some questions answered

My Aunt sent me a letter a few wks ago, a package actually-thanks Nan, with some questions and I thought maybe I'd share with all of you in case there are others wondering the same thing.  Actually this is good, I kind of need to start over anyway, or at least back up.  "Do you get to teach very much?"  I don't teach, at least at the English school I don't.  I go to the English classes with the E teachers if they want me to for speaking or such.  I do teach in the Kindergarten 1 hr a week to 5-7 yr. olds.  I will be starting an E class for the adults of my town as soon as I can find a place to have them.  "Do you have the language mastered or at least enough to get by?"   Mastered-DEFINITELY NOT!  I feel confident enough to get by and can travel with my B.  I used to worry a lot more about how much I'm not speaking B and then I re-examined my reason for being here.  I'm here to speak E with the students at the school.  I speak E with the E teachers because they want me and I want them to be able to hear a native speaker.  I speak B to everyone else and am still learning; I have lessons Mon and Wed for 1 hr.  I'm here for my E and am not going to beat myself up anymore for speaking (mostly) E!  As long as I continue to learn and try, that's good enough for me!  I do need to seek out more chances to speak B and that is my own fault.   "Have you driven a car recently?"  I am not allowed to drive a car while in B.  I think I can if I am in another country but that isn't even something I'm thinking about.  I have riden in quite a few!  It will be quite interesting when I take my Corolla for a spin after 27 months of no driving!  I've heard "driving is just like riding a bike, you never forget" and "it is definitely interesting to drive after 27 months"; we'll see!  "  Do you get a chance to watch tv very much?"  I have a tv in my apartment and limit myself to B tv during the week and let myself have a break and watch E tv on the weekends.  This next sentence I never thought I would say.  I do have to watch more tv during the week.  I need to surround myself with B to help me learn.  I usually watched tv, in the states, during dinner.  Well, since I eat dinner in the stol so I don't watch tv then and it just seems like other things need to be done later at night.  On the weekends I watch Gilmore Girls and am kind of hooked on it!  "What is considered important in B?"  Family is important in B.  The older generation is more respected here then what I've seen in the states.  It's not uncommon at all for every weekend to be spent in the village/town where, say people my age,grew up helping your parents.  You do whatever you need to for your family and sometimes that means splitting the family between countries.  I know several people who have kids, parents, or spouses in different countries.  They do this because their jobs are there and they support the family that way.  "Is politics polarized there too?"  I try to stay as far away from politics as I can, even with fellow volunteers!  "Do the people relate to the Japanese people?"  Right after the earthquake and tsunami a teacher at our school had all her students make paper cranes and they hung them outside on a tree.  They made a Japanese flag and had some pictures of the devestation up on a bulletin board at school.  "Do you have earthquakes?"  I think earthquakes and flooding were the 2 natural disasters we talked about could happen the most when we covered safety concerns during pst.  "Is there a sport that is widely popular?"  That would be soccer.  Volleyball is also kinda popular but "futbol" is the most popular sport here.  "Is the weather more moderate now?"  It's Spring so it's chilly but warming up.  "Do you get to spend time with other PC volunteers"  I do but I have to admit I'm not the best at visiting or keeping up with my fellow volunteers.  Weekends are, at least 2 a month, "free" and we can travel in B without using vacation days.  The problem is is that I get a lot of my work done on the weekends and sometimes do things with the students who live here.  I was with 4 other volunteers for a short spring break trip and had fun.  I do realize being with my fellow PCVs is part of the whole picture but I like where I am and have to catch up on so much after I get home when I leave.  I do get to see my family on skype (usually) every weekend and have family and friends who do an awesome job of writing me letters and sending me things!!  I'm not quite sure where I'll be for Easter quite yet but if it's curled up with a book, glass of wine, and a movie I'll be fine!  Not planning a trip as of right now which is just fine by me.  Love and hugs!!