"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!

bean cushions

I only managed to get internet today, so that's why this blog entry is about yesterday! It was a pretty hectic day really! I got up at around 6am again, to get ready and check out of the hotel, and make my way to the last elementary school. They say do something everyday that scares you? I think I've done enough of that to last me some time! Getting the bus was alright..the bus driver babbled at me a whole lot in Japanese, but by his hand gestures I assumed he would tell me when I had to get off. Walking to school turned out to be easier than I thought as there were school signs all the way. Classes went alright, the older kids as I have said before aren't as much fun. I even had an incident of a child throwing a tantrum on the floor and another boy kicking him subsequently. I was so angry, I really just wanted to grab the boy and go "WHAT ARE YOU DOING???", Instead I just stood there. I have no disciplinary power as an ALT and am not really allowed to touch the kids..so I had to leave it to the teacher. She apologised like a million times to me...I felt a bit sorry for her. That boy is gonna become a bully later. There was another teacher who was so strict, that I felt uncomfortable! he was just shouting at the kids the whole time, even though they were fine really, and he made them sit in these perfect rows really tightly together, so that it made it difficult to try and organise a game. Overall I got another nice see off, where all the teacher's wanted me to make a speech, and then they applauded me...how embarrassing... I noticed that I was crashing quite badly after the lessons. My voice was croaky and my throat and head were hurting. I was like "great...the little buggers have given me their germs"
On my way home I admired some of the beautiful houses, with their gardens. they're quite different to western garden...kind of preened and fake..but not fake in a phony way. the trees were all quite immaculate.

When I got back to Tokyo I immediately met up with the girls and some Staff and we went for some food and drink. it was a great night, chatting away. I ate horse!!!! sashimi (raw) horse!!! I ate squid in wasabi sauce! You could see the little suckers on it. To be honest that wasn't so strange because we have that in Vietnam too.
Then we made our way to the new flats, well...the girls already had moved in, but it was my first time. The flat is alright. It's small but OK for one person. Everything was brand new, because we were literally the first people to ever live there. My bed is high up towards the ceiling, and my futon is quite small. The pillows we get are a joke. Teensy things filled with beans. Seriously people! My cold has developed a full blown personality...so I feel sick and tired and bleugh. tsk tsk....I hope this isn't gonna happen every time I teach.

Bye bye

It was my last day at one of the elementary schools today, and it turned out to be a wonderful day. I woke up actually feeling physically sick, because I was completely worried about taking this special needs class AND I was told the Board of Education was coming in today to check the school. I was just like "how the heck can all of this happen to me in ONE week?" So yeah with a massive nervous lump in my stomach I came to school, and checked out what games I could do with the special needs kids. It turned out I would need to really over think my plan...ok...I still contest that the 5th and 6th graders weren't as much fun as the younger kids...and I only had those today. So it was hard work, but the occasional naughty boy would keep me cheerful strangely enough. I was chuffed because my younger ones would shout my name and stop me in the corridor to chat to me, which I thought was lovely.

I then get told about 15min before my special class that I don't need to teach Halloween and so should just come up with something else. In my head I was destroying little cities like Godzilla. On the outside I was my perfectly trained Japanese teacher and went "OH!" ok.....right......and then set off to quickly make some flashcards on colours, create bingo sheets and make up some games. This is gonna be a great example of "thinking on you're feet, under pressure" for any job interview. The class ended up being my favourite of the day. the kids were just wonderful. Totally curious and chatty (in Japanese of course), a bit wild, but absolutely nuts - which I loved.
My favourite child was this tiiiiiny boy who seemed to only be a little slow, but he attached himself to my hand and chit chatted away as if there was no tomorrow, always with a bright smile on his face. h would take my hand and smell it all the time too. Whatever they described as special needs also did not always fit. One girl in the class would never concentrate on the task and instead home in on my bracelets and stroke them and touch them. The teachers would order her away, but I realised at the end of the lesson that she could describe all the colours on my bracelet perfectly, and not only the ones I taught but also "clear", "sky blue", "silver" etc...I was blown away.

One boy made me this massive origami cube in different colours, which I was highly impressed and touched by. I went to after school computer club, because I became friends with the maths teacher there, and it was her club. The kids were all like "eeeehhhhhh??? Eigo sensei??? Mai sensei?". The teacher explained a few things about me, and we had a question time of sorts, where I got asked stuff like what's my fave disney character (Donald!!!). Then somehow I got roped in to arm wrestling matches with every child! Pleased to say I beat all the boys (though they were only like 8 or 10 years old). It certainly upped my street credit! The boys then all became enthusiastic about playing 'Janken' with me (paper scissors rock). The kids then set off to make me a calendar and pictures on the computer for me, which I was really honoured to receive! So yeah it was a really beautiful day in the end, the teachers all applauded me at the end..which was a little awkward, there was a lot of bowing.

To end the evening, Lena, Imogen and I went to a 100 yen sushi place. It was actually named after "astroboy". The sushi was daaaamn goooood! Topped with green tea ice cream what more would you want?

I'd better pack now..gotta find my way to Chiba tomorrow, after trying to find my way to the other elementary school first! ahhhhhhhhhhhh

Mai-sensei! SAIN SAIN SAIN!!! (Autograph)

I had to get to the school by myself today for the first time. Getting the train with my Ipod blasting rocking tunes was good, trying to psyche myself up for genkiness. That all kinda fell with my first class. Damn 5th graders. they were alright the class didn't bomb..but they certainly were a galaxy away from enthusiasm in comparison to my 1st and 2nd graders. They were also less knowledgeable than my kids at the other school at the same age. Serious differences between education standard here. I ask them "How are you?" and they echo back "how are you"....guys that's simple stuff that the 2nd graders in the other school knew!!!
Well it went better from then on really though. The other classes were curious about me, and especially the girls hoarded around me touching my necklace, yanking at my bracelets, asking me all sorts of questions in Japanese and sometimes English. Some were so sweet! This boy gave me an origami crane which I cherished, and one girl ran up to me after class and gave me one of her cute teddy bear erasers. I was sooo chuffed!
The funniest and oddest thing was with my last class. The other ALT who normally teaches has set up this tradition that the students get stamps after class, which is on they're english name tag. I was giving the stamps to people and one girl was shouting that she wanted me to Sain/sign her piece of card. After I got what she wanted I was like ok...she literally stuck the pencil right in my face. So I signed the card with "Mai" in cursive writing. At this all the other kids crowded around and go "ooooooohhhhhh!, "eeeeehhhhhhh", there is like a split second of silence and suddenly I have 15 or so name cards stuck in to my face and a chorus of "sensei, sain! sain! sain!"
So I end up signing my name on all these kids name tags, feeling like some hounded pop star! It was quite funny really, they all wanted my name 2/3 times with different pens on their cards...it was weird. One kid wanted "biggu" (bigger), and after that obviously everyone else also had to have my name on their tags bigger...and so on.

I guess it's the equivalent of western people wanting Chinese characters written for them because we think they're really exotic and pretty.

The way back was a little stupid on my part...me being a terrible left and right remembering person, promptly walks in the wrong direction. When I finally go back, I happen upon a bunch of my kids who are like "Herro Mai senseiiiiii!". So we had a long discussion (in kind of a non language) of where the station is...whether the other ALT has a boyfriend, trying on glasses etc... It was cool though. The girls really are ace.

I finally got back and went off for some Chinese food with Steven, filling stuff! I find that any spoken Chinese I hear is actually comforting..almost like a piece of home...which just confuses me, as I really am not Chinese...yet I love mandarin. We went to Tully's for coffee and I had a macha latte - a green tea latte. It was...interesting. Very green...and definatley something you need to get used to.

Damn I hate all the spiders here...they are MASSIVE and in the trees...with they're red and green bodies...it actually revolts me walking underneath them or past them....this is one definate reason for never living here!!!!!

I'm WON-DEEEEEH-FUL!!!!!!!!! :)

Wow, second day of teaching today, at a completely new elementary school. The beginning was once again a little rocky. I come in (on time this time), and find there are no bloody flashcards of Halloween vocab! So I'm like "well..how the heck am I supposed to teach?". We go to the craft room and in less than 15 minute botch together some self drawn cartoons of vampires and the sorts. (My vampire got often mistaken for a monkey...it just is enough said about my drawing skills). It went alright though. The kids were amazing! They were grade 1 and 2 so a bit younger..and didn't really get the question "How are you?" and answered in proud chorus "How are you?"...so we spent a little time on replies. I showed them photos of my parents, friends and grandparents which they all loved. The picture they loved the most was of James and his "red nose day" nose. The whole class would erupt in to ecstatic laughter when they saw it. It was a great ice breaker..so thanks James! You're a star over here with the 8 year olds! It was great having kids stop when they see me and try and talk to me with what little English they had!!! I completely fell for one of the teachers too, this young guy (the first male teacher I see!), with a high pitched voice and very girlish ways. He must be from the other side of the river!!! But he was such a cutie!!! he even took a pictures during the lesson and wanted one of me with the students. Lol...oddness

I also got on really well with the social worker there, her english was very good so we had long conversations about the differences between english and japanese schools. She had studied psychology and so we could discuss her topic of interest - autism. It was great to talk science with a japanese person! I am teaching the learning disability class on wednesday...so I am a bit scared of what I am gonna be able to do...It was cool, because after school she brought a girl to me who isn't at school because she hates it, and has problems there. I got chatting to her..or at least tried but I invited her to my class tomorrow, so hopefully she will come and see that learning can be fun. I hope I have influenced her..she seemed really chuffed anyway. She said she wanted to see me because I was described to look like Angela Aki, who happens to be half japanese! I googled her - she's a popstar and sang the song for final fantasy 12!!!! I am well honoured!

In the eve I went out with Steven, a ALT I met during the weekend. We went to an Izakaya and had lots of niiiice food, and discussions about science, religion,taxes,relationships etc...it was soo good to have in depth chats about stuff like that! Did you know that a lot of chinese characters are actually biblical? The waitress we had was darn cute!!!! She spoke like a flipping rushing waterfall though! She said I was cute...awwwwwwww I wanna take her home with me!

gotta get up at 6 tomoz and do the whole journey to school by myself!!! scary!