I GOT A JOB!

Finally, I got a job as a substitute teacher!!  Last Monday morning, I got a phone call around 7 am.  It was the secretary from the elementary school I had been volunteering at.  She asked me if I could come in to work that day, I was a bit confused, but she told me that my application had gone through and I could work a half day!!  Of course I said I absolutely could work.  About an hour later, she called me again to ask if I could work the next day as well and the principal wanted to talk with me about a longer term substituting job.  To top my morning off, Brian called me from the field (we hadn't talked in a week since he had been out of cell reception) and said he was coming home a day earlier than expected!!
I went to work that day and had an okay experience.  The long term job is subbing for the Japanese culture teacher as the current teacher is leaving and they need time to find another teacher.  A native Okinawan has to be the teacher in this class so that the students can learn more about the culture from someone who is from that culture.  I was told that I would have to do my own lesson plans and that as of now, I would be working up until Christmas break.  I thought about it for a night and the next day I told the principal that I would take the job.  I will start that job tomorrow.  I am a bit nervous, as well as excited.  It will be a different kind of teaching than I am used to, but I am sure I will be able to figure it out and as a bonus, I will learn more about the culture along with the students!

Last week was Thanksgiving.  It was a little bitter sweet for both me and Brian.  We were really glad to be spending the holiday in each other's company, but we both missed our families.  We had another couple over for dinner as well as some single Marines.  It was a really good time for everyone, and the food was yummy! :)

On exciting and relatively big news, Brian and I are getting a dog soon!  We are getting a husky, he is on his way over from main land Japan.  It is exciting for us both to have our own dog.

Things are a lot better now that I have a job.  The house was getting pretty boring for me.  Life seems a little more normal now that I am working.
I still am not too excited or open to going out in town.  It seems like it is more of a hassel than it is worth.  It is hard to communicate with the natives out in town and it is always so crowded on the streets.  Sometimes it is just more fun (and easy) to sit at home and eat a "home cooked" meal.

The weather here has definitely cooled down and I think it is here to stay.  It is nothing like the cold back home, we have been stuck in the 70's and upper 60's for the past few weeks.  I definitely am enjoying it though because I was missing the cold weather!
Brian and I also set up our Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving.  We tried to go shopping that night for more decorations and ornaments, but the stores were basically all sold out.  We were told this would happen, so we will just wait until next year to get more decoration.  We have enough to get us through this Christmas season.
These are all the highlights for now!!  Updates again soon!