Merry Christmas Eve Eve!

It's almost been a month since I typed a blog. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, I can't believe it! In some ways my friend and I decided Japan is more Christmasy than home...which at the time seemed true, but I just realized he's from Canada, so I guess we can't really agree on that can we? Thats hilarious. Oh well. It's real weird that it's not really cold here and I haven't watched A Christmas Story. I did walk by a church today and saw a nativity scene. That was Christmasy, and there is Christmas music playing in the streets of Hiroshima, but it just isn't the same. I think part of it has to do with the fact that I actually have to ask my students if they exchange gifts or even celebrate Christmas. Some of them don't, to them its just another day. Which I understand, but that doesn't make it any less strange to hear.

My friend Megan had her baby! Mallory Claire. I'm so sad that I couldn't be there with her! =(
Her baby will almost be a year old when I get home, that's so bizarre! Aww, sad.

Work is fine, Japan is still fun. I'm going to Tokyo next week! I'm leaving Friday actually, I'm so excited! WHAAA!
Last weekend I was hanging out with my friend Niko in Hiroshima, we decided to go on a search for ridiculous t-shirts (an ever so popular commodity in Japan) **I'm pretty sure it's a major stretch to use commodity there, but I'm going to do so anyway** Anyway, this is what we ended up with. Niko's has the same santa face, but sometimes blurred. And mine says " The hippopotamus barks at the rainbow". Just think about that for a while.

The weekend before that, I went to Miyajima to hang out and on my way, I had a little adventure (some of you have already heard this, but here it goes again): It's a beautiful, slightly chilly day, I'm wearing my fantastic bright green skirt and a sweater and a jean jacket and some black winter boots. I've spent the first part of the day being a kind person taking my new co-worker out to lunch for her birthday. But my friend Patrick (who lives like 5 hours away) is visiting Hiroshima, so I'm kind of in a hurry to go and see him and my other two friends. So after lunch ends, I scurry on over to the station and see that a rapid train, which will get me to Hiroshima in 20 minutes instead of 45, is about to leave, So I run down the stairs and get there just in time to see the doors close and the train leave. This lovely old Japanese lady sees this misfortune of mine and tries to comfort me in Japanese, I assume she's saying something like "oh no, it looks like you just missed it, oh well, another train will come my dear" but I have no idea really, so I just say "Hai, hai, ok, desu" (yes yes it's ok or I'm ok, or something is ok) and take a seat. Not 2 seconds later another lovely old lady comes and offers me an orange. So I sit there with two old ladies and eat an orange. It was so cute.
Another train finally comes and I arrive in Hiroshima 45 minutes later. I look at the screen and see that my train is leaving from track one in 2 minutes (I'm at track 4) So I again take off running (which is highly discouraged in Japanese train stations) I make it down the stairs, see that the doors are still open and think to myself "YES!! I have done it, I will make this train," and as soon as this thought goes through my head..BOOOOOOM I fall down to the ground, on my hands and knees. My head phones fly off, stuff spills out of my purse. All these people are like "diajobu desuka, diajobu desuka" (are you ok? are you ok?) and I stand up and shout "HAI, DIAJOBU DESU! (YES I'M OK!) and run on to the train fully packed with people who just saw me crash to the ground. Oh my goodness it was so hilarious! If could only you have seen it. Here is a picture of the bruises on my knees. They have just now gone away.

Ok, one more quick thing and one more picture before I go. I tried to make cookies.. and I have no oven... the following is what happened... I have no words.

It's that time of year...

Where I begin to turn to Ryan Adams...and all that that entails. It's rather unfortunate that, as of yet, he will not be making to Japan. However, if anyone hears otherwise you had better let me know!
Anyhow, parent observation weeks are officially over! Thank God! I went and got tacos an a delicious little drink after work, I ran in to Yuka and Yuki, that was great! We are going out again in celebration tomorrow night. Hurray!
In my last class last night, I had these two 13 year old boys, they're totally my favorite, anyway. They get on these kicks were they say the same answer for every question, like
Me:" why is the grand canoyon famous?"
K &K : Because it's big.
Me: Ok, why is the Golden Gate Bridge famous?
K & K: Because it's big.
This goes on for like one more question and then i change the topic to the Tokyo tower, we talk for bit, then as kind of a joke, I ask "how big is the tokyo tower" obviously expecting.. "Its big" but no... One of them responds with.." It's 333 Km". Totally random.. who just knows that? Kaito, thats who. Crazy kids.
There's going to be a hairstyle change this weekend! It's about change. I'm so bored with the fact that I have to wear drab working clothes all week, I think i'm going to be as outrageous as possible this weekend. (Mom thats for you).
God, rereading this makes me sound about as interesting as a 2x4.
I'm reading 2 books right now. Thats impressive, yeah? I can't believe I have never read the Chronicles of Narnia. They are so good! My kids seemed pretty excited when I gave them the first section to read . I have two classes that are going to read them. some 10 year olds and 2 17 year olds.
By the way I got to eat three Thanksgivings. I even got to eat turkey, which was clearly not expected, but very well appreciated. And I helped bake a pumpkin pie. It was even kind of good. Brenna and I had to make it super fast. We had one hour until we had to be where we were going and it takes 55 minutes to bake and we hadn' t even started. by the way did I mention we baked it in the microwave? Yes, the microwaves in japan have an oven function. I haven't the slightest idea how to make mine work, but it's there.

Ok, I'm going to go read now.

Goodbye Blacky

I left today for Hiroshima and Blacky was alive. When I came home...he was almost gone. He was just there, floating on his back not moving unless Orangey or Brownie bumped into him and even then he would only flap his little fins. It was a very sad moment for me...being that Blacky was my favorite of the three. =(

Anyway. As I said I went to Hiroshima again this weekend. Last weekend I went, with the intention of only being there for one night, however I ended up staying the whole weekend. Instead of coming back Sunday morning, I came back Monday afternoon. Crazyyyy! I had a glorious time with Niko and Keriann, just hanging out and doing all the touristy things like going to the castle and the A-bomb museum and the Garden. I loved the garden, I thought about going again today,just to sit outside and read, however it was much too chilly. Today I decided to go to the Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum. The collection was much smaller than I was expecting and many of the works were from Japanese artists (which was to be expected) I liked them more than I thought I would. It wasn't stereotypical "Asian Art". I did, however, get to see a Dali, up close and personal. It was a huge painting, a variant of Persistence of Memory. It was amazing.

I love art.

Then I came home and made guacamole. I'm determined to start cooking meals for myself. Tomorrow I'm going to try to make eggplant and tomato grautin. We'll see how that goes.

Hisashiburi

I'm sorry for the length of time that has passed with no update. I'm doing well, I've been busy. Last week we had Saturday off in lieu of a holiday. My friend Ayako, Patrick and myself went up to Kyoto, we also met some other friends (Keri, Jo, and Candace) -- I'd just like to say that I feel like i'm typing a 5th grade essay about my summer vacation-- we had a great time.

We were so hard core! It actually took us a while to get out of the station. A) we had to make reservations and what not, then we were hungry and then we just flat couldn't figure out where to get out. We finally made it out and hopped on a bus to Kinkaku-ji (the Golden Pavilion) it was beautiful. However I did have a little mishap with the bus...I went to pay the 220 yen but all I had was a 500 yen piece. I screwed up and instead of putting it in the change thing I dropped it in the pay hole... Not good. The bus driver had to give me all my change back in 10 yen pieces... yep, thats 280 yen in 10 yen pieces. Awesomeness. He could have kept it, honestly. It was totally worth it though the place was beautiful! We went to many other temples and shrines on Sunday as well. Everything was gorgeous, I'm not kidding. We met up with Jo, Candace and Keri on Sunday night and had dinner. Have I mentioned yet that we literally had pasta for every meal except 1? Cause we did. It was good, but very unjapanese.
On Monday we totally overslept and didn't checkout on time which resulted in like a 50 dollar fee. Whooops. But then we saw Patrick off, and all the girls continued on. We only went to one more shrine, as we got there we saw a scooter wreck. It was so scary! They sideswiped each other and one stopped but the other flipped. It was awful. I think he ended up being ok, he was ok enough to sit up to wait for the ambulance. But on a lighter note, this place had 4km of vermilion torii gates. it was amazing! I bought a kimono-ish thing, for 5 bucks.
hopefully if you click this link, you'll be able to see my pictures. That other website sets a limit to how many pictures I can upload per month. Lame...

http://greenville.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2008185&l=275f7&id=152400334

Anyway. This week I had follow-up training. I thought it was going to be boring, but it was sooo much fun! It was good to see everyone again as well as meet awesome new people. Loved it! The place was pretty isolated so we were comparing it to the hotel in the Shining, minus the snow. At lunch we were talking about who would be the one to go crazy... we decided Kurt, one of the trainers...then during my personal interview with him, he leans in and says "do you hear voices" It was hilarious! I did hear the voices so it was ok, but had I not heard them I would have taken off running. They had fish for 3 out of 4 meals (dinner, breakfast, lunch). I was really hungry the whole time. It still makes me gag to think everyone ate that fish. Yuck.

Ok, time to hop in the shower, I'm going to Hiroshima! bye now!

Crunky Popjoy

This is the name of the chocolate candy I just ate. I think crunky is supposed to be crunchy.... and popjoy, who knows.

Anyhow, my bike lock is very temperamental as of late. Sometimes it won't lock and therefore I have just been leaving it unlocked and unsupervised. I have been worried that it would be stolen. Today my fears became a reality... I came out of work to go to lunch and my bike was gone! I was shocked! And I thought to myself "you have got to be kidding me!" so I begin to walk home and I see it! By the vending machine, not even half a block away! My bike is rather noisy, so maybe they decided they would steal another one. My lock worked for the rest of the day.

One more bicycle anecdote. The other day it was raining, not just a little, alot. And I had to bike to japanese lessons and work. Luckily it stopped by the time I got downstairs to leave, but I had to bring my umbrella anyway in case it started up again. So I had my umbrella attached to my bike...and of course as I'm biking it slips, and get's stuck in my front wheel. Go figure! It was almost exactly where I ran into the stair case! Que sera sera! I suppose I should stay away from that place!

Things are good! The weekend was good, went in to Hiroshima...which kind of reminds me of St. Louis a little bit, on Sunday and then Yuka came over on Monday. It was fun, she and I talked about how we both miss studying...among other things! She's cool, it's good to have friends.

I bought a bright pink scarf. i like it. because its bright pink.

Molly Does Crazy Things in Japan...

By now many of you have probably heard of my little collision with the staircase.  I was biking to my Japanese lesson, being a bit adventurous and taking a new route, when I came around the corner to see that I was about to crash into a fellow bike rider.  I had no choice but to swerve left as he had already begun to swerve right.  However, directly to my left was a large staircase...which I crashed into. Here is a picture of my bent up basket: it maybe hard to tell, but if you look closely you will see that the side closest to you is dented on both sides...this makes if difficult to put my groceries inside the basket.  Oh well. 

Anyway, more on biking...

Today I rode to work in a pencil skirt and high heels. Cars and people stayed out of my way so it ended up being fine, but at lunch I totally changed back in to flats, that was just an added complication that I'd rather do without. I also learned that that particular skirt is definitely a no no on days when I have floor classes (babies). Sitting on the floor proved rather difficult. 

I leave you with an update on my Japanese lessons:

The day of the collision with the staircase, I was on my way to lessons, as I mentioned.  I got there and my teacher had not arrived, so I take my seat in the international center and begin to read my book, to pass the time. My phone rings.  It's my teacher. She says, "Tomita speaking" and then begins saying things in japanese, I caught "train" and "10:20". Then she begins saying " I'm sorry I'm sorry" I assume she means she has missed the train and can't catch another until 10:20...which by that time would be too late for us to have a lesson, so I said "it's ok" and then leave the international center.  At 10:25 she calls back and speaks in japanese, "Doko desu ka?" meaning "where are you?" I say, in english, I am at the park, but she thinks I mean "Parco" a department store in Hiroshima, I try to explain to her that I am not in Hiroshima, and I'm not shopping, but this proves very muzukashii (difficult).  After much confusion and the final decision to just tell her I'm at work, we reschedule for Friday and I am on my way.  

This is getting crazy!! But I want to learn so bad! EHHH!

ok, time for bed!

His heart was two sizes too small...

Hopefully I will be teaching seminar lessons this winter on How the Grinch Stole Christmas, which is fantastical because I love Dr. Seuss (this is the plan as of today).  However, I must say that for the past several years I have believed that Dr. Seuss was a philosopher.  This is not true.  He went to Oxford to get his doctorate in literature, but he dropped out and got married instead. Thus he was never actually "Dr." anything (this part I knew, which in turn should have made me realize that he clearly was not a doctor of philosophy).  On the other hand, one does not have to hold a doctorate degree to be a great thinker. From this point of view it would be quite possible to argue that Theodor Seuss Geisel was a philosopher, judging by literary themes and his artwork.

Also, I didn't really realize that "Oh the Places You'll Go" was meant to be a book for adults written in the same style as his children's books. Oh the things you can learn by reading biographies.  

On a not so exciting note, my manager told me that I looked sick today.  Seeing as how I'm not sick and thought I actually looked kind of cute today, I wasn't really sure how to take that.  Yesterday she told me that putting my hands in my pockets doesn't look very nice and I shouldn't do that when parents are around. She also told me that I need to make the parents laugh after class (boisterous interaction with children and parents is one of the reasons she hated to two previous native English teachers at the school, so I don't really know what to do about that). I just go with it, we'll see what happens. 

Other than that, school is going pretty well. Students are still good, however they are starting to get pretty comfortable with me...which for some is good and others is bad (acting up, etc.). No big plans for the weekend, mostly just relaxing, and laundry.  I seriously need to do laundry so bad! Eek!

Kure Fall Festival

Yesterday I went back to the fall festival.  It was so much fun! I won some gold fish, which I let some of my students name (Aoi, Shion, and Kanon). They named them Blacky, Orangey, and Brownie.  I'm not sure where Brownie came from since 2 are orange and 1 is black, but hey, whatever works. 

The people I went with bought me a bowl, some food, and water purifiers for a gift.  Gift giving is so common here and I don't always know how to respond. It's so nice of them. I mean they had already spent the whole day showing me the festival and teaching me about it and not making me pay for anything, and introducing me to people. It was fantastic! 

I met a member of the Japanese Diet... part of parliament, I wasn't sure how to act! But he just shook  my hand and didn't make me bow. 

During the festival there was  big fight between a  "Lion, dog thingy" (this is how Ayumi explained it too me) and the ooni and then there was a man on top of something that other men were holding and they had to barge through the ooni and get into the shrine. It was difficult to watch because there were so many people, so my pictures aren't great, but it was still fun!  I also got to pick my fortune which said in learning, I should set a goal of some sort, I could have an easy birth (so applicable...I just laughed and said well, thats good, but I won't be needing that), I shouldn't move, the place I am in is good, and I should hold off on investing money in the stock exchange. Since it wasn't considered to be an excellent fortune you are to fold it up and tie it too a tree. So I did. SOO cool! I also touched an ooni for good luck. I'll have to put that picture up later though I have to get it  from Ayumi and Midori's dad.  It was amazing.

I thought of a great name for this entry but I forgot it...

Have I mentioned that I'm loving Japan? 

This weekend is Kure Fall Festival.  It's when all the people go to the shrine to thank the gods for a good harvest. There are also "ooni" (japanese ghosts/demons) that walk around the city with large sticks that they hit people with.  If you get hit, it means you will have good fortune and health for the next year.  This morning I was in class with my Tiny Talk class, the kids are probably  4 years old, and I hear drums and flute coming down the street.  The kids get super excited and I say "What's that? Let's look!" so we all run to the window and Ryousuke starts screaming "ooni! ooni!" the boys thought it was awesome, but one little girl ran to the middle of the room and just said "no, no, no" She was so scared, it was cute.  

Tonight Manager, Bryan and I went to the night market.  Which is like Japan + Shinto (a religion) + DuQuoin State Fair - the rides. I tried takoyaki which is a ball of tako (octopus) and vegetables.  It was so hot it burned my mouth and it wasn't really my thing.  Not big on the texture of fish.  We also got to watch the traditional Japanese dance performed for the gods. It was amazing! I took pictures, but I'm going to wait until tomorrow to put them up so I will have more of the festival. 

Then we went out for a drink at the "Gaijin (foreigner)  Bar" which is actually named Memories. The bar tender speaks English so that is quite handy. His Irish girlfriend was there, so I made a foreigner friend.  They were both super nice. I'll definitely be going back there. 

Well, I suppose I should be getting to bed here pretty soon, since it is 1:30 am. 

later gator.

Crunchy rice

So apparently I am titling my posts after what I am eating at the moment. Yesterday noodles, today rice. My rice is still a little crunchy...just a few grains, not all of them.  I guess I didn't have enough water in there.  OH well.  I also just at fried mashed potatoes and corn.  I'll take a picture to show. but seriously. fried mashed potatoes and corn. Holden would be in heaven. Work was fine today. Some of my kids were little boogers. but thats typical.  One of my kids was 30 minutes late and then for his twenty minute lesson he decided to play soccer and hid under the table. it was awesome. 

I also got to stamp things and fold and stuff things.  It was like being at Greenville all over again.  

I've decided I miss learning. I need some psychology/philosophy/religion books asap.  My Murakami books are great, but I'm going to need some non-fiction soon I can feel it.  Hopefully our bookstore has some...or I can find one in Hiroshima.  If not, I guess its japanese amazon!

I heard about this used bookstore in Tokyo. I can't wait to go. its going to be amazing! I'm so pumped, but Tokyo's like 10 hours and a couple hundred bucks away.  So its not like i can do that every weekend. =) 

Eating Noodles with Chopsticks...

I just finished eating noodles with chopsticks. I'm getting better, but it's still quite hard to eat with chopsticks. I mean seriously. 

Today, work was fun. We had all special lessons because it was a Working Day. So.. Shion, Aoi, and myself played games like "Have you ever..." and "If I were..." it was fun! Then I had Misato...we pretended we were going hiking.  We saw many things, such as a river, a waterfall, and a monkey. My last student was Ayumi, she and I did "Mad Libs". I gave her the papers to keep other wise I would post what we wrote in class. It was really funny. For instance, one took place at Disney Land and Ayumi and her friend Allie drove for 2 hours on a bus to get to this blue park, but they thought things were just a little to red.  There were also people dressed in Red Panda costumes it was fun.  

I also got invited to dinner and the festival next week, both should be fun. A lot of my kids are involved in the festival so it will be cool to see them!  

It rained all day today after I got to work. It's still raining now. I like the rain, it's only rained a few times since I've been in Japan. Usually just a little bit of rain. No typhoons yet. 

Well, this has been considerably boring.  Looks like I need to have another adventure. I'll just have to get up early and do it in the morning I suppose. But every time I leave my house I some how end up shopping somewhere. I don't understand.  

ok, I'm going to make some tea.

heiwa ,

molly

My First Blog

Hello everyone! 

I thought perhaps it was time to start a blog, it just seems like the right thing do. Anyhow, I'm starting to feel better, my voice has come back a bit, this is very good, since I have to teach tomorrow! We have two working days in a row which means no group lessons (unless they are make ups) I also have 2 lessons with one of my students and his sister.  Their mom came up with the curriculum. its really strange the way parents act at my school... they are very concerned with their children learning English.  After every class we tell the parents what we did and most of them come in with their notebooks and pencils to write down everything we did that day.  It's quite intimidating! 

I didn't do a whole lot today, just tried to take it easy and get some rest.  I did, however, go to this little coffee place, it was nice. It's called Golden Burns.  I think the man that was sitting next to me was a bit scared of me.  Every time I moved, he moved. And then he started humming to himself, but it wasn't a song.  It was weird.  But oh well. 

Ok, I'm going to try to post something everyday, we'll see how good I am at that. 

Love you all!