Actually, I'm feeling lazy, so I'm not going to do the long post about my awesome new futon.
But, I just went grocery shopping and found some nice looking tomatoes (trust me, this is rare) for under 100 yen (this is even more rare). So I got a couple, but I don't really have anything to eat them with... Maybe I can find some mozzarella cheese somewhere.
Also, they have 100% real milk. Not quite on par with milk straight from the bulk tank at Richlo Polled Dairy, but still really good. (Also, they do something different with their milk here that results in a strange smell. This, however, should not be a deterrent, as the taste is amazing.)
I need to buy an electric hot plate, as it's quite obnoxious to use the one downstairs. So I'm debating whether I should get one that uses induction heating or a regular one. An induction cooker is much more energy efficient, but also more costly. In addition, it works best with pots and pans that a magnet will stick to (no, I don't know the technical reasons. That's why there's a link). None of my whopping 3 pans are magnetized, so I would also need to buy new pans. Decisions, decisions...
Monday, September 26, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Bunkasai
that is, to say, School Festival!
So, Wednesday was supposed to be a set up day. (Un)fortunately, another typhoon rolled through about that time and school was cancelled. Which means that the kids didn't come, while we teachers set up the chairs in the gym (10 min) and then did random stuff (like lesson planning) until 12 or so. Then we went home and fetched our passports from the ward office/town hall where (as you may remember from the previous post) they had been left.
Incidentally, I thought that since there is no snow here, there would never be reason for school to be cancelled. Totally wrong. Not even a month in and we've had 2 cancellations due to typhoons.
Now, during Bunkasai every homeroom class and club has to do something. An act on the stage, selling food, a game, etc. I'd say a good half of the classes elected to put on a dance. Some of these dances were better than others, but most were quite entertaining. In addition too the class dances, the stage also hosted some bands, the brass ensemble, a play, a fashion show, and a dance by the dance club. All of these were in the non-air conditioned gym. Between Thurs and Fri (mostly Thurs), I managed to see all the shows and enjoyed them all. Now, there was one song that many different groups danced too. That song got a bit old by the end of Fri. (And then I heard it Sat in the grocery). Some highlights: one of the classes I teach did Michael Jackson's dangerous, a couple times the classes had their homeroom teachers join them on the stage, and the band that introduced it's members as members of one of my favorite bands.
When I wasn't in the gym, I wandered around to the classrooms and tents set up outside. Generally speaking, any class that wasn't dancing was selling food. Suffice to say, I bought a lot of food during those two days. For example, one time I went outside to get a little snack. I ended up w/ 2 pancake fish, a helping of takoyaki, 2 drinks, and a hotdog. Other snacks- Korean food (good), some kind of giant flat rice cake with a fried egg on top, cotton candy (or candy floss, to use the Irish term), sugared bread crusts, and some other things that I didn't get b/c of long lines.
The clubs usually had something a bit different. The anime/manga club had cosplay, somewhere there was a shooting game, the English club had posters of all the exchange students, painting club displayed their paintings, etc. One I particularly enjoyed was the tea ceremony club. You went in, got a snack (mochi, yummy!) on a traditional plate, ate it w/ a stick (seriously), and watched while the tea was being prepared. It was quite relaxing and lovely. Then when the tea was ready you got to drink some. More yummy-ness!
Also the flower arrangement club (I don't know what their official name is) had arrangements to sell. I visited their booth, but though I would get something later. Of course I never got back, but luckily for me they joined the ranks of students running all over school with their wares in a cardboard box trying to sell things. So I got this cute little arrangement:
There's some viney stuff in there that I'm going to plant once the flowers start to wilt.
Speaking of pictures, this is what takoyaki looks like:
Also fish pancakes:
There was only so much to do, so I spend the odd 1/2 hour hiding out in the teachers room working on lessons plans. Also ended up staying late on Fri to clean up, but whatever. It was fun. Got to hang out w/ some of the teachers that I don't know yet.
Today, I got a futon. Since it's big and bulky, I'm having it delivered tomorrow, when I will take pics to show y'all.
So, Wednesday was supposed to be a set up day. (Un)fortunately, another typhoon rolled through about that time and school was cancelled. Which means that the kids didn't come, while we teachers set up the chairs in the gym (10 min) and then did random stuff (like lesson planning) until 12 or so. Then we went home and fetched our passports from the ward office/town hall where (as you may remember from the previous post) they had been left.
Incidentally, I thought that since there is no snow here, there would never be reason for school to be cancelled. Totally wrong. Not even a month in and we've had 2 cancellations due to typhoons.
Now, during Bunkasai every homeroom class and club has to do something. An act on the stage, selling food, a game, etc. I'd say a good half of the classes elected to put on a dance. Some of these dances were better than others, but most were quite entertaining. In addition too the class dances, the stage also hosted some bands, the brass ensemble, a play, a fashion show, and a dance by the dance club. All of these were in the non-air conditioned gym. Between Thurs and Fri (mostly Thurs), I managed to see all the shows and enjoyed them all. Now, there was one song that many different groups danced too. That song got a bit old by the end of Fri. (And then I heard it Sat in the grocery). Some highlights: one of the classes I teach did Michael Jackson's dangerous, a couple times the classes had their homeroom teachers join them on the stage, and the band that introduced it's members as members of one of my favorite bands.
When I wasn't in the gym, I wandered around to the classrooms and tents set up outside. Generally speaking, any class that wasn't dancing was selling food. Suffice to say, I bought a lot of food during those two days. For example, one time I went outside to get a little snack. I ended up w/ 2 pancake fish, a helping of takoyaki, 2 drinks, and a hotdog. Other snacks- Korean food (good), some kind of giant flat rice cake with a fried egg on top, cotton candy (or candy floss, to use the Irish term), sugared bread crusts, and some other things that I didn't get b/c of long lines.
The clubs usually had something a bit different. The anime/manga club had cosplay, somewhere there was a shooting game, the English club had posters of all the exchange students, painting club displayed their paintings, etc. One I particularly enjoyed was the tea ceremony club. You went in, got a snack (mochi, yummy!) on a traditional plate, ate it w/ a stick (seriously), and watched while the tea was being prepared. It was quite relaxing and lovely. Then when the tea was ready you got to drink some. More yummy-ness!
Also the flower arrangement club (I don't know what their official name is) had arrangements to sell. I visited their booth, but though I would get something later. Of course I never got back, but luckily for me they joined the ranks of students running all over school with their wares in a cardboard box trying to sell things. So I got this cute little arrangement:
There's some viney stuff in there that I'm going to plant once the flowers start to wilt.
Speaking of pictures, this is what takoyaki looks like:
(They come w/ chocolate or cream filling)
There was only so much to do, so I spend the odd 1/2 hour hiding out in the teachers room working on lessons plans. Also ended up staying late on Fri to clean up, but whatever. It was fun. Got to hang out w/ some of the teachers that I don't know yet.
Today, I got a futon. Since it's big and bulky, I'm having it delivered tomorrow, when I will take pics to show y'all.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
The Drama Saga, cont.
Time: The day after my last post was published
Place: The Post Office
Circumstances: I have a temporary certificate to use as my ID, until the official one arrives, so I'm going to try once again to get my package (from the bank, which includes my debit card). Also, no one at the post office speaks English.
I show them the certificate. After much fussing, we have communicated enough for me to know that they can't accept the certificate. Must have real ID. Ok, fine, whatever, I get ready to leave. But there is still something else they want to say. Apparently there is a problem b/c the certificate (and my ID, when I get it) has my full name on it, while the package only includes my first and last name. Therefore, since the name is not exactly the same, they couldn't give me the package, even if I did have my ID.
They eventually had to call the help desk to explain all this to me, which is when I realized how bad the situation was (previously I hadn't realized what strict procedures the post office was operating under. We all knew that it was my package, but they still weren't going to give it to me, b/c everything wasn't exactly in order). They're going to consult about it and call me back the next day.
I leave, trying not to break down bawling, because it's MY PACKAGE AND WHY WON'T YOU GIVE IT TO ME????????????? But I feel consoled that I at least know what's going on and that tomorrow something will be figured out.
The next day (also known as Thursday): I tell my peeps at the school what's up and they call the post office. After much conferring, it is (apparently) decided that the post office will return the package to the bank and I'm to go in and talk to the bank people about it. Ok, that's doable. Since people at the bank speak English, I feel as though we can get something figured out. Except they'll need my ID. Lovely.
So I leave work early on Friday in order to go pick up my ID and go to the bank. This involves much walking around in the rain and getting soaked, but I don't mind, as I know have my ID card! Yay, excited me! At the bank, they decide to just issue me a new card. Also at the bank, I discover that I left my passport at the ward office when I got my ID. The fact that the nice lady at the bank is ok with me not having my passport, coupled with the odd euphoria I feel now that things actually seem to be working out, means that I don't panic (I mean, I know where it is, it's safe, it should be easy to go get). Finally, I get my card!!! YAY!!! so happy and relieved!
In fact, I think that a little celebration is in order. Therefore, supper is at a semi-nice Italian place. It consists of tomatoes and mozzarella cheese for starters (2 things I haven't had in over a month. I thought I would die of happiness!), pasta w/ oil based sauce and baby oysters for the main, and a fruit tart for dessert. Totally delish! (They also had pizza baked in a stone oven that looked good, but I didn't think I could eat a whole pizza by myself. Come visit me and we can go get one to share).
Finally, I wait until Saturday to go fight w/ the phone company, since I'm afraid it will be awful and completely ruin my good mood. When I do go, it takes awhile, but ultimately ends with them not cutting off my phone!!!
In all, it was a very satisfying weekend.
Place: The Post Office
Circumstances: I have a temporary certificate to use as my ID, until the official one arrives, so I'm going to try once again to get my package (from the bank, which includes my debit card). Also, no one at the post office speaks English.
I show them the certificate. After much fussing, we have communicated enough for me to know that they can't accept the certificate. Must have real ID. Ok, fine, whatever, I get ready to leave. But there is still something else they want to say. Apparently there is a problem b/c the certificate (and my ID, when I get it) has my full name on it, while the package only includes my first and last name. Therefore, since the name is not exactly the same, they couldn't give me the package, even if I did have my ID.
They eventually had to call the help desk to explain all this to me, which is when I realized how bad the situation was (previously I hadn't realized what strict procedures the post office was operating under. We all knew that it was my package, but they still weren't going to give it to me, b/c everything wasn't exactly in order). They're going to consult about it and call me back the next day.
I leave, trying not to break down bawling, because it's MY PACKAGE AND WHY WON'T YOU GIVE IT TO ME????????????? But I feel consoled that I at least know what's going on and that tomorrow something will be figured out.
The next day (also known as Thursday): I tell my peeps at the school what's up and they call the post office. After much conferring, it is (apparently) decided that the post office will return the package to the bank and I'm to go in and talk to the bank people about it. Ok, that's doable. Since people at the bank speak English, I feel as though we can get something figured out. Except they'll need my ID. Lovely.
So I leave work early on Friday in order to go pick up my ID and go to the bank. This involves much walking around in the rain and getting soaked, but I don't mind, as I know have my ID card! Yay, excited me! At the bank, they decide to just issue me a new card. Also at the bank, I discover that I left my passport at the ward office when I got my ID. The fact that the nice lady at the bank is ok with me not having my passport, coupled with the odd euphoria I feel now that things actually seem to be working out, means that I don't panic (I mean, I know where it is, it's safe, it should be easy to go get). Finally, I get my card!!! YAY!!! so happy and relieved!
In fact, I think that a little celebration is in order. Therefore, supper is at a semi-nice Italian place. It consists of tomatoes and mozzarella cheese for starters (2 things I haven't had in over a month. I thought I would die of happiness!), pasta w/ oil based sauce and baby oysters for the main, and a fruit tart for dessert. Totally delish! (They also had pizza baked in a stone oven that looked good, but I didn't think I could eat a whole pizza by myself. Come visit me and we can go get one to share).
Finally, I wait until Saturday to go fight w/ the phone company, since I'm afraid it will be awful and completely ruin my good mood. When I do go, it takes awhile, but ultimately ends with them not cutting off my phone!!!
In all, it was a very satisfying weekend.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
WAAAAAHHH!!!!!
k, so what I said last time about not updating as often? Ignore that. Especially if I keep having days like today.
It was really ok. Up until quitting time. At which point I decided to grade some papers that ended up taking 45 min. When I (finally) got back to Kobe, I had two errands I had to run- pick up something from the Post Office and stop at Softbank (phone provider).
Well, I didn't know where the post office was that I was supposed to be going to, so I went to the central post office and got them to tell me. Turns out all I had to do was go one stop further on the same train I take to work. Which was good. Of course, I was then, I was terrified that they were going to be closed when I got there-it's around 7 pm at this point.
However, I decide that, any way you slice it, if they close at 7 I'm not going to be able to make it, and if they don't close til 8, I will definitely make it. So, since I'm a bit hungry, I stop at this little place I've walked by before called "Fruit Cafe SaitaSaita." It's this really cool little place, with a total cafe vibe going on, that sells smoothies, parfaits, etc. Here we have a link to their website: http://saitasaita.com/ If you're ever in Kobe, I recommend it. It's just outside of the west end of Motomachi. I had a super tasty raspberry smoothie.
They were still open, but they couldn't give me the package b/c I don't have my Japanese ID yet (also known as a foreigner card or a gaijin card). I was like "really? REALLY? You can't just give it to the person who looks exactly like the picture on the passport that has the same name as is on the package?" No, apparently not. Well, I guess it's not that bad, as I get my ID on Sat, so I can go back then. Except, I'm pretty sure that this particular package has my bank account information in it, which I need to give to the school so they can pay me...
So anyway, I move on. Take the train back (btw, it cost 500 yen for a total of about 3 minutes on the train. Seems a bit excessive to me). Go to Softbank- it's now almost 8, so I'm really getting worried about whether they're open or not. They are. I go in, show them the text they sent me recently threatening to cut off my phone b/c apparently they don't have my correct address.
I guess they sent me something in the mail, but it was returned to them, so this is reason to end my phone service. What kind of stuff do they want to send me in the mail anyway? I'm sure they have my email and I know they can text me, so what do they need to use snail mail for?
Anyhow, I show them the text. They say, (guess what?) "We need your Japanese ID" I DON'T HAVE IT YET. All I can say is, we'd better be able to get this figured out on Sat, the 17th, cause Sun the 18th is when they say they're turning off the service.
I'm now so ticked off that I decide I want to take the bus home instead of walking, except I can't remember which bus I'm supposed to take. I think it's bus 7, but it might also be 9, and I really don't want to end up on the wrong bus at this point in my life. So I walk. It's really not far.
When I got home, I wanted to comfort myself with food, but I was really full from my tasty supper smoothie, so I couldn't eat anymore. Then, I wanted to comfort myself with a drama, but I have to go to bed soon, so there isn't time for that. I finally settled on Fanta Grape. It works. I guess.
FINALLY I just lost one of my contacts in my eye and had to go panic until it fell out.
Also, during all of this, all of the lovely Japanese I learned this summer went flying straight out the window. I guess it's a sign that I need to study. More.
So, I'm going to bed now- goodnight.
It was really ok. Up until quitting time. At which point I decided to grade some papers that ended up taking 45 min. When I (finally) got back to Kobe, I had two errands I had to run- pick up something from the Post Office and stop at Softbank (phone provider).
Well, I didn't know where the post office was that I was supposed to be going to, so I went to the central post office and got them to tell me. Turns out all I had to do was go one stop further on the same train I take to work. Which was good. Of course, I was then, I was terrified that they were going to be closed when I got there-it's around 7 pm at this point.
However, I decide that, any way you slice it, if they close at 7 I'm not going to be able to make it, and if they don't close til 8, I will definitely make it. So, since I'm a bit hungry, I stop at this little place I've walked by before called "Fruit Cafe SaitaSaita." It's this really cool little place, with a total cafe vibe going on, that sells smoothies, parfaits, etc. Here we have a link to their website: http://saitasaita.com/ If you're ever in Kobe, I recommend it. It's just outside of the west end of Motomachi. I had a super tasty raspberry smoothie.
They were still open, but they couldn't give me the package b/c I don't have my Japanese ID yet (also known as a foreigner card or a gaijin card). I was like "really? REALLY? You can't just give it to the person who looks exactly like the picture on the passport that has the same name as is on the package?" No, apparently not. Well, I guess it's not that bad, as I get my ID on Sat, so I can go back then. Except, I'm pretty sure that this particular package has my bank account information in it, which I need to give to the school so they can pay me...
So anyway, I move on. Take the train back (btw, it cost 500 yen for a total of about 3 minutes on the train. Seems a bit excessive to me). Go to Softbank- it's now almost 8, so I'm really getting worried about whether they're open or not. They are. I go in, show them the text they sent me recently threatening to cut off my phone b/c apparently they don't have my correct address.
I guess they sent me something in the mail, but it was returned to them, so this is reason to end my phone service. What kind of stuff do they want to send me in the mail anyway? I'm sure they have my email and I know they can text me, so what do they need to use snail mail for?
Anyhow, I show them the text. They say, (guess what?) "We need your Japanese ID" I DON'T HAVE IT YET. All I can say is, we'd better be able to get this figured out on Sat, the 17th, cause Sun the 18th is when they say they're turning off the service.
I'm now so ticked off that I decide I want to take the bus home instead of walking, except I can't remember which bus I'm supposed to take. I think it's bus 7, but it might also be 9, and I really don't want to end up on the wrong bus at this point in my life. So I walk. It's really not far.
When I got home, I wanted to comfort myself with food, but I was really full from my tasty supper smoothie, so I couldn't eat anymore. Then, I wanted to comfort myself with a drama, but I have to go to bed soon, so there isn't time for that. I finally settled on Fanta Grape. It works. I guess.
FINALLY I just lost one of my contacts in my eye and had to go panic until it fell out.
Also, during all of this, all of the lovely Japanese I learned this summer went flying straight out the window. I guess it's a sign that I need to study. More.
So, I'm going to bed now- goodnight.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Penny for your thoughts
or mine, actually. I have my internet back, or keeps now, but due to certain changes in my lifestyle (ie: the part where school started) I will not be posting as often as I have the past 3 weeks or so. Depending on my mood, you'll probably get either one long post on the weekend, or various short posts throughout the week.
In other news, it has been discovered recently that mochi should not be stored in the refrigerator, or it will become hard and when you try to eat it, all the tasty sweet bean filling will ex cape out the other side. I tried to find a good pic of mochi to illustrate, but there really aren't any.
All of the cats in the neighborhood that won't let me pet them get feed by a nice lady. But you still can't sneak up behind them and pet them.
The school says I have to switch which train I take to work, because the Hankyu line (that I current take) is cheaper than the JR line (that I will switch too). This is good news to me, as it will take about 15 min off my commute and I won't have to get up at 5:40 anymore. *insert happy dance here*
I like sleeping on a futon, but for proper care, you're supposed to take them out on the balcony occasionally, beat them, and let the sunshine air them out. As I don't have a balcony for beating or direct sunlight in the apartment, perhaps I would be better off with a mattress?
When will it be cold????? I'm scared b/c I think I'm being to acclimate to the climate. I don't want to be used to being drenched in sweat everyday.
My cell phone provider emailed me. Apparently, they tried to send me something in the mail, but it was returned to them, so they're threatening to cut off my service if I don't go in and get it straightened out.
Yesterday was a bad night for sleeping. I don't know why. Personally, I just woke up an hour before my alarm went off and couldn't go back to sleep, but everyone else I talked to was also like "yeah, I had a good weekend, but then I didn't sleep well last night" creepy happenings in the house, waking to a sick stomach, etc ect. so I'm going to bed early tonight. Maybe.
Also, my fellow ALT is big into going to the gym and has told me that the gym has lots of classes, like yoga and even bellydance! I have an excitement! As soon as I get paid, I'm going to see about getting a membership/signing up for a class.
The End.
For now.
Edit: next mon is a holiday, so no school. this is kind of exciting to find out. especially b/c the rest of the week is the school festival, so we only end up having classes once a week
In other news, it has been discovered recently that mochi should not be stored in the refrigerator, or it will become hard and when you try to eat it, all the tasty sweet bean filling will ex cape out the other side. I tried to find a good pic of mochi to illustrate, but there really aren't any.
All of the cats in the neighborhood that won't let me pet them get feed by a nice lady. But you still can't sneak up behind them and pet them.
The school says I have to switch which train I take to work, because the Hankyu line (that I current take) is cheaper than the JR line (that I will switch too). This is good news to me, as it will take about 15 min off my commute and I won't have to get up at 5:40 anymore. *insert happy dance here*
I like sleeping on a futon, but for proper care, you're supposed to take them out on the balcony occasionally, beat them, and let the sunshine air them out. As I don't have a balcony for beating or direct sunlight in the apartment, perhaps I would be better off with a mattress?
When will it be cold????? I'm scared b/c I think I'm being to acclimate to the climate. I don't want to be used to being drenched in sweat everyday.
My cell phone provider emailed me. Apparently, they tried to send me something in the mail, but it was returned to them, so they're threatening to cut off my service if I don't go in and get it straightened out.
Yesterday was a bad night for sleeping. I don't know why. Personally, I just woke up an hour before my alarm went off and couldn't go back to sleep, but everyone else I talked to was also like "yeah, I had a good weekend, but then I didn't sleep well last night" creepy happenings in the house, waking to a sick stomach, etc ect. so I'm going to bed early tonight. Maybe.
Also, my fellow ALT is big into going to the gym and has told me that the gym has lots of classes, like yoga and even bellydance! I have an excitement! As soon as I get paid, I'm going to see about getting a membership/signing up for a class.
The End.
For now.
Edit: next mon is a holiday, so no school. this is kind of exciting to find out. especially b/c the rest of the week is the school festival, so we only end up having classes once a week
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Regarding food et aussi sayonara por un semana
HS cafeteria food in Japan is very similar to HS cafeteria food in the States. Edible, but a bit bland and perhaps not the most nutritious.
There's a Nepalese place down the street and we ate there after church and it was excellent. Very small (seating for perhaps 15 people), but great atmosphere and good food. Also wi-fi (which may be important for me later in the week) and yummy chai (including raw sugar!) I feel so spoiled!
Seriously, one of the things I love about living in the city is the great variety of tasty foods to try.
In other news, I'm losing my internet for awhile, starting in about 22 hrs. My apartment isn't set up for the interwebs, so we had to get someone to come install it. The earliest they could do it was this week, which doesn't work of course, as I'll be at school, so they'll be coming Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, I've been renting a wireless router. Can we see where this is going? The router is due back tomorrow, so after I return it, I'll be internet-less until Sunday.
My phone is awesome and I'll be checking email and facebook on it, but I refuse to type long blog posts on the tiny little touch-keyboard, so there will be no blog until at least Sunday night. Also no Skyping.
So for those of you who check for updates every couple hours, take a break. Read a book. Cook something. That's what I'll be doing.
Au revior
There's a Nepalese place down the street and we ate there after church and it was excellent. Very small (seating for perhaps 15 people), but great atmosphere and good food. Also wi-fi (which may be important for me later in the week) and yummy chai (including raw sugar!) I feel so spoiled!
Seriously, one of the things I love about living in the city is the great variety of tasty foods to try.
In other news, I'm losing my internet for awhile, starting in about 22 hrs. My apartment isn't set up for the interwebs, so we had to get someone to come install it. The earliest they could do it was this week, which doesn't work of course, as I'll be at school, so they'll be coming Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, I've been renting a wireless router. Can we see where this is going? The router is due back tomorrow, so after I return it, I'll be internet-less until Sunday.
My phone is awesome and I'll be checking email and facebook on it, but I refuse to type long blog posts on the tiny little touch-keyboard, so there will be no blog until at least Sunday night. Also no Skyping.
So for those of you who check for updates every couple hours, take a break. Read a book. Cook something. That's what I'll be doing.
Au revior
Friday, September 2, 2011
My very first typoon!
Tropical storm Talas approaches! We thought that it might cause school to be cancelled today, but it didn't . The students are hoping that school will be cancelled tomorrow, but since tomorrow is my day off, I'm not affected. So far it's just been windy and raining off and on, but apparently it's supposed to hit land early in the morning. According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the center (do tropical storms get "eyes"?) will past about 50 mi/100 km west of here. It's kind of exciting. You know, provided the house doesn't blow down or something drastic like that.
I don't know how you're supposed to deal with a tropical storm, so I just got some extra chow and plan on spending tomorrow with a good book (or three or five) watching the rain and the wind.
So, the first two days of school were quite good. Practically the first thing upon arrival I met two of our foreign exchange students for the year, which was excellent for me, b/c we got to calm each others first day jitters and cheer ourselves on while we made speeches and stuff (I talked for under a minute. I guess I can't really call that a speech). They seem quite cool. Then I was recruited to help with some interviews for Japanese students who were applying to go overseas. Then I went home.
As I was walking up the street I saw a lady feeding several of the random cats around here. It made me happy. Maybe they were hers, but I don't know why she feeds them by the side of the road if that's true.
Today I was more certain that I would get to school at a reasonable time, so I got up at 5:30 instead of 5, which is really terribly exciting when you think about it. Of course, I then got terribly turned around in Umeda and ended up on the wrong end of the station completely (read: 15 min out of my way) and when I got off at my subway stop I started walking down the road in the wrong direction (but only for a little ways). On my way back, a friend showed me a quicker way to get around Umeda that actually involved going outside for part of it. I was amazed.
So we met some more with the exchange students, who are awesome, and then my fellow ALT and I spent about 4 hrs planning one lesson. Well, we were doing some other things like having a break for lunch. (Sat with several students who had just spent time in Canada and apparently are very talkative, but suddenly claimed they couldn't speak very good English and were very quiet. I don't know why.)
Anywho...I should probably go to bed soon. Here's a pic of Talas:
Also, I think the rain has settled in for the duration.
I don't know how you're supposed to deal with a tropical storm, so I just got some extra chow and plan on spending tomorrow with a good book (or three or five) watching the rain and the wind.
So, the first two days of school were quite good. Practically the first thing upon arrival I met two of our foreign exchange students for the year, which was excellent for me, b/c we got to calm each others first day jitters and cheer ourselves on while we made speeches and stuff (I talked for under a minute. I guess I can't really call that a speech). They seem quite cool. Then I was recruited to help with some interviews for Japanese students who were applying to go overseas. Then I went home.
As I was walking up the street I saw a lady feeding several of the random cats around here. It made me happy. Maybe they were hers, but I don't know why she feeds them by the side of the road if that's true.
Today I was more certain that I would get to school at a reasonable time, so I got up at 5:30 instead of 5, which is really terribly exciting when you think about it. Of course, I then got terribly turned around in Umeda and ended up on the wrong end of the station completely (read: 15 min out of my way) and when I got off at my subway stop I started walking down the road in the wrong direction (but only for a little ways). On my way back, a friend showed me a quicker way to get around Umeda that actually involved going outside for part of it. I was amazed.
So we met some more with the exchange students, who are awesome, and then my fellow ALT and I spent about 4 hrs planning one lesson. Well, we were doing some other things like having a break for lunch. (Sat with several students who had just spent time in Canada and apparently are very talkative, but suddenly claimed they couldn't speak very good English and were very quiet. I don't know why.)
Anywho...I should probably go to bed soon. Here's a pic of Talas:
Also, I think the rain has settled in for the duration.
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