Three days without a post is much better than three weeks, don't you think? Even so, remembering three days' worth of happenings is no fun for my exhausted cranium.
So. Saturday I had planned to have a sort of picnic for my birthday at the park outside of Shinjo station, but I was worried the typhoon was going to make that rather difficult, so I cancelled that and instead made plans with Nishida-mama to go to Aya's school culture festival. Of course, come Saturday morning, the weather was bright and cheery--super windy and cloudy, but really no rain to speak of. The typhoon decided to change course last minute, it seems, so pretty much missed all of Tohoku (the northern region of Japan). But that was okay--at least it was nice for Aya's school festival. We went and had some lunch, and watched Aya take part in a crossdressing show (I guess that's normal for school festivals to do?), and then Nishida-mama dropped me off, and I napped, and then went and met up with Sarah at the station at 4. Then the two of us walked around and went to the bookstore, bought some cute folders, came back to my apartment for water and to get Ben, and then we three went to Bulldog because I don't think Sarah had ever been to one before and she needed to see the epicness. We spent a while browsing in there, and bought some cute things (well, Sarah and I did--Ben bought poo-shaped soap), and then we went to Nishida-mama's for dinner, meeting up with Alyssa too. After dinner we went to Yamazawa to get dessert, and then came back to my place to watch the King's Speech, which is a great movie!
Monday, September 5, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
August Rush
Seriously--where the eff did August go? Have I seriously been in Japan for over a month? How the hell did that happen? Not that I'm complaining--I love my job, I love the people I work with (Japanese and JETs alike), and of course I love Japan--but still, September snuck up on me before I even got used to August.
Sorry for the long hiatus. I've been busy--not with work, of course, but with exploring and adventuring and pretty much just partying. The major things that have happened since last time is that I went to Fukushima with Ben, taught at Hagino, went to more matsuri, had prefectural orientation, went to Mount Zao, and taught at Meirin.
Sorry for the long hiatus. I've been busy--not with work, of course, but with exploring and adventuring and pretty much just partying. The major things that have happened since last time is that I went to Fukushima with Ben, taught at Hagino, went to more matsuri, had prefectural orientation, went to Mount Zao, and taught at Meirin.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Yasumi
PHEW. What a week it's been (has it only been one week?)!
Hanagasa was fantastic! I wore a yukata I bought at Yoku Benimaru Friday during my lunch hour, which I put on all by myself thank-you-very-much! Of course I didn't have any of the ties or anything to keep it together under the obi, but I cut up a towel into a long string and made do with that, haha. It looked pretty decent for my first try at dressing myself in traditional Japanese clothing =) I shouldn't have worn the geta (sandals) that came with it though--five minutes out of the car walking down the street towards the matsuri, I could feel huge blisters spring up under the straps. Not fun at all--they still haven't healed. Oh well.
Hanagasa was fantastic! I wore a yukata I bought at Yoku Benimaru Friday during my lunch hour, which I put on all by myself thank-you-very-much! Of course I didn't have any of the ties or anything to keep it together under the obi, but I cut up a towel into a long string and made do with that, haha. It looked pretty decent for my first try at dressing myself in traditional Japanese clothing =) I shouldn't have worn the geta (sandals) that came with it though--five minutes out of the car walking down the street towards the matsuri, I could feel huge blisters spring up under the straps. Not fun at all--they still haven't healed. Oh well.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Cymbals and Boyfriends
Yesterday at work wasn't too eventful. Ben and I started working on our introductions for class--we have to introduce ourselves and Colorado/America, in English of course, so Koseki-san asked us to start thinking about what we would say. Ben started printing out pictures to use on the whiteboard, and I got some poster board and some origami paper and started drawing a map of Colorado. I finished it today--it looks pretty spiffy. Then Koseki-san took us to fill out some paperwork for taxes--we don't have to pay Japanese taxes for the first two years here, whoo-hoo!--and then took Ben back to Softbank to figure out his iPhone since apparently his normal speaker isn't working. I went to Daiso while they were at Softbank and shopped around for some more house stuff, and then they met up with me and we went next door to King to get a bookcase and a laundry pole for me. Then it was back to the office where we worked on our introductions a bit more.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Of Cars and Things
I wanted to make scrambled eggs for breakfast this morning, but I realized I didn't have any oil or anything for the pan, so I had a peach and some tofu instead.
Koseki-san took Ben and I to Sakata to get our re-entry permits (visas that we need to get back into Japan if we leave, like to go home or on vacation somewhere) and to look at cars. First we stopped by and got our re-entry permits, where we were told that after July next year they won't be requiring them anymore. We had planned to get the multiple-use re-entry permit, which was 6000 yen, but ended up getting the one-use one that's only 3000. I'll only be leaving Japan once until July next year most likely--to visit home around New Year's--and even if I end up leaving again, I figure the cost of two one-use permits is the same as one multiple-use permit, so it's better just to buy the one now and see. It's great that we won't need re-entry permits after next July, though!
Koseki-san took Ben and I to Sakata to get our re-entry permits (visas that we need to get back into Japan if we leave, like to go home or on vacation somewhere) and to look at cars. First we stopped by and got our re-entry permits, where we were told that after July next year they won't be requiring them anymore. We had planned to get the multiple-use re-entry permit, which was 6000 yen, but ended up getting the one-use one that's only 3000. I'll only be leaving Japan once until July next year most likely--to visit home around New Year's--and even if I end up leaving again, I figure the cost of two one-use permits is the same as one multiple-use permit, so it's better just to buy the one now and see. It's great that we won't need re-entry permits after next July, though!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Busy Busy Busy!
WHEW. This past week has flown by; at the same time it feels like I've been in Japan a month already, even though it's really only been seven days. I've just been that busy.
Let's see. Tuesday was more sessions for orientation. We had one in the morning explaining the school system and the objectives of the different levels of English classes (elementary versus middle versus high school), and then we had lunch, and then we split off into hour-long sessions. I went to one about making the most of your time on JET (how to get involved, basically) and then to one about living in rural areas and driving in Japan. Then I went to our prefectural group meeting for the Yamagata JETs, where Alex, the Prefectural Adviser, told us that we'd be taking the bullet train to Yamagata in the morning and gave us tags with all our info on it to mail anything ahead that we could. I ended up mailing ahead my big Air Boss case, because I didn't want to get bruises on my shoulders again from lugging around 20/30 pound bags. So I went back upstairs and repacked, then lugged that thing down to the takkyubin place and they took care of it for me for a mere 1100 yen.
Let's see. Tuesday was more sessions for orientation. We had one in the morning explaining the school system and the objectives of the different levels of English classes (elementary versus middle versus high school), and then we had lunch, and then we split off into hour-long sessions. I went to one about making the most of your time on JET (how to get involved, basically) and then to one about living in rural areas and driving in Japan. Then I went to our prefectural group meeting for the Yamagata JETs, where Alex, the Prefectural Adviser, told us that we'd be taking the bullet train to Yamagata in the morning and gave us tags with all our info on it to mail anything ahead that we could. I ended up mailing ahead my big Air Boss case, because I didn't want to get bruises on my shoulders again from lugging around 20/30 pound bags. So I went back upstairs and repacked, then lugged that thing down to the takkyubin place and they took care of it for me for a mere 1100 yen.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Tokyo Orientation, Day 1
So it turns out I can't actually use the gym in the hotel--there are too many JETs here, so we're banned from the gym and the pool. I went back to the hotel room pretty disappointed, but I did a few small exercises like sit-ups and whatnot, then got up and started organizing my luggage. Sara woke up after a while, and then I showered and got ready while I Skyped Mom. I also made some green tea with the hot water heater we have in our room--god I love Japan. Sara and I were out of the room by 7, and went and had breakfast. We met up with some other Denver JETs who arrived in the room the same time as we did. Then Justine, Sara and I went on a walk around Shinjuku since we had some time to kill before the prefectural meetings and opening ceremonies at 9, and Sara and I went back to our room after the short stroll. I organized my luggage, and then we went down to the big ballroom where our first sessions were. We were seated according to prefecture and we had an hour to just talk with everyone, so we got to meet some of the other Yamagata JETs. I found out there's another JET from Ireland who's placed in Shinjo along with Ben and I, which is cool. There are five Irish JETs in Yamagata and even an Australian, Tom.
Here We Go Again
Whelp, here I am in Japan--for the second time! I can hardly believe it's been over a year since I last was in the land of the rising sun. I can hardly believe this time around, I'm not just visiting, but living and working here. I can't believe I didn't cry (that much) when I left. I can't believe I'm awake and functioning at four in the morning (Japan time that is) and seriously contemplating going for a run (well more like a quick jog) in the fitness center after I've finished this post. Take that, jet lag.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Get this Party Started
JET placements finally came today--and I'm going back to Shinjo! I kind of had a feeling that I would be going back there, but to know for certain that that's where I'm going is amazing. Truth be told, I was also sort of hoping to be placed somewhere I'd never been before, just for the whole newness of it, but thinking about it, Shinjo really is the best place for me. I already know the town fairly well; I've worked with several of the teachers and so will be able to pull on those experiences (and especially if I go back to Hagino Middle School and teach with Kakizaki-sensei and Kusakiri-sensei again!); I have people like Nishida-mama and Mama-chan and Papa-chan to look after me, which will help when culture shock and homesickness hits (which is will, and hard). And I'll still get to travel all over Japan and southeast Asia, so it's not like I'm missing out on anything.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Hurry Up and Wait
I'm not a very patient person. I hate waiting, and right now it seems all I'm doing is just that.
Waiting until my sister takes my furniture (she's using it in her apartment while I'm away) so I can organize my things downstairs--what to donate, sell, or trash--and then pack what I'm keeping. Mom's letting me store my stuff in the basement, but in case she needs to move while I'm gone I need to make sure it's all packed up so all she has to do is have someone load it into a truck.
Waiting for my luggage to get here. I ordered an Air Boss and CPA Briefcase from RedOxx.com for my carry on luggage, but they accidentally sent me the smaller Metro Briefcase instead. Luckily they're an awesome company, and when I called to let them know, they said they'd send me the CPA with a return label for the Metro. But that probably won't get here until Wednesday. I also ordered two Coleman 30in roller duffels from luggageonline.com, but they won't get here until Friday. Maybe waiting for luggage to get here sounds weird, but I wanna have it all in one place so I can envision what I'm taking, how I'll pack it and whatnot.
Waiting to buy new clothes. All right, so I've been putting this off intentionally since I hate shopping, but on Saturday I'm going with Edie to Arc, Ross, and maybe some other stores if we have time to look for some spiffy new business attire. Then we're going to go back to her and Jordy's place, cook dinner, and get smashed. I'm more excited for that part than the actual shopping, honestly.
Waiting for my diploma. We don't get them until six to eight weeks after the actual graduation ceremony. Not that this is really that aggravating, but I figured it's one thing I'm waiting for so I might as well put it on the list. Plus, it helps me remind myself that I am actually done with undergrad, which is still such a surreal concept that hasn't really quite sunk in. Whenever I drive by CSU campus I get this weird feeling, knowing I won't be going back there in the fall, but it doesn't linger. Sometimes it strikes me at random that, unless I decided sometime in the next couple of years I want to go to grad school, I'm done with my formal education. Edie says it'll really sink in when fall rolls around and we don't go back, and I'm pretty sure she's right.
Waiting to hear about my placement for JET. I feel like all I've been doing is waiting for some tidbit of information since I applied for JET back in October. According to posts on the JET forum in our Google Group, some people have already heard from their predecessors even though they aren't officially allowed to contact us until June 1. Of course, I haven't--which either means my predecessor's just playing by the rules, which I can't blame them for even though I wish they'd put me out of my misery already and tell me, or I don't have a predecessor. The JET office in the embassy should be getting a list of who's going to what prefecture (sometimes they get the town too) soon, but when they finally do get it, it'll take them a day or two to reformat it before they can post it on the website for us to see. Seriously. I'm going to explode if I don't hear at least what prefecture I'm going to by the end of the week.
I wish I could learn to meditate.
Waiting until my sister takes my furniture (she's using it in her apartment while I'm away) so I can organize my things downstairs--what to donate, sell, or trash--and then pack what I'm keeping. Mom's letting me store my stuff in the basement, but in case she needs to move while I'm gone I need to make sure it's all packed up so all she has to do is have someone load it into a truck.
Waiting for my luggage to get here. I ordered an Air Boss and CPA Briefcase from RedOxx.com for my carry on luggage, but they accidentally sent me the smaller Metro Briefcase instead. Luckily they're an awesome company, and when I called to let them know, they said they'd send me the CPA with a return label for the Metro. But that probably won't get here until Wednesday. I also ordered two Coleman 30in roller duffels from luggageonline.com, but they won't get here until Friday. Maybe waiting for luggage to get here sounds weird, but I wanna have it all in one place so I can envision what I'm taking, how I'll pack it and whatnot.
Waiting to buy new clothes. All right, so I've been putting this off intentionally since I hate shopping, but on Saturday I'm going with Edie to Arc, Ross, and maybe some other stores if we have time to look for some spiffy new business attire. Then we're going to go back to her and Jordy's place, cook dinner, and get smashed. I'm more excited for that part than the actual shopping, honestly.
Waiting for my diploma. We don't get them until six to eight weeks after the actual graduation ceremony. Not that this is really that aggravating, but I figured it's one thing I'm waiting for so I might as well put it on the list. Plus, it helps me remind myself that I am actually done with undergrad, which is still such a surreal concept that hasn't really quite sunk in. Whenever I drive by CSU campus I get this weird feeling, knowing I won't be going back there in the fall, but it doesn't linger. Sometimes it strikes me at random that, unless I decided sometime in the next couple of years I want to go to grad school, I'm done with my formal education. Edie says it'll really sink in when fall rolls around and we don't go back, and I'm pretty sure she's right.
Waiting to hear about my placement for JET. I feel like all I've been doing is waiting for some tidbit of information since I applied for JET back in October. According to posts on the JET forum in our Google Group, some people have already heard from their predecessors even though they aren't officially allowed to contact us until June 1. Of course, I haven't--which either means my predecessor's just playing by the rules, which I can't blame them for even though I wish they'd put me out of my misery already and tell me, or I don't have a predecessor. The JET office in the embassy should be getting a list of who's going to what prefecture (sometimes they get the town too) soon, but when they finally do get it, it'll take them a day or two to reformat it before they can post it on the website for us to see. Seriously. I'm going to explode if I don't hear at least what prefecture I'm going to by the end of the week.
I wish I could learn to meditate.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Beginning
This past Saturday I received the e-mail that I've been waiting for since I was fifteen years old: I've been accepted into JET!
This means tons of paperwork, tons of new information to absorb, tons of stuff to get ready over the summer, and TONS of butterflies and excitement!
This is me warming up this blog again, since it's been sitting stagnant for nearly a year since my return from Shinjo last August. There won't be anything major, probably just updates about paperwork process, things I'll be buying to get prepared, or me just organizing my own crazy chain of thoughts to keep me sane in these next three months.
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