

But it was worth it, since it's important that I spend time with my Japanese co-workers (and Japanese people in general) and being forced to speak Japanese for an evening is NEVER a bad idea. But two girl friends got birthday parties tonight which probably involves another nomihodai and karaoke. Partying Japanese style is more fun and extravagant than how Americans do it (and karaoke in Japan is superior to waiting to sing one song in front of a bunch of people in a bar). But PAYDAY COULD SURE COME SOONER.

Oh, and as of the October 1st I've been in Japan for 2 months. And Sapporo is still awesome and amazing!! I still love it here. I'm starting to miss home a little, but living here has been way easier than my first time in Japan. Living in my hometown's sister city must be why? The quality of life here just feels quite comparable to Portland.

All text and no photo or anything. I want to make all my posts have a visual because I think it's a more appealing format to blog in, but alas I failed. Sorry, next time.