It has been said `Tino is love`(but alas, Tino is long gone now). Well, I guess that makes me confusion, or something similiar. This page is for my thoughts, rants and raves and so on about life in Japan. That`s actually turned out to be a not-so-accurate discription of this page...oh well.
Current stuff...
Books: Kobo Abe `The Woman in the Dunes`.
What`s in my CD player?: Whatever I`m in the mood for.
On TV...`Sanma no Karakuri Teribi` now occupies my favorite show spot. Warauinu has changed again but I think for the worse, at least they kept Hurricane-cise. Sanma features the `Drunken Salaryman Quiz` (my title for it) and other fun stuff.
6 Aug 03: Today marks 2 years in Japan. It`s just a quiet, hot and humid day at the BOE. Mom and her friend have come and gone. We had 2 good weeks of seeing a few shrines and the Mito Kumon festival and a lot of shopping. Went to Maebashi for the first week, and had a party at my host parents home(esp. for Donna my mothers friend-it was her birthday).
12 Mar 2003: Went to Kashima last Friday to see the 3rd graders one more time before they graduated. Then went to see some friends again. Had a pretty good time. Yesterday was the Takahagi graduation ceremony, and it`s only a few more days before the spring break begins. After that I`m going back to Akiyama and Matsuoka JHS`s. BTW, the BOE was willing so I`m on for another year here in Takahagi.
22 Jan 2003: This week I`m at Kimida, and it`s very different from Takahagi. They probably couldn`t be more different if they tried. As a matter of fact, it`s so inaka(countryfied)here, I just watched a hunter crossing the school sports ground out in front of the school. There`s also boar, deer, fox and lots of other wildlife too. Speaking of that, we (everyone here I believe) will go birdwatching this Friday afternoon. Even though some of the students are painfully shy and/or have no English ability I really like it here. 23 students and 8 teachers. The elementary school is right next door with only a few more students than the JHS. This is alright!
14 Jan 2003: Can this be? Two whole updates in a month?! The world must be coming to an end...or it will if GB has his little way. Enough politics, but I found out some good news, if there isn`t a war in the near future my mom will come to visit, with a friend as well. As for school, so far so good. More self introductions and passing around stuff for the students to look at. And the omnipresent questions (do you like Japanese food, how old are you, do you have a girlfriend) are asked, of course. The decent weather is holding out for a while longer but it`s supposed to get colder soon. But not very cold, that`s one good thing about living so close to the ocean.
7 Jan 2003: Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu! or Happy New Years! A bit late yes...Well tommorow it`s back to school. This time around I`m going to Takahagi and Kimida(the biggest and the smallest JHS in Takahagi). For the new years, I went to a friends brothers house and met most(?)of her considerably large family. Also went to one of my principals homes, the nice guy from Matsuoka. So I haven`t been too bored. I have decided to stay another year, if the BOE is willing.
19 December 2002: I swear I`ll keep this more up to date...really! It`s the holiday season, lots of `maniacally cheerful` Christmas music in the stores and everywhere else it seems. We had a suprise snow about 2 weeks ago, a very big suprise. I`m at my last day at Matsuoka(until April anyways) and tommorow is my last day at Akiyama. I`ll probably take Monday off from the BOE. And I have my BOE bonenkai(end of year party)tonight!! BUT I also have to get some packages in the mail too...whoops! Jeez, if I ever get something actually done on time...it`d be a miracle.
27 November 2002: Going to my second E.S. visit tomorrow. Looking forward to it...the hectic pace, the repetition of lessons and such. It`s only one day though. The kids love it and I guess that`s what matters eh? Several of the Matsuoka E.S. kids already have met me at the bus stop for Matsuoka JHS. In other news, there was the super-happy-fun seminar (in other terms the JET Mid-Year Seminar)in Aso Town last weekend, and I was pleasantly suprised that I actually learned some new stuff, and very helpful stuff at that. It went much better(in my mind)than last years. After that went to Kashima for the weekend to see my friends and my old school. Had a good time, took it easy.
7 November 2002: Omigosh...haven`t kept up with this lately. Well, not a tremendous amount of news to put down. Back and forth between schools, same as always. Having (short) conversations with the kids, and often the teachers(not due to lack of English...just a lack of time). Went on a homestay via my Japanese family, this time stayed with my `mom`s` best friend and her husband. He happens to be the chief of police in Kiryu, Gunma. Had a good time, they`re both really nice people. Turns out Kiryu is one of the major cities for textiles(and has been for a very, very long time...I was told they began making textile stuff a little over 1,000 years ago). Why is that a big deal? Kimonos! That`s why. Kiryu is packed with kimono shops. Anything from around $100 to over $5,000. So plenty of window shopping. Plus other attractions(I really think Gunma is the most beautiful prefecture I`ve been to yet).
27 Sept. 2002: Okay, wow...almost a month already in the schools. It`s back and forth from Matsuoka and Akiyama. So many things going on at once...really need to make sure I can keep them all straight. I`ll meet some students for a special cooking class one day, and then the advanced English `club` the next, and regular classes and is this school Aki or Matsu...I forgot... Overall things are going pretty darn well. If I can just keep the bus schedules straight I`ll be doing fine and dandy!
4 September 2002: Why I`m updating this now, with nothing really new to report, I have no idea. I`m still at the BOE, this afternoon we(Patricia-the private ALT from Aus.-and I) will meet with the kocho-senseis(principals)of our schools. The three of us also went to eat last night before going to the Japanese class. This could get interesting, the woman teaching the class speaks almost no English whatsoever. I think that`ll help me learn faster, I`ll have to learn faster! Gestures and body language are good(and drawing cute pictures on the blackboard)but I want to get away from that if I can. Plus the class is very small...just us 3 ALTs. I guess the next step is writing this in Japanese! Better hit the books now, just so you can continue being bored reading these updates!
28 August 2002: Not much new to report. Late summers getting hot around here, esp. today. I`ve been running around checking out Takahagi when I can. Fortunately the HS alt here is pretty cool, she`s been showing me around and letting me know where everything is. On the school front, and thank goodness school will start soon, I will be going to Akiyama and Matsuoka for the 2nd term, and then switching later with the other alt, a woman from Brisbane, Austrailia. I just can`t get away from Austrialian women for some odd reason...also considering adding some additional stuff to my site. I know, I say that alot but I might possibly mean it this time...but don`t hold me to it. I thought about waxing poetic about the end of my first year as a alt...but decided I didn`t want to punish anyone with badly written haiku.
12 August 2002: The weathers cooled off today, thought it would rain. Went with my supervisor, Mr. Hanazono(lit. `flower garden`...really)to check out the middle schools here. Talk about a wide range of sizes...there are 4, as follows. Takahagi is the biggest, student pop. around 600, Akiyama is next with around 350 students, Matsuoka has around 250, and finally Kimida with a grand total of exactly 23 students...no, I`m not making that up. I don`t know yet which schools I`ll get. Getting to Kimida is quite a ride, it`s way up in the mountains. At least the BOE supplies the car and driver!
7 August 2002: I`m in Takahagi now. New apartment, new this and that. I`m just getting around a bit and finding everything, and thank goodness the apartment is in a good location. Speaking of the apartment...it`s really new, really nice and really small. Storage will be a problem. However that`s a small price to pay. Haven`t really met anyone that I`ll be working with in the schools, except one English teacher. Ran around yesterday, met the mayor and he and my supervisor seemed to be catching up on stuff. Anyways, here I am for the next year. One more bit of good news, there is a `private` ALT coming in two weeks to work here also so I don`t have to carry the whole load on myself. Oh, and finally after waiting so long I went to Shinjuku last week to see Star Wars...worth all the trouble and every yen.
25 July 2002: Well, it`s all over for now but the packing. Found out some information, some good some not so good(but not so bad either?). I`ll be the only JET at Takahagi, with 4 junior high schools and various elementary and k.g. visits. Talked to the current JET and it sounds like a very hectic schedule to keep. I`ll just have to see how it goes. Have my new address but not on me(sorry!). I will fire that off on email as soon as I can. Will keep updating this page, or trying to anyways. Will be out of touch for a while on email.
17 July 2002: Wah! 3 days left at my schools, and I get to finish at Hirai JHS at least. Finished with elementary school!! Now I just have to finish a few things in my apartment and I`ll be ready as I can be for my move. Of course other stuff will have to wait. We`ve had major typhoon action lately. Two in two weeks. Number 7 was yesterday but it ended up going east of us and hardly any rain fell compared to the usual torrent from a storm. Fine with me. Now the rainy season is about to end...here comes the heat and the humidity(and I thought Kansas was bad). I had my farewell enkai from the BOE last Friday, well it was the usual `combination` enkai really but I`m not complaining(I got a second yukata AND a pair of geta that actually fit!) (note: yukata-informal kimono. geta- wooden sandals, a trad. Japanese thing...usually very expensive so I`m glad to get them as a gift).
26 June 2002: Time is running down here. Only a few more weeks, and only 8 days at Hirai(I have one more week of elementry schools tho`).@I need to start finding boxes and such. And start really getting rid of all the crap in the apartment or at least shuffle it all to one corner of the kitchen(the largest room I have). Had a rather different weekend, well sort of different. Went to Maebashi to see my host family, and we took a trip out to Haruna shrine...way way up in the mountains in Gunma prefecture. Of course, took my camera and got some pretty good shots. It was so incredible up there, clean and beautiful. Such a change from Kashima. It just takes a while to get there from here(a little over 4 hours by train). I really would love to live in an area like that.
11 June 2002: Well, time grows short here, but busy as usual. I wish I had gotten into things here earlier but later is better than not at all. I`m very worn out, sweaty and hungry...3 classes today. Sort of special classes. Mr. Nagao left me to my own devices in planning so I decided to teach...kenpo! And I have 3 more classes tommorow. So much for trying to be an intelligent teacher...ugh. But the kids seem to like it, so maybe it`s worth it. Not much time to teach really but I just wanted them to get out of the class for a bit and have some fun. And we have a small enkai tommorow night too. I don`t like to miss them so I`m going to go. Next week is sho., my next to last visit for them(in a way, thank goodness!). So I have about a month and a half left at Kashima. I really will miss this school.
27 May 2002: Busy weekend, busier than I expected. As you may be aware, the World Cup is almost ready to begin. But is Kashima ready? Anyways, ran into some New Zealanders on Friday night at my fav. place(Daisens), and then spent most of Sat. afternoon with a very funny Australian(but not part of the WC stuff), and met two Americans strolling around K. yesterday. The Kiwis and the Americans were all there to set up the tech. stuff for broadcasting. In other news-got my Holga! Already shot some of the instant film, and I shot one roll of 120 film on it too. That should be back on...Thursday I think. If any of the shots are even in focus I`ll be happy. Also my fav. English teacher, Mr. Nagao wants me to put up a photo. exhibit here at school and is helping me to that end. I have to go pick up some enlargements today and then figure out how to put them up. Picking up more of the language too, including how to politely refuse something(very helpful when someone thrusts a bowl of natto(fermented soybeans with some kind of pasty stuff mixed in) at me and I have to avert my eyes and nose...). I like Japanese food but natto is just...well use your imagination. Or better yet, don`t.
16 May 2002: Making it through another week at elementary school. Got my new keitai last night, have to go to the J-Phone shop to get it up and running. Best thing is this phone has a digital camera on it plus email so I can send my friends annoying images! Looking into getting a `toy` camera (Holga) so that I can play around on it. I can pick up a new one with a polaroid back really cheap. I`ve been wanting to do this for some time. Next thing is to find out when the next Star Wars movie comes out in Japan. Also finally got in touch with the people at Takahagi, by phone. I missed the JET meeting this week in Mito(boo hoo)due to my own stupidity...serves me right for trying to run like a kid again. Ouch.
10 May 2002: So far, so good. I`m glad to still be in my current schools. There`s real interaction now between many of the students and me, things are starting to happen. It helps that I met a lot of the now 1st year students when they were in elementary school. Spent `golden week` resting basically, didn`t want to travel because of the crowding on the trains, and roads. Golden Week is the big national holiday here, well besides New Years. It`s two long weekends back-to-back, one 3 day and one 4 day.
19 April 2002: Ending my first elementary school week of the new school year today. Been a busy week, but a productive one I think. Working mostly on ABC`s for 3rd and 4th graders, then touching on phonics with the 5th and 6th graders. Really need some material for teaching phonics though. But the kids get a kick out of trying...well they get a kick out of me anyways. Guess those materials are the first thing to go shopping for with my next payday. Actually I think we will get paid today. Also there is a welcome party for the new teachers in Kashima, so I guess I`ll find out about that later. On a lighter note, Hachigata ES`s rabbits had puppies! Okay, I don`t know the proper name for baby rabbits...sue me. Also Hirai ES has 3 new `lion rabbits`. Quite cute and very fuzzy, hence the name. I know, you were just dying to know this. But they are cute, really!
8 April 2002: Opening ceremony for school today. It was interesting to see the new 1st year students, many of whom I met while at their elementary schools last year. I think they were a bit amused too. Speaking of being amused, when they introduced all the Hirai teachers, including myself, we stepped forward, bowed and said `yoroshiku onegai shimasu`(has many, many meanings-in this case meaning `let`s work well together`)and when it came my turn I heard quite a murmur from the students and teachers alike(complementary murmurs I should add). I`ve been here for around 9 months...if I can`t `Y.O.S` properly by now I would think I should just go home :) (note: with one exception, I`m staying at my current schools- Hirai JHS, Hirai ES, Hachigata ES and I will go to Nakano Higashi ES instead of Nakano Nishi this year.)
1 April 2002: Well, ran around Tokyo last week, and stayed with the Fujiwaras. Finally got to see `The Fellowship of the Ring`-in English w/ Japanese subtitles. Most of the American films are shown this way(although the earliest showing was Japanese only-at 8:00am). Great film! Went shopping around Shinjuku after that, and went to Kinokuniya of course. Also went to China Town in Yokohama, and found something I`d been wanting for quite some time. Then booked for Akihabara to look at computers, but the store I wanted to go to(Gateway) has moved. Great. So now I need to call their new number and try to find them again. But had a good time, and it`s quite a change from Kashima.
18 March 2002: Well, school`s nearly finished for the year. We get two weeks vacation for spring and then back into the mix. I`m thinking I`ll head for Tokyo. I have more time to talk to some of my teachers now, and also to look on the internet for all the stuff I`m missing in America. I guess it`s just that I really want to see Lord of The Rings on a big screen and not on video(and some other movies too). Fudge. At least there are some movie theatres in Japan that show American movies with subtitles and not dubbed over(w/ most American movies I think dubbing should be called a crime-on movies and tv shows that they dub over they use, of all things, anime voice actors(seiyuu). In short the voices DO NOT match in any sense of the word.). At least at Kinokuniya I can shop for books until I drop. If you`re ever in Tokyo it`s worth a look...at all 8 floors of it.
11 March 2002: Tommorows the big day for the 3rd year students, it`s their graduation ceremony. I will attend, it should be interesting. I wish my photo for the school yearbook looked better...I look like I`m on drugs or something. Scary. Looking on the net I saw something that might interest the kids here, another anime series is starting up on Cartoon Network, and of all things it`s Tottoro Hamutaro...about a bunch of ultra-cute hamsters and their escapades when no ones watching. Which reminds me...I`m missing the `new` episodes of DBZ!! Wahhhh!!
28 February, 2002: Well, good news! I recieved a call last night, informing me of my new job! I`ll be moving a bit north in Ibaraki and will stay on the coastline, which was what I wanted. I`ll be living in the small `city`(doesn`t look like much of a city on the map), Takahagi. So that`s taken care of. Now to plan a short trip back to KS in the summer...
February 26, 2002. Recently I have been given some possibly bad(and very late)news by the BOE here in Kashima. The JET program is being dropped, which means I could be left high and dry and back in the states. But the JET people in Mito are looking for a new place for me and hopefully I will hear soon. I also will be moving to new schools in April, much to my dislike. It basically means I`ll have around 2 months at these schools before I leave Kashima. Not very much time to get used to new schools but in a way it`s not so bad. Also had another quake last night, a 3 on the scale.
February 12, 2002. `The catfish moved` again. Was getting ready for bed when a 4 on the Richter scale(I think this is the scale they use here)shook the whole place. It was the strongest quake I`ve felt since I came to Japan. No real damage, nothing fell off of anything. Lasted a good 25 seconds or so.
January 31, 2002. The school year is nearly done, only about two months before graduation. All grades have a ceremony, by the way and they also do this in elementary school. The 3rd year students are up to their necks with the task of getting ready for the extrance examinations for high school. So basically now I`m working only with 1st and 2nd year students, and doing a lot of reading tests with them. They`re nervous but most are willing to try hard. The end of the school year means a possible change for me too, as the board of education will decide what schools I will teach at when the new school year starts. My recontracting business isn`t done either, and it won`t be until mid-Feb. before I know. I have decided that early August will be my summer vacation time probably the first two weeks or so. I`m just planning as I go.
January 09, 2002. Well, ringing in the new year here is certainly different. Making mochi(mochitsuki)by pounding the daylights out of rice to make a sort of cake. Everyone, almost literally, goes to the local shrine or temple on New Years Day. There`s other stuff too. I visited a couple I met through my Japanese family, they live in a little town called Omata, in the Tochigi prefecture. Nice people, the husband is a really good cook(good home cooking always spoils me). Went to Nikko for the second time(it`s a large, and very very old quasi-National Park with several ancient temples, and it`s where Tokugawa Ieyasu is buried...also it`s where the `hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil` monkeys are-yes! It actually originated in Japan). As well as going to see Kegon Falls and Ryuudzu Falls(Ryuudzu-Dragon`s head). Up in the mountains it was cold and snowy(snow! I never thought I would miss it). It only snowed a little here in Kashima and it didn`t last very long. So my next big plan is to go to Keikos wedding in March. Daring girl that she is, asked me told help take photos...brave girl! :)
Well, the trip to Kyoto was a success(3-6 Dec.). Shot 10 rolls in 3 days. Enough? Maybe. I still have to get the color film developed.
21 Dec. 01, the end of the first six months in Japan, basically. Next week will be short as the New Years break is coming. I`ll be leaving for Maebashi, Gunma prefecture to stay with friends of my Japanese family(who will be working through most of the vacation and when not working, getting some much needed rest). I have been promised a true Japanese new year experience. This should prove to be very interesting...I will take notes.
