Right-o! Left-o!

Second school today! I cycled up to the station in the morning too..it was such a good feeling! I love cycling I have decided! Even if it is on some weird girly bike with zero suspension! I get scared in the evening though, because my bike`s light is broken..and it`s not my bike either..and if I get stopped by the police..with no papers for the bike and no light..they might send me to prison!!! (well..hopefully not that drastic...but it`s possible).

Anyway...this school is in a beautiful area surrounded by mountains and a massive lake..seriously nice spot! I can see mount fuji clearly out of the window in all it`s glory! and the lake on the other side...wonderful! The school is really small too which makes the classes small..which makes it easier to get to know the kids. I ate lunch with grade 4 today as well and got asked all sorts of random questions like what is my favourite fruit. We played dodgeball during the lunch break. I also met the principal who is a real sweetie and joked around a bit. My IC is funny..she`s been spreading this idea that I am some language genius..which is so not true! So the principal immediatley picked me up on it and was like.." I heard you can speak many many languages???"...I was very red in the face..and giggled a lot...ups

Oh and another piece of "great" news. On tuesday the board of education of this area is coming to observe my lesson...well technically it would have been brookes..but now it`s mine..yay....(ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh). So the teacher I am team teaching with is also quite nervous...which isn`t comforting...ohhh man...challenges! dammit!

I went on another excursion today to find the 100yen shop..it`s sugoi!!!! They have everything there..I just wanna go mad and buy it all! I love how in Japan everythig can be cute if you want it to be...I swear I am coming home with all the furnishings for a house..but in cute form...(my girly side is truly taking over here).

so yeeees that is it for today...I am going to go home and try out this rice vegetable omelette thingy...I will report of my sucess tomorrow hopefully.

There was a farmer had a dog, and Bingo was his name oh!

So the first day at the new school..shadowing the leaving ALT. It was an interesting day actually! We got there late because Lina was late..and I didn`t manage to figure out what the cycling route would be , so I am gonna have to explore when I ahve free time and find it somehow. The school is massive! I won`t be teaching all of the classes, as there is another ALT there..which is cool, cause at least there`s an actual english speaker about. The classes were all doing things in honour of Brooke (the leaving ALT) which was cool. The most awesome thing that happened was that one of the classes (Grade 1...so keep in mind these kids are 7), did a dance for her. It was to this hip hop song that you`d hear in places such as M2 (go to manchester...). It was the most awesome thing I have ever seen!!! about 25 or more 7 year olds doing this choreographed dance..with position changes...and hip thrusting..robot dancing..jumps and even a little bit of street dance....I was absolutley gobsmacked..but also laughing hysterically...because..really..the words to that song..are things that 7 year olds should not hear.

But yeah they were cool kids..looking forward to teaching them..a lot of enthusiasm there which is good to know...and I am not teaching the older ones..so I won`t have "cool" kids that don`t wanna learn.

Apart from that the day was relatively slow...I was shadowing all day..which sin`t the most exciting thing ever..but at least brooke is helping me lots with getting there and stuff...

I`ve also found out that i will definatley be working on the 25th of dec. that`s actually my last working day, then it`s winter holidays till the 6th of jan....so yeah..gotta figure out what I am gonna do during that time.

This internet cafe is so much better than yesterday! Free drink bar..comfy chairs..fast internet..and I conducted all the paper wokr stuff in my broken japanese!!! I feel like I have accomplished something! yay!

My mad weekend

Well we woke up at around 8.30am on saturday morning...in an attempt to do something with the day. First of we had a beautiful breakfast in the executive lounge of the Hilton on the 36th (or whatever) floor. OMG......I wanna be rich and live in Hilton hotels....We then went off to the Shinjuku park...and Martin discovered to his horror that it was covered i spiders that were building massive webs everywhere....I`ve never heard him babble so much in fear....we also discovered a flea market! Which seems to be happening every saturday or so at around noon and beyond. There was lots of random stuff and a lot of clothes really! It`s a brilliant thing to do when you`re leaving too..you can just go there, pay a small fee for the space and then sell all your stuff!

We then went off in search of the bus that supposidly goes from Shinjuku station to Numazu. It was pretty stressful. I did the whole "Hammond" thing (top gear) and compared symbols to each other....we walked in circles for about half an hour till someone pointed out to us that the station was BEHIND a particular building...that`s why we couldn`t find it!...well we got back anyways.

Fran was in and we decided to go for a meal together. It was an awesome place where we basically cooked the food ouselfves on a hotplate. It was the japanese version of pancakes, but with vegetables, egg, shrimp, avocado etc......awesomness to the max! After that we caught a cab to SpeakEZ , where there was a gig night going on. So I got to see all the other ALT`s again and meet a few more new ones too! The music was cool...apparently the guitarist likes jimi hendrix..a lot!

I met 2 guys who are actually from near brighton or have lived there! It`s such a small world!

I also met 2 cute japanese girls and we had some funny conversations about british accents and things along that line. At around 3 am we decided to go home, but get some stuff for breakfast on the way. We ended up chatting till 5 am in the morning.

I sent martin on his way back to hong kong, with his bag considerably lighter after my stuff was out of it (THANK YOU AGAIN!). We decided to make pancakes when I got back...so I got my first lesson in making american pancakes with syrup! I learnt fast and soon I was turning out mini japanese sized american pancakes! ohhhh yeah!!!!!! bring it on! I can add those to the (short) list of thing I can cook!

I then chilled a bit while eating my milka chocoalte (DAANKE!), and then went off in search of an internet cafe. I cycled on a japanese bike for the first time ever too! It took me like 5 minutes to figure out how to get the stand to fold in, and then cycling it was weird too. The bike is like a girls bike...you sit up straight..and I can`t stand and do my speed peddling thing....the suspension is also terrible...so any bumps are felt dramatically. Oh well...It was a day of firsts!

First day at school tomorrow!

Numazu, stupid women, and angels

MAN!!! It has been rather hectic and mad for the past few days..so apologies for the possibly veeery long blog, as I try to summarise the highlights of my adventure so far.

I am also writing this on Martin’s laptop so can’t put any pictures up, until I get to my laptop…so I apologize for the lack of imagery.

Ok so I arrive in Numazu on Monday, in the early evening. We get back to my beloved “hotel aria” and my beloved clerk, who can speak about 6 sentences of English but is the sweetest guy ever. I also get a call from Rina welcoming me back – so far so good. I arrange to meet up with Fran on Tuesday, as she is looking for a housemate and the Tokyo office suggested it as a possibility if I felt like it.
Her flat is nice..very Japanese! Tatami mats! Slidey doors! A Balcony, a high tech toilet and a tiny washroom. 3 Issues; very little privacy (thiiiiin walls), cold (there’s a radiator which runs on petrol), and no internet. But it would save a lot of money.
I am in 2 minds about it, when a woman from the company calls up, to ask whether I have decided yet and when I’ll move. Talk about pushy!!! Basically I find out that the hotel has only been booked for 2 days instead of the whole week, as I was informed. Apparently she just wants me to decide quickly, and then move. I try to explain to her the dilemma of not owning a keitai (phone) or internet – therefore being totally un-contactable to the company, if I move now. She doesn’t seem to care very much, just telling me that the company isn’t responsible for stuff like that…I almost swear at her. I then ask about moving my luggage..it’s heavy…and I was only at this apartment once – in the dark. She tells me the company isn’t responsible for that and neither is my coordinator. I almost swear at her again.

Thank the lord my coordinator is an angel in human form! After I almost give in to temptation to pack up and fly back home, she calls me up and basically tells me she will help me move, help me get my documents, help me with the phone, and help me buy a futon etc etc. So Rina, her husband and me end up driving around Numazu sorting out gaijing documents, a phone (daaaamn phone companies…more stress!!!), and buying a futon (sleeping in Japan seems to be an art). So finally on Thursday I have my first night in my new apartment. Fran had bought strawberry cake to celebrate and I had bough cookies ice cream. It was a feast! I now have a phone and an address. I do not have internet..but that’ll hopefully get sorted soon.

Friday I go to Narita airport and meet Martin (my stepdad – or mamachichi in Japanese)! We go and spend the night in the Tokyo Hilton hotel in Shinjuku!!! It’s amazing! Seriously, we’re on the 32nd floor overlooking Tokyo…all the staff are amazing at English, and I had croissants and jam…and fruit…and salad!!! Heaven! They had nutella tooooo! It’s all very exciting, and a nice break from stressness!

So I think that’s it for the update. I shall put pictures up of my new place soon!

"Return to Numazu - the final resting place" (In cinemas Monday the 10th)

I got my placement!!!!!! I found out on friday during my lunch break of ANA testing! The day started quite slowly...ANA was alright...I was a little bored and started reading a book called "white teeth" very interestingly written, should anyone wanna read it sometime. I went to the office during my break because I couldn't bear to be in that small office any longer. David gave me the good news! Numazu board of education liked me! Apparently they got good feedback from a really horrible teacher, so they want me back! I won't be doing the same schools though which is a shame. Instead I will be doing 3 other elementary schools! scary stuff! I am moving on monday, and staying in a hotel until I am found a place to live. Well I don't mind..the hotel is niiice and paid for! harharhar!

So now I need to pack, and sort out stuff again...and obviously have all the bureaucracy crap continue, as I now need to change my gaijin card address once I actually get it....bla bla bla.....apparently you can get arrested for no apparent reason if you don't produce your gaijin card on request! my gaaaaaawd!

Went to Ueno again today, it was a lot colder for the first time in ages. We went round the market stalls, which was cool and I've found the most amazing shop ever. It's basically 7 floors of all the cute stuff you can think of....as well as toys, magic stuff, horror figurines, air plane models, etc etc....it was seriously the best thing ever! I just wanted to buy half the shop...you may be proud to hear that I did not buy anything at all!!!! (JAHA she HAS willpower!!!).

The cashier in the supermarket was trying to speak english to me today...I just wanted to encourage her lots...I love it when they try, they're actually quite good really..just so darn shy. I find that a lot, when I go up to people - there is like a momentary shudder of fear when they realise a gaijin wants to ask a question. There's always this sigh of relief when I ask in Japanese, and they don't need to try in english. awwwwwwww

Beaurocracy sucks!!! (In every country it seems)

Grrrrrrr. Ok, one little rant; how difficult is it to understand the concept, that foreigners will NOT understand anything you say if you speak at light speed! What foreign person learning English has ever been fine with normal English pace + accent????? The answer is NONE! So to all the Japanese out there: SPEAK S-L-O-W-L-Y!!!! I am still learning..and trying! I promise! But when you go $%$^(*)(_^%$$£"desu"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! at me....I just want to cry, or possibly lash at the next best wall (Yes I am aware I sound like an angry psychopath..I am not..I promise).

Anyway...that's over. I've had an interesting, albeit stressful few days. I've been applying for my gaijin card, only to discover today that I needed another paper to actually open up a bank account. So I had to go back to Kashiwa city hall (found my way there via landmark memory!!! I am so proud of my hippocampus!), and get that. Which was fine. Then armed with all of that I went to the post office to open the account. The woman on the counter then did exactly what I was ranting about. I actually did almost cry. She must have noticed my patience was running out, because she abruptly stopped raining high pitched noises at me and asked her colleague to help her. He - very shy and sweet tried his best with his 6 words of English. We actually got somewhere this time. After about an hour of messing about, misunderstandings, and dictionary flicking, I got my bank account sorted....yaaaaaaaay!!!! I think I deserve chocolate for that!!!!

Japanese lessons have been going OK. A little confusing, I actually learnt the most today in just one hour, than all the 3 hour lessons before. Yesterday I got called out of the lesson by one of the guys. I thought...ohhh what's this about then? He brought me to the guy who sorts out the voice recordings we had to make for exam tapes in the future. It turns out the guy is a Christian, and has all sorts of plant churches around Tokyo!! We had a quick chat about becoming Christians, and he was telling me about coming to church and meeting his family etc. It was cool! He gave me a Japanese bible, which actually has the English on one side and the Japanese on the other! Isn't that ace??? So I can learn some Jap Christian jargon now! Although I found "Jesus" is just Iesu in katakana...as if it was an english word...I find that a little odd...

I am getting used to my flat a little more as well. We've figured out how to make the air conditioning blow out hot air, which is nice..as nights get quite cold here. I have been cooking stuff too! Though I haven't quite figured out the water to rice ratio yet, so the rice kinda comes out looking like rice pudding...still nice though! Right I now feel I can have my deserved chocolate now (not as nice as German chocolate..but it has cookie bits in it which make up for it)

Sakasai wa ie (home)

So it is my 2nd and a half day in Sakasai. The area is really quiet, apart from the regular train which drives past (we live right by the train tracks). It's a nice place really, it reminds me a little of where my grandparents live..it's the same kind of peace. Only that here..massive spiders reside in the trees. Luckily my window has a netting so I can have it open but prevent any 8 legged intruders from entering my lair. if they ever do..I think I will scream so loud that it will send the whole village running. About 3 stops further from here is Kashiwa. It's a cool place! A tiny Tokyo, with plenty of funky shopping! I've already seen tons of stuff I soooo want!!! Jaaaaaa. Oh dear -girly side coming out. It's good to finally see a whole bunch of good looking japanese (albeit camp looking) lads around the area. They all have funky hair and dress a bit feminine...but hey..I guess the feminine look is in here. Considering when I look at some of their (the boys) hands..they're daintier than mine by far, and have immaculate nails...as if they go to a nail salon....bizarre!!!! Not that I spend my time staring at boys hands!!! I just happen to notice it!!! really!

In the morning I wake up to the lovely sounds of two cockerels having some heated debate about football across the village. (Well I can't be sure it's football..it could be a fight about the hottest chick in the village...or something like that). So one will go off...then a few seconds later you will hear the other one from far away answer...and this then goes on for about.....the whole day?

I have been waking up at around 6 every morning, because it's been trained in now, from that week in Numazu. Which isn't handy when you're feeling like...excrement..because your nose is blocked up, your voice is gone, and your head has a little orchestra of drums playing in it. But hey, I have bought a whole bunch of vitamin C sweets. One thing I don't get here is that Japan is really recycling obsessed. That's not the bit I don't get..I think it's great that they all recycle lots - great example to the rest of the world (Apart from Germany which already does it! HA!). The bit I don't get is that when you buy sweets, or biscuits or something else that has more than one thing in it, it is all individually wrapped in it's own plastic wrapping. So go buy a packet of 10 biscuits, and each one will be individually wrapped in (hard to open) plastic. How does that make sense?????

Right I've put some more picture up of my flat due to requests! Apologies for the mess! I was doing the washing!