Valentines day

So valentines day is interesting here.... On Feb. 14th only the girls give to boys. And what they give aren't little paper valentines, they give various types of chocolate, cakes, cookies, etc. Most of the students at my junior high gave little baggies with cookies or chocolate in them to boys, but not only to boys, they give to other girls too!! I was lucky enough to have a package delivered to me from my wonderful friend Yuri, in Tokyo, with these really cute, and really good, chocolate mini-cakes!!! I was soooooo surprised, and really happy too. I of course didn't send anything to her.... Now that I realize valentines day isn't just for happy couples here, I will make more of an effort to do something next year!! Even a few of my students gave me something, even though I think that a lot of it was pity based... That's ok, I still got chocolate out of it! But apparently I have to give back to them on White day. Which is Mar. 14th. This is when all of the boys give back to the girls who gave to them... And apparently the teachers give back to the students... I still don't understand most of the holidays here, but I'm trying!