OH, I have a kinda funny story. I use my nalgene bottle while I'm here because the water cups they give out here in Japan are so small. Water bottles themselves are quite small. If you go to a resturant or any place where they may give water, it is done so in 6oz water glasses. No joke (You can find the same complaint in "Japan-Ai". It really is like that! So there's never enough water, I lug my nalgene.
Ok, so I went to the 'bento' down stairs in the hotel and set the nalgene on the counter while I purchased some batteries. The cashier in oh-so Japanese tone, exclaimed: "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" (the eh sound accends in tone) "waaaaaaaaaaaater"..."eeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"..."water to driiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiink" (in same 'eh' tone) So of course her reaction cause other curious customers to look wide eyed at my nalegen bottle as well, and several gathered around to see it.
Later on I was taking a drink while seated, waiting for someone in the lobby. I got a lot of stares and head turns to watch me guzzle from the bottle. It made me laugh, they looked at me as if it where alcohol or something. It bewildered them terribly.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Tsubame-Sanjo
Wow! Training is done! We cramed classes till Thursday and where given our teaching assignments. We where partnered up to teach a 50 minute lesson. We got our topics Thusrday night and I worked with my partner/co-teacher Dave (from North London)for several hours. We had great ideas. It really helps to be able to bounce around ideas. It seems some of the best come from the passing around of ideas and makeing small tweaks to them. Anyhoo, we crammed and colored, made charades and worksheets. Phew! Then Friday we were split up in groups and gave our lessons. I got some really good, actually alot of really good ideas from everyone and even though I was totaly nervous, I suppose it all played out really well. We did our lesson, got a pretty good critique, and I left near immediatley for the mall to brows 'Book Off' and get a Strawberry Crepe. ^____^ But first I had to have a check in with my trainer Jodi. I love Jodi. Now initially I thought that my weeks training score would not be high and just moderate or average. I thought this mainly because when we got our assessment score back mine wasn't so good. So I was nervous and a little reluctant to go right in and talk to Jodi but I did. I was a little surprised to hear that I had gotten a 'Superior' rating and was only 2 participation points away from making it a 'Master', only 5-6 'Master' ratings where given out to the 250-300 of us. Also on my skills assessment test I got a 100%, a grade that only 4 other people got. I was impressed. Then he told me that I was a good listener. (A compliment I don't hear often...usually I'm not really high in my listening skill). Needless to say I was quite pleased with the out come. ^_____^
My Group: This is about half of us.
After the big lesson I returned to pack and do laundry and get ready for the big day the next day. We where to meet in the lobby at 7:50. I finished packing and brought it down to the front desk where the 'Post' service is. The POST service is fabulous, it's like mail for luggage and other big things you can't easily tote around, you can send it anywhere in Japan uber cheap. (For those of you who have seen Aimee Majors book "Japan Ai" this is the service with the logo of a mother cat carrying her kitten). So wheather you don't want to carry your golf clubs on the bus because it's a nausance, post it. Luggage, post it. It gets there in a day or two. I sent mine off Friday night at about 10 at night. We left for Tokyo at 8 Sat. morning.
At my stop off the bullet train, Ms Komazawa my IC picked me up and took me to my apartment, got gas turned on, and internet set up to work in 24 hours. She also took me around to pick up a few things: Futon, dishes, laundry stuff and a few other odds and ends.
100 yen store is my best friend. (the dollar store)
This morning I got quite a bit of reading done while airing out my apartment. Japanese seem to smoke alot and I kinda knew my apt. would be a smokey one, my hotel room was too. It'w been very nice. It was really nice to sleep in too.
I meandered around for while to check out the area. I didn't want to go too far because I was expecting my luggage from POST to come. So I just went on a little walk, came home, did a little more reading and airing out the place. I decided I would take a little nap for an hour and heard a knock at the door, YES!!!!! My luggage, whooot woot! So, now I'm unpacked and ready to go.
Tomorrow Ms. Komazawa comes to get me to run more errands: immigration cards/bank/and to get a phone so that I can be in contact with interac.
A side note about Interac. At first I have to admit that in my mind it would be some old random guy to come and get me and that this would be kind of an out of the back of a truck buisness, maybe sketchy...I had my nervous thoughts especially because of what happened with the NOVA program here in Japan. But INTERAC is great! Training has been amazing! We've meet a ton of people in the company and they are all super awesome and GENKI like you've never seen a person their age. I am pleased to say that I am really excited about not only being in Japan but working under INTERAC. They have been very thurough in training and proceedure and preparing us for such a different culture. Giving us oppurtunities to teach and learn so much. The leadership in the company is strong and open. I feel comfortable talking to my MC or any of my area schedulers if I need anything and feel confident that they are there for me in quick reaction. This seems like a great company and I'm really excited to be teaching. I still have alot of my nerves about teaching especially High school but I'm sure they will smooth out in time.
Training has also been really neet in the sense of getting to know people from all over I love having classes with the mixed humor from around the world, and faces and accents. I've already made friends from all over. It's really fun.
Well here's a little apartment tour:
It's cute, I sleep in a little loft. ^_____^ I really like it.
I took some pictures of the pretty and festive Japanese food so you all can see what it looks like. Such presentation!
My Group: This is about half of us.
After the big lesson I returned to pack and do laundry and get ready for the big day the next day. We where to meet in the lobby at 7:50. I finished packing and brought it down to the front desk where the 'Post' service is. The POST service is fabulous, it's like mail for luggage and other big things you can't easily tote around, you can send it anywhere in Japan uber cheap. (For those of you who have seen Aimee Majors book "Japan Ai" this is the service with the logo of a mother cat carrying her kitten). So wheather you don't want to carry your golf clubs on the bus because it's a nausance, post it. Luggage, post it. It gets there in a day or two. I sent mine off Friday night at about 10 at night. We left for Tokyo at 8 Sat. morning.
At my stop off the bullet train, Ms Komazawa my IC picked me up and took me to my apartment, got gas turned on, and internet set up to work in 24 hours. She also took me around to pick up a few things: Futon, dishes, laundry stuff and a few other odds and ends.
100 yen store is my best friend. (the dollar store)
This morning I got quite a bit of reading done while airing out my apartment. Japanese seem to smoke alot and I kinda knew my apt. would be a smokey one, my hotel room was too. It'w been very nice. It was really nice to sleep in too.
I meandered around for while to check out the area. I didn't want to go too far because I was expecting my luggage from POST to come. So I just went on a little walk, came home, did a little more reading and airing out the place. I decided I would take a little nap for an hour and heard a knock at the door, YES!!!!! My luggage, whooot woot! So, now I'm unpacked and ready to go.
Tomorrow Ms. Komazawa comes to get me to run more errands: immigration cards/bank/and to get a phone so that I can be in contact with interac.
A side note about Interac. At first I have to admit that in my mind it would be some old random guy to come and get me and that this would be kind of an out of the back of a truck buisness, maybe sketchy...I had my nervous thoughts especially because of what happened with the NOVA program here in Japan. But INTERAC is great! Training has been amazing! We've meet a ton of people in the company and they are all super awesome and GENKI like you've never seen a person their age. I am pleased to say that I am really excited about not only being in Japan but working under INTERAC. They have been very thurough in training and proceedure and preparing us for such a different culture. Giving us oppurtunities to teach and learn so much. The leadership in the company is strong and open. I feel comfortable talking to my MC or any of my area schedulers if I need anything and feel confident that they are there for me in quick reaction. This seems like a great company and I'm really excited to be teaching. I still have alot of my nerves about teaching especially High school but I'm sure they will smooth out in time.
Training has also been really neet in the sense of getting to know people from all over I love having classes with the mixed humor from around the world, and faces and accents. I've already made friends from all over. It's really fun.
Well here's a little apartment tour:
It's cute, I sleep in a little loft. ^_____^ I really like it.
I took some pictures of the pretty and festive Japanese food so you all can see what it looks like. Such presentation!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The scoop!
Well tomorrow is finally Wednesday! Things are going so awesome here but at the same time I feel like I've been here forever! We've got classes for about 8 hours a day and then usually finish it off with a little trip to the mall at the end of the day.
Wow, where do I start.
Sunday we had policy classes.
Monday we confirmed assignments, met branch and team members (The people that take care of us!) got housing contracts and even paid for my first month and a half of rent. I also got hanken (A little stamp of my last name, it works like a signature). Then for dinner drank this mysterious tapioca peach drink.
it wasn't bad but it wasn't good either.
Tuesday went over class material. We did practice simulations teaching and drills and games.
This could all potentially be pretty boring but this is a fabulous place and company to be working with. Class it's self is practically stand up comedy! Jody our entertainer, I mean trainer, it awesome, not only funny but is really preparing us well for the real little Japanese world out there and I'm feeling more and more confident that despite all the social rules, I might have a chance. =^____^=
Funny thing about speaking Japanese because as you all know I don't know Japanese but more than a small handful of words which my mind has seemed to store under the "other language" portion of my brain, causing the problem of speaking Spanish on an occasion when naturally Japanese is more appropriate. However even then I may not even use the correct words at all.
For example: I went to pick up my key for my room, I did well to start with and even remembered to receive it with both hands and a bow, but then I opening my yapper and said loudly, "Gracias, ohayo gosai mas" (I'm sure I butchered the spelling but you all know what I said.) Now, in this circumstance the correct phrase would be thank you but no, I said "thank you" in Spanish and then said "hello, good morning" (greeting). It made no sense according to the situation. Latter that day again Gracias slipped when I got off the bus.
It's beautiful and amazing to be here! I'm stoked to get to my area. Apparently I'm just out side Niigata City but still in the prefect of Niigata and just on the verge of the country side. The ocean is just over the hill from my apartment. It all seams so beautiful and exciting and can't wait to explore and meet the kids!
Just as an ending note I feel quite fine here and safe and confident in the company to take care of me while I'm here.
One of the coolest things here that I have also enjoyed is meeting people from all over the world. My roommate Jessica is from London and so is out neighbor that I sometimes hang out with. We've got Australians, Irish, Scottish, British, American, there may be another European country. Anyhoo, it's really neet!
Well, I'm all in good health here and hope to hear that you all are also doing well. I'll write with more info later on training.
Saturday I leave at 7am for my area.
I love and miss you all
Wow, where do I start.
Sunday we had policy classes.
Monday we confirmed assignments, met branch and team members (The people that take care of us!) got housing contracts and even paid for my first month and a half of rent. I also got hanken (A little stamp of my last name, it works like a signature). Then for dinner drank this mysterious tapioca peach drink.
it wasn't bad but it wasn't good either.
Tuesday went over class material. We did practice simulations teaching and drills and games.
This could all potentially be pretty boring but this is a fabulous place and company to be working with. Class it's self is practically stand up comedy! Jody our entertainer, I mean trainer, it awesome, not only funny but is really preparing us well for the real little Japanese world out there and I'm feeling more and more confident that despite all the social rules, I might have a chance. =^____^=
Funny thing about speaking Japanese because as you all know I don't know Japanese but more than a small handful of words which my mind has seemed to store under the "other language" portion of my brain, causing the problem of speaking Spanish on an occasion when naturally Japanese is more appropriate. However even then I may not even use the correct words at all.
For example: I went to pick up my key for my room, I did well to start with and even remembered to receive it with both hands and a bow, but then I opening my yapper and said loudly, "Gracias, ohayo gosai mas" (I'm sure I butchered the spelling but you all know what I said.) Now, in this circumstance the correct phrase would be thank you but no, I said "thank you" in Spanish and then said "hello, good morning" (greeting). It made no sense according to the situation. Latter that day again Gracias slipped when I got off the bus.
It's beautiful and amazing to be here! I'm stoked to get to my area. Apparently I'm just out side Niigata City but still in the prefect of Niigata and just on the verge of the country side. The ocean is just over the hill from my apartment. It all seams so beautiful and exciting and can't wait to explore and meet the kids!
Just as an ending note I feel quite fine here and safe and confident in the company to take care of me while I'm here.
One of the coolest things here that I have also enjoyed is meeting people from all over the world. My roommate Jessica is from London and so is out neighbor that I sometimes hang out with. We've got Australians, Irish, Scottish, British, American, there may be another European country. Anyhoo, it's really neet!
Well, I'm all in good health here and hope to hear that you all are also doing well. I'll write with more info later on training.
Saturday I leave at 7am for my area.
I love and miss you all
Narita!
This is the hotel where we are staying. I've also included a few odd signs and stuff I've seen too. The dragon water thing is where you wash your hands with the holy sacred water before intering into the Narita Temple. ^__^
Saturday, March 15, 2008
I made it to Japan
Whelp. Here I am. I'm cheesin' it big time. All ready for my first day of training. I had butterflies all last night and kept dreaming about the classrooms in Niigata.
The flight was fine, and surprisingly enough my legs didn't get to restless on the 18 hours of sitting. I sure slept a lot though. I slept all the way to Toronto and from Toronto to Japan with the exception of about 2 hours when I watched "Enchanted". (Which I'm really glad I got to see and considered it quite a treat because that was the movie I wanted to see before I left...Brook said it was good)
Luckily I only lost one piece of luggage, which I hope turns up some time today or tomorrow. I met up with a recruiter from INTERAC and a few other teachers (just barely). Met my roommate, Jessica (London), then slept for another 9 hours. Whooot, I guess I needed some catching up to do on the sleep. Well, I'm heading down to breakfast here soon and see what we have. I'll be sure to post pictures and keep you all updated.
A few things about Japan:
-A+ customer service
-Heated toilet seats: I was pleasantly surprised this morning. =^____^=
-Everything is kinda miniature, they sure know how to get a lot out of little space.
-It feels funny driving on the other side of the road.
Well, that's about all I can say for now.
-Chao!
The flight was fine, and surprisingly enough my legs didn't get to restless on the 18 hours of sitting. I sure slept a lot though. I slept all the way to Toronto and from Toronto to Japan with the exception of about 2 hours when I watched "Enchanted". (Which I'm really glad I got to see and considered it quite a treat because that was the movie I wanted to see before I left...Brook said it was good)
Luckily I only lost one piece of luggage, which I hope turns up some time today or tomorrow. I met up with a recruiter from INTERAC and a few other teachers (just barely). Met my roommate, Jessica (London), then slept for another 9 hours. Whooot, I guess I needed some catching up to do on the sleep. Well, I'm heading down to breakfast here soon and see what we have. I'll be sure to post pictures and keep you all updated.
A few things about Japan:
-A+ customer service
-Heated toilet seats: I was pleasantly surprised this morning. =^____^=
-Everything is kinda miniature, they sure know how to get a lot out of little space.
-It feels funny driving on the other side of the road.
Well, that's about all I can say for now.
-Chao!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
IF: Stitch
Growing up my mom would always like to say: "Stitch it up, wear it out, make due or do without."....that's how this came to be.
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