Just some topics to discuss....

CORN
I have never seen a country more into corn. There is corn sushi, corn pizza, corn and spaghetti sandwiches, corn in salads.... I've seen it plenty more times but I can't remember where at the moment. When you go to the grocery store, there is a full aisle of just canned corn.



MEDICINE
Recently I was diagnosed with a cold... and the rest of the school freaked out because ONE student had Swine Flu. My neighbour got it too, but the test for it is not very conclusive, and since she felt fine, I don't think she had it at all. But wow, is Japan ever terrified of it. With my cold, I wasn't permitted to attend class for three days. They MADE me stay out. I've never experienced that before... the school wanting a sick individual to stay home. At my home university, you have to be dying in order to get excused from class.

Well, I was taken to the doctor and prescribed an obscene amount of medicine. Six different kinds! This was a bit of a shock... since typically, at home, you get one or two. I didn't even finish taking all of it because I got better within a few days... but I still can't help but think it was a little over the top.


TYPHOON!!!
School was canceled today because of this occasion. It's apparently the size/intensity of Hurricane Katrina, killed someone, injured twenty-two people, and damaged over thirty homes. It blasted through about 5 or 6am last night and now its sunny and pretty outside. However... just as I suspected... the wind has picked back up with a vengeance. I think we're in for some more storm! Looks like we'll all be in the lounge playing Wii all day... either that or evacuated.

What it looked like yesterday.... including a guy wrapping up the soccer field ...netting. Typhoon preparation! Even the garbage cans were tied down.


What we have right now.... gorgeous isn't it? The only damage I've seen is some trash blown around and the soccer goal was knocked over.

Well.... wish Japan luck!