Today is one of the days when Japanese hurts my brain. It's no so bad really, but it's frustrating trying to write out what you are going to say to a Japanese doctor when you left your dictionary at home. It's just frustrating. I wanted to write out what I think I'll need to know. I Want to be able to do this myself, without having to ask someone to go with me. Although, I just realized a happy thing. Pizza is tonight. I don't have to cook. Sqwee. And I should get some exercise, as I've been walking there and back to justify the pizza eating. Yay.
So, after writing from before, I asked the office ladies at the iinkai where I should go to get my Rx and they, after much debate and calling a pharmacy, sent me to a private doctor. Or told me to go to one and I'll go after work.
During my conversation with them, Kugai (my boss) came and saw me ("Genki?" "Hai, okagesama de." "Oh! So good!" I love that I know some of the rituals :) ) And he told me to stop by his office for a chat, when I was done with whatever I was doing, which I did. We had a nice chat, half English, half Japanese about my family coming, sending money home, education in America, it was really nice.
After about 40 minutes I went back t my desk (all hyped up on the caffine, because I could only refuse the coffee once before it actually came and then I didn't want to be rude) to study Japanese for a bit. I'm starting with Japanese for Jets, quickly reading through stuff I know, writing down words that I didn't know or didn't remember.
After about 30 minutes of this, I was told to go ahead and go to the doctor, even though I still had another hour of work. THEY said there was really no point in me just sitting htere with no work to do, if I needed to go to the doctor, just go. So I did.
(I'd like to point out I agree with this mentality completely. Let me teach or give me the day off. No point in going in for three hours to sit at a desk with no internet.)
I went to the doctor and we discussed my 2 meds that I needed. Advair he found right away, but only the 250 dose (I'm on the 100), so I'm to take it just at night. Apparently Japan doesn't' have the other doses.
Requip was harder. After much searching we found out that Japan doesn't really believe that Restless Leg Syndrome exists (although they have a name for it: muzu muzu ashi, cute sounding, eh?), so it's still in trial. They have the medication for it, because it's also the drug for Parkinson's disease, just a much lighter dose. And because it's still in trial for RSL, insurance doesn't cover it. But I checked the price for without insurance, and it's 50 of my doses (it comes in .25 and I take .5mg) on a sheet for 6000yen. When 30 doses sent from America, without insurance, would be $125. I told them yes please. I get to pick it up on Tuesday.
So after that I went home. Talked to Rosie a bit, messed around on the internet, until I went to meet up with Kiyoko.
Kiyoko is this really cool lady. She's from Miyako, but moved to LA for a bit (and her husband's still there right now). She has three boys that speak English and Japanese and belong to Amy's school. She runs a beachwear shop called La Playa. I walked in there yesterday and got to talking to her and stopped by again today because I wanted a rashguard (the longsleeve surf shirts) for snorkeling and she got a new shipment in last night. What I bought is not exactly a rashguard. But it's similar material and it should be good for my purposes. And it's this really nice red.
After I walked (did I mention I walked the 4 blocks to La Playa?) down the street to Sea Dancer and paid waaaaay too much for a pair of women's surf shorts (for the playing of volley ball, and the snorkeling), but they're cute. No, not cute, but they fit and are functional and match the rest of my swimsuits.
Then I walked to the post office and Finally sent off some postcards to a bunch of people. Sorry they're so late. You should get them within 2 weeks. In theory. The lady said they'd go out today.
Then I stopped by one of the souvenir shops and bought some more post cards, as they make excellent birthday cards. Now if I could only get the timing right for mailing them :P
Then home, where I'm currently listening to the new Dethklok album. Yay, metal.
Now shower and then to pizza!
(Oh, did I mention I have just about all of the Eyeshield 21 manga now? I'm on volume 8, currently. Soooo, fun.)
Friday, September 28, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Survey says!
The younger kids at Heiichi have taken to calling me Kimuchi. Because in Japanese my name is Kimu-sensei. I'd like to remind you that kimchi is a korean spicing process, and the Japanese call it kimuchi. Now, I think this name sounds adorable. But as a teacher, I don't approve, especially when I insist that they call me Kimu-sensei and they don't. Grrr.
Oh, and did you know that it's the full moon. It certainly explains why the kids have been acting the way they have for the past few days. Yep, not surprised at all.
I've been meaning to put together a list of things that I like and dislike about Miyako, you know, just little stupid things.
For example: Like -- there are dragonflies everywhere.
Dislike -- there are no squirrels.
Like -- living alone and being able to dress however I want to when I get home
Dislike -- not waiting for a certain someone to come home from work
Like -- beaches!!!
Dislike -- sand getting Everywhere
Like -- Family Mart, 2 blocks away
Dislike -- what the 105yen Tiramisu is doing to my waist like
Like -- that I can buy Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
Dislike -- when I tried to buy milk to go with the above soup, it turned out to be juice cleaverly disguised as a milk carton
Like -- Everyone here is so nice!
Dislike -- that all of you won't come and meet them
Like -- being solely responsible for the electric bills
Dislike -- how much I can't use the A/C if I want that bill to be low
Like -- the scenery on the drive to work
Dislike -- that 4 of my 5 schools are more than a 20 minute drive
Like -- the Giant Blue sky
Dislike -- how you can look one way and see nothing but beautiful blue sky, and turn around and see a rain storm. That hits you while you're riding on your scooter.
Like -- teaching English
Dislike -- how exhausting teaching English is
Like -- how easy it is to talk to all of you through the computer
Dislike -- how you are mostly all asleep right now
Like -- the nice old ladies who are surprised when you say "good evening" to them in Japanese
Dislike -- how when there's a problem, like when I went to the beach on Monday and parked in the wrong place, how the old man didn't say anything to me, but said something to Jason, who looks asian, when I understood exactly what he said to Jason
Like -- Kiyoko at the LaPlaya shop who imports surf wear from LA and how she speaks great English
Dislike -- when people at the Japanese restaurant speak by rote what they're suppose to say and I can't understand them because it's almost like they've stopped speaking words and have started speaking just sounds
Like -- having a great conversation with the 2 best at English teachers at Heiichi (they're probably the 2 most proficient in all of my schools), mostly in Japanese, but when I didn't know a word and used the English, they understood, and sometimes they were able to explain things in English. It was great.
Dislike -- When I don't understand something, and I'm trying to get the person to say it again in another way, and they just give up.
Like -- all of the butterflies
Dislike -- all of the cockroaches
Like -- unlimited use of the computers at school
Dislike -- Japanese word processors that don't type English right, no matter what
Hmm, that's good for now. More as I think of them. By the way, I do still like it here. This was just a writing down of observations more than anything.
Oh, and did you know that it's the full moon. It certainly explains why the kids have been acting the way they have for the past few days. Yep, not surprised at all.
I've been meaning to put together a list of things that I like and dislike about Miyako, you know, just little stupid things.
For example: Like -- there are dragonflies everywhere.
Dislike -- there are no squirrels.
Like -- living alone and being able to dress however I want to when I get home
Dislike -- not waiting for a certain someone to come home from work
Like -- beaches!!!
Dislike -- sand getting Everywhere
Like -- Family Mart, 2 blocks away
Dislike -- what the 105yen Tiramisu is doing to my waist like
Like -- that I can buy Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
Dislike -- when I tried to buy milk to go with the above soup, it turned out to be juice cleaverly disguised as a milk carton
Like -- Everyone here is so nice!
Dislike -- that all of you won't come and meet them
Like -- being solely responsible for the electric bills
Dislike -- how much I can't use the A/C if I want that bill to be low
Like -- the scenery on the drive to work
Dislike -- that 4 of my 5 schools are more than a 20 minute drive
Like -- the Giant Blue sky
Dislike -- how you can look one way and see nothing but beautiful blue sky, and turn around and see a rain storm. That hits you while you're riding on your scooter.
Like -- teaching English
Dislike -- how exhausting teaching English is
Like -- how easy it is to talk to all of you through the computer
Dislike -- how you are mostly all asleep right now
Like -- the nice old ladies who are surprised when you say "good evening" to them in Japanese
Dislike -- how when there's a problem, like when I went to the beach on Monday and parked in the wrong place, how the old man didn't say anything to me, but said something to Jason, who looks asian, when I understood exactly what he said to Jason
Like -- Kiyoko at the LaPlaya shop who imports surf wear from LA and how she speaks great English
Dislike -- when people at the Japanese restaurant speak by rote what they're suppose to say and I can't understand them because it's almost like they've stopped speaking words and have started speaking just sounds
Like -- having a great conversation with the 2 best at English teachers at Heiichi (they're probably the 2 most proficient in all of my schools), mostly in Japanese, but when I didn't know a word and used the English, they understood, and sometimes they were able to explain things in English. It was great.
Dislike -- When I don't understand something, and I'm trying to get the person to say it again in another way, and they just give up.
Like -- all of the butterflies
Dislike -- all of the cockroaches
Like -- unlimited use of the computers at school
Dislike -- Japanese word processors that don't type English right, no matter what
Hmm, that's good for now. More as I think of them. By the way, I do still like it here. This was just a writing down of observations more than anything.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Monday, September 24, 2007
ちょう〜いそがしい〜〜〜〜〜
Friday: I went to school as normal, but because of yet another undokai practice my last class with the 6-3 class was canceled, but I'm still not sure if I have to make it up next time I go to Heiichi, which would mean I would have 5 classes that day, but whatever. So I get a call from Taira-san (my supervisor) asking me to come to the iinkai and seeing how my english coordinator at that school had left to deal with other buisness (probably undokai related) so I asked my Kyoto-sensei if I could leave early, and he said since I don't have any classes, and yeah, go.
On my way to the iinkai (I'd walked to Heiichi that morning, 10 minutes, and the iinkai is a 10 min walk from my apartment in the other direction, so why not right?) I ran into the Miyako High School parade advertising for their high school festival which would be the next day. They were dressed up in all kinds of crazy ways. Dragon Ball Z, cross dressers, gangsters, lolli, everything. It was awesome. I stayed there just watching for a few minutes, expecting it to eventually end, but it didn't, so I crossed the street during a little break and went to the BOE.
When I get there, I laugh with the office workers a bit about the parade, and then Taira-san tells me that, you know how I took that buisness trip to Naha last month for the New Jet Conference? Well, apparently I won a free airline ticket from it.
. . .
Yeah. So I'm thinking I might be able to afford that trip to Wakayama-ken in November after the mid year conference after all (because I'll already be in Naha with a return ticket). I just need to talk to Marnie. I can't use it on any holiday weekends, or the last half of December. And it's no good after January, so.
After finding out the good news, I was told to just go home (a little early) and then I bummed around for a bit until Pizza. Apparently stuff happened after pizza, but I was tired, so I missed it :*(
Saturday we got up and went to Kirsty's Miyako High School Festival. And it was everything I've read about. There were stalls selling Okonomikayi, takoyaki, yakisoba, shaved ice (that I don't remember it's name), classes hosting games and movies, class 1-3 actually did massages (it was nice, kinda weak, but free and nice), and a haunted house.
Let me tell you about this haunted house. The wait was over an hour, and I told people that I didn't mind waiting if they wanted to go off and do other things, but they hung around, and then one by one dropped out of the line, so that by the end of the hour long wait, I was left alone in line. Luckily, some of my Heiichi kids were right behind us (they made the wait go quicker because we chatted about stuff) and when we got all the way to the front, I turned to them and said, I'm scared to go by my self, does anyone want to go with me? And they did. Originally, 3 were suppose to go, but one chickened out right at the last minute as they opened the door into the Pitch Black Narrow Corridor. They gave us a teeny, tiny lantern to light our way, which didn't really. The corridor was maybe, Maybe 2 feet wide. And at the end of the first bend there was this guy just laying there on the ground, and he didn't do a boo kind of thing, he did a Tortured Soul Trapped in the Material World, Japanese Ghost kind of thing. It was great. They didn't have creepy music or anything, it was sooooo quiet, just occasional scratching on the walls, and rustling of the newspaper on the floor, and sometimes they'd just be next to you in the dark and you wouldn't know it until they came into the light, sometimes they'd jump out from behind the black garbage bags that they used to line the entire room in. And the kids had thrust me to the front, clung onto my hand, and were screaming or saying "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry" the whole time. It was Great. And you wouldn't believe how much corridor they crammed in that tiny little classroom. It took us about 10 minutes to go through it.
After the festival, we went to the beach. Weee beach. Then Koja Soba (really good soba) on the way home before getting ready to go to Bar Isla for the Carribean Salsa party. Fun fun.
Sunday I got up and went to Heiichi's Undokai. Heiichi is under construction right now, so they don't really have a field (there's a crane where the field should be) so they rented out the Hirara Field, like the big official city one. It was huge, and nice. And really fit the 500 families very well (Heiichi is my biggest school). And it was fun, but I could only stay about 1/2 the time because I had toooooooo
Go to Shimoji’s Undoukai (I just looked up the actual spelling :P ). Now, to conserve gas, I went on my scooter, and for the first time, I ran out of gas. I thought I had another 20 km before I would do that. So I, the smart person that I am, move my gas intake from regular to reserve, and drove my scooter to the Eneos. My reserve ran out literally as I was pulling up to the pump. Yay. So, since I was in town anyway, I stopped and had lunch at a cheaper place in town before heading back towards Shimoji.
Shimoji’s Undoukai was much much smaller than Heiichi’s, but was still fun. And it was small enough that they asked me to join in the Tug of War and the dancing that followed the Tug of War. You ready to learn the dance? Step back with your right foot and sway both hands to the right. Bring your left foot back too. Now quickly jump forward landing first on your right foot followed by your left bringing both hands down and back to your sides. Then clap. And repeat. After a while do a kick out while waving your hands side to side. Then back to the first bit. I was told I did very well. Weeee.
After Undoukai, I went to Maehama, again, and actually played some beach volleyball instead of just playing in the water. They keep giving me tips on how I can hit the balls with both arms and not smack the bejeezus out of my right or left arm. I told them that I tried to do that, but I’m slow. My breasts get in the way. They laughed. And then Aya said “Me too,” although Aya is probably an A cup. It was funny.
We stayed at the beach for a good bit, then went home and showered quickly to go to the Nariyama Ayagu Taikai (Taikai means Festival), which is where they play this famous song (called Nariyama Ayagu, go figure) over and over and prizes are given to the person who plays and sings it the best. Now I thought that sounded like the not so fun so I arranged to go later so I wouldn’t hear all of the songs over and over and over again, but apparently, even though they were still playing until like 11 last year, this year they finished before 8. So I missed it, but we saw the performances that they did while the judges decided. And ate the good festival food. And ran into about 50 of my kids (the festival was in Gusukube, which is where Sunagawa and Seijou are, Gusukube is Big). It was awesome. We also ran into (Kei and Hiroko, who are cool people. And Mike (ALT) and Miyuki (his girlfriend) who are also cool people. And Teresa (ALT), Janine (ALT), and Stu (Janine’s husband), even more cool people) Naoki, who works with us at the iinkai, who performed, although we missed it. And apparently he won one of the sections (I’m not sure yet which part he won, but still, go him!) and so he won a sanshin ($300 and up), a visit at the Tokyu Resort ($500 and up), free airline tickets, and a Big bottle of Awamori (sake, alcohol) that was made locally in Gusukube, and was the “special” variety. Good for him.
Then bed, because I was tired and didn’t feel like going out some more.
And Today, Monday. Was a holiday. Because of the Autumn Equinox (substitute holiday from yesterday). So I celebrated the holiday by (doing laundry, Cleaning the kitchen sink, writing a really long post) going snorkeling. We got our gear and met up at Maehama, then drove across the bridge (that I ran across in the triathlon) and went snorkeling right off the pier. It was not bad, the waves were really weak and the water was really clear, but there wasn’t a whole lot of reef, so we didn’t see a Whole lot of stuff. Some pretty fish, a school of trumpet fish. Some rainbow something or anothers. And on our way back in we came over some old fishing ropes. And while I was swimming over one of the ropes I realized that part of it wasn’t actually a rope. Instead it was a 30 lb fish. It was green with white spots (brown rings on the spots), with a small tail like a parrot fish. It was just chilling. Sam (who studied marine biology at uni) said it belonged to the puffer fish family. It scared the begeezus out of me, mostly because I didn’t realize that it was there. And it was neat.
Then we drove to the other side of Kurima Island (same island, the one on the south west corner of Miyako) to Nagamahama Beach, which is really pretty (I’ll have to go back some time with my camera) and went diving there too. There there was reef. The water was a bit more murky, but we saw, maybe 800-900 fish? Tons. And all colorful and pretty, some with the hard beaks that eat coral, I swam into a school of trumpet fish and didn’t realize it until I was in the middle of it. We saw Nemo-like fish, but with only one white stripe, that lived in the anemones (they would stop and look at me, because it wasn’t scared of me, and actually Look at me, it was so neat!). And there was one kind of fish that Sam said was the Hawaii state fish, although I forget its name, that was REALLY aggressive and drove me away. I think it didn’t like me, and I wasn’t about to argue with it. On my way back from the dive I think the same one saw me and drove me off again. Here we saw more off the really big fish, not the same kind, but some that were at lest 15-20 lbs. Big. And nothing that would eat me, yay. Really fun.
On the way home we tried to go to two different restaurants that I didn’t know of before, but both were closed because of the holiday, but at least I know where they are now, and know the streets well enough to get back to them. We ended up going to Lilian’s, again, but it’s just so tasty I don’t really mind. Although I am craving ice cream now. I figure (they’re open til 10) if I still want it in a bit, after I was ocean out of my hair, if I walk to Baskin Robbins then it’s worth the calories. Because I went swimming for about 2 hours today. And walking on top of that would be nice.
Tomorrow I’m off as well, because Shimoji is my Tuesday school, and Shimoji had it’s Undoukai, which is basically a day of school for the kids and teachers, so they close the school for the next day. Weeee another 4 day vacation and 3 day work week. My goals tomorrow include: buying a rashguard so that I don’t have to worry about burning so much when I go snorkeling or play beach volley ball. Buying surf shorts, so that I don't have to worry about burning when see above, and when I play volley ball inevitably sand gets between my thighs, and that just hurts. I think shorts will help. Buying a mirror of a decent size, because I’ve complained about it since I got here, although I still don’t know where I’d put it. Look at prices for SD chips so I can get the bloody pictures off of my keitai (cell phone). It’s such a good camera, I think it would be worth it. And clean my kitchen. Dishes and whatnot. And sit on tush. I think at least I’ll be able to manage that last one. Oh, and I guess I have to actually make my lessons for Wednesday. I’ve had them planned for about 2 weeks, I just need to make the activities. Ooo, and I guess that necessitates going to the hyaku en shop and finding some cheap playing cards. Yay. What better way to practice numbers, right?
Anyway, peace out.
On my way to the iinkai (I'd walked to Heiichi that morning, 10 minutes, and the iinkai is a 10 min walk from my apartment in the other direction, so why not right?) I ran into the Miyako High School parade advertising for their high school festival which would be the next day. They were dressed up in all kinds of crazy ways. Dragon Ball Z, cross dressers, gangsters, lolli, everything. It was awesome. I stayed there just watching for a few minutes, expecting it to eventually end, but it didn't, so I crossed the street during a little break and went to the BOE.
When I get there, I laugh with the office workers a bit about the parade, and then Taira-san tells me that, you know how I took that buisness trip to Naha last month for the New Jet Conference? Well, apparently I won a free airline ticket from it.
. . .
Yeah. So I'm thinking I might be able to afford that trip to Wakayama-ken in November after the mid year conference after all (because I'll already be in Naha with a return ticket). I just need to talk to Marnie. I can't use it on any holiday weekends, or the last half of December. And it's no good after January, so.
After finding out the good news, I was told to just go home (a little early) and then I bummed around for a bit until Pizza. Apparently stuff happened after pizza, but I was tired, so I missed it :*(
Saturday we got up and went to Kirsty's Miyako High School Festival. And it was everything I've read about. There were stalls selling Okonomikayi, takoyaki, yakisoba, shaved ice (that I don't remember it's name), classes hosting games and movies, class 1-3 actually did massages (it was nice, kinda weak, but free and nice), and a haunted house.
Let me tell you about this haunted house. The wait was over an hour, and I told people that I didn't mind waiting if they wanted to go off and do other things, but they hung around, and then one by one dropped out of the line, so that by the end of the hour long wait, I was left alone in line. Luckily, some of my Heiichi kids were right behind us (they made the wait go quicker because we chatted about stuff) and when we got all the way to the front, I turned to them and said, I'm scared to go by my self, does anyone want to go with me? And they did. Originally, 3 were suppose to go, but one chickened out right at the last minute as they opened the door into the Pitch Black Narrow Corridor. They gave us a teeny, tiny lantern to light our way, which didn't really. The corridor was maybe, Maybe 2 feet wide. And at the end of the first bend there was this guy just laying there on the ground, and he didn't do a boo kind of thing, he did a Tortured Soul Trapped in the Material World, Japanese Ghost kind of thing. It was great. They didn't have creepy music or anything, it was sooooo quiet, just occasional scratching on the walls, and rustling of the newspaper on the floor, and sometimes they'd just be next to you in the dark and you wouldn't know it until they came into the light, sometimes they'd jump out from behind the black garbage bags that they used to line the entire room in. And the kids had thrust me to the front, clung onto my hand, and were screaming or saying "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry" the whole time. It was Great. And you wouldn't believe how much corridor they crammed in that tiny little classroom. It took us about 10 minutes to go through it.
After the festival, we went to the beach. Weee beach. Then Koja Soba (really good soba) on the way home before getting ready to go to Bar Isla for the Carribean Salsa party. Fun fun.
Sunday I got up and went to Heiichi's Undokai. Heiichi is under construction right now, so they don't really have a field (there's a crane where the field should be) so they rented out the Hirara Field, like the big official city one. It was huge, and nice. And really fit the 500 families very well (Heiichi is my biggest school). And it was fun, but I could only stay about 1/2 the time because I had toooooooo
Go to Shimoji’s Undoukai (I just looked up the actual spelling :P ). Now, to conserve gas, I went on my scooter, and for the first time, I ran out of gas. I thought I had another 20 km before I would do that. So I, the smart person that I am, move my gas intake from regular to reserve, and drove my scooter to the Eneos. My reserve ran out literally as I was pulling up to the pump. Yay. So, since I was in town anyway, I stopped and had lunch at a cheaper place in town before heading back towards Shimoji.
Shimoji’s Undoukai was much much smaller than Heiichi’s, but was still fun. And it was small enough that they asked me to join in the Tug of War and the dancing that followed the Tug of War. You ready to learn the dance? Step back with your right foot and sway both hands to the right. Bring your left foot back too. Now quickly jump forward landing first on your right foot followed by your left bringing both hands down and back to your sides. Then clap. And repeat. After a while do a kick out while waving your hands side to side. Then back to the first bit. I was told I did very well. Weeee.
After Undoukai, I went to Maehama, again, and actually played some beach volleyball instead of just playing in the water. They keep giving me tips on how I can hit the balls with both arms and not smack the bejeezus out of my right or left arm. I told them that I tried to do that, but I’m slow. My breasts get in the way. They laughed. And then Aya said “Me too,” although Aya is probably an A cup. It was funny.
We stayed at the beach for a good bit, then went home and showered quickly to go to the Nariyama Ayagu Taikai (Taikai means Festival), which is where they play this famous song (called Nariyama Ayagu, go figure) over and over and prizes are given to the person who plays and sings it the best. Now I thought that sounded like the not so fun so I arranged to go later so I wouldn’t hear all of the songs over and over and over again, but apparently, even though they were still playing until like 11 last year, this year they finished before 8. So I missed it, but we saw the performances that they did while the judges decided. And ate the good festival food. And ran into about 50 of my kids (the festival was in Gusukube, which is where Sunagawa and Seijou are, Gusukube is Big). It was awesome. We also ran into (Kei and Hiroko, who are cool people. And Mike (ALT) and Miyuki (his girlfriend) who are also cool people. And Teresa (ALT), Janine (ALT), and Stu (Janine’s husband), even more cool people) Naoki, who works with us at the iinkai, who performed, although we missed it. And apparently he won one of the sections (I’m not sure yet which part he won, but still, go him!) and so he won a sanshin ($300 and up), a visit at the Tokyu Resort ($500 and up), free airline tickets, and a Big bottle of Awamori (sake, alcohol) that was made locally in Gusukube, and was the “special” variety. Good for him.
Then bed, because I was tired and didn’t feel like going out some more.
And Today, Monday. Was a holiday. Because of the Autumn Equinox (substitute holiday from yesterday). So I celebrated the holiday by (doing laundry, Cleaning the kitchen sink, writing a really long post) going snorkeling. We got our gear and met up at Maehama, then drove across the bridge (that I ran across in the triathlon) and went snorkeling right off the pier. It was not bad, the waves were really weak and the water was really clear, but there wasn’t a whole lot of reef, so we didn’t see a Whole lot of stuff. Some pretty fish, a school of trumpet fish. Some rainbow something or anothers. And on our way back in we came over some old fishing ropes. And while I was swimming over one of the ropes I realized that part of it wasn’t actually a rope. Instead it was a 30 lb fish. It was green with white spots (brown rings on the spots), with a small tail like a parrot fish. It was just chilling. Sam (who studied marine biology at uni) said it belonged to the puffer fish family. It scared the begeezus out of me, mostly because I didn’t realize that it was there. And it was neat.
Then we drove to the other side of Kurima Island (same island, the one on the south west corner of Miyako) to Nagamahama Beach, which is really pretty (I’ll have to go back some time with my camera) and went diving there too. There there was reef. The water was a bit more murky, but we saw, maybe 800-900 fish? Tons. And all colorful and pretty, some with the hard beaks that eat coral, I swam into a school of trumpet fish and didn’t realize it until I was in the middle of it. We saw Nemo-like fish, but with only one white stripe, that lived in the anemones (they would stop and look at me, because it wasn’t scared of me, and actually Look at me, it was so neat!). And there was one kind of fish that Sam said was the Hawaii state fish, although I forget its name, that was REALLY aggressive and drove me away. I think it didn’t like me, and I wasn’t about to argue with it. On my way back from the dive I think the same one saw me and drove me off again. Here we saw more off the really big fish, not the same kind, but some that were at lest 15-20 lbs. Big. And nothing that would eat me, yay. Really fun.
On the way home we tried to go to two different restaurants that I didn’t know of before, but both were closed because of the holiday, but at least I know where they are now, and know the streets well enough to get back to them. We ended up going to Lilian’s, again, but it’s just so tasty I don’t really mind. Although I am craving ice cream now. I figure (they’re open til 10) if I still want it in a bit, after I was ocean out of my hair, if I walk to Baskin Robbins then it’s worth the calories. Because I went swimming for about 2 hours today. And walking on top of that would be nice.
Tomorrow I’m off as well, because Shimoji is my Tuesday school, and Shimoji had it’s Undoukai, which is basically a day of school for the kids and teachers, so they close the school for the next day. Weeee another 4 day vacation and 3 day work week. My goals tomorrow include: buying a rashguard so that I don’t have to worry about burning so much when I go snorkeling or play beach volley ball. Buying surf shorts, so that I don't have to worry about burning when see above, and when I play volley ball inevitably sand gets between my thighs, and that just hurts. I think shorts will help. Buying a mirror of a decent size, because I’ve complained about it since I got here, although I still don’t know where I’d put it. Look at prices for SD chips so I can get the bloody pictures off of my keitai (cell phone). It’s such a good camera, I think it would be worth it. And clean my kitchen. Dishes and whatnot. And sit on tush. I think at least I’ll be able to manage that last one. Oh, and I guess I have to actually make my lessons for Wednesday. I’ve had them planned for about 2 weeks, I just need to make the activities. Ooo, and I guess that necessitates going to the hyaku en shop and finding some cheap playing cards. Yay. What better way to practice numbers, right?
Anyway, peace out.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
It's all about your preferences, really
I have my hotel booked for Tokyo. Or, rather, I submitted my online request. I should hear back from them sometime tomorrow.
I'm set to stay at the Oak Hotel near Ueno Station. I chose there because the front desk is open later, I get my own room, I get a bed. In that order, those were my preferences. So I hope it works out. It's a little more expensive than I could have done, but location, front desk openness, and my own room happiness has swayed me to part with a little more cash, but still tons less that I was originally looking at. Weee.
I'm set to stay at the Oak Hotel near Ueno Station. I chose there because the front desk is open later, I get my own room, I get a bed. In that order, those were my preferences. So I hope it works out. It's a little more expensive than I could have done, but location, front desk openness, and my own room happiness has swayed me to part with a little more cash, but still tons less that I was originally looking at. Weee.
Because so long as I'm on my computer, I'm not eating Junk
So, yesterday was spent being a total slug. It felt so good, although I didn't get some stuff that I wanted to accomplished. For example, I haven't made the worksheet for 5th and 6th years first Numbers lesson. I haven't cleaned my kitchen, not to mention the dishes (I'm gonna do it tonight. I need to, and I can't eat dinner until I do because I have no bowls left. Good incentive). I didn't write. I didn't eat my book.
Instead, I talked on the phone with people All Morning, which was nice. I watched Hana Kimi All Afternoon, which was funny, and I really enjoyed the similarities and the differences from the manga, although I can't remember some of the details, and I can't just go over to my bookshelf and reread them because they're in America and I'm totally not. I also watched a movie called Idiocracy, which was scary (because that totally could happen) and good (because that totally could happen) and funny (because stupid is funny) and totally made me want to have tons and tons of babies. Because my IQ is higher than that. I know. I was tested. I recommend watching it. And, to top the evening off, I read for a bit, then talked to people again.
I also got an email from some guy at nowpublic.com saying that they want to use my photos from Typhoon Wipha (all three of them), but in order to do so, I need to create an account with their site, which is sketchy, so I don't think I will. But it's nice to know that random people have used the search function and found my photos. Even if they are totally not good.
Going back to school today felt like I hadn't been teaching in 2 weeks, not just 5 days. I felt unused to it. But I think it went okay. It's really interesting which classes can do which activities. Some of my 5th years did my Family Bingo no problem, but this class couldn't really do it well, and there was a TON of talking. It's really funny, but I have trouble thinking on how to fix this problem. Like, it seemed like this class could have done the activity if there were fewer of them, but other classes, that were bigger, did it fine with little coaxing. And its difficult to realize which class will or won't be able to do an activity before hand, because it doesn't seem to depend on anything consistent. For example, I thought my word search would totally be over the heads of my 6th years today, and they did amazing. 6 of them finished the whole thing in the 15 minutes I gave them. It was awesome. (And I asked, and yes, they do do that kind of thing in Japanese too, so they knew what I was talking about.) And I only realized 1/2 way though exactly how hard it really was, because the automatic generator I found on the web made the clues in lower case and the puzzle in upper case, which really made them think. (I think I liked that though, so I'm gonna keep it, next time I might write the alphabet on the board though).
So, after all that, today went pretty well. The 2nd Family lesson for 3rd and 4th grade works really well and is my favorite to teach. 3rd grade runs around the room screaming, I mean we play 4 corners (which should really be a vocabulary introduction game) and Bongo (which should really be an vocabulary introduction game). And then 4th grade really runs around the room screaming, I mean, we play Family Janken (the kids play rock paper sissors, then the winner asks "Who is it?" and the looser answers "My X" whatever card they have in their hand. They have to find all 4 of the same cards. Really good game.) and then after a few rounds we do writting practice, because I'm trying to get that in with the 4th and upper years. Just some practice, so that they'll know how to form the letters and what sounds they make. So that they'll be better able in middle and high school. Nothing too taxing, just a worksheet here and there. A few letters phonics practice at the beginning of the lesson. In the 2nd lesson, they learn the sounds for A-E, and have to read Cab, Bad, and Dad. Easy, quick, then we move on.
Now, I'm sitting at home. Pretending I don't have to call some hostels and try to bargain with them in Japanese that my flight comes in at 10pm to Tokyo and please won't they stay open late for me? I have decided however, that I will not (absolutely not!) be staying in a capsule hotel. There are some Japanese style ones cheaper, and the rooms are bigger than 2 meters by 1 meter. I would get claustrophobic. I didn't enjoy my last stint in the MRI machine, and I can think of nothing better that the capsule hotels remind me of. It's just a matter of figuring out which of the 10 that I found for the right price are in an area that I need and will stay open late enough that I can check into without a problem. Mostly I need easy access from Haneda Airport and Tokyo Station (that's where I'm catching the bullet train to Murakami, unless 'other' plans work out). At least I can crash on Curi's tatami when I get there. Too bad Maru-ne can't come the same weekend. But either way, it should be fun. We're talking about us going to see Marnie during that holiday in January, and them coming here that holiday in February. Should be fun times. I need to figure out what they're gonna do while there here though. It's a pretty small island. Maybe we'll take that Make Your Own Shisa class. That would be niffy. See how much I'm not calling them?
Instead, I talked on the phone with people All Morning, which was nice. I watched Hana Kimi All Afternoon, which was funny, and I really enjoyed the similarities and the differences from the manga, although I can't remember some of the details, and I can't just go over to my bookshelf and reread them because they're in America and I'm totally not. I also watched a movie called Idiocracy, which was scary (because that totally could happen) and good (because that totally could happen) and funny (because stupid is funny) and totally made me want to have tons and tons of babies. Because my IQ is higher than that. I know. I was tested. I recommend watching it. And, to top the evening off, I read for a bit, then talked to people again.
I also got an email from some guy at nowpublic.com saying that they want to use my photos from Typhoon Wipha (all three of them), but in order to do so, I need to create an account with their site, which is sketchy, so I don't think I will. But it's nice to know that random people have used the search function and found my photos. Even if they are totally not good.
Going back to school today felt like I hadn't been teaching in 2 weeks, not just 5 days. I felt unused to it. But I think it went okay. It's really interesting which classes can do which activities. Some of my 5th years did my Family Bingo no problem, but this class couldn't really do it well, and there was a TON of talking. It's really funny, but I have trouble thinking on how to fix this problem. Like, it seemed like this class could have done the activity if there were fewer of them, but other classes, that were bigger, did it fine with little coaxing. And its difficult to realize which class will or won't be able to do an activity before hand, because it doesn't seem to depend on anything consistent. For example, I thought my word search would totally be over the heads of my 6th years today, and they did amazing. 6 of them finished the whole thing in the 15 minutes I gave them. It was awesome. (And I asked, and yes, they do do that kind of thing in Japanese too, so they knew what I was talking about.) And I only realized 1/2 way though exactly how hard it really was, because the automatic generator I found on the web made the clues in lower case and the puzzle in upper case, which really made them think. (I think I liked that though, so I'm gonna keep it, next time I might write the alphabet on the board though).
So, after all that, today went pretty well. The 2nd Family lesson for 3rd and 4th grade works really well and is my favorite to teach. 3rd grade runs around the room screaming, I mean we play 4 corners (which should really be a vocabulary introduction game) and Bongo (which should really be an vocabulary introduction game). And then 4th grade really runs around the room screaming, I mean, we play Family Janken (the kids play rock paper sissors, then the winner asks "Who is it?" and the looser answers "My X" whatever card they have in their hand. They have to find all 4 of the same cards. Really good game.) and then after a few rounds we do writting practice, because I'm trying to get that in with the 4th and upper years. Just some practice, so that they'll know how to form the letters and what sounds they make. So that they'll be better able in middle and high school. Nothing too taxing, just a worksheet here and there. A few letters phonics practice at the beginning of the lesson. In the 2nd lesson, they learn the sounds for A-E, and have to read Cab, Bad, and Dad. Easy, quick, then we move on.
Now, I'm sitting at home. Pretending I don't have to call some hostels and try to bargain with them in Japanese that my flight comes in at 10pm to Tokyo and please won't they stay open late for me? I have decided however, that I will not (absolutely not!) be staying in a capsule hotel. There are some Japanese style ones cheaper, and the rooms are bigger than 2 meters by 1 meter. I would get claustrophobic. I didn't enjoy my last stint in the MRI machine, and I can think of nothing better that the capsule hotels remind me of. It's just a matter of figuring out which of the 10 that I found for the right price are in an area that I need and will stay open late enough that I can check into without a problem. Mostly I need easy access from Haneda Airport and Tokyo Station (that's where I'm catching the bullet train to Murakami, unless 'other' plans work out). At least I can crash on Curi's tatami when I get there. Too bad Maru-ne can't come the same weekend. But either way, it should be fun. We're talking about us going to see Marnie during that holiday in January, and them coming here that holiday in February. Should be fun times. I need to figure out what they're gonna do while there here though. It's a pretty small island. Maybe we'll take that Make Your Own Shisa class. That would be niffy. See how much I'm not calling them?
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
oo, look mommy, a typhoon
I think this was officially my first one. Because they're always downgraded by the time they hit Atlanta to Big Freaking Storm, but not a hurricane anymore (which, by the way, typhoon, hurrican, cyclone, all different words for the exact same storm, just depends on where you are in the world as to what they call it. Who knew?). So, yeah. Typhoon.
I've been up since should go to work time, but I got the call that we didn't have to go in, so I stayed in my pjs, literally all day. In the morning I talked with people, in the afternoon I panicked about my trip to Niigata, because all of the hotels that I could find were well over 10000, which is freaking ridiculous, on top of the bullet train that's gonna cost over 10000 each way, and I can't buy tickets because they don't sell them on this island, which is crazy. I checked online, and maybe I'm mistaken, but it seems like I can't buy them anywhere here and not online either.
And for most of the afternoon I've been watching Hanazakari no Kimitachi e live action. I'm trying to get ep. 7 right now. It's really silly, which is nice. And because sendspace is being stupid, I'm loading up Idiocracy, which Leo tells me that I should watch.
I'm trying not to think about dinner. Because I don't have anything to cook with, which will necessitate going out, which means no pjs. I'm so upset.
I've been up since should go to work time, but I got the call that we didn't have to go in, so I stayed in my pjs, literally all day. In the morning I talked with people, in the afternoon I panicked about my trip to Niigata, because all of the hotels that I could find were well over 10000, which is freaking ridiculous, on top of the bullet train that's gonna cost over 10000 each way, and I can't buy tickets because they don't sell them on this island, which is crazy. I checked online, and maybe I'm mistaken, but it seems like I can't buy them anywhere here and not online either.
And for most of the afternoon I've been watching Hanazakari no Kimitachi e live action. I'm trying to get ep. 7 right now. It's really silly, which is nice. And because sendspace is being stupid, I'm loading up Idiocracy, which Leo tells me that I should watch.
I'm trying not to think about dinner. Because I don't have anything to cook with, which will necessitate going out, which means no pjs. I'm so upset.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Undokai
So, after a fairly normal work week, this Sunday was my first all day Undokai (since I was so late to the last one). Granted, even still I was late to this one too, because I'd had people over to my house the night before for dinner (Tien Chian made dumplings. She's Xia's wife, and for the first few weeks we were here she was visiting her family in China. So yes, really. good. dumplings). And then we all (Jeff, Amy, Xia, Tien Chian, and me, with Kirsty after dinner) sat around talking, until about 2 in the morning. So after 6 hours of sleep, I pull myself back from the depths and go down to Seijou's Sports Festival.
By the way, American Field Day's are just pathetic compared to Undokais. So we get together and during a day of school have games. Yeah, these kids have been practicing for weeks. And I was thinking that it would be something silly and I would get bored in a few hours (if not just one) and now I see why they've been practicing.
So yeah, there were some races, which were nice and all, but then they had things like:
The fifth and sixth years got together and made successively more complex human pyramids. It was awesome.
The kindergarteners got together with their parents and danced to a song, the kids knew the moves better than the adults.
The parents and grandparents participated in a relay race, including people who looked well into their sixties. It was so cute to have the announcer (a student from one of the classes, it changed for every event) say (in Japanese) "go go, keep it up Granny, until the end, keep going!"
The teachers from visiting schools got together with the principal to do a relay race that you put your face in the small end of the megaphone and had to kick a rugby ball down the field, around a cone, and back. It was hard, my team came in second.
Traditional dancing with drumming.
The classic 2 teams game where the first years (and second years, but only because the school was so small) have a time limit where they have to toss a bunch of little balls into a basket about 8 or 9 feet in the air. Each team one once :)
A teacher relay, where each grade has a team. During this one, they were calling out wither they had enough people in each team, but when they got to 6th, they realized they were one short, so they asked me (right then!!) to participate. I said yes, of course, and went down. And forgot, because I was first leg, to try my shoes so that they weren't so loose to slip on and off easily (you have to change your shoes so often here, it's just easier), so I had to run and my left shoe almost came off, and it was 1/2 way around the track, then I had to run funny to keep my shoes on, and these teachers and volunteers can really book it. (Breathes). But our team ended up winning :) We were: the cute 6th year teacher (he is really adorable), the secretary (Erika, because I know her name now :) ), the kocho (principal), the cute 3rd grade teacher (cute in the . . . hello kitty is cute kind of way, not the hot kind of way), the assistant who I think is the PE teacher, and me. And we won the right to carry around this really heavy stick with bags of onions hanging from each end. We run fast and our legs hurt and we have to carry the heavy sticks. Great prize. But it was fun.
Oh, and did I mention during the jump rope/bicycle/unicycle/stilts demonstration it started to pour. Only kept up for a few minutes (it had been hot, and it really cooled it off) and then slacked off to a nice drizzle, which was nice, but during the closing ceremony, where the whole school had to stand up at attention on the field and various people say speeches for how good everyone did and just hang on a little longer, the bottom fell out. And the kids had to stand there, in the pouring rain while the adults just laughed and carried out the ceremony in dignified Japanese style. By the end of the speeches some of the kids were just dancing and playing in the rain (in place). It looked like they were having fun, even if it was uncomfortable.
Afterwards, we cleaned up and sat in the teacher's lounge just relaxing (the tatami room where we sit on the woven mat flooring and have tea during the school day) and talking. I have 4 phrases in Hogen I have to practice before I see them again. Hogen being the Miyako dialect that even the kids don't remember very well. And I say dialect, but it's not related to Japanese, think Cherokee. They are:
nma nma. It's delicious.
aran! It's wrong.
bata gou gou (elongate the "oh" sound). I'm full.
bugarii bugarii. I'm tired.
I had to look back at my notes just now. It's not looking very promising, but they'll appreciate it if I try. And it is fun.
We sat down for about an hour, eating fruit that one of the teacher's mother's prepared and then went to the Shokudou (lunch room) for the after party, which concisted of catered food (mostly chanpuru, mixed stirfry of stuff) and lots of drinking. I got a ride back to the city with my new friend Hiromi-sensei (5th year teacher), the kyoto (vice p.), and Marie (Mah, ree, eh) (who I didn't quite know) using a service called a daiko (they come and drive you and your car to your house), but because they drove Hiromi-sensei's car, I left mine at the school (Kirsty was nice and drove me back to get it this afternoon, we went out to dinner after. Very nice).
Instead of getting dropped off at my house, I asked to be dropped off at the bowling alley, because that's where most of the ALTs and some of the English speaking peeps were, and they played a bit (I was a little late, so I didn't, and then I was enjoying talking to everyone so much more than I would have if I was playing because I get bad after a few drinks and it just upsets me, so I didn't play the second set either) and at some point I walked with Scott to the liquor store (which I know where a liquor store is within walking distance of my house) to refuel, because the bowling alley doesn't serve so they allow outside drinks. After the two games, we went in search of karaoke.
Unfortunately karaoke closes at 1am on Sundays, no matter if the next day is a holiday or not, so we ended up at (surprise surprise) Copa. As in Copa Cobana. It's a nice little bar with good atmosphere. And a really big white leather couch that fits about 12 people. Which is about what we were by that point (some of us had gone home). I stayed a bit, and then realized that if I stayed any more I would have just fallen asleep on the nice white leather couch so I walked home. Makiko-sensei, who teaches Junior high with Jeff and Teresa, was nice enough to agree to look over my phone bill with me next Friday at pizza and tell me why it's so high, as well as to follow me out and make sure I know where I'm going to get home (Copa is at the other end of Nishizato, the street I live off), so I said I was fine and thanked her (at least I hope I did, I got a little blurry about that time, not so bad off, more just 6 hours of sleep, staying up all night, and playing all night, ya know?) and stumbled the 3 blocks home (yes, from one end of the main drag in town to the other, it's 4 blocks, I live on that last block).
I woke up at 2pm this morning. I seriously thought it was about 10am with how hard I slept. Wow.
I had dreams of living in the West coast and running north to Oregon to get away from the bad. I was flying with Rosie. No plane, just flying. And when I woke up and turned on my computer (which I thought would be too late to talk to people) Rosie called. One of those moments.
By the way.
By the way, American Field Day's are just pathetic compared to Undokais. So we get together and during a day of school have games. Yeah, these kids have been practicing for weeks. And I was thinking that it would be something silly and I would get bored in a few hours (if not just one) and now I see why they've been practicing.
So yeah, there were some races, which were nice and all, but then they had things like:
The fifth and sixth years got together and made successively more complex human pyramids. It was awesome.
The kindergarteners got together with their parents and danced to a song, the kids knew the moves better than the adults.
The parents and grandparents participated in a relay race, including people who looked well into their sixties. It was so cute to have the announcer (a student from one of the classes, it changed for every event) say (in Japanese) "go go, keep it up Granny, until the end, keep going!"
The teachers from visiting schools got together with the principal to do a relay race that you put your face in the small end of the megaphone and had to kick a rugby ball down the field, around a cone, and back. It was hard, my team came in second.
Traditional dancing with drumming.
The classic 2 teams game where the first years (and second years, but only because the school was so small) have a time limit where they have to toss a bunch of little balls into a basket about 8 or 9 feet in the air. Each team one once :)
A teacher relay, where each grade has a team. During this one, they were calling out wither they had enough people in each team, but when they got to 6th, they realized they were one short, so they asked me (right then!!) to participate. I said yes, of course, and went down. And forgot, because I was first leg, to try my shoes so that they weren't so loose to slip on and off easily (you have to change your shoes so often here, it's just easier), so I had to run and my left shoe almost came off, and it was 1/2 way around the track, then I had to run funny to keep my shoes on, and these teachers and volunteers can really book it. (Breathes). But our team ended up winning :) We were: the cute 6th year teacher (he is really adorable), the secretary (Erika, because I know her name now :) ), the kocho (principal), the cute 3rd grade teacher (cute in the . . . hello kitty is cute kind of way, not the hot kind of way), the assistant who I think is the PE teacher, and me. And we won the right to carry around this really heavy stick with bags of onions hanging from each end. We run fast and our legs hurt and we have to carry the heavy sticks. Great prize. But it was fun.
Oh, and did I mention during the jump rope/bicycle/unicycle/stilts demonstration it started to pour. Only kept up for a few minutes (it had been hot, and it really cooled it off) and then slacked off to a nice drizzle, which was nice, but during the closing ceremony, where the whole school had to stand up at attention on the field and various people say speeches for how good everyone did and just hang on a little longer, the bottom fell out. And the kids had to stand there, in the pouring rain while the adults just laughed and carried out the ceremony in dignified Japanese style. By the end of the speeches some of the kids were just dancing and playing in the rain (in place). It looked like they were having fun, even if it was uncomfortable.
Afterwards, we cleaned up and sat in the teacher's lounge just relaxing (the tatami room where we sit on the woven mat flooring and have tea during the school day) and talking. I have 4 phrases in Hogen I have to practice before I see them again. Hogen being the Miyako dialect that even the kids don't remember very well. And I say dialect, but it's not related to Japanese, think Cherokee. They are:
nma nma. It's delicious.
aran! It's wrong.
bata gou gou (elongate the "oh" sound). I'm full.
bugarii bugarii. I'm tired.
I had to look back at my notes just now. It's not looking very promising, but they'll appreciate it if I try. And it is fun.
We sat down for about an hour, eating fruit that one of the teacher's mother's prepared and then went to the Shokudou (lunch room) for the after party, which concisted of catered food (mostly chanpuru, mixed stirfry of stuff) and lots of drinking. I got a ride back to the city with my new friend Hiromi-sensei (5th year teacher), the kyoto (vice p.), and Marie (Mah, ree, eh) (who I didn't quite know) using a service called a daiko (they come and drive you and your car to your house), but because they drove Hiromi-sensei's car, I left mine at the school (Kirsty was nice and drove me back to get it this afternoon, we went out to dinner after. Very nice).
Instead of getting dropped off at my house, I asked to be dropped off at the bowling alley, because that's where most of the ALTs and some of the English speaking peeps were, and they played a bit (I was a little late, so I didn't, and then I was enjoying talking to everyone so much more than I would have if I was playing because I get bad after a few drinks and it just upsets me, so I didn't play the second set either) and at some point I walked with Scott to the liquor store (which I know where a liquor store is within walking distance of my house) to refuel, because the bowling alley doesn't serve so they allow outside drinks. After the two games, we went in search of karaoke.
Unfortunately karaoke closes at 1am on Sundays, no matter if the next day is a holiday or not, so we ended up at (surprise surprise) Copa. As in Copa Cobana. It's a nice little bar with good atmosphere. And a really big white leather couch that fits about 12 people. Which is about what we were by that point (some of us had gone home). I stayed a bit, and then realized that if I stayed any more I would have just fallen asleep on the nice white leather couch so I walked home. Makiko-sensei, who teaches Junior high with Jeff and Teresa, was nice enough to agree to look over my phone bill with me next Friday at pizza and tell me why it's so high, as well as to follow me out and make sure I know where I'm going to get home (Copa is at the other end of Nishizato, the street I live off), so I said I was fine and thanked her (at least I hope I did, I got a little blurry about that time, not so bad off, more just 6 hours of sleep, staying up all night, and playing all night, ya know?) and stumbled the 3 blocks home (yes, from one end of the main drag in town to the other, it's 4 blocks, I live on that last block).
I woke up at 2pm this morning. I seriously thought it was about 10am with how hard I slept. Wow.
I had dreams of living in the West coast and running north to Oregon to get away from the bad. I was flying with Rosie. No plane, just flying. And when I woke up and turned on my computer (which I thought would be too late to talk to people) Rosie called. One of those moments.
By the way.
Friday, September 14, 2007
so skype cracked out on me
And for about 7 minutes I saw all of the calls that I hadn't gotten. Including the one that my mother made while I was sitting right here, doing nothing, but it didn't show up. I have missed 38 calls. I'm sorry. I didn't know. And 7 minutes after they showed up and I started to go through all of the voicemails and trying to figure out who some of the numbers were, they disappeared again. If you tried to call me, please try again.
Monday, September 10, 2007
When last we left our heroine
When last we left our heroine she was just beginning her new adventure in the land of the hogeisen (or rising sun, if you prefer not to use the word “whaling vessel” which I think just sounds cool). The following day (Thursday) she went to Seijo Elementary School. Where she has her own classroom, but doesn’t always use if for reasons unknown to her (she’s planning on asking this next week if she can just have all the classes come to the English room). So, on getting to school, she messed up the schedule, but apparently the schedule was messed up anyway and no one bothered to tell her. All good. During the 3rd year’s lesson, a pigeon decided to, in the way of the land of the rising sun, kamikaze itself into her window. Thankfully if failed, was stunned, and then flew off. Poor thing.
In Seijo, lunch was again in a lunch room, and was startlingly quiet. And when she ate the whole grape, she got stared at and was told that you can’t eat the whole thing. Ah well, she said, I’ve already eaten it. And it was tasty.
The day was rather busy until lunchtime, as her classes started right away and were back to back. But the afternoon lounged out before her like a beautiful sunset, because she didn’t have any classes in the afternoon (and according to the schedule, never will, which is a bit of a pain to have everything ready so early, but you know, it’s how these things go). She was invited, by the Kacho, or the Kyoto (I get them confused, it means Principal and Vice Principal, but I don’t know the people very well yet) to go to the Undokai (sports day), where she was told she had to be there on Sunday at 9:30 am. She would need to bring her own bentou (boxed lunch), and after the long day of supporting the children, she would go with all of the teachers to the “we worked hard” party (otsukare no paatii), where she would drink like a fish and call a daiko to go home (a daiko is the GREAT service they have here. You drive somewhere, you get drunk, you call a daiko, who, like a taxi, comes to pick you up. Here’s the kicker. They come with 2 people in their car, and one of them drives your car home with you. It’s an awesome Idea). She felt so special to be invited. So far she’d been told she had to go to the Undokais, but didn’t get told about the after parties. It’s a good sign. And the day after the Undokai is a holiday, so it’s okay to be out late :D
The next day she was back at Heiichi, the school she went to the first day, but that day was her first day of classes. She taught 4-1 (4th year, class 1) which was nice, followed by all 3 6th years. Except that wasn’t the plan. The plan was, because of Undokai practice, that she would only teach 6-1 and 6-2, that 6-3 would be moved to Monday, where she would teach 5 classes (because it was a trade off, she was okay with this). However, the schedule changed sometime during the day, and she was never told until about 5 minutes in to the lesson she didn’t know she was suppose to be teaching. Fun. So that class didn’t quite finish. Whatever. They have a game they can play next time.
After class, she sat in the 3,4’s teacher’s room (the school is large enough to have to split up the teachers into 3 different teacher rooms, a whoping 500 students), and put together a people bingo game for the next week. Afterwards she got talking with the teachers (the 3rd and 4th year teachers, although I think one if them is defiantly a 5 year teacher, but I’m not sure, I think she might just be friends with the younger grade teachers) and one of the teachers who usually only comes on Monday stopped by with some really REALLY good cake. It was horrendously evil and so tasty (it had chestnuts in the middle!) and it was so much fun just hanging out and talking that she stayed about an extra hour after she could leave, just talking. It was good. (Because, on the JET Program, the first few months, your job is not to teach children. Your job is to make relationships with the teachers. I’ve actually been told this.)
However, tragedy soon struck. As she was leaving, she noticed her car was covered in ants. She then had the wonderful experience of going into the office and trying to ask for bug spray, although she knew not the word for “bug” nor “spray,” but it worked out. Serves her right for being lazy and not walking like she knew she should have. It’s only a 10-15 minute walk, and it IS the only school she can walk to, so there’s really no excuse. Even if it was raining. It’s not like her car doesn’t leak, on both the passenger’s side and the driver’s side (the last one is a new accordance. I need to find some epoxy. Maybe that’ll fix it. I really don’t care how it looks, so long as it doesn’t leak. Anything will look better than the rusty holes). So really, no excuse.
When she finally got home, she started a new book (Terry Brooks’ Genesis of Shannara was started on Monday, and finished on Friday. Very good. The sequel will be in my next Amazon order), the third in the Ember series, Prophet of Yonwood. She went to “pizza” for dinner, and finished the book when she got home. She didn’t even stay up past midnight.
Saturday, it rained. Which sounded to her like a great reason to just stay at home and do nothing. So she watched a metric ton of tv, cleaned up the kitchen, and generally lazed about until around 7, when she went over to Jonathan’s place for dinner. There, she, Amy, and Jonathan (the 3 just elementary JETs) ate dinner for about 3 hours. It was fantabulous.
Sunday she pulled herself out of bed and did a triathlon. No, not all of it, cuz she is both lazy and out of shape, but she cheered on the swimmers, said ganbatte to the bikers, and walked the 5.5k instead of running. It took her 55 minutes. It was along this scary, empty road, across the bridge and back. On her way back, she saw her first wild sea turtle swimming off the bridge. This was followed by her first wild manta. The sea turtle was about a foot long, maybe a little bigger. The manta was at least three feet, wing to wing. It was groovy.
(there and back)
Oh, did I mention she saw a dragon? Because what do you call a long snake that flies through the air and had wings around it’s head? I mean, you could possibly call it a bird with a snake in it’s mouth, and she DID only see it for a few seconds. But according to Makiko-sensei (not mine, but Scott’s wife who works at a junior high) the priests say that there are a lot of dragons in Miyako this year, and those who are spiritually inclined can see them. And maybe it was a bird, but it looked like a snake that was flying.
When she got home on Sunday she finished but a book she’s started on Saturday (11 pages in) called Howl’s Moving Castle, which was made into a very famous anime by Miyuzaki, a very famous director who I think is dead and his son is doing the movies now, and his son is not as good, but that’s all good. The book, by Diane Wynne Jones (I think), came first, and is MUCH better than the movie. (The book was so good, that I borrowed it from Chris to first read it, and I bought it so that I could read it again. (nods) Well worth the money. Drunken rugby Howl. And that’s all I have to say about that.)
Now, it’s Monday and she’s taught 3 of her four classes, 5-1, 5-2, 3-2. 3-1 is in a little bit. 3-2 was a little noisy, but only because the teacher wasn't there for the first 5 minutes, or they’re just a little loud anyway, but they really responded to the saying the new vocabulary in a rather funny way. And they really liked the dice “game” (they sit in a circle, roll the dice, count that many children, then that child has to recite a vocabulary word that matches the picture I point to. And they call it a game. Snicker, I win). It was fun. The 5th graders were nice and calmed down when she gave them the writing practice. And it’s all good.
Although, she did just remember that her first “new” classes are tomorrow and she has to plan what she’s going to do with the 4th, 5th, and 3rd years that she’s seeing for the second time tomorrow. She’s not quite sure yet. I think she needs to find herself a laminator and play janken (rock, paper, sissors) with cards (“janken!” winner asks looser “who is it” looser looks at his card “it’s my mother” if it's the same they team up and try to find the other 2 with the same card. And this is a game too. Snicker. This is what I do and call it work. Snicker).
After work, she plans to go to the travel agent and get her Niigata plans in order. She plans to tell her school that she’s taking the last weekend in October to go to Niigata on Wednesday (it’ll be her 3rd day at the school, but still, it’s more warning and not so bad as asking on the first day). She also plans to ask them what the ferry schedule is like to go to Ishigaki (the next island over) because she wants to know if she can work out going and visiting Veronica anytime soon. She hopes so, but she’s heard horrible rumors that you have to go on like Tuesday through Thursday, which is rather ridiculous, but she might do it anyway. It’s her days off. She has 20 of them. It’s in her contract.
(break for class)
After class (which was too many kids for the game she tried to play, but didn’t have anything else that she could think of on the top of her head, and was too loud, but whatever. It seemed like they had fun) she learned how to use the laminator (which is really different. Back home, you have a large machine with lamination rolls, right? Here there is this small machine you have to take out and you put what you want to laminate between the single sheet (folded down in the middle) of plastic. It’s a whole lot more solid when it comes out the other side. Did I mention that you have to plug it in, wait for it to heat up (about 20 min) then after you are done, you have to wait for it to cool down before you can put it away. Silliness.
So after getting home and taking a shower (she’ll probably take several more later, did I mention that they don’t believe in central A/C here? Or that it’s so expensive to run her A/C that she just opens the windows and makes do with a fan?) she goes off to the travel agent and finds out that it’ll cost more than 50000 to take her round trip to Murakami to see Chris (who’d better appreciate it!) and that’s just the air fare, not counting the bullet train, or the hotel. Jebz. But she’s going to do it. Because she needs to. When she pays on Wednesday, she’ll have to (remember to ask about the ferry!!) and ask when is the best time to travel cheaply, so that she can plan better when she goes to see Marnie.
And finally when she gets home (after eating chili cheese fries at the A&W, because there is one here. One.) she finds out the reason that people here have 6 garbage days and you take out raw garbage every other day. Because she hadn’t taken it out since last Wednesday, and oh, my, God, the maggots. So that’s sitting out on the front stoop, waiting for Wednesday so that she can take that out to the street and be happy. She vows to never ever ever wait that long again. And, dang, it was just 5 days. The can has been hosed down and is waiting on the back stoop to dry. She’s hoping she wont dream about it.
Okay. She’s tired, and has to continue to disinfect the bathroom (because my shower drains into the place right in front of the toilet, so no, I don’t have a tub, and yes, now I have to clean my whole bathroom to make me feel comfortable about stepping in there to use the toilet) so she will sign off, and let you know more of her adventures next time.
Keep it real, yo.
In Seijo, lunch was again in a lunch room, and was startlingly quiet. And when she ate the whole grape, she got stared at and was told that you can’t eat the whole thing. Ah well, she said, I’ve already eaten it. And it was tasty.
The day was rather busy until lunchtime, as her classes started right away and were back to back. But the afternoon lounged out before her like a beautiful sunset, because she didn’t have any classes in the afternoon (and according to the schedule, never will, which is a bit of a pain to have everything ready so early, but you know, it’s how these things go). She was invited, by the Kacho, or the Kyoto (I get them confused, it means Principal and Vice Principal, but I don’t know the people very well yet) to go to the Undokai (sports day), where she was told she had to be there on Sunday at 9:30 am. She would need to bring her own bentou (boxed lunch), and after the long day of supporting the children, she would go with all of the teachers to the “we worked hard” party (otsukare no paatii), where she would drink like a fish and call a daiko to go home (a daiko is the GREAT service they have here. You drive somewhere, you get drunk, you call a daiko, who, like a taxi, comes to pick you up. Here’s the kicker. They come with 2 people in their car, and one of them drives your car home with you. It’s an awesome Idea). She felt so special to be invited. So far she’d been told she had to go to the Undokais, but didn’t get told about the after parties. It’s a good sign. And the day after the Undokai is a holiday, so it’s okay to be out late :D
The next day she was back at Heiichi, the school she went to the first day, but that day was her first day of classes. She taught 4-1 (4th year, class 1) which was nice, followed by all 3 6th years. Except that wasn’t the plan. The plan was, because of Undokai practice, that she would only teach 6-1 and 6-2, that 6-3 would be moved to Monday, where she would teach 5 classes (because it was a trade off, she was okay with this). However, the schedule changed sometime during the day, and she was never told until about 5 minutes in to the lesson she didn’t know she was suppose to be teaching. Fun. So that class didn’t quite finish. Whatever. They have a game they can play next time.
After class, she sat in the 3,4’s teacher’s room (the school is large enough to have to split up the teachers into 3 different teacher rooms, a whoping 500 students), and put together a people bingo game for the next week. Afterwards she got talking with the teachers (the 3rd and 4th year teachers, although I think one if them is defiantly a 5 year teacher, but I’m not sure, I think she might just be friends with the younger grade teachers) and one of the teachers who usually only comes on Monday stopped by with some really REALLY good cake. It was horrendously evil and so tasty (it had chestnuts in the middle!) and it was so much fun just hanging out and talking that she stayed about an extra hour after she could leave, just talking. It was good. (Because, on the JET Program, the first few months, your job is not to teach children. Your job is to make relationships with the teachers. I’ve actually been told this.)
However, tragedy soon struck. As she was leaving, she noticed her car was covered in ants. She then had the wonderful experience of going into the office and trying to ask for bug spray, although she knew not the word for “bug” nor “spray,” but it worked out. Serves her right for being lazy and not walking like she knew she should have. It’s only a 10-15 minute walk, and it IS the only school she can walk to, so there’s really no excuse. Even if it was raining. It’s not like her car doesn’t leak, on both the passenger’s side and the driver’s side (the last one is a new accordance. I need to find some epoxy. Maybe that’ll fix it. I really don’t care how it looks, so long as it doesn’t leak. Anything will look better than the rusty holes). So really, no excuse.
When she finally got home, she started a new book (Terry Brooks’ Genesis of Shannara was started on Monday, and finished on Friday. Very good. The sequel will be in my next Amazon order), the third in the Ember series, Prophet of Yonwood. She went to “pizza” for dinner, and finished the book when she got home. She didn’t even stay up past midnight.
Saturday, it rained. Which sounded to her like a great reason to just stay at home and do nothing. So she watched a metric ton of tv, cleaned up the kitchen, and generally lazed about until around 7, when she went over to Jonathan’s place for dinner. There, she, Amy, and Jonathan (the 3 just elementary JETs) ate dinner for about 3 hours. It was fantabulous.
Sunday she pulled herself out of bed and did a triathlon. No, not all of it, cuz she is both lazy and out of shape, but she cheered on the swimmers, said ganbatte to the bikers, and walked the 5.5k instead of running. It took her 55 minutes. It was along this scary, empty road, across the bridge and back. On her way back, she saw her first wild sea turtle swimming off the bridge. This was followed by her first wild manta. The sea turtle was about a foot long, maybe a little bigger. The manta was at least three feet, wing to wing. It was groovy.
(there and back)
Oh, did I mention she saw a dragon? Because what do you call a long snake that flies through the air and had wings around it’s head? I mean, you could possibly call it a bird with a snake in it’s mouth, and she DID only see it for a few seconds. But according to Makiko-sensei (not mine, but Scott’s wife who works at a junior high) the priests say that there are a lot of dragons in Miyako this year, and those who are spiritually inclined can see them. And maybe it was a bird, but it looked like a snake that was flying.
When she got home on Sunday she finished but a book she’s started on Saturday (11 pages in) called Howl’s Moving Castle, which was made into a very famous anime by Miyuzaki, a very famous director who I think is dead and his son is doing the movies now, and his son is not as good, but that’s all good. The book, by Diane Wynne Jones (I think), came first, and is MUCH better than the movie. (The book was so good, that I borrowed it from Chris to first read it, and I bought it so that I could read it again. (nods) Well worth the money. Drunken rugby Howl. And that’s all I have to say about that.)
Now, it’s Monday and she’s taught 3 of her four classes, 5-1, 5-2, 3-2. 3-1 is in a little bit. 3-2 was a little noisy, but only because the teacher wasn't there for the first 5 minutes, or they’re just a little loud anyway, but they really responded to the saying the new vocabulary in a rather funny way. And they really liked the dice “game” (they sit in a circle, roll the dice, count that many children, then that child has to recite a vocabulary word that matches the picture I point to. And they call it a game. Snicker, I win). It was fun. The 5th graders were nice and calmed down when she gave them the writing practice. And it’s all good.
Although, she did just remember that her first “new” classes are tomorrow and she has to plan what she’s going to do with the 4th, 5th, and 3rd years that she’s seeing for the second time tomorrow. She’s not quite sure yet. I think she needs to find herself a laminator and play janken (rock, paper, sissors) with cards (“janken!” winner asks looser “who is it” looser looks at his card “it’s my mother” if it's the same they team up and try to find the other 2 with the same card. And this is a game too. Snicker. This is what I do and call it work. Snicker).
After work, she plans to go to the travel agent and get her Niigata plans in order. She plans to tell her school that she’s taking the last weekend in October to go to Niigata on Wednesday (it’ll be her 3rd day at the school, but still, it’s more warning and not so bad as asking on the first day). She also plans to ask them what the ferry schedule is like to go to Ishigaki (the next island over) because she wants to know if she can work out going and visiting Veronica anytime soon. She hopes so, but she’s heard horrible rumors that you have to go on like Tuesday through Thursday, which is rather ridiculous, but she might do it anyway. It’s her days off. She has 20 of them. It’s in her contract.
(break for class)
After class (which was too many kids for the game she tried to play, but didn’t have anything else that she could think of on the top of her head, and was too loud, but whatever. It seemed like they had fun) she learned how to use the laminator (which is really different. Back home, you have a large machine with lamination rolls, right? Here there is this small machine you have to take out and you put what you want to laminate between the single sheet (folded down in the middle) of plastic. It’s a whole lot more solid when it comes out the other side. Did I mention that you have to plug it in, wait for it to heat up (about 20 min) then after you are done, you have to wait for it to cool down before you can put it away. Silliness.
So after getting home and taking a shower (she’ll probably take several more later, did I mention that they don’t believe in central A/C here? Or that it’s so expensive to run her A/C that she just opens the windows and makes do with a fan?) she goes off to the travel agent and finds out that it’ll cost more than 50000 to take her round trip to Murakami to see Chris (who’d better appreciate it!) and that’s just the air fare, not counting the bullet train, or the hotel. Jebz. But she’s going to do it. Because she needs to. When she pays on Wednesday, she’ll have to (remember to ask about the ferry!!) and ask when is the best time to travel cheaply, so that she can plan better when she goes to see Marnie.
And finally when she gets home (after eating chili cheese fries at the A&W, because there is one here. One.) she finds out the reason that people here have 6 garbage days and you take out raw garbage every other day. Because she hadn’t taken it out since last Wednesday, and oh, my, God, the maggots. So that’s sitting out on the front stoop, waiting for Wednesday so that she can take that out to the street and be happy. She vows to never ever ever wait that long again. And, dang, it was just 5 days. The can has been hosed down and is waiting on the back stoop to dry. She’s hoping she wont dream about it.
Okay. She’s tired, and has to continue to disinfect the bathroom (because my shower drains into the place right in front of the toilet, so no, I don’t have a tub, and yes, now I have to clean my whole bathroom to make me feel comfortable about stepping in there to use the toilet) so she will sign off, and let you know more of her adventures next time.
Keep it real, yo.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Second verse, same as the first, a little bit louder and a little bit worse!
But not really. Today was apparently the 99th birthday of Sunagawa Elementary School. And guess where I had to teach today! Go ahead. So, since it was the anniversary of the founding of the school, there was an assembly. So guess who got to give another introduction. Instead of making the copies she desperately needed to make. Go ahead. Just guess. But it worked out. And I did it much better this time. Maybe the smaller school made me more comfortable. Or I like the principal there better. Who knows what made me more relaxed. But it worked out.
At Sunagawa I teach 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th year, about 3 times a month. (almost every week, but not quite). It was 4th, 3rd, 5th, then lunch, then 6th, then a break. It was harrowing, and crazy, but I didn't forget so much today, and the 6th year class went better than expected. They didn't remember the vocab at all (hadn't had it in 2 years, I think) so that they remembered a bit by the end of class was good. I also did my "getting to know you excercise" where I had them write how many brothers and sisters and what they liked. Then I divided the class in half and had them guess who wrote each sheet. They took some time, but were able to do it until the bell rung. It was fun. 5th year was noisy today too. And at Sunagawa, unlike at Shimoji, they didn't quiet down to do a worksheet. Ah well. That's how it goes.
So I get home, and (bust my bumper) get a package ready to send out to Nick and the Mormons find me. Not that I mind. Anyone who speaks English and is in a generally nice disposition is welcome, I just find it disturbing that they're even HERE on this tiny island. Oh, and I was right, that was the pamplet I got in my mailbox a few weeks ago. All good.
So yeah, day 2 wasn't so bad, a little louder (except for lunch, which was some kind of egg hamburger (a hamburger made out of egg) soup and rice, and was really quiet, oh, and they brush their teeth after eating. Together. With a song) but a little less hectic (I have my own room at Sunagawa and the kids come to me :D ) and all together a step in the right direction, I think. *nods* A good day.
At Sunagawa I teach 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th year, about 3 times a month. (almost every week, but not quite). It was 4th, 3rd, 5th, then lunch, then 6th, then a break. It was harrowing, and crazy, but I didn't forget so much today, and the 6th year class went better than expected. They didn't remember the vocab at all (hadn't had it in 2 years, I think) so that they remembered a bit by the end of class was good. I also did my "getting to know you excercise" where I had them write how many brothers and sisters and what they liked. Then I divided the class in half and had them guess who wrote each sheet. They took some time, but were able to do it until the bell rung. It was fun. 5th year was noisy today too. And at Sunagawa, unlike at Shimoji, they didn't quiet down to do a worksheet. Ah well. That's how it goes.
So I get home, and (bust my bumper) get a package ready to send out to Nick and the Mormons find me. Not that I mind. Anyone who speaks English and is in a generally nice disposition is welcome, I just find it disturbing that they're even HERE on this tiny island. Oh, and I was right, that was the pamplet I got in my mailbox a few weeks ago. All good.
So yeah, day 2 wasn't so bad, a little louder (except for lunch, which was some kind of egg hamburger (a hamburger made out of egg) soup and rice, and was really quiet, oh, and they brush their teeth after eating. Together. With a song) but a little less hectic (I have my own room at Sunagawa and the kids come to me :D ) and all together a step in the right direction, I think. *nods* A good day.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Yesterday was interesting.
Yesterday was interesting.
It started barely on time, as always, if you know me. I was gonna be rather early, but I drove past the driveway. Great way to start the day, right? So I get to Heiichi and I don’t quite remember where I’m suppose to go, and I finally figure it out, with help. I get deposited in the 3-4th year teacher’s room with a really nice guy, who says outright that he lies a lot, which I think is in jest, and I actually really like his personality, even though I can’t remember his name and have no idea of anything else about him, other than he probably teaches 3rd or 4th year. Oh, and he’s 273 years old. Which is a fun game I use to tell the kids at GA before asked them how old I was :P Fun fun.
So yesterday, other than sitting in the teacher’s room for a bit, consisted of a staff meeting that I didn’t follow where I had to give a self introduction, in Japanese. Then an assembly that I had to give an introduction, in Japanese (why couldn’t I have gone AFTER the two new teachers who are working on their certification? I would have done so much better!!). And then I was told by Makiko-sensei (my English coordinator at Heiichi) that I could go to the iinkai because I didn’t have anymore classes that day. Normally I’ve been told that if I am ever told that, I can just go home. But I had some printing and copying to do for my next school day, seeing how I actually had to teach, and I hadn’t really decided what I wanted to teach (I’ve been given about 3 possible syllabuses and told to go have fun with how I teach them, how fast I move, what I do). So I get there, I work a bit, figure it out, make some handouts and call it a day.
Btw, I went with Jeff (whom I’m really getting along with, I hope) to a little hole-in-the-wall place that I would have never in a million years found on my own that was really expensive for lunch (alone it was 800 for my meal, for the set (which includes a drink) it’s just a 200 more), but I had a “ham and tomato panini” (which was that really expensive ham that Gayle and Jim make during holidays) with a salad with a basil dressing, the best soup I’ve had in a long time, roast vegetables, and a piece of chocolate cake with a small scoop of ice cream, drizzled with caramel, booya. It’s literally down an alley, but the stairs, don’t bumb your head, through the hallway, outside onto the patio and back inside to the restaurant, which was sparsely decorated with stucco walls and dark hardwood. Very nice, very hole-in-the-wall.
So, when I think I’m done with work, I go home and get stuff together and drive my scooter down to the beach. I swam from where they play volleyball to the pier and back and I didn’t die. I can prove I swam all the way there because the pier (which I have never walked down to) is covered in barnacles, and more than a couple crabs (which I didn’t see anywhere else on the beach). On my way I saw many small (the size of my foot or smaller) white fish with various tan or little black markings (which makes sense with the white sand at Maehama), but at the pier I saw little brown fish with purple and yellow, and blue markings (I just described 3 different kinds of fish I hadn’t seen at all previously). Oh, and a dead crab. Weee. But I guess it’s why those kind of fish were by the pier and not by the beach, the barnacles and stuff is what they eat, and their coloring fits in with the colors of the pier. On my way back I saw (in the distance, which with that visibility was about 10 feet) I saw white fish longer than my elbow to my hand. I swam away calmly and quickly. Now mind, throughout my swim I was in water that I could put my hand down while swimming at the top of the water and touch the ocean bottom. This spurned by my discussion with Jeff at lunch about exactly which sharks can be found in Miyako and why Sunayama beach is closed because they think that there is a great white in the bay. Yeah, I could stand up and my swimming suit wouldn’t get wet. Perfect.
So I go home just before a glorious sunset (I was riding my scooter, with contacts because I had been swimming, and my contacts don’t correct for my astigmatism, so I can’t see at night very well, the lights blur something fierce) and when I get home and am going over my things one more time, I realize that one of the things I had meant to do was to find flashcards online and print them out. Panic.
So I get the flashcards, download them, find worksheets, download them, find pictures of my family, download them, and put them all on my flashdrive with the incentive to get to school really early the next day so that I can hop on a computer and print like a mad woman. And of course! This is when my mom doesn’t answer the phone so I can freak to Mommy, who would tell me that it’s all okay. (Breathes). So I go to bed, sleep surprisingly well (probably because I hadn’t slept at all the day before, although I pretended to really well).
I wake up early, eat the fastest (what did I even eat for breakfast, I know I ate something . . .) breakfast, called my mom, who told me it was okay, and got to school 45 minutes early. I printed out everything I needed for my first 2 classes (after which I had a break), met a whole bunch of people, gave another self-introduction at a assembly, where I said I was 16, in Japanese, and didn’t catch it until after. But I think that just endeared me to the kids. Cuz they asked me snarky questions after, and joked around with me.
My first class was 4-1 (fourth year, class one of two. In this school there is one class of each grade, except 2 fourth grades) which had 24 kids. It went well, and Nariko-sensei, my English coordinator here at Shimoji (yes I’m writing this as school, but I’ll have to post it later) stayed with the class and helped me out with a bit of Japanese. After class, the girls walked me back down to the staff room and carried my stuff (they reminded me of Devon and Cassie).
Next, 10 minutes later, I taught the other half of 4th year, where I forgot to go over the alphabet, but it went really well. Then I had a yasumi (a break) for about an hour, where I copied out the rest of my hand outs and generally sat down and had a nice conversation with the office secretary (Mariko?).
Then it was 5th. Which was scary, because I was worried they would be above silly games, but they weren’t. Although there were 37 of them. Which was ridiculous. They responded really well to the writing exercise (copy the words, first grade style, with the dotted lines and everything, and if they finished, I gave them the same worksheet, but with the example dotted lines only the first time). They were actually quiet for it, which was great. (The teachers here don’t really understand the concept of “everyone be quiet so that she/he can speak” and discipline isn’t my job (it says that somewhere) so I’m just going along with it). That was another one I forgot the alphabet. I wanted to see how far they’d gotten with phonics. I was gonna pull a Lopez/Butterworth “A ah, B buh, C kk” song out of my head, but I forgot. Ah well.
After that I had my first dreaded school lunch. Which was curry rice, with an omelet and broccoli and milk with a fourth of grapefruit for desert. I was all psyched up for something nasty, and they end up having one of my favorites. Just watch, because today’s was so nice, tomorrow will be horrendous, like octopus, or pigs feet or something. Yes, I’m not joking. I ate with the 6th years, which was okay, but because I hadn’t taught them, they didn’t really talk to me. Which was fine, I got to listen. I swear that Auerbach’s Rudolfo from last year is one of the 6th years. He looks sooooo similar, its just eerie. But he speaks perfect Japanese, so who am I to say.
After lunch the entire school has something akin to recess, where they go outside and yell for a bit, so my next class wasn’t for another hour and a half. It was 3rd year. The teacher was nice enough to repeat everything I said into Japanese, which means that they didn’t learn nearly a thing. Like they don't know any of the English commands or anything, probably because she just repeats for me (and probably for Nick too). And the other classes could understand me with just a little Japanese (or a lot, however you want to look at it, because they cannot ask the “are we suppose to” questions in English), but you know what? It’s her class. By the end of it, I think they got the idea, although I think I’ll go over the same vocabulary next time too. Maybe complete sentences. That would be good. She was really nice. Oh, and one of the kids I swear is a cross between Luz and Yadira from Lisa’s 3rd grade (Both Lisas, Salmon then Burnette, right after the other), she could easily have been either of their siblings and I wouldn’t have noticed.
Then I had more free time (because I’d used the previous free time to get tomorrow’s lessons ready, except for the copies, because I don’t know how many kids are in my school at Sunakawa, and I don’t want to burn resources), so I started this after writing down how my classes went and what I actually ended up teaching them. Weeeeee. I’m so tired and just used that I think I’ll go to Wafute and have that amazing tofu again, just to make me feel good. Not that I don’t. I think today went pretty well for forgetting my dice, forgetting my life line—cell phone, forgetting my water (all they had was dehydrating tea, which tasted good, but didn’t help my dry throat), forgetting to teach things I had wanted to teach, and lugging around my stuff all day. I’m still not sure why the 5th grade was laughing about my back. And the 3rd year girls say that my arms are purupuru (sqwishy, with the “w”). But I had fun. And that’s the point, right?
Oh, and Tamara, “yes ma’am.”
It started barely on time, as always, if you know me. I was gonna be rather early, but I drove past the driveway. Great way to start the day, right? So I get to Heiichi and I don’t quite remember where I’m suppose to go, and I finally figure it out, with help. I get deposited in the 3-4th year teacher’s room with a really nice guy, who says outright that he lies a lot, which I think is in jest, and I actually really like his personality, even though I can’t remember his name and have no idea of anything else about him, other than he probably teaches 3rd or 4th year. Oh, and he’s 273 years old. Which is a fun game I use to tell the kids at GA before asked them how old I was :P Fun fun.
So yesterday, other than sitting in the teacher’s room for a bit, consisted of a staff meeting that I didn’t follow where I had to give a self introduction, in Japanese. Then an assembly that I had to give an introduction, in Japanese (why couldn’t I have gone AFTER the two new teachers who are working on their certification? I would have done so much better!!). And then I was told by Makiko-sensei (my English coordinator at Heiichi) that I could go to the iinkai because I didn’t have anymore classes that day. Normally I’ve been told that if I am ever told that, I can just go home. But I had some printing and copying to do for my next school day, seeing how I actually had to teach, and I hadn’t really decided what I wanted to teach (I’ve been given about 3 possible syllabuses and told to go have fun with how I teach them, how fast I move, what I do). So I get there, I work a bit, figure it out, make some handouts and call it a day.
Btw, I went with Jeff (whom I’m really getting along with, I hope) to a little hole-in-the-wall place that I would have never in a million years found on my own that was really expensive for lunch (alone it was 800 for my meal, for the set (which includes a drink) it’s just a 200 more), but I had a “ham and tomato panini” (which was that really expensive ham that Gayle and Jim make during holidays) with a salad with a basil dressing, the best soup I’ve had in a long time, roast vegetables, and a piece of chocolate cake with a small scoop of ice cream, drizzled with caramel, booya. It’s literally down an alley, but the stairs, don’t bumb your head, through the hallway, outside onto the patio and back inside to the restaurant, which was sparsely decorated with stucco walls and dark hardwood. Very nice, very hole-in-the-wall.
So, when I think I’m done with work, I go home and get stuff together and drive my scooter down to the beach. I swam from where they play volleyball to the pier and back and I didn’t die. I can prove I swam all the way there because the pier (which I have never walked down to) is covered in barnacles, and more than a couple crabs (which I didn’t see anywhere else on the beach). On my way I saw many small (the size of my foot or smaller) white fish with various tan or little black markings (which makes sense with the white sand at Maehama), but at the pier I saw little brown fish with purple and yellow, and blue markings (I just described 3 different kinds of fish I hadn’t seen at all previously). Oh, and a dead crab. Weee. But I guess it’s why those kind of fish were by the pier and not by the beach, the barnacles and stuff is what they eat, and their coloring fits in with the colors of the pier. On my way back I saw (in the distance, which with that visibility was about 10 feet) I saw white fish longer than my elbow to my hand. I swam away calmly and quickly. Now mind, throughout my swim I was in water that I could put my hand down while swimming at the top of the water and touch the ocean bottom. This spurned by my discussion with Jeff at lunch about exactly which sharks can be found in Miyako and why Sunayama beach is closed because they think that there is a great white in the bay. Yeah, I could stand up and my swimming suit wouldn’t get wet. Perfect.
So I go home just before a glorious sunset (I was riding my scooter, with contacts because I had been swimming, and my contacts don’t correct for my astigmatism, so I can’t see at night very well, the lights blur something fierce) and when I get home and am going over my things one more time, I realize that one of the things I had meant to do was to find flashcards online and print them out. Panic.
So I get the flashcards, download them, find worksheets, download them, find pictures of my family, download them, and put them all on my flashdrive with the incentive to get to school really early the next day so that I can hop on a computer and print like a mad woman. And of course! This is when my mom doesn’t answer the phone so I can freak to Mommy, who would tell me that it’s all okay. (Breathes). So I go to bed, sleep surprisingly well (probably because I hadn’t slept at all the day before, although I pretended to really well).
I wake up early, eat the fastest (what did I even eat for breakfast, I know I ate something . . .) breakfast, called my mom, who told me it was okay, and got to school 45 minutes early. I printed out everything I needed for my first 2 classes (after which I had a break), met a whole bunch of people, gave another self-introduction at a assembly, where I said I was 16, in Japanese, and didn’t catch it until after. But I think that just endeared me to the kids. Cuz they asked me snarky questions after, and joked around with me.
My first class was 4-1 (fourth year, class one of two. In this school there is one class of each grade, except 2 fourth grades) which had 24 kids. It went well, and Nariko-sensei, my English coordinator here at Shimoji (yes I’m writing this as school, but I’ll have to post it later) stayed with the class and helped me out with a bit of Japanese. After class, the girls walked me back down to the staff room and carried my stuff (they reminded me of Devon and Cassie).
Next, 10 minutes later, I taught the other half of 4th year, where I forgot to go over the alphabet, but it went really well. Then I had a yasumi (a break) for about an hour, where I copied out the rest of my hand outs and generally sat down and had a nice conversation with the office secretary (Mariko?).
Then it was 5th. Which was scary, because I was worried they would be above silly games, but they weren’t. Although there were 37 of them. Which was ridiculous. They responded really well to the writing exercise (copy the words, first grade style, with the dotted lines and everything, and if they finished, I gave them the same worksheet, but with the example dotted lines only the first time). They were actually quiet for it, which was great. (The teachers here don’t really understand the concept of “everyone be quiet so that she/he can speak” and discipline isn’t my job (it says that somewhere) so I’m just going along with it). That was another one I forgot the alphabet. I wanted to see how far they’d gotten with phonics. I was gonna pull a Lopez/Butterworth “A ah, B buh, C kk” song out of my head, but I forgot. Ah well.
After that I had my first dreaded school lunch. Which was curry rice, with an omelet and broccoli and milk with a fourth of grapefruit for desert. I was all psyched up for something nasty, and they end up having one of my favorites. Just watch, because today’s was so nice, tomorrow will be horrendous, like octopus, or pigs feet or something. Yes, I’m not joking. I ate with the 6th years, which was okay, but because I hadn’t taught them, they didn’t really talk to me. Which was fine, I got to listen. I swear that Auerbach’s Rudolfo from last year is one of the 6th years. He looks sooooo similar, its just eerie. But he speaks perfect Japanese, so who am I to say.
After lunch the entire school has something akin to recess, where they go outside and yell for a bit, so my next class wasn’t for another hour and a half. It was 3rd year. The teacher was nice enough to repeat everything I said into Japanese, which means that they didn’t learn nearly a thing. Like they don't know any of the English commands or anything, probably because she just repeats for me (and probably for Nick too). And the other classes could understand me with just a little Japanese (or a lot, however you want to look at it, because they cannot ask the “are we suppose to” questions in English), but you know what? It’s her class. By the end of it, I think they got the idea, although I think I’ll go over the same vocabulary next time too. Maybe complete sentences. That would be good. She was really nice. Oh, and one of the kids I swear is a cross between Luz and Yadira from Lisa’s 3rd grade (Both Lisas, Salmon then Burnette, right after the other), she could easily have been either of their siblings and I wouldn’t have noticed.
Then I had more free time (because I’d used the previous free time to get tomorrow’s lessons ready, except for the copies, because I don’t know how many kids are in my school at Sunakawa, and I don’t want to burn resources), so I started this after writing down how my classes went and what I actually ended up teaching them. Weeeeee. I’m so tired and just used that I think I’ll go to Wafute and have that amazing tofu again, just to make me feel good. Not that I don’t. I think today went pretty well for forgetting my dice, forgetting my life line—cell phone, forgetting my water (all they had was dehydrating tea, which tasted good, but didn’t help my dry throat), forgetting to teach things I had wanted to teach, and lugging around my stuff all day. I’m still not sure why the 5th grade was laughing about my back. And the 3rd year girls say that my arms are purupuru (sqwishy, with the “w”). But I had fun. And that’s the point, right?
Oh, and Tamara, “yes ma’am.”
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Saturday, September 1, 2007
Cat Pics.
Because I'm a dork. Yes, I did just spend the last little while uploading old cat pictures. But they're my cat pictures. And I love them. I also put up some apartment picts. Not the whole thing yet. Not quite clean enough for that :P
Because I've been bad.
It's been a while, but I haven't really had much to say. School starts on Monday, and I'm fairly freaking about it, but I really don't know what would work well, so I'm not thinking about it until tomorrow. It'll work out fine. And at least I've memorized a simple introduction in Japanese that I can say to the kids at the opening ceremonies, although I'm praying to several little gods that they won't call me out. It's gonna happen, but I can still pray.
Back home, it's Dragon Con. This means all of my friends are going to a huge (more than 20 thousand people huge) sci-fi/fantasy event that I haven't missed in 9 years. My first con was the year before Leo and I got together. I'd like to remind everybody that this con is so special to me because the next year at Dragon Con was when Leo and I got together. It feels really odd to miss it. Time doesn't seem to move here.
So, for this weekend, all of my friends who are usually so good at posting periodically will be off, being their geeky selves, meeting people like Jonathan Franks and Brent Spiner (not that they were my favorites or anything. Really. Not that I've loved them and their work for years. Really) and various other people that so many of you don't care about, but I do. And I could say poor little me. But I'm on a sub-tropical island with my tatami room flooring and my new basil plant on my back stairs. XP I'm not really upset. It just feels weird to not be going. And to not be going not because I have anything really special to do (Kirsty's birthday party is tonight, but it's not like a wedding or funeral or something, ya'know?), but because I'm on the other side of the planet and can NOT logistically get there. It's going to take me 2 days just to visit Chris in Niigata, let's not even talk about trying to work out coming to America.
So go off and have fun, you silly little sci-fi nerds. And you better post pictures when you get back.
As for what's up with me? I caught up to Japanese tv on Naruto, I had people over for dinner, which was good. Then we went out and I got sick, which was a good reminder not to do that. I got a basil plant for a house warming present and haven't killed it yet (Janine is so nice). I also got some tea I haven't tried yet. I tried to throw out some boxes and they came back with stickers on them telling me why I can't throw them out today, but the poster I have says that I can do it on Saturday, so I don't get it. And yeah, birthday party tonight.
Oh, and if anyone can ever get the funds up to visit me, there's this really nice guest house right down the street from me called Hidamari Guest House that has dorm style rooms for 1800 per person per night, and private rooms for 2800 per person per night. Very cheap. Miyako is a great place to visit. You should consider it. How often will you have someone who (kinda) speaks the language offering to show you around the Jewel of Japan? Very tempting, I hope?
(sigh) Don't mind me, I'm just having my "its the middle of the afternoon and the middle of the night for everyone back home" moment. Mu.
Back home, it's Dragon Con. This means all of my friends are going to a huge (more than 20 thousand people huge) sci-fi/fantasy event that I haven't missed in 9 years. My first con was the year before Leo and I got together. I'd like to remind everybody that this con is so special to me because the next year at Dragon Con was when Leo and I got together. It feels really odd to miss it. Time doesn't seem to move here.
So, for this weekend, all of my friends who are usually so good at posting periodically will be off, being their geeky selves, meeting people like Jonathan Franks and Brent Spiner (not that they were my favorites or anything. Really. Not that I've loved them and their work for years. Really) and various other people that so many of you don't care about, but I do. And I could say poor little me. But I'm on a sub-tropical island with my tatami room flooring and my new basil plant on my back stairs. XP I'm not really upset. It just feels weird to not be going. And to not be going not because I have anything really special to do (Kirsty's birthday party is tonight, but it's not like a wedding or funeral or something, ya'know?), but because I'm on the other side of the planet and can NOT logistically get there. It's going to take me 2 days just to visit Chris in Niigata, let's not even talk about trying to work out coming to America.
So go off and have fun, you silly little sci-fi nerds. And you better post pictures when you get back.
As for what's up with me? I caught up to Japanese tv on Naruto, I had people over for dinner, which was good. Then we went out and I got sick, which was a good reminder not to do that. I got a basil plant for a house warming present and haven't killed it yet (Janine is so nice). I also got some tea I haven't tried yet. I tried to throw out some boxes and they came back with stickers on them telling me why I can't throw them out today, but the poster I have says that I can do it on Saturday, so I don't get it. And yeah, birthday party tonight.
Oh, and if anyone can ever get the funds up to visit me, there's this really nice guest house right down the street from me called Hidamari Guest House that has dorm style rooms for 1800 per person per night, and private rooms for 2800 per person per night. Very cheap. Miyako is a great place to visit. You should consider it. How often will you have someone who (kinda) speaks the language offering to show you around the Jewel of Japan? Very tempting, I hope?
(sigh) Don't mind me, I'm just having my "its the middle of the afternoon and the middle of the night for everyone back home" moment. Mu.
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