+ & -

+ Iggy's party. We did a shabu-shabu, all-you-can-eat party.
+ I went to church yesterday. I needed it. Afterwards, we sang Christmas songs in Japanese. The tunes were familiar, but the words were not.
+ I think my Christmas shopping is done (for the most part).
+ I got an unexpected refund today. I have been paying for my school lunches every month. I don't drink milk because I am lactose intolerant. Today, I got a refund for all the milk I've paid for since September. It was almost $35.00...woo hoo!
+ My students are funny.
+ My students are (for the most part) good.
+ I am making friends here.
+ I got an e-mail from my grandparents today.
+ The wind changed direction...
+ I was able to dry my clothes outside yesterday (the smoke from the neighbors' burning went in the other direction)!
+ I get to have a vacation soon.
+++ I have a job with benefits and paid time off.

- I ate way too much this weekend.
- I think that I've gained a few pounds :+(
- My apartment doesn't have central air...
- It's too cold to take a shower!
- My vacation doesn't start for 12 days.
- My vacation is to Washington, not Hawaii.
- My job keeps me far away from my friends and family.

+++ I have a lot to be thankful for.

Always Busy

I've been enjoying life in Japan, but it feels like I am ALWAYS busy!
This week, I have had three visits to my elementary school. I love my elementary school visits, but it always takes so much out of me. Today, I was supposed to have lessons for all of the 5th graders, but they were on a school trip and the head of the English program forgot about it. Instead of 5th grade, she had my language supporter and I visit all of the first grade classes. It was so much fun!
Mitsue-san brought a Mrs Clause apron for me to wear. She wore a Santa hat and I wore a headband that had holly on it (of course). We talked about Hollie Days and holidays ^_^ The kids really got into the lessons. I was amazed at their English abilities. It was as good as the 5th graders at that school. They were absolutely adorable. The teachers were awesome too. They really got into the lessons and activities.
Mitsue-san and I also are a great team. I really enjoy working with her. Her enthusiasm rubs off on me and we have so much fun teaching together. We were joking about starting our own language school after my JET life.
In other news, one of the science teachers at my junior high school is actually a well-known scientist in Japan. He has a new publishing, so the media has been at our school all week. I don't know what is more shocking to the camera crews and interviewers, the fact that this famous teacher is in the inaka, or the fact that there is an American sitting amidst 500 Japanese people. It's fun to watch their faces as I pass them in the hallways and greet them in Japanese. It's also fun when they approach me for the purpose of practicing English. It also makes a certain 3rd year teacher a little jealous, but I don't worry about her anymore.
Yesterday, a photographer showed up to our school. I didn't think much of it until there was a commotion and my name was brought up several times. Eventually, I found out that they wanted my picture for the yearbook. I was at a JET conference when the pictures were taken for the rest of the school. The photographer coming back to schooled had been planned for awhile. When she showed up, the 3rd year teacher looked at me and in a vindictive way she said, "Oh yeah. I was supposed to tell you that she was coming, but I forgot. Oh well". I pretended like I didn't notice her tone of voice or the look that she gave me. I just played along with it. The photographer took me into the hall just as classes were finishing for the day. A lot of students came by and started pretending that I was a celebrity and asking for my autograph. This didn't settle well with the 3rd year teacher. The photographer tried to make conversation, but before I could respond, the teacher snapped "She doesn't understand ANY Japanese at all". What a poo-head!
So all of that, trying to finish up Christmas shopping, planning lessons for conversation classes, and trying to have a healthy social life has exhausted me! Tonight, I am intentionally staying home on a Friday night. I am watching a movie and then I will go to bed early. I have something planned every day and/or week for the next 2 weeks. I do NOT want to be sick when I go home for the holidays.
I am very content with my life here in Japan. There are many moments where I wonder how I got here or why I am here, but when I experience days like today with the first graders, or moments like on Tuesday when one of my 15 year old students came up to me and told me that she wants to be an English teacher like me, I realize that I can make a difference in shaping and molding the future. It's scary and exciting!
Overall, I am happy.

Random Thoughts

Head colds are no fun.

Being a clean person isn’t necessarily appreciated by your neighbors. (My neighbors have a new habit of vacuuming at 12:45 a.m.)

Singing is fine. It's hard to tolerate at 2:15 in the morning though (reference to downstairs neighbors...again!).

I was finally able to become acclimated to the hot and humid weather here, so now 50 feels nearly unbearable.

I may live in a country that is superior to anyone else in technology, but the way governments work seems to be universal. (Our school’s computers are outdated. The copy machine is really old, really slow, and really noisy).

My desk is inconveniently placed next to the copier.

Head colds make tend to make things echo in your head. Sitting next to the copier promotes Tylenol moments during test week.

Sitting next to the copier is sometimes better than the water cooler. People gather to talk, so I can sometimes pick up bits and pieces of what is being said.

The copier has special powers. It may be slow and noisy, but it seems to give people confidence to practice some English.

In an unheated/under-heated building, it is nice to feel the extra heat that the copier puts out.

Test week in Japanese schools is boring for me, because I get to sit at my desk all day.

Test week in Japan means THREE visits to elementary school this week. I always enjoy my time there, but the kids have a lot of energy. It’s usually entertaining. (There were a lot of fights last week though).

I think I am not going to make it through the Japanese language course on the JET time line. I think that my brain is already full.

I don’t have enough hours in my day.

I’m running out of ideas for my Wednesday night English conversation class.

My head feels like it is about to explode. Not from information, but from my cold.

I love my special ed class. I will have lunch with their class tomorrow.

Tonight, we will go to the Chestnut Grove Café and have part 2 of Nick’s birthday celebration. Our students haven’t discovered us there yet, so that’s a good thing.

Okonomiyaki is fun. We went out last night to a local restaurant where they bring you the ingredients and you cook your own food. Thankfully, we had Iggy to help us. He’s a pretty good cook.

I miss turkey.

I miss real hamburgers.

School lunches are adventurous. Sometimes, I just want to play it safe.

I’m happy that I brought my computer to work, but I can’t get internet on it at work.

I ramble way too much.

I should update my journal more often.

This isn’t really an update; it is only a bunch of random thoughts.

I really do wish that my head would quit spinning.

Earthquakes

We've had two earthquakes this week. According to the news, they were both 4.5s.
One just happened about an hour ago. (Have I mentioned that I DON'T like earthquakes).
Granted, these are basically tremors. For the most part, they feel like a big truck drove by or a train went by too fast. I think that the reason that I really don't like them, is a fear of the unknown. An earthquake can build and be more powerful. It can be destructive. It is the unknown and potentially dangerous effect that the earthquake may have that terrifies me.
Just thought that I would share that. ^_^

Today

It is not even 7:00 am and I am already dreading today. Without going into too many details, it all breaks down to 1 b****y teacher and 1 mentally ill friend who doesn't speak English well and her new meds have her acting really psycho. (No exaggeration). I just found out last night about the mental illness (although it explains A LOT!), but the teacher situation hasn't been resolved.
I am stressing out over today, because I am supposed to be in two places at the same time with 9 classes and two lunch assignments. No matter what I do, somebody is NOT going to be happy and this teacher will blame me.

(I'm just a wee bit stressed).

Determined (Part Two)

So I guess a little continuation of the previous blog...I missed out on the awards ceremony and was really bummed about that.
Yesterday (Friday) was pretty good though. I had a pretty full day with classes and the students seemed more outgoing than usual. I had lunch with Mr. Abe's class. They were very genki.
Mr. Abe and I also had a conversation about the calendar, my schedule, and about American classrooms and school terms. It was kind of cool to get a normal conversation with a teacher for awhile.
Last night, I met with some members of my conversation group. We went to Saori's house for dinner (she cut my hair last week and came over to my place for fajitas). It was a lot of fun. We got to make takoyaki. The other ladies made so much food. Afterwards, they sent food home with me. They thought that I was being polite and that I wasn't really full, but seriously, I was stuffed!
I think that I now have a couple of "Mama-sans".
Whenever I have problems with my third year teacher, or encounter people like the old, crotchety woman on my way to school who crosses the street to avoid me, I think of all my students and all of the friends I am making here. I try to focus on their kindness, as well as their excitement to have an American living in their town. These are the people who will leave lasting impressions on me. These are the people that will teach me about their culture and help me to adjust to life in Japan. These are the people from whom I will make a few life-long friends. They represent the Japan I came to learn about. This is why I will do my best!

Determined

Every week, I am determined to write more often, but it rarely happens.
This past week was mostly really good.
My JHS was expecting English teachers from the surrounding elementary and JHS in our town. They would observe a third year English class. My third year teacher decided to step up her game and she planned activities specifically designed for team-teaching (what a concept). Monday's classes were practice classes for Tuesday's demonstration. I completely enjoyed it all. I rarely get to go to these classes and I got to be goofy in front of a lot of stressed out third year students (their high school entrance exams are right around the corner. This will literally determine the futures of many students).
The practice classes were just fine. As far as I was concerned, they were real classes and I wanted to do my best so that the teacher would want to (hopefully) use me more and that the students would ask to have me back. The demo class was fine. My third year teacher was very nervous, but I was very relaxed. The students seemed more involved because they were having fun. We seemed to forget about our observers other than the fact that sometimes they were in the way when we were trying to move around the different groups. The only times I specifically remember being observed is when our first year teacher would not quit following me and when I was talking with one of the groups. One boy was joking with me and said "Oh, Hollie! I think that you are very shy." I said something like "I am a very shy girl", I actually heard Abe-sensei snicker at the next table. Aside from that, I didn't notice being observed. I hope that is a good thing. The third year teacher thanked me for my help and that was the last conversation that I had with her during the week. I DON'T UNDERSTAND!
For the most part, the week was pretty slow. I had two visits to the elementary school. As always, they were fun.
On Thursday, I missed an awards ceremony for the simple fact that I didn't know about it. I sat in the teachers' room by myself. I started getting worried because I didn't see any teachers or hear any students. I was scheduled to team-teach a class for first period and didn't know what to do. Finally, I asked the secretary. She felt bad because she didn't realize I hadn't been informed (thanks to the third grade teacher!). As luck would have it, Abe-sensei was the first teacher to return to the room. Takamura-san explained that I had been asking what was going on. I apologized because I hadn't meant to drag him in on this situation. He apologized because he thought that it was on my schedule. For the rest of the day, he helped to make sure that I knew what was going on.
Today, I decided to be brave and ask what is happening on Wednesday because there is a big circle and red writing. He was shocked that I didn't know...I think that he is fully frustrated with my third year teacher too. Anyway, he was very chatty today and I got a LOT of helpful info from him today. He even helped me sort out the rest of my second year lunch visits. He rocks!
In the meantime, I did four Halloween lessons for the first grade. I didn't realize this until after I arrived in the first class. I made the most out of it though. We started off three of the four classes with "Hello, Goodbye" by the Beatles. I made the most obnoxious gestures you could think of. The first class was so bored with the song, so I thought that I would liven things up a bit. It worked! Now the students are asking if we can sing the song again just so they can see my gestures. The new song that was chosen by our teacher is a Peter, Paul, and Mary song (I don't know how I will spice that up). I think that my first year teacher is on a one-man crusade to bring back the 60's...especially the folk music aspect of it.
My first year teacher is nice and will pretty much let me do whatever I ask, but I have realized that he really doesn't understand much English and he is really boring. What can I say? I love the second graders.
I think that I will stop here because I am really tired, but basically I wanted to say that I have determined to be happy and to do my best. My students give me joy.

Weekly Re-cap

Since my last entry, I have experienced so much!
Last Saturday, we experienced another lovely typhoon. The ALTs did not let it stop us from trying to have a Halloween night. We went for coffee and dessert at Chestnut Grove and then did karaoke afterwards. Only a few of us showed up (those of us within walking distance), but we had a lot of fun.
On Sunday night, we had an earthquake. It wasn't too strong, but I fell out of bed because of it. I was sleeping on the edge of my bed and woke with a jolt. Since my bed was shaking, I ended up falling off the bed. Another one of my graceful moments.
Monday was awesome! For years, I have dreamed of going to Tokyo Disneyland, and it finally happened. To be honest, I could have chosen a better companion for that day, but I made the most of it and refused to let it rain on my parade. I had fun.
It seems that I have struggled for so long to make things happen in my life and the past two years have brought many good and exciting things into my life. How can I not appreciate or be thankful for what I have? I have chosen to focus on the positives rather than to dwell on the negatives.
Tuesday was another Halloween lesson at the elementary school. I LOVE my students! After my elementary visit, I went back to the junior high and finished the day. I was invited to another impromptu lesson for the second years. Since Mr. Abe (pronounced Ah-beh) is interested in teaching his students something more useful than the textbook English. He asked me about some useful slang such as, "What's up?" and how to respond to it. So I made about three pages of slang and responses over the weekend. Nothing too outlandish, but things that would be very useful if traveling abroad or if watching an American movie, etc... I gave the list to him on Tuesday and we had a lot of fun reviewing the list. Throughout the week, I have caught him studying the list. It's great to know that it was appreciated. In the meantime, he has been including me in some of the Japanese grammar part of the lessons and his students make a kanji quiz for me once a week. I think my lemons have turned into sweet lemonade!
Wednesday and Thursday were JET conference days for us. It was in Omiya, so we didn't have to leave as early or go very far. The best part about the conference was on Thursday. We were coming back from our lunch and encountered the Saitama pigeon-dove. It is our mascot and it seems to be on everything "official". So, I got to have my picture taken with the pigeon-dove. I was very happy! Yes, it really is the small things that make me happy.
Friday, I went back to the junior high and only had one class because of some work experience day. I really enjoyed hanging out with the second grade class (7th grade) and somehow found myself imitating Elmo for the students. The thing that I love most about being in the second grade classes, is that I never know what will happen there. I spent my lunch time with the 2-1 class. At first, they pretended to be shy, but they quickly came out of it. They began playing with my hair because I wore it down that day. They were commenting on how soft and long it is. When I told them that I would cut a lot of it off on Saturday, one of my quietest boys began to choke on his food and then shouted "You can't! What a waste!" After that, he quickly became embarrassed, but when I convinced him that my hair would be shoulder-length, he relaxed a little. I have passed this boy practically every morning on the way to school and I always wave or say "Hello", but he is always so quiet. Last Saturday, I saw him at Family Mart and I waved and said "Hello", he gave me a tiny smile and nodded, so I was very surprised by his reaction. Several of the girls were also shocked and said it was a waste to cut my hair and then they ran to Mr. Abe to and told him that I am cutting my hair and that he should talk me out of it (because of the language barrier). I found this amusing because the students are trying to get Mr. Abe and me together. Also, Mr Abe likes to keep his hair in a close-cut do, so the students joke about me giving him some of my hair to have a wig. He seemed shocked that I would cut my hair, but he didn't say much about it. He probably thought that I was playing around with the kids (I had just been doing my Elmo voice, so I wouldn't blame him). Anyway, it was fun. Friday was an enjoyable day at school. Even the third year teacher was nice to me. I could get used to it.
On Saturday, I actually did go and get my hair cut. It wasn't very healthy, so it needed to be cut. I had several inches taken off. It went from being waist-long to shoulder-length. Quite a change! I also had it colored. It is a dark brown. I have no more red in my hair (very strange for me), but I actually like it. On my way home, I met some of my students. They were shocked, but they said they approve, so I guess I passed some kind of test. I am sure that by the time I get to school tomorrow, everyone will know about my hair. Word travels fast in this town. In fact, while I was in the beauty salon, one of the customers came in and said "Oh, you must be Hollie-sensei!" He then turned to my friend, Saori who was cutting my hair and said something in Japanese that I didn't understand. He then tried speaking some English to me and Encouraging his 2 year old to talk to me. After he left, Saori went and got her dictionary. She then said that he told them that "Hollie-sensei is very popular with her students. They idolize her. Everyone knows who she is." I really didn't know how to react to this. Sure, it's flattering, but it's scary too. I know that I am here as a cultural representative and I really enjoy being with the students (even the bad kids...they aren't as bad as they want others to believe), but I don't think that I should be idolized. I just want to do my job to the best of my ability and have fun doing it. The students are great and they love to play around, how can I not have fun? Now though, I feel like I have to put extra censors on while I go around town because people are watching and I do stick out like a sore thumb.
Anyway, Saturday night, Saori came over for dinner and I made steak fajitas (thanks to my sister for sending me some taco seasoning, beans, and tortillas. I really miss Mexican food!). It actually turned out OK even though I didn't have everything I would normally have. Saori enjoyed herself too. It was really nice, because she comes to my Wednesday night conversation group, but she is usually too intimidated to speak in class. Last night, it was just us, so she could relax and take her time speaking. She spoke for 4 hours! It was really enjoyable and I was very happy to have had a great and relaxing day in Japan. She was really worried that I really didn't like my hair. I was the first non-Asian she had cut hair for. She said that she was worried because my hair was very soft and wavy. She wasn't used to this and she wanted to do a good job. I think that she did an amazing job and I told her as much.
Finally today (Sunday), I went to church. I can't even begin how good it felt to go to church. Three are not many Christians in Japan so finding a church is difficult to begin with. One of my English supporters is a Christian and invited me to go with her to church this Sunday. She interpreted for me when needed. It was also very cool to know the songs they were singing. I didn't know the Japanese words, but I knew the melody. That in itself was very comforting.
So that pretty much sums up my week. I know that there is a lot that I am leaving out, but this is really long already and I will try to make up that info in another blog.
When I think about how much I write about every week, I realize how thankful I am to be where I am. I am realizing that being optimistic is more rewarding than being pessimistic. I'm sure that there is something good to be had in every experience that I have, even if it doesn't seem so at the time.
With that said, I am ready to greet a new week.

BLAH

Grrrr. The third grade English teacher at my school is at it again. I really do think that she wants to see me fail. I don't think that she is pure evil. I just think that she is intimidated by native English speakers and that she is extremely insecure about her job. I don't think that she realizes how bad she is making herself look.
So, I have been trying to corner "Third Sensei" in order to find out the plan for Saturday. At first, she told me that I really didn't have to come to school on Saturday. She also told me that it was a half day on Saturday. I tried to ask her more questions, but in her typical fashion, she ran away from me.
I should have known on Friday when she dismissed me from her class after fifteen minutes, that things were going to be bad for me. (The class was moving on to an elective subject and I wasn't needed there anymore).
So yesterday, I went to school and enjoyed all of the singing and the art work. At about 12:30, most of the students and teachers had left, but it was obvious that school work for me wasn't quite over (although there was nothing for me to do). At 1:50, there was no indication of a lunch break much less anything for me to do. I decided to ask if it was ok to go home (half day, remember?). Big mistake!
The secretary went to hunt down the vice principal and the Third Sensei. No, it was supposed to be a normal day (until 4). I'm not sure why there was no lunch break, or why I hadn't been told to bring a lunch, or WHY my teacher couldn't have told me that it was a normal day!
Anyway, I finally found out that the students had left some day trips with most of the teachers. They decided it was ok for me to go home, since they would probably close school early.
I was so frustrated! Of course, the teacher was smug about everything. She also said loudly, "I'll see you Tuesday!" I made sure to say in front of the VP and secretary that I had an elementary school visit on Tuesday, followed by an ALT meeting, and that our mid-year conference is on Wednesday and Thursday. I had explained all of that to her on several occasions. I actually wrote out my schedule for the week and left it on my desk in plain site. I know that the First and Second year teachers saw them, because we talked about the reasons why I couldn't do a Halloween class on Wednesday.
I was extremely annoyed. I am still peeved, but should be better by the time I see her again.
I did try to soften her up a bit and try a different approach, but it didn't seem to work.
Honestly, aside from her attempts to sabotage any chance to do well or even excel, I love my job.
I haven't had too much of an opportunity to bond with the third years (9th graders) because their teacher doesn't use me very often, but I do find ways to interact with them outside of the classroom.
The first years are definitely not shy outside of the classroom, but they have a tendency to be a little rowdy inside the classroom (what 7th graders aren't though?)
My second year (8th graders) are really coming out of their shells though. Even the shy kids approach me in the hallways now and try to start a conversation with me! They are trying to help me learn Japanese, too. I think a lot of their attitude comes from their teacher. He encourages them to think outside of the box. He also tries to make learning as fun for them as possible. I also like the fact that Second Sensei has been including me in a lot more lately, so his students talk to me more.
Anyway, I feel like I just vomited so many thoughts and frustrations on this page. It probably doesn't make much sense.
The important thing though, is that I really love my job, minus the Third Sensei. I finally feel like I am doing something worthwhile and I REFUSE to let the Third Sensei be a killjoy.

Gaijin Revalations

It always feels like so much time passes between each posting. It's only been a few days since I lasted posted, but it seems like ages ago.
As usual, I ask myself where should I begin?

Let's see, I managed to make it through an entire week without teaching any junior high classes. Two of those days, I was at the elementary school, so I kept busy there.
I was scheduled for a few classes at the junior high, but they were all canceled because the teachers were returning their mid-term tests and they were going to review (what better time for me to be there!).

Friday, I spent researching Halloween ESL activities that might be appropriate for my special education class. I also spent a couple of hours reading and a couple of hours writing letters. The great thing that came out of last week, was that I am now FINALLY eating meals with the students. Yatta! (Some other day I will expand on Japanese school lunches).

On Saturday, I went to Nasu. It's a popular place for Japanese hot springs or onsen. I went with the Urawa English Speaking Society. I mentioned earlier that I visited one of their classes when I first arrived in Japan. They invited me to Nasu for their Fall Retreat. I am so happy that I went.

Twenty-six members from the Urawa ESS stayed at a private lodge in Nasu. One of the members works for the company that owns the lodge, so we were able to stay there for practically nothing. We stayed in a traditional Japanese room. There were paper sliding doors, tatami mats on the floor, and we slept on the floor on futons. (I shared a room with three other ladies).
The onsen were located on the first floor. There was one for the men and one for the women. Japanese custom is for the women to bathe together (naked) and the men to bathe together (naked). Since I am an American and the ESS members are very much acquainted with our ideas of modesty, the ladies arranged ahead of time for me to be alone in the onsen. I didn't want to be an inconvenience to them, but I didn't want to be naked in front of a bunch of people I didn't really know either. So I graciously accepted their offer. I can't tell you how wonderful the onsen experience was! The lodge was in the mountains and the onsen over-looked a hill. If you looked out the window, you could see the golds and reds of the fall leaves. You could also feel the cool mountain air before stepping into the onsen.
The experience is so relaxing and refreshing. I understand why the Japanese want to share that experience with other people. I just don't understand why it would matter if we wore clothes or if we had tattoos. Oddly enough, they didn't ask me if I had a tattoo. I expected this question too.

Anyway, my experience in Nasu was indescribable. We ate a lot of food. I was treated to a steak dinner (along with twenty other Japanese foods...no exaggeration). We had games, drinking, and karaoke. I was the only person not to drink, but was asked to sing over and over. It was fun.

On Sunday, we woke up early and went for a walk outside. The fresh air was inviting. On our walk, we encountered an old man walking his dog. The dog was very friendly and wanted to play with us. While we were talking, I noticed an odd plant-like thing. It turns out, that it was a huge mushroom. I guess it's the kind used in making Chinese medicine. I got pictures with it, so I will post them soon. After a HUGE breakfast (bigger than dinner the night before), we checked out of our rooms and headed for the British Hills.

British Hills was about an hour drive in the country-side. The drive itself was absolutely gorgeous. British Hills consists of an English manor surround by dormitories and a hotel that look like elegant British buildings. There is a pub, a tea shop, and a gift shop. Visitors can also tour the manor. We took the tour (in English) and enjoyed a meal of fish and chips. It was fun for me. I got to see something different, but I also got to spend a few hours surrounded by mostly native English speakers again. It was kind of a strange feeling, but I enjoyed my time there.

After our visit to British Hills, we returned home. On the way back, I saw the Japanese equivalent to a motorcycle gang. Most of them looked harmless enough, but a few of them looked dangerous. Their bikes, on the other hand, were NOT intimidating at all. I don't think that I can begin to explain them now, but I will try. The closest comparison I can give you though, is the bikes that kids used to ride with the banana seats and the tall pole that had an orange flag flying from it. The back of the passenger seat rose high and the bikers would have banners flying from them. Most of the banners looked cute or funny, rather than scary and threatening. Yeah, I don't get it.

Overall, my weekend was full of new experiences that I would probably not have been able to experience if it weren't for the JET Program. I am extremely thankful for these opportunities.
I also realized that I can't expect for things to happen, I have to try to make things happen, too. I could have easily said no to visiting the ESS class (they were strangers and I had just arrived in Japan that week). Rather than sitting at home acting scared, I took a step outside of my comfort zone and tried something new. So far, it has led to me meeting many new people and be able to experience new things. I have traveled more, and these kind people refuse to let me pay for anything! I can't believe it. I had an incredible weekend.

Yesterday and today, I had several classes at school. I actually got to spend time talking with the students about the Civil Rights Movement and about Apartheid. A lot of the students aren't able to communicate what they are thinking, but some of them are. It is amazing what kind of observations these students make. It gives me hope for the future. Interestingly enough, the Japanese pronunciation of Apartheid sounds like "apart hate". One of the students thought that it was "hate" for something that was not a "part" of the white group. I was impressed. The logic is excellent. This also opened up dialog about American culture then and now. The students remembered the photo album I showed them with my self-introduction and they asked me about having friends and family from backgrounds different from mine. I thought that it was a great class. We are trying to get the students to think outside of their classroom and to think about bigger issues. I felt that I actually helped some students take steps in that direction today.

So I may sit at my desk sometimes with nothing to do, but when I get to travel to new and exciting places, or open up a window to another world to my students, or even tell stories to the precious special ed students who make it a point to greet me every morning in English; I have to say that these are the moments that I love my job.

Today Was Good

Today was good, because yesterday was good.
I didn't have to go to my junior high school yesterday, because I had an all day elementary school visit, followed by a workshop. We finished the workshop around 5:00.
At 7:00, I had my Wednesday night conversation group. Everyone was finally relaxed and the night went smoothly. EVERYONE said that they really enjoyed the time there and that the activity was good. I always become stressed when I try to plan activities for this class, because the English abilities are so diverse.
I had another elementary school visit and only 2 hours at my junior high today (to occupy a desk). I also had my Thursday night class, but forgot that the second half was canceled this week. (I'm losing my mind).
I will (hopefully) get to bed earlier tonight and be able to survive Friday. I really do like my job, but I am ready for the weekend.
The one thing that is fun about my job, is that students who don't talk to me in class because they are too shy, suddenly find courage to run up to me and say "hi" when we are outside of school. I like this, because there are often parents around when this happens and it reminds me that learning often extends outside of the classroom and involves others (me included).

Review of My Week

Monday was a holiday. My friend Atsuko took me to an international festival. We didn't have high expectations for the festival, but it was kind of lame. We spent only about an hour there. After that, we did our traditional outing to Saizeriya for the drink bar and cheese pizza. We stayed and talked for a couple of hours. After that, I came home and vegged.

Tuesday was good except I forgot about our ALT (assistant language teacher) meeting. I had to rush out of school in the afternoon and apologize to the staff there. So they think that I am a flake now.
Our meeting was good, but we had to pay some bills afterwards. Katlin and I went to pay together. (More communication practice with non-English speakers. Why don't they teach us really useful Japanese in school?). After that, I introduced Katlin to the drink bar at Saizeriya. I enjoyed talking with Katlin. We talked a lot about Chicago...it's nice to talk about places we are both familiar with.

Wednesday had a rough start.
When I left the elementary school on Friday, I was told that my other visit was canceled and that I would only have a visit the following Friday. (Instinctively, I KNEW something wasn't right here). So on Wednesday, I am sitting at my desk at the junior high and there is a phone call from the elementary school wondering where I am. After lots of questioning, it was decided that it was my mistake (forget about the fact that TWO teachers told me not to come until Friday) and that I would have to make up for it by apologizing to everyone.
What was most frustrating, is that I suspected there was an error in communication, so I approached one of the jhs English teachers on Tuesday and told her I thought that there was a problem. Thinking she would help me, she acted clueless on Wednesday and seemed to blame me for the mix-up! I was so frustrated that I was nearly in tears.
Once I got to the elementary school, everything was fine. When I finished, I got back on my bike and started back for my junior high school. Let's just say that this was a day I should have considered not leaving the house.
I have decided that narrow streets, big trucks, Japanese drivers, long-wide pants, and foreigners on bikes are a disastrous combination. One of the streets I travel is very narrow and there is construction on one of its houses. I turned the corner on my back and had to suddenly stop for the truck who wasn't going to stop. I pulled my bike into a corner to wait for the truck to pass, but they finally stopped too. They stopped on the narrowest part of the road and there was not any room for a bike to pass on either side, let alone a bike and rider. They kept waving me to pass, but I waved for them. The passenger decided to get out and direct the truck into the driveway. At one point, they stopped to let me pass. I got on my bike and, I'm still not sure how this happened, but my pant leg went past my shoe and got caught in my bike. I couldn't continue paddling without ripping and/or de-pantsing myself. I was laughing at myself and the truck passenger was trying not to laugh, but eventually he had to give in. I had to balance my bike and try to pedal backwards in order to get my pants unstuck.
I'm sure it was very entertaining to watch and I'm sure it came up at dinner several places in Japan that night (unfortunately, the construction workers at that house witnessed the event too).
When the school day was finally over, I came home to a pleasant surprise. I had a package from Jessica! I was not expecting anything and it was the perfect day to be reminded of friends back home.

Thursday.
This was a pretty uneventful day. I was happy for that too. I had regular classes and my conversation groups.

Friday.
I was very happy for the end of the work week. I had another elementary school visit. I love the visits, but I am always wiped-out after them.
When I got home, there was a card from a very good friend. We had lost each other's addresses, but she came across my parents' phone number and decided to try it. Thankfully, she talked to my mom and got my address and now I have hers again.
I was so excited to hear from her, that I did a happy dance in my kitchen ^_^
I also got a text from Chikako saying that she and Mii would be here on Saturday. They wanted to meet for dinner in Shinjuku. Of course I said yes.

Saturday.
I went to Shinjuku early because it was my first time there and I wanted to be sure that I could find our meeting place. Talk about sensory over-load! There were so many people and so many flashing signs. It was hard to take it all in.
I found the place we were supposed to meet at and then decided to explore a little on my own. I found a Starbucks and had a non-caffeinated frappuccino and then I found a music store. Their prices are pretty reasonable for Japanese standards and they had a huge international section.
I gave in and finally got the new 50 Cent cd. It was only 1600 yen (usually 3200), so I felt like it was a bargain.
Next, I met up with Chikako and Mii. I was so happy to see them! We all lived in the same house together in Spokane.
We went to dinner at a place where they serve you 10 courses (everyone in your party shares the food) and then it's all you can drink. There is a flat fee of 3500 yen.
Oh my goodness! There was so much food and it was delicious! I didn't drink much alcohol, but I could drink juice, soda, and tea, too. Chikako didn't drink much either, but she was already tired, so the little she had hit her really hard. It was kind of funny.
Mii had 6 or 7 drinks. The two of them are crazy when they are sober, but give them alcohol and they are even more entertaining!
Mii was always asking Chikako questions before talking to the waiter. Chikako would answer in English knowing that Mii would repeat what she said. The waiter was confused, but understood. It was so much fun with them.
After dinner, we decided to do puri kura (print club photos. It's a cheap and popular past time here and it can be a lot of fun!) As we were trying to find a place, we were hustled by several "hosts" (gigolos). One street actually had about 10 together in a group. Most of them had dyed hair in the shape of a hedgehog. They had business cards too. Their business card was a laminated 4x7 with all of their head-shots on it. They gave it to Chikako and she kept it as a souvenir.
We finally made it to an arcade and found what we were looking for. We ended up running out of time and rushing back to the station so that I could get home before the trains quit running.
(I really don't know why they can't run longer on the weekends in a city this big).
Anyway, I had a lot of fun with Chikako and Mii. I hope that I can see them again soon.

Sunday.
It is now Sunday morning in Japan.
I will meet some people from my conversation class today. They are some of my quieter students and they initiated the out-side contact, so I want to make sure to meet with them. I want them to feel comfortable, so that it doesn't get in the way of their learning.
We will be meeting at Chestnut Grove. It is a small coffee place/restaurant that specializes in waffles. That doesn't sound so unusual, right? Well, have you ever had a salad waffle? They have two categories of waffles. The salad waffles or the dessert waffles. Breakfast waffles are not an option.
After that, I will probably go grocery shopping, do laundry, and watch a movie. I am wiped out!

Laundry Laments

So I have accepted that some things will always occur. For example, the fact that the eccentric neighbors across the street burn their garbage all the time (yes, it's illegal, but nobody says anything "because they are old and crazy"). That is the answer that I get from people in the town.
Anyway, I basically do my laundry on the weekends because, in Japan, everyone hangs their laundry outside to dry. (I'm not sure why. It's a cultural observation that I have yet to find an answer for other than "we like the smell of the sun in our clothes". They obviously don't live down-wind from the neighbors who burn their smelly garbage and end up with clothes that wreak!)
At any rate, hanging clothes outside would help reduce the amount of electricity being used. So it has some redeeming qualities. I would often hang certain clothing items to dry because I wouldn't want them to shrink, but I ALWAYS dried my towels, socks, and underwear. I was raised that was the sanitary thing to do. Not only that, but when you hang heavy cottons to air dry, they don't feel clean and they are often rough, not soft. What I wouldn't give for liquid fabric softener right now!
After all this frustration, I realized that I did not want my clothes to smell bad anymore. My neighbor pointed out to me that the nearby store had a clothes drying tree. Yes ladies and gentlemen, I can now dry my clothes anytime that I want to INSIDE my apartment. Rain or shine, garbage burning or no garbage burning, I can do laundry without exposing my clothes to the elements.
The smell of the sun may be a wonderful thing, but since I have yet to experience it (thanks to my neighbors), I think that the smell of my apartment is just as good.

My Students Think I'm Beautiful

Because the weather has finally gotten a little cooler, I decided to wear my hair down. I didn't think to much of it. I did think that it was nice to be able to wear it down and not have to worry about my hair getting stuck in a back pack or something.
Anyway, on Tuesday, I had my second elementary school visit and that is the day I wore my hair down. I had classes with all of the 6th graders. They were completely fascinated with my hair and my eyes. At first they thought I had a perm, but then I finally convinced them that it was natural curl. I told them that my friends have curlier hair and they were shocked.
The kids followed me around the school and asked me a lot of questions. One of the girls finally asked if I did anything special to have nice skin. I told her that I drink a lot of water (3-6 liters a day. No Joke!) and that I try to avoid the sun at certain times of the day because I get burned. She asked about moisturizers and facial lotions and I told her that I didn't use any of those (unless the climate is dry). She and her friend were shocked. They were sure that I was not telling them the truth. They were so cute though, because they kept giggling and telling me how beautiful I was.
At lunch, I ate at a table with 6 students. They were too shy to try and speak English. I asked them a few questions in English to encourage them to speak English (since that is my job), but I didn't say anything in Japanese. The boy to my left was too shy to make eye contact, but he kept staring at me when he thought I wasn't looking. He kept talking about my "pretty, green eyes". This all took place in Japanese. Finally, he commented on how well I was using my chopsticks and the other 5 students made comments about it as well. I couldn't hold back anymore, so in Japanese, I said that I am not good at using chopsticks. You should have seen their faces! First, shock that I spoke some Japanese, then embarrassment that I understood what they had been saying about me. It was so adorable, but hilarious, too.
After lunch, I went to my junior high to finish out the day. At this point, it hadn't occurred to me that my students had never seen me with my hair down. It has been pulled back in a bun every day because it is so stinking hot! (For those who don't know, my hair is down to my waist. It is reddish-brown and wavy). I didn't think it was a huge deal. It's my hair and I didn't think it was that big of a deal. Except that one girl walked into a wall because she was staring at my hair trying to figure out who it belonged to. The teachers stopped and commented on my hair. Many of the students asked if they could touch my hair and were surprised at its softness. Four girls decided to try and style my hair rather than do their part of the daily clean-up. But the coolest thing, is that among all of the students who stop and tell me how beautiful I am, the students who are usually too shy to talk, are the ones who are going out of their way to talk to me.
I'm guessing the bun was to intimidating, but next to chopping off my hair, it seemed like my only option.
Several of my students told me that I looked like a beautiful ghost. They then asked me if I had a nickname, so I told them that my friends call me Casper (because I look like a ghost). Of course, they giggled.
I am amazed at how something so trivial as hair can cause such a reaction.

Frustrated

In addition to the lotion disaster earlier this week, I am frustrated over the events of today. It is Saturday in Japan. Originally, we were supposed to have our sports festival today.
There was a light drizzle outside, but I didn't think anything of it (since they still have school in a typhoon). When I got to school, I discovered that the festival was canceled, but that we were going to have our normal Monday schedule instead (the festival would be moved to Monday). Everyone else seemed to know what was going on except me. It was so frustrating!
I was dressed in a t-shirt and capris (not acceptable for classroom attire) but it was over-looked today. I was frustrated because nobody told me what was going on.
Also, most of the teachers didn't use me today (I went to two classes). I have been fighting a terrible head cold, so at 12:30, I asked if I could go home. I was told that I would have to use 4 hours paid-time off to do so. I agreed. First of all, IT'S A SATURDAY! Why do I need to use PTO for a Saturday? Second, I only had 3 1/2 hours remaining of my work day, so why do I have to take 4 hours? Lastly, why couldn't somebody call me to tell me that there had been a change? I would have dressed appropriately. Our school has 3 English teachers, plus a few others who can speak English. Is it really that difficult to keep me informed?
The good news though, is that I was allowed to go home early. This enabled me to get some much needed rest. I slept for almost 3 hours.
I think that I am pretty much going to veg until Monday. On Monday, we are supposed to try again for the sports festival. I think that, no matter what, I will take a change of clothes with me. I will be prepared!

faux pas

It's been awhile since I have written anything. Life has been very busy.
The speech contest is over. It seems strange to think that I, the person who has rarely succeeded in giving a speech, would be chosen to help so many students. There were seven from my school and several from other schools that I had a hand with helping. It was fun because, of those who placed, we spent time with all but one before school started. It was very rewarding.
Helping for the speech contest was valuable in many ways, but I am most grateful for the chance to get to know some of the students better.
Another benefit of helping with the speech contest, was that I earned extra time off. Yesterday was a holiday here, so I took Friday off and went to visit Angel. I rode the bullet train (Shinkansen) for the first time. It was a lot of fun. Just imagine being able to go from Seattle to Boise by train in less than 2 hours. That is what is was like.
I had fun with Angel. We went to the Hard Rock Cafe, we went shopping, I went to my first Japanese movie theater (to see Fantastic 4), we went to the sports festival at one of Angel's elementary schools, and we went to Jusco.
We also got to pass the Christmas Tree Love Hotel. It was a sight to see. The worst part was when we were going to the mall, people were passing out fliers. Among them, there was a coupon for the love hotel with a piece of candy attached to the coupon. It was a candy penis. I kid you not.
Anyway, Angel and I did a lot and spent a lot of money. It was fun.
I was really tired when I came home though. I am fighting a cold, but I think that I am losing. The last time I was sick was winter quarter at school. I am drinking a lot of liquids and trying to get some rest. (HA!)
I know that I am getting sick, because I'm a little more sensitive than usual. Today before class, I put on some scented lotion. After class, I was reprimanded by the teacher because "It is not Japanese custom to wear perfumes." I explained that I was not wearing perfume, but that I had put on lotion after handling the chalk. She then explained that the students didn't like the smell. (Really? They kept asking me for some). Actually, I think that they are afraid that I might influence the students to wear perfume. I also think that one of the older teachers is the one who found my lotion offensive. Whatever. I will refrain from wearing lotion (that you can buy all over Japan! What was that about it NOT being a custom?) and go about with dry hands. I will, however, draw the line at deodorant. I know that it is generally not a custom to wear deodorant in Japan except sometimes in the summer. I WILL NOT YIELD if they ask me to quit wearing that too. At first, I took this chastisement personally, but then I decided that if that is all they have to complain about, then I shouldn't worry. I was just glad that I chose to wear only one pair of earrings to school today. That could have easily been an issue. The students are not allowed to wear earrings, so most of the teachers do not wear them. I have triple piercings and a cartilage piercing. It's a good thing that the tongue ring is gone.
Oh well. Right now I am focusing on planning my vacation in Hawaii. I am also weighing the pros and cons of re-contracting for one more year.
I really like the idea of going to Hawaii.

I'm a Survivor

I have survived the first week of school. Woo Hoo!
This week was challenging, but fun. I already talked about some of the things that happened the first few days of school, but things really got crazy on Thursday.
On Thursday afternoon, I was sitting at my desk between classes when an announcement came on over the school's PA system. It was the vice principal and I knew that this was not usual.
There was a lot of Japanese spoken at a rapid pace and I basically caught "typhoon", "dangerous", "be careful" and then a loud cheer from the students. At this point, a teacher turned to me and said that a typhoon was coming. Before I could ask any questions, he was gone. I thought that maybe school was canceled the next day as a result of the typhoon approaching.
No. Nothing ever gets canceled in Japan. I soon found out that, if there is a typhoon, the students' classes are delayed a bit, but the teachers still come to school at their regular times. Did I mention that I am the only teacher that arrives by bike?
Well, those who know me best, know that I tend to be a clumsy person...there's no denying it. So I was actually worried that I might not make it to school in a typhoon.
Amazingly, I did. I'm really not sure how either. The people who were driving on the roads were not courteous at all to those on foot or bike. Strange, since we were the ones who were getting wet. The wind was blowing hard, the rain was pouring and my hands kept slipping off the handle bars. Added to the fact that I was wearing glasses covered in water and that were fogging up because it was very warm outside. I was also wearing a rain jacket (definitely NOT made for typhoon weather) that the hood would not stay up on because it was too windy. Finally, let us not forget that I was actually being propelled by the wind most of the way to school.
I was very happy that I was not going against the wind, but it was very dangerous being propelled at the speed I was.
I had a few near-misses with mini vans and I managed to take the problem corner at a decent speed so as not to hit the pole. I did have the foresight to wear regular clothes on the way to school and to take a change of clothes with me. Let me tell you, when I got to school, I was sopping wet. I had puddles forming around me.
I then went to find the locker room, and for some reason I couldn't find it. This means that I had to change in the women's bathroom. Normally this wouldn't be too bad, but all this consists of are a bunch of tiny stalls with the squatter toilets inside (yes, the toilets are basically inserted in the floor of the bathroom, so you literally have to squat to use it!). So, here I am, trying to change my clothes that I have to peel off of me, because they are are plastered to me, and I am trying to dance around the toilet while I am changing my clothes and doing all I can not to fall in.
Somehow I managed to complete this unbelievable challenge and make it to my desk on time.
I did twist my previously broken foot a little, so it's been hurting.
I am so happy it's the weekend!

The Germs Came + Small Face = Lost in Translation

Yeah, I know it's a strange title, but it pretty much sums up a strange day.
As part of my new duties as an ALT, I get to help grade the homework (fun, but tedious). The current group of work that I am grading includes excerpts from Anne Frank's diary. Most of the students wrote about what happened when the Germans came, but one student wrote about the Germs. She didn't just write it once, but she wrote an entire page about the Germs. I normally wouldn't have found this so humorous, but it caught me off guard and it has been a very stressful week already. Normally, I would probably share something like that with someone, but there was nobody in the office I could share it with who would understand it.
I haven't quite figured out the rhyme or reason to it, but several times a day, there is music played over the loud speaker. The past two days consisted of mostly classical music, but today was rather odd. It started out as the theme to Harry Potter and then gradually eased into some J-pop. It finally ended with some metal song. The teachers all acted as if nothing had happened. I don't understand.
Finally, after spending the day giving an introduction to 5 classes and playing bingo with keywords from my introduction, one very shy girl approached me. At first, she was too shy to talk. Her friends kept encouraging her to talk. When she finally spoke, I was taken aback. She said "You have a very small face." I didn't know how to respond, so I finally said "Really?"
She got a little flustered and tried to explain it to me, but because of the language barrier, we gave up. She ended with, "Small faces are very good. You are lucky!"
So, if I ever figure it out, I will definitely update it here.
This week has basically boiled down to so much getting lost in translation. I have so much respect for people who take on a new language and a new culture without giving up. To that, I say "Let's do our best!"

Feeling Good

We haven't actually been teaching classes yet, but I feel like I am finally getting into a groove. People and places are starting to become familiar to me. It's not so overwhelming!
I am also getting along well with my coworkers. I think when we first got here, everyone was hot, tired, and a little cranky (yes, including me).
Now that things are a little less threatening and we are getting our feel for what life will be in Hasuda, we are able to focus on getting to know our colleagues/neighbors.
I have to say that, at first, I thought that I was really going to clash with Katlin, but she is turning out to be such an AWESOME person. I seriously misjudged her and for that, I am sorry.
I realized right away how important it would be for all of us to get along. We don't have to be best friends, but it helps if we are able to enjoy each other. Considering that she is the only other female JET in our town, it's important that we get along.
So I am happy and content, because it seems like I am living and working with a great bunch of people who like to have fun, but will do a good job here as well.
I think I will feel a little sad when we start going to our individual schools, rather than going as a group to one school. We are starting to feel like a little family now and that feels good!

Today...

...I have done absolutely nothing. I did do some cleaning and some laundry, but stopped because it's so hot inside my apartment. (If anyone is deciding to come to Japan, please refrain from coming in July or August unless you love hot and humid weather)
I decided to break down and have a soda today, because I have consumed so much water. After cleaning, I wanted something a little different. I also decided to walk to the vending machine instead of to the store. (For those who don't know, there are vending machines everywhere in Japan. I will probably blog about that later). When I stepped outside, I realized that it was probably 10 degrees cooler outside my apartment than inside. So after coming back to my apartment, I thought that I would finish up my laundry and then maybe wander around town where it was cooler.
I finally finished the last of my work (MAYBE 20 minutes later), I walk outside, and it is now hotter outside than in my apartment. I don't get it. At that point I decided to shut myself in the one room I do have with A/C and watch one of the few movies I brought with me.
I have to say, watching a Christmas movie and thinking about snow made me feel cooler.
(I know, I'm a nerd).
So yeah. Today= nothing accomplished. I feel a little guilty, but it also feels good not to be working so much.

Oh Happy Day

Today has been a good day. To start with, it is the first cool day we have had since arriving in Japan. Believe me, I appreciate it. It's supposed to be hot again tomorrow, but the coolness of today was very refreshing.
The only negative thing that happened today, was that I overslept and missed taking my garbage out. I won't be able to take it out again until Monday. It will be hot, so my kitchen will probably get a little smelly.
In the afternoon, we went to Hasuda-chu to help with speeches. It was very laid-back and didn't take too long. Afterwards, Eddie showed us where the hyaku yen store was (dollar store). They are so much cooler in Japan than they are back home. Of course, I got some really cool things, so I am happy. After our visit to the store, we explored a nearby park. I should preface this with the fact that most "parks" in Japan consist of dirt, benches, and sometimes playground equipment. If you are really lucky, you might see grass. Well, this park had a huge pond for fishing, bike trails, loads of grass, and the most amazing children's area I have ever seen! It had a fortress on top of rocks and the illusion of a dried moat beneath. If I were a kid, it would be my favorite place to go.
After our excursion, I had a little down time before I met with my Thursday conversation group members. These ladies are so much fun. They met me and Rosa (the former teacher) for dinner. It was very relaxed and a lot of fun. We will start lessons next week, so I am really looking forward to it. I won't have to do much, because they already have a book and way of doing things. I am mostly there to visit and correct their grammar.
I knew that I would be getting paid for this class, but I thought that it was about $100 a month. That was wrong. I found out tonight that I will get $25 per hour per person. That means that I will be making about $500 a month. I would have done it for less, but I am thrilled to earn this.
I am here so that I can make a dent in my student loans, but I want to be able to travel and do things locally as well.
I am happy and feel blessed.
Oh, and one more great thing...I know that I have been losing weight, but I did not know how much. Today, I got on the scale and I have lost 27 pounds! I am very excited! I hope that I will keep this up for a while. I guess that the bike riding, humidity, and drinking 4 to 6 liters of water a day have really helped. Also, I have pretty much quit drinking coffee and soda.
I am going to go and do a little happy dance now.

A Conversation Adventure

I had my first conversation class last night. I was excited and nervous. Mostly nervous, because I didn't know exactly where I was supposed to be. I finally recognized the kanji on a building from a piece of paper I had seen in my apartment. I don't know what the kanji said, but I was really excited that I recognized it!
In the conversation group, we will meet three times a month. There are between six and nine students of all ages.
I was told that the first meeting would consist of us talking about the kinds of things the class has done before and then we would go from there. People were very shy and nervous, so they weren't saying much (not good for a conversation class). Thankfully, I have had enough experience with tutorials at Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute, that I could think of tutorial ideas as well as topics of conversation that seemed popular with the girls.
I am happy that first night is over with, because now I know the level of the group and more of its members' personalities. I will definitely be prepared next week.
I have another conversation group tonight. If we are actually starting tonight, it will be for two hours. I will have two ladies for one hour and then two other ladies for the next hour.
There are a lot of things that are still unclear to me. I keep asking questions, yet people don't answer. They only seem to be concerned about someone teaching their class. I am not going to worry too much about it though. Just like any new job, I will just have to learn the ropes. In the meantime, I am getting to meet people and learn more about the community I live in.
In my Wednesday night group, there are two older men who love to go mountain climbing. They told me that they are both in their 70's (I would not have guessed), and they both enjoy tennis and mountain climbing. One said that he is always looking for a new adventure, and learning English is an adventure for him.
So as far as conversation classes go, it sounds like it is an adventure for all of us.

Education Reflection

Today, we visited another junior high school to help with the city's speech contest. We are helping the contestants with grammar and pronunciation. In some cases, because of the entry limit, we have to decide on the best speeches from that school and eliminate some students (this is tough for me to do, because I don't want anyone to be so discouraged that they stop studying or speaking English).
So far, I have enjoyed both the students and staff from the schools that we have visited. They are a very energetic bunch.
As we were getting our bikes from the school today, there were a couple of teachers with their students outside practicing English. I assumed it was a club because there are no formal classes until next month. One of the boys began speaking to us in clear, unaccented English. I was impressed. He was very talkative and was especially interested in the two of us who were from America (sorry England and Australia). I noticed that he had difficulty responding to Japanese though (he is native Japanese). Also, another boy talked a little to us. He was shy and looked very tired. His English was also perfect. The other students didn't really talk to us other than a "hello", "nice to meet you", or "bye-bye".
After we left, our veteran ALT informed us that this was the special needs class. I was completely shocked! I was shocked for several reasons. The first being that the two boys had flawless English (the first boy was probably autistic). The second, was that they were meeting during the summer. But the third reason, was that, as I reflected on our education system and Japan's education system, I wondered if America would even bother trying to teach its students another language that may or may not be helpful to the individual later in life. Or for that matter, taking the time and patience to teach a useful skill.
I was humbled in those few moments. Today I encountered a student who thinks that everything American is great, yet I wondered if his view would be completely different if he were a student in the US.
If we can't change our education system all at once, we should definitely try to make a difference in our communities. It is important to reach out and take care of those around us.
In Asia, everything is group oriented. It is something they are taught from birth. Everything is about bringing harmony to the group and doing what is best for the group. Basically, they take care of each other and put others first. This is so different from what is ingrained in Americans. We are taught to be superstars, over-achievers, etc...
I realize that I came to Japan to teach, but I have a feeling I will learn far more from Japan than I can ever give back.

Festivals

On Saturday, our town held a festival to wrap up obon week. As the newest city employees, we were asked to participate. Our job was to perform a dance for two blocks. We also had less than half an hour to learn this dance.
Saturday was hot, but not as hot as it has been. It was still really hot though. We met at the park prior to dancing and discovered many of the other city hall employees drinking and eating (mostly drinking). They offered us food and drink. I passed. I did not think that heat, alcohol, and a dance would mix well. When we lined up on the first block to begin dancing, I soon realized why everyone had been drinking so much. Only one or two of maybe 40 people, knew the dance. With alcohol in their systems, they could blame their mistakes on the booze. I should have thought of that.
I finally got the dance down, but I was becoming distracted by the taiko (Japanese drum) performers. Most of them were probably elementary students. They were really good too.
After the dancing, we were free to do whatever we wanted to. We walked around and saw some really cool floats for the parade, paper lanterns lining the streets, and local food vendors. I know we have a lot of these things back home, but the foods were very different, the floats were not like anything I had ever seen, and the yukata (summer kimono) is definitely not something we see other people wearing on a semi-regular basis.
As I was walking around, trying to take everything in, I realized that this is part of the culture I wanted to experience in Japan. The best part though, is that I am getting paid to be here.

Shakin', Bakin', and Orientation

As you probably know by now, it has been extremely hot in Japan since we have arrived. I am ready for this weather to run its course. This past week has been so hot, that we have been setting new records. Thankfully, we had orientation in an air conditioned building for the past two days. This was a blessing in disguise. This particular orientation was useful and had A/C. (The simple things do make me happy). That's about all there is to say about orientation. I enjoyed it and it was useful.
On Wednesday, my friend Chikako came to visit. (She lived in Spokane for about a year). I met her early at the train station. She walked around Hasuda with me and my co-workers as we took pictures for the newsletter we are now responsible for. Later, we went to Aki Habara in Tokyo. It is the section of the city where you can find cheap electronics and any kind of anime and manga. We went in the late afternoon, but didn't stay very long. We were both in culture shock. I am still trying to figure out exactly what happened that visit. All I know, is that the French maids who were outside of the train station scared me.
We had a late night hanging out with my coworkers. (Things are finally going smoothly between me and the coworker I thought would be most unpleasant to work with). Around 4:00 am, I woke up because my bed was shaking. Yes, we had an earth quake. I realize they happen all of the time here and I have experienced a few, but I don't like them. Up until Thursday, the last one I experienced was a big one in Seattle. Not my idea of a good time.
Anyway, in the past few days, I have managed to survive sweltering heat, an earth quake, and orientation. I have also survived drinking more alcohol in one week than I did all last year (not that much, really). I had a visit from one of my friends and I think I finally made friends with a coworker.
Overall, I'd have to say that this past week was a good week.

Drinks and Karaoke

Tonight, I went out with my coworkers. We are all finally in the same spot at the same time. I decided to go out tonight, because I have said no to all of the other nights. Mostly, because I am not a big party animal.
We went to a small restaurant/bar in Hasuda. The group had quite a few drinks. I had only one with alcohol. I only ordered about 6 dollars worth of stuff, but because they split everything, my share came to 15 dollars. After drinks, we went to the karaoke place next door. I have to say, it is a lot more fun here than in Japan. You get to sit in a little room that is semi-soundproof and belt out the hits. The most random songs you can think of are available to sing.
Up until tonight, I really didn't feel like most of my new coworkers took me seriously. After the first song though, they started to treat me with more respect.
I am so tired of stereotypes. I know that some people don't even consciously realize they are doing it. To my coworkers, I am a plain, chubby, middle-aged woman. They see me as a bookworm who has no life. While some of this may be true, I assure you, a lot of this is not.
I may choose to lead a different life than they do (I just don't party all of the time). This does not mean that I have no life. i simply find other things to enrich my life. I will still go out to the rare party. I just try to be a little more responsible for myself, that's all. Also, drinking a lot can get very expensive. It can also get you into a lot of trouble.
So tonight, I had fun. We laughed a lot and had a good time. The best part of it though, was that, I didn't feel guilty for going out. I have not gone out every night, so I still have money left. I spent less than 20 dollars tonight and have no regrets.
It is finally nice to be able to afford to pay bill every month and to have money left over. I really hope this lasts.

Random Ramblings

PART 1:
Today, we had another discussion about sorting garbage and recyclables (yes, ignorance is bliss). The term "PET bottle" was thrown around so much, that my mind began to wander as it often does. The only answer I have been given, is that the recyclable bottles say PET on them (even in the US).
I was thinking about how funny it would be to name my water bottle. I could introduce myself to the students and then say, "Oh yeah, this is my PET bottle. I have decided to call it shizuka (quiet), because it never makes noise." I am guessing though, that if I did that, I would probably be sent home to be committed.

PART 2:
Ex-boyfriends can be such a pain. Their new "significant others" can be worse though. That's all I have to say about that.

PART 3:
You never realize how much a person means to you until you move away or they are gone.

Thirty is NOT Middle-Aged!

Just when I though that I had found some common ground with Katlin, she managed to throw me for a loop.
As we were waiting to bike to work this morning, we were talking and then she says "Well at least I'm not 30 and middle-aged yet!". I told her that 30 was not considered middle-aged. I gave her my reasons backed up by biological reasons that 30 isn't considered middle-aged. She responded with "Well I remember you said you were born in the 70's so you must be middle-aged".
I let it go. I decided that when she turns 30 (in a few short years), she can deal with it however she wants to.
Me? Well, besides the fact that I use magic math, I admit that I was born in the 70's. I didn't do things in the traditional sense (I worked for awhile before going to university), but my experience does not mean that I am old.
Honestly, I would like to think that middle-age begins in the 40's. Today's life expectancy is a lot longer than it was a few decades ago. While I may have had a lot of experiences that other 30 year olds may not have had, it does not make me middle-aged and it doesn't mean that I can't come to grips with my own mortality.
I have chosen to have a younger attitude and to TRY not to take certain things so seriously. As long as I can laugh at myself (and with others when they laugh at me), I will keep a young heart. And if people in Japan don't want to believe that I am older than 24, it's perfectly fine with me.

Learning is Fun

When you are a new and nervous ALT presenting your first lesson in front of seasoned teachers, it can be quite the learning experience. I think it is more nerve-wracking, when you have to deal with a language barrier.
So of the four of us who had to present last week, three of us had managed to fumble our way through our lessons. The fourth (Evan) wasn't required to give a lesson, because he arrived later than the rest of us and was still jet-lagged. Evan decided to jump right in though. He was giving a lesson about singular and plural. He drew a picture of a dog and a cat. In Japanese, he drew the word, meow, above the cat. Dogs in Japanese, say "Wan, Wan". Evan wrote this in Japanese, but got his characters mixed up. Instead of barking, the dog said kuso, kuso. Let's just say that the Japanese teacher's response was a straight-faced comment "It's a very smart dog if he can tell his owner he needs to shit".
And THAT, was the end of our lesson.

Life, Oh Life...

I am posting more than once today, because I have been without the internet for several days.
Where to begin?
Last week, I got a call from a lady who works for the English Speaking Society (ESS) and she asked me if I would be interested coming to one of their meetings. I said sure and asked her when she wanted me to come ( I was thinking she would say September or something), and she said that Saturday would be great.
On Saturday, I took my first train ride. Buying a ticket was difficult. Our station is considered in the country and many foreigners don't live here, so everything was in kanji. Next, I proceeded to get on the correct train, but the wrong car (how was I to know they had a first class on the subway?). Lastly, I managed to go to the wrong monument to wait for the Toyamas. All of that in 30 minutes time...go me!
While I was waiting to meet the Toyamas, I was followed by two different guys who were trying to take my picture (none of them succeeded). They were trying to be sneaky about it. If they had asked me if it was ok, I probably would have said yes.
Anyway, I finally met the Toyamas. They are some of the nicest people. They took me out for cake and coffee to get to know me before we went to the meeting. We went to the meeting and I gave a short introduction about myself. I visited three classes and listened to a few short skits. While we were talking, there was a fireworks festival going on, so we stopped and watched for awhile.
After the meeting, most of us went to the Royal Host for food and drinks.
I was told that the Toyamas help choose ALTs for the JET program and they offered to be my Japanese family while I live in Hasuda. I felt very comfortable with the Toyamas and am really happy that I went to the ESS meeting on Saturday.

Roaches, Cicadas, and Bats, Oh My!

To me, these are scarier than lions, tigers, and bears. It is probably because I have to deal with them on a daily basis.
Last week, I was finally starting to feel like I was getting settled. I was even very proud of myself for cleaning and deciphering the washing machine. I rode my bike (as usual) to work on Thursday and had two separate near-misses with bats. Yes folks, they are all over Japan and not completely nocturnal. I am probably enough of a sight to the Japanese people because I am large and pale, but anyone who saw me trying to avoid the bats must have had quite the laugh.
So, I finally made it to work. I was having a nice conversation with my coworker (who lives in the same building as I do), when she tells me that she had her first encounter with a roach in her apartment. She said it was in her garbage. I know that there are roaches around, because I have seen them outside, but in my case, ignorance was bliss. When it comes to roaches and mice, I don't play around. I went to the store and bought a large package or roach traps (for preventative measures, of course). I also scrubbed down all of the garbages, swept and mopped the floors, and tried to get rid of anything that might attract roaches.
Again, there is something about roaches and mice that creeps me out. I really am a pansy. On Thursday night, I slept with the A/C on high (roaches don't like cold, right?) and I am ashamed to say that I slept with the light on.
I have not seen one yet, and I hope and pray that I don't. I have gotten better about my sleeping arrangements, but I still get jumpy from time to time.
Finally, we have the cicadas. I mentioned earlier about my experience with a particular cicada. They tend to be really annoying though. The lifespan of a cicada is very short, so they often fly into the side of my apartment and die on the sidewalk. I think that I am actually looking forward to fall. It would be wonderful if I didn't have to deal with bugs anymore.

Riddle Me This

I am sure that most of you have heard the question "If 7-11 is opened 24 hours, why are there locks on the door?".
Well, today I was contemplating many things on my eternal bike ride. As I was looking around, I realized that we are very close to one of the largest cities in the world. That being said, as I was looking around, I was not looking at sky scrapers and industrial areas. No, I was looking at palm trees and fields. Mostly rice fields. The fact that there are fields so close to the city is very cool. A person can get the best of both worlds this way.
The thing I could not get over though, was the sight of palm trees. Yes, palm trees.
I have never lived in a place where palm trees grow. I'll admit that the heat and humidity here probably helps them to thrive, but Saitama also has winter. I've been told that it rarely snows here, but that it can get cold ( between25 and 30 F). First of all, that doesn't seem too cold to me since I have experienced winters in Spokane, Chicago, and Boston. I would think that for a palm tree though, that would be too cold. The winters are pretty mild in Seattle, but you don't see palm trees growing there.
I admit, I am strange. I am excited to live in a place with palm trees and I shouldn't question how they grow. I should just be thankful.
...now, if only I could have stopped with the palm trees. (I really did have a lot of time to think while riding my bike). Today we had a visit to one of the junior high schools that one of us will teach at. The English teacher was very kind and showed us around the school.
Many things are the same as in the states, but there are also some differences. For instance, we do not wear outdoor shoes in the school. We wear wabaki. At the entrance, there is a place to change your shoes and many small lockers to leave your shoes (if you have big feet like mine, you leave your shoes in a tidy manner near the lockers). They also have lines painted down the hallways. I imagine this makes changing classes easier on everyone. As I am taking all of this in, I am wondering what the protocol is for a fire drill or an emergency evacuation. I know you exit the building in an orderly fashion, but it would not be a good idea to have hundreds of people waiting to change their shoes before going outside. Wearing slippers outside doesn't seem very sensible either. It is also taboo to wear outdoor shoes inside. When I voiced this concern to my coworkers, they looked at me like I was crazy. Really, I think it's a legitimate concern if I am going to be working in schools everyday in a place that is famous for earthquakes. Also, I like to be prepared. If I am prepared, I can remain calm and help those around me.
So yeah, I like to think about a lot of things. Because of reactions like those I received today, I don't voice my thoughts very often. I usually limit what I say. Even in school, I never felt like I could fully express myself. I am hoping that this blog, combined with my new adventure abroad, will help me be more expressive.
Next question, why are plastic water bottles called "PET" bottles here...?

Confusion in Sorting Garbage

I know. It sounds strange doesn't it? In Japan, all garbage is sorted into combustible or non-combustible, glass and pet (plastic) bottles, metal, or cans. Sounds easy enough, but it is actually more confusing and challenging than one might think. For example, the paper carton from a pint of milk would be a combustible right? Actually, no. I was informed that it should be broken down and included with either the non-combustibles or with the pet bottles...I forget which one already.
If you are lucky enough to figure out how to sort the trash, then you get to learn the pick up schedule. For example, combustibles are picked up twice a week, the rest are picked up twice a month. If you don't read kanji and if your predecessor didn't leave you the information, it turns into a fun game.
Honestly, when I left the US, I never thought that dealing with my garbage would be so difficult. The important thing is that it's a new challenge and I still have my sense of humor. It will work out.
In other news, since I applied for this job, I realized that I was in training for a life of "hurry up and wait". I actually don't mind though. I knew that patience was something that I needed work on. I actually prayed that God would help me to work on being patient. Be careful what you pray for! Ironically, He answered with this job.
We have had many deadlines to meet and then are often asked to "just wait please". Today is another day like that. We don't actually begin teaching until September and our supervisor is very busy. He has given us several assignments that do not involve going into City Hall. Today, we were supposed to help out with a speech contest. As of last night, our supervisor still did not know if we were needed. So, we are to be dressed and ready to work at 10:30 this morning and we may or may not go to work. Again, hurry up and wait.
So, today may be a bit of an adventure and I can't wait to see what will happen today. I know that we have already biked our way past every school in town. This is good because we shouldn't have to do it again (all of them in a day).
So my goals for today are to figure out the garbage sorting and to master ironing while sitting on the floor. Sounds like fun!

Feeling Overwhelmed

Yes, I admit that I am feeling overwhelmed. I DO NOT regret coming here though.
My life has changed drastically in so many aspects that I feel like I am trying to collect my senses before finding my footing.
I am still not adjusting well to the time change. I am basically in bed by 9:00 or 9:30 at night and then up before 5:00 in the morning. I really try to force myself to stay awake later, but I think the heat and physical exhaustion play a role in my bed time as well. I have to say though, I am looking forward to some cooler weather. It has been high 80s to mid 90s with about 98% humidity since I have been here. The upside to this, is that I have gone down 1 pant size in 1 week. It's a trade-off, I guess. I am definitely going to try and keep up a healthier lifestyle. Amazingly, since I have been here, I have had no coffee and only one soda. This past week, I have consumed 3 liters of water every day, plus orange juice, grape juice, or tea (not a big fan of plain iced-tea, but it was out of politeness). I would be off to an excellent start if only Japanese bread wasn't so tasty...^_^
Last night, I cooked my first meal in my apartment. This was a great way to figure out what spices I need to buy on my next visit to the supermarket. My predecessor left me some spices, but I get the feeling that she didn't cook much.
My "kitchen" area consists of two burners(gas powered--scary) with a teensy grill beneath it. I think I might be able to fit a small chicken breast or fish in there. I have a rather large sink next to the burners and some tiny cabinets. I also have a decent sized refrigerator.
Last night, I went to buy a few items for my meal (most Japanese people shop on a daily basis due to lack of storage space, they usually have to carry groceries home, and the meals are fresher this way). The lady behind the check-out counter was so cute. Every time she would scan a fruit or vegetable, she would hold it up, smile, and practice the English name for it. I think this was for her to practice as well as for me to understand what I was getting. There are some fruits and veggies that I have never seen before, so she might assume that many of the foods are new to me. Anyway, it was kind of fun to see her get excited over English.
It's difficult when you live close and work closely. The sad thing is that I don't think that she realizes how negative she is. I have tried complimenting her on some ideas. I have tried to engage her in conversation, too. She is either really resistant or negative. Avoiding her is not really a good option either. On the weekends it might work, but I don't want to make things worse. I would enlist the help of the other assistant language teacher (ALT), but I think he is mostly interested in getting into her pants. Lately it seems like I am the third wheel on their date. Yet another reason why I have been laying low this weekend.
At any rate, I don't intend to seclude myself for the rest of my stay. After this weekend, I expect things will become busier for me. I also know that one of my friends from the Osaka area who lived in Spokane a year will come to see me. We might even get to go to Disneyland. I am very excited about seeing Chikako.
Also, I have another friend who is planning to visit around Christmas time if everything works out alright. My aunt may come and see me too. It's great because I get to see my friends and family and I have enough room so that nobody has to stay in a hotel. I actually have a fold-out bed (I was a little slow in discovering this) and I have spare futon in the closet. I am really equipped for guests. So anyone reading this who has actually met me, is more than welcome to come and visit. I really mean that. Just let me know when.
At the moment, the dollar is stronger than the yen, so the most expensive cost would be the airfare. The only thing is, I probably can't accommodate more than two extra people in my apartment, so please keep that in mind. Hope to see some of you here.
So some people may stare at you because you are a foreigner and others will come up to you excitedly to practice their English. Mostly, Americans are embraced here. Once you get past the curious stares, it is fun. We are often treated like celebrities.
There is no chance of blending in here, but the crime is very minimal, and I have always felt very safe.
Again, feel free to visit. If you can't visit, you can also respond to any of the blogs. Any words of encouragement or news from the states are always welcome.

FIrst Week in Japan

Talk about sensory overload!
I had an idea of what I would be coming into based on my previous visit to Japan, but I am still trying to recover from sensory and information overload.
The first few days, I was extremely jet-lagged and thrown into orientation workshops that were too long, for the most part. I think they would have been more helpful if I had been well-rested and if they had been shorter. I got more out of Tuesday because I was more rested.
Anyway, on Wednesday, we were loaded onto buses according to our prefectures and taken to the capitol's city hall. Here is where we were paired up with our new supervisors.
There were three of us from this group that will be living in Hasuda. We collected our luggage and then made our way to Hasuda. In Hasuda, we went to our city hall to meet the staff from the local board of education (BOE). This is our new office/work-space until we are assigned a school.
After some time at city hall, Mr Aono (our supervisor) took us to our new apartments and introduced us to our new landlords. They own a traditional futon shop (not the wooden beds, but all the fluffy bedding that is tradition for Japanese to sleep on). We had tea with them and were all given new futon.
Our apartments are really great. I have a two-room apartment (huge for Japanese standards) and there is air conditioning in one room (woo hoo!). I feel very blessed because I found out yesterday that my rent will be subsidized. I was originally told the with subsidized rent, my cost would be about 70000 yen a month (a little less then $700), but we found out yesterday that our cost will be 32500 (less than $325)! How exciting is that!?
I knew that we would be paid enough to cover the rent, but now I will be able to save a little more a month...or pay bills off faster.
Friday was probably the most eventful day. First, we had to find our way to city hall. Mind you, we are wearing business attire, it is hot and humid, and we are on bikes. Did I mention that we had a rough map, but everything was written in kanji? I don't read kanji, but I do have a good sense of direction. My coworkers read kanji, but sadly the map didn't do much good. A bike ride that should have been 5 minutes lasted 20. We went the round-about way that had a lot of hills (usually not a problem, but my foot hasn't healed, so the pressure on my foot going uphill was painful). Three times, my co-workers nearly lost me, and the whole thing was a little unnerving.
Needless to say, coming back was easier.
After being at city hall for awhile, we were given maps (still rough maps) and given assignments. We had to find the bike shop and the bank. At the bank, we were able to open accounts with the help of Aono-san. It took forever though. While we were waiting for our accounts to be processed, we went to ask about cell phone plans.
I got my first Japanese cell phone plan yesterday. I have to say that I love Japan! I was able to get the Softbank plan and the phone I got is a Sharp Aquos 912SH. If you don't know what this is, I suggest that you google it. This is a sexy phone. Surprisingly, it is not even close to the most sophisticted phone available here. The great thing is that I can bring it back to the States and use it when I finish here.
Anyway, I have only described the first part of my Friday.
After we got the cell phone and bank taken care of, we were given the assignment of finding all of the junior highs and elementary schools in Hasuda. Mind you, there are 5 junior highs and 7 or 8 elementary schools. We had to do all of this on bikes with, you got it-- a rough map. I also forgot to mention that it has been really windy here because of the typhoon going on in the southern part of Japan. Needless to say, we failed in this assignment. We found about 3/4 of the schools that we were supposed to find, but we got lost so many times, that I don't even remember how to find the schools. I mean, we actually detoured through a few farms and rice fields, and the next thing I know, we are on a busy highway exit. I was so confused.
To make matters more embarrassing, we stopped for lunch at a little Japanese buffet. We already stand out because we are "oki" foreigners (big/tall), but in my predictable clumsiness, I managed to spill my bowl of soup that was on the tray, before I left the counter to pay for my food. I was so embarrassed. Thankfully, the staff was very kind. I think it helped that I was able to apologize in their language.
So I came home absolutely exhausted yesterday and just vegged in front of the fan.
Later, my neighbors asked me if I wanted to explore and find a place to eat. I almost didn't go, but decided to anyway. As a result, I have a new favorite place to eat. It is a curry shop that is owned by a young couple. The first floor of their house has been converted into a small restaurant. The husband is the chef and the wife is the hostess/server. The aroma of spices that greets you as you walk into the restaurant is amazing. The bar is lined up with colorful jars of spices too. It is a cozy place and not too expensive. The food is absolutely delicious too.
Needless to say, I came home and crashed after all of that.
There is so much more to say, but I have said a lot already and will save it for another entry.

Potter Party + Procrastination = Pathetic Person

As you might notice from my title, I happen to like alliterations. I guess it's the nerd in me.
Keeping up with me nerdiness, I spent my last Friday night in Spokane at a Harry Potter Party with my sister and friends. It was fun because the group I was with was a lot of fun. We went to one party, but had our books reserved at another place. We partied until midnight and then went and stood in line for an hour to get our books. Again, the people I was with made it fun and interesting. For some reason, I reacted to the butter beer (not beer, but definitely full of alcohol), and it caused me to serenade my friends. I only had one drink, but I think that I should lay off of the alcohol for awhile. At least for the sake of my friends.
I feel guilty for going and I know that I shouldn't because it was quality time spent with friends and family. I spent so much time away from packing and cleaning that I am freaking out about never finishing. I know that I will finish though, because I work well under pressure. That does not excuse my procrastination though.
In the meantime, I have managed to lose two new pairs of shoes. I must have two pairs of shoes that have never been worn outside for my new job in Japan (my wabaki).This is terrible for me because I have big feet and will not be able to buy shoes in Japan. I had an idea of how to pack both of my suitcases, but now that I can't find my shoes, it has derailed my project.
This experience has taught me though, that time is valuable. I have also learned that it is more fun and more rewarding to spend time with friends and loved ones, than to stay in your room and try and cram your life into two suitcases. Honestly, when I look back on this years from now, I am not going to regret hanging out with friends; and no matter how much I prepare, I am quite sure that I will wish I had packed something different than what I did.
Perhaps I should have titled this differently. It might be better said that Potter Party + Procrastination = Precious Memories.