So in about 45 minutes I will be leaving Saijo Language camp, where I've been for the last 5 days. It's been so fun being around all the 1st year Hiroshima JETs, and really getting to know friends I've made at Tokyo and Hiroshima Orientation. I'm going to miss being so close to everyone, and going out to dinner every night! But it will be good to get back to "reality" and get started at school!
My first day of school in Monday, which means wearing a suit and sitting through the Opening Ceremony (all in Japanese). It's going to be long and (hopefully not!) boring, but oh well. I believe my first day of actual teaching will be Tuesday, with a teacher I haven't met yet because he's part time. Did I mention he's 83? Yep. Should be interesting....
My first class will be my self introduction, which I've prepared. I also made an awesome poster with pictures on it from my life back home. Hopefully the students will be excited to meet me!! (fingers crossed!) I have an activity for them to do, fearing I'll run out of time though, so making me really nervous! Hopefully I'll get through it okay!
I am so sad to be leaving internet access, but fingers crossed I will have it Tuesday evening, so soooooooon! Please check out these links to see updated photo albums on facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2190104&id=22010170&l=9acc6d4727
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2164212&id=22010170&l=48bdf785e1
Will write soon!
Keito
Friday, August 21, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
it's a rollercoaster ride...
INTERNET!!!
finally! well, that comes with an asterisk! *i am in hiroshima city (広島市) for hiroshima orientation, so i have wireless in my hotel room. still won't have internet for a few weeks, they're coming to install it on the 25th of august, so hopefully from then i'll have it in my apt! also all next week (mon-fri) i'll have internet hopefully bc i'll once again be in a hotel for japanese language camp! woohoo!
i've really been up and down when it comes to homesickness and my happiness level, which sounds so corny but it's true. and it changes by the minute. it's been so nice to be here in the city around all the other JETs, so i feel better, but at certain times it makes me even more homesick being around westerners. it's hard to juggle honestly. in onomichi it's been pretty stressful. most things are sorted out besides my car. i may be getting one the end of this week, we will see. i've been super bored at work but in actuality i only have two more days in the office (thurs and fri) before the first day of school, as it is the monday after next, and all next week i'll be in Saijo for language camp!
it's been nice having internet here so i've been able to skype! only spoken to my mom bc the time difference is such a freaking hassle, but it's been so nice to just talk without a crazy time limit! i cannot wait to have internet in my apartment! i know i have an addiction to it, but it's not something i'm ashamed of! it is one technology i will never have anything but LOVE for! :D
i've been slowly immersing myself in my town and with other JETs and japanese folk. my friend Hiroe is helping me get a car, and took me shopping on sunday for a yukata! (i may wear it at the Fukuyama Summer festival this weekend!) we also did my laundry at the laundromat, and while it was washing we went across the street to Joyfull, a western restaurant comparable to big boy! haha it was so funny. she's been SUCH a great help, i don't know what i'd do without her!
well i've updated my photos, so check out the link if you want to see more photos :)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2190104&id=22010170&l=9acc6d4727
i'll write more next week! :D
ケイト
finally! well, that comes with an asterisk! *i am in hiroshima city (広島市) for hiroshima orientation, so i have wireless in my hotel room. still won't have internet for a few weeks, they're coming to install it on the 25th of august, so hopefully from then i'll have it in my apt! also all next week (mon-fri) i'll have internet hopefully bc i'll once again be in a hotel for japanese language camp! woohoo!
i've really been up and down when it comes to homesickness and my happiness level, which sounds so corny but it's true. and it changes by the minute. it's been so nice to be here in the city around all the other JETs, so i feel better, but at certain times it makes me even more homesick being around westerners. it's hard to juggle honestly. in onomichi it's been pretty stressful. most things are sorted out besides my car. i may be getting one the end of this week, we will see. i've been super bored at work but in actuality i only have two more days in the office (thurs and fri) before the first day of school, as it is the monday after next, and all next week i'll be in Saijo for language camp!
it's been nice having internet here so i've been able to skype! only spoken to my mom bc the time difference is such a freaking hassle, but it's been so nice to just talk without a crazy time limit! i cannot wait to have internet in my apartment! i know i have an addiction to it, but it's not something i'm ashamed of! it is one technology i will never have anything but LOVE for! :D
i've been slowly immersing myself in my town and with other JETs and japanese folk. my friend Hiroe is helping me get a car, and took me shopping on sunday for a yukata! (i may wear it at the Fukuyama Summer festival this weekend!) we also did my laundry at the laundromat, and while it was washing we went across the street to Joyfull, a western restaurant comparable to big boy! haha it was so funny. she's been SUCH a great help, i don't know what i'd do without her!
well i've updated my photos, so check out the link if you want to see more photos :)
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2190104&id=22010170&l=9acc6d4727
i'll write more next week! :D
ケイト
2nd delayed post..
Written 7/30/09
This isn’t study abroad
I am typing this after having eaten a delicious dinner of bread and cheese. Maybe I’m not in Japan?
I just returned from perhaps the most tiring day of my life. Worse than any jet lag I’ve ever had. I got up at 5:20am to get ready to go to school for my first full day. I was at a hotel down by the water, which is 40 min by bus from my school. I had to pack up all my stuff (about a 40 pound backpack, heavy laptop case, extra shopping bag [that i asked for at the front desk in japanese!], and purse. needless to say it was painful. i walked about 2 minutes to the station, and the bus driver was waiting outside the bus. He helped me get change (there are change machines in the buses), then i waited for him to take off. I was the only one on the bus for about 15 minutes, but once we got into the mountains more people were on. I had to remember where to get off which was scary but I remembered. Two students got off as well so I knew I was in the right place. I went into the 7-11 to get breakfast and lunch. I think the people were surprised by me--all my luggage on top of being a foreigner. I got some food and was off to walk to school, about 5 minutes maybe. After crossing the road I ran into Murakami Sensei, and she gave me a ride! It was very nice. When we got to school, I ate my breakfast at my desk and prepared for a long day of form filling-out and running around. I didn’t even know.
First I filled out a lot of forms--Alien Registration card, bank, apartment. We went all the way downtown (30 min) and Toyota Sensei forgot the alien reg form! We filled it out again there. It took a while but it was fine. Then we went back and filled out the bank form again at the bank. Somehow Toyota lost the forms in the school! We had a good laugh about it. The bank was sort of long and complicated, but okay. They have a crazy cool system!
After that, back to school and ate lunch at my desk. A chicken sandwich and yogurt. That may sound american but they both tasted very different from ours. One of the english teachers gave me 2 popsicles when he met me!! they are still in the freezer at work though because I was too scared to eat them at lunch. haha.
Then it was time to sign the papers for my apartment. Kyoto-Sensei was there (vice principal), he is the one that hooked me up with no key money and one month free rent! He is very intimidating though, seems like a big softy inside, and speaks no english. It was all very overwhelming and I almost wanted to cry afterwards. I think mostly because it was a lot of money, but also it was frustrating because the translation Toyota would give me was extremely short. Then right after I went back into the school office, and the apartment people had left me a gift basket, and Kyoto-Sensei brought me a microwave! then i wanted to cry because it was so nice!! That brings the total of free stuff to:
2 futons (blankets) - Kocho-Sensei (principle)
towels - Kocho Sensei
Pan - Kocho sensei
tea cups - Kocho Sensei
short table - kocho sensei
microwave - Kyoto Sensei
gift basket - apartment people
rice cooker - kyoto sensei
small shelving thing - Kondo sensei
chair - Kondo sensei
Plus Kondo Sensei is going to give me his washing machine in September! Rock on!! There is a coin laundry by my house so it’s no big deal. We forgot the microwave at school but Murakami-Sensei is bringing me home tomorrow bc we have to go pick up some other stuff.
Back to the story--After the apartment stuff we went back towards my apartment. We brought my luggage in, then went to the Recycled shop--the stuff was so nice! I may go back and get some shelves and stuff, but didn’t get anything today. Then to the electronics store. Signed up for my new sweet phone (going to pick it up tomorrow, bc it wasn’t free until tomorrow). Then signed up for internet, which may or may not work in my apartment, they have to check. FINGERS CROSSED! I have internet on my phone tho until then. Then to home store (SATY), got mat (to sleep on), sheets, etc. Then downstairs they have a grocery section, got some food!! YUM! I am very excited, got some cafe au lait and other good stuff. However my fridge is a TINY one--smaller than most small ones! lol. in a few months I think I will buy one. After all that i was soooo tired, and so grateful to Murakami Sensei and Toyota Sensei--they are SO nice, we already are joking around together and having fun! they are both around 30 i think so we all get along well! All the other teachers are nice too but they are older. I haven’t met all the teachers yet, maybe 15. But it’s a small school so there aren’t that many--thank god! I can barely remember 3 or 4 of their names!!
Writing this blog has made feel a lot better. I looked around after they left and could have cried if i had let myself---no internet, tv, phone, or anything. i’m typing this in a works document and will paste it in later--when, i don’t know. but this has all definitely made me realize that this is like nothing i have ever experienced before. This isn’t like study abroad where everything is decided for you--i choose how I will get to work, what i will buy, what furniture and appliances i will have, and when and where i will travel (well, when i get vacation time). i am so homesick but it’s not the bad kind where you are too discouraged. maybe i’ll let myself have a cry tonight, but it will only be because i have had such a long stressful day. I am still so excited to be living here, and i cannot WAIT to post the pictures of my town--they cannot even do it justice. I am nervous and excited to see what the next few weeks will bring, but it’s been a good first week! More to come!!
Keito
This isn’t study abroad
I am typing this after having eaten a delicious dinner of bread and cheese. Maybe I’m not in Japan?
I just returned from perhaps the most tiring day of my life. Worse than any jet lag I’ve ever had. I got up at 5:20am to get ready to go to school for my first full day. I was at a hotel down by the water, which is 40 min by bus from my school. I had to pack up all my stuff (about a 40 pound backpack, heavy laptop case, extra shopping bag [that i asked for at the front desk in japanese!], and purse. needless to say it was painful. i walked about 2 minutes to the station, and the bus driver was waiting outside the bus. He helped me get change (there are change machines in the buses), then i waited for him to take off. I was the only one on the bus for about 15 minutes, but once we got into the mountains more people were on. I had to remember where to get off which was scary but I remembered. Two students got off as well so I knew I was in the right place. I went into the 7-11 to get breakfast and lunch. I think the people were surprised by me--all my luggage on top of being a foreigner. I got some food and was off to walk to school, about 5 minutes maybe. After crossing the road I ran into Murakami Sensei, and she gave me a ride! It was very nice. When we got to school, I ate my breakfast at my desk and prepared for a long day of form filling-out and running around. I didn’t even know.
First I filled out a lot of forms--Alien Registration card, bank, apartment. We went all the way downtown (30 min) and Toyota Sensei forgot the alien reg form! We filled it out again there. It took a while but it was fine. Then we went back and filled out the bank form again at the bank. Somehow Toyota lost the forms in the school! We had a good laugh about it. The bank was sort of long and complicated, but okay. They have a crazy cool system!
After that, back to school and ate lunch at my desk. A chicken sandwich and yogurt. That may sound american but they both tasted very different from ours. One of the english teachers gave me 2 popsicles when he met me!! they are still in the freezer at work though because I was too scared to eat them at lunch. haha.
Then it was time to sign the papers for my apartment. Kyoto-Sensei was there (vice principal), he is the one that hooked me up with no key money and one month free rent! He is very intimidating though, seems like a big softy inside, and speaks no english. It was all very overwhelming and I almost wanted to cry afterwards. I think mostly because it was a lot of money, but also it was frustrating because the translation Toyota would give me was extremely short. Then right after I went back into the school office, and the apartment people had left me a gift basket, and Kyoto-Sensei brought me a microwave! then i wanted to cry because it was so nice!! That brings the total of free stuff to:
2 futons (blankets) - Kocho-Sensei (principle)
towels - Kocho Sensei
Pan - Kocho sensei
tea cups - Kocho Sensei
short table - kocho sensei
microwave - Kyoto Sensei
gift basket - apartment people
rice cooker - kyoto sensei
small shelving thing - Kondo sensei
chair - Kondo sensei
Plus Kondo Sensei is going to give me his washing machine in September! Rock on!! There is a coin laundry by my house so it’s no big deal. We forgot the microwave at school but Murakami-Sensei is bringing me home tomorrow bc we have to go pick up some other stuff.
Back to the story--After the apartment stuff we went back towards my apartment. We brought my luggage in, then went to the Recycled shop--the stuff was so nice! I may go back and get some shelves and stuff, but didn’t get anything today. Then to the electronics store. Signed up for my new sweet phone (going to pick it up tomorrow, bc it wasn’t free until tomorrow). Then signed up for internet, which may or may not work in my apartment, they have to check. FINGERS CROSSED! I have internet on my phone tho until then. Then to home store (SATY), got mat (to sleep on), sheets, etc. Then downstairs they have a grocery section, got some food!! YUM! I am very excited, got some cafe au lait and other good stuff. However my fridge is a TINY one--smaller than most small ones! lol. in a few months I think I will buy one. After all that i was soooo tired, and so grateful to Murakami Sensei and Toyota Sensei--they are SO nice, we already are joking around together and having fun! they are both around 30 i think so we all get along well! All the other teachers are nice too but they are older. I haven’t met all the teachers yet, maybe 15. But it’s a small school so there aren’t that many--thank god! I can barely remember 3 or 4 of their names!!
Writing this blog has made feel a lot better. I looked around after they left and could have cried if i had let myself---no internet, tv, phone, or anything. i’m typing this in a works document and will paste it in later--when, i don’t know. but this has all definitely made me realize that this is like nothing i have ever experienced before. This isn’t like study abroad where everything is decided for you--i choose how I will get to work, what i will buy, what furniture and appliances i will have, and when and where i will travel (well, when i get vacation time). i am so homesick but it’s not the bad kind where you are too discouraged. maybe i’ll let myself have a cry tonight, but it will only be because i have had such a long stressful day. I am still so excited to be living here, and i cannot WAIT to post the pictures of my town--they cannot even do it justice. I am nervous and excited to see what the next few weeks will bring, but it’s been a good first week! More to come!!
Keito
this is old but i typed it on my computer without the internets...
Written 7/28/09
You know what I think is so weird? Here in Japan, foreigners (albeit I’m only experienced with white foreigners), are treated with the utmost respect and graciousness. When I buy something at the convenience store, or order at a restaurant, extra attention is paid to me, and extra effort goes into trying to understand my english and muddled japanese.
Just tonight I thought to myself--this isn’t the way it is in the US. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite. If a foreigner walks up to pay for something at 7-11, and they cannot understand the clerk, or speak English, the clerk usually becomes irritated, rude, or even downright mean. I cannot see many people, in any sector of service, putting on a brighter smile at the realization that they are about to serve someone who does not speak their language. Encounters with foreigners are normally looked at with disdain and annoyance. It’s hard to imagine someone working at a restaurant saying, “I want to serve the couple that doesn’t speak any English!! Please, let me have that table!!” However, that may be the case here, although perhaps not to that extent. But trust me, foreigners, especially (white) English speakers, are given EXTREME leeway, time, allowed mistakes and misunderstandings. They are also treated automatically with trust, sometimes looked at with awe, and always greeted with a smile. Nothing but the most polite Japanese has been used while addressing me since I’ve been here. I just think the reverse would be the reality in the States, which puzzles and angers me. Why can’t we be happy to see diversity--to experience an intercultural interaction? Some people here bow so deeply to me just because I’m American--would the same be done for a Japanese woman in America? Would she be given special treatment, especially if she did not speak English? Here, my fumbles are endearing and looked at as intelligent; in America, they would be annoying and looked at as ignorant.
Just something I thought about and wanted to get down.
You know what I think is so weird? Here in Japan, foreigners (albeit I’m only experienced with white foreigners), are treated with the utmost respect and graciousness. When I buy something at the convenience store, or order at a restaurant, extra attention is paid to me, and extra effort goes into trying to understand my english and muddled japanese.
Just tonight I thought to myself--this isn’t the way it is in the US. In fact, it’s exactly the opposite. If a foreigner walks up to pay for something at 7-11, and they cannot understand the clerk, or speak English, the clerk usually becomes irritated, rude, or even downright mean. I cannot see many people, in any sector of service, putting on a brighter smile at the realization that they are about to serve someone who does not speak their language. Encounters with foreigners are normally looked at with disdain and annoyance. It’s hard to imagine someone working at a restaurant saying, “I want to serve the couple that doesn’t speak any English!! Please, let me have that table!!” However, that may be the case here, although perhaps not to that extent. But trust me, foreigners, especially (white) English speakers, are given EXTREME leeway, time, allowed mistakes and misunderstandings. They are also treated automatically with trust, sometimes looked at with awe, and always greeted with a smile. Nothing but the most polite Japanese has been used while addressing me since I’ve been here. I just think the reverse would be the reality in the States, which puzzles and angers me. Why can’t we be happy to see diversity--to experience an intercultural interaction? Some people here bow so deeply to me just because I’m American--would the same be done for a Japanese woman in America? Would she be given special treatment, especially if she did not speak English? Here, my fumbles are endearing and looked at as intelligent; in America, they would be annoying and looked at as ignorant.
Just something I thought about and wanted to get down.
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