UCR/Disney Interviews

The interviews for the UCR/Disney Internship were on Thursday, February 21 in Kioicho. We are all keeping our fingers crossed as the results should be coming out this Friday. 

Dinner with the interviewers. 

Tea with Kaoru

I got an e-mail from Kaoru while I was at Barbacoa and we decided to meet at Mariage. He said he'll be moving to Osaka this week, so we went for a "farewell cup of tea."

Barbacoa on Tuesday, February 19

Lots of Brazilian food the day after I returned from Brazil. My seminar students had organized this lunch at Barbacoa a while ago and even though it was on the day after I returned, I decided to go. 

Also a thank-you lunch for Kumai-san who taught at JIU for 2 years. 

Zozo's first time eating Brazilian food.

A taste of California in my office

Yukie went to Riverside the other day to visit her host family and brought me two cans of artichokes on Friday. What a great gift! Thanks, Yukie!

Last day at JAL

When I flew to New York in January I met with Miyuki at the Sakura Lounge. It was coincidentally her last day with JAL. She will be returning to JIU and will be joining our graduate school. We are all very pleased and happy with her decision to work on a teaching career. 

On my way back to Japan

Beauty from my mother's garden.

Greetings from JFKennedy Airport. I'm on my way back to Narita now with this quite long lay over of six hours here in New York--actually not bad at all compared to the 11 hours I had to wait on the way to São Paulo. My father is not completely well  and we don't know whether he is going to need a surgery in the brain or not. We're still waiting for test results, but I decided to fly back. My brother will be going to Brazil for two weeks in the near future and then we will make decision after that. For now, I should go back to work. The good news is that my father is now able to talk to us with a firmer voice and he recognizes everyone. He is also trying to walk a bit--still very hard for him--but he is trying. Thank you all for your prayers and good wishes. We still need a lot of those. 

My first grade teacher who turned 88 this year.