Japan so far: Take 2

As promised, here is the second half :)

School. 

I'm not being a doting parent or anything, but I think my kids are the cutest bunch there ever was!! Sure there a few here and there with their quirks and stuff, but as a whole, they are adorable. The first day I taught at school, I got more rounds of applause, screams, shouts, smiles and waves than I have ever had!! Felt like an international celebrity. A friend had told mi to expect silence and a blank stare when giving my introduction, but I got none of that thus far (God willing and some more), and that really made mi happy!! 

Sometimes the kids look at mi funny - as they should - when I talk to myself randomly if I make a mistake, or cause I am constantly laughing (God save mi), or when I try to gesture to explain things to them - I would get a PhD in Sherades soon. 

Teaching with the teachers is a whole new experience. Granted, there are some ways I would rather not teach English, but at the same time, I am glad to just be there and help. Plus I don't have to bring work home (which we all know is one of my preferable criteria for choosing work ^ ^). The teachers are nice and easy to relate to. Though I would rather know what I would be teaching the next day the day before, its not all that bad cause I get to school early enough (God willing) that I can work on something when I arrive. 

I think the system at my school is different from other schools, as I don't really get a segment where its all mi teaching, but team teaching all the time. Which I think is good as there is less pressure. Like someone is watching mi....that can't be fun, no?? haha.  

So my seat in right infront of the Principal and Vice-principal ^ ^ (whose bright idea was that??) lol. Essentially, I cannot be late, cannot sleep on breaks, cannot use my phone....pretty much cannot goof around at my desk especially when the principal is around....lol. He is nice though, well they both are, but the principal is ever so curious. I am either the first ALT to speak Japanese at their school, or the last one didn't speak Japanese....not sure what the translation was when they told mi lol. I know they were shocked when I said 'I speak Japanese' instead of 'I speak some Japanese/I am learning'....

School - Clubs

So I walked around the school and sort of got myself attached to the drama club. Well that was until I had to leave at 5.15 today, and they had not even gone half way through the practice >< I have to ask myself just how much commitment do I have for all that.... I mean I love hanging with the kids and all that, but I do like going to my house too lol. 

School - Cleaning

The dreaded cleaning happened today!! I was torn between sitting at my desk and walking around (note, helping to get on my knees was not on the list), but then the staff room was empty so I kinda couldn't go with option 1. Walking around felt kinda odd, cause the kids kept laughing and looking at mi like 'what is she doing/what does she want?' Eventually, I asked a teacher if I could help, and she said maybe tomorrow cause they were done for the day.... with a broom, I am good, but most of them were on their knees cleaning the ground seriously!! Thats all well and good in gym clothes, but I had on a full suit pls!! 

Well thats all for now.... ;)

Japan so far: Take 1

So I know I have been way behind on this update, and I think I would have to make this about two posts in order to convey all that has happened so far. 

Today marks a month since I've been in Japan, and a loooooot has happened in this short time, feels like I have been here for way longer. 

Where to begin.... forgive mi but I'd have to summarize, as best as I can....

Placement.

So I got my placement (trumpets!!!!) At first, I was a little disappointed, mainly cause I wanted to teach elementary school but got Junior high school. I had a week of complaining and whining, I finally got scolded by a friend to stop whining and being negative, and, it seems, by God as well. Though I must say He was quite indulgent with my whining. Felt like a spoilt kid as I listened to myself. 

Anyway.

On my first visit to the school, I got a surprise - one of the English teachers at my school also went to Ritsumeikan, the school I studied in. He was quite pleased at that fact and I think we sort of bonded over there (shhh....company prohibits haha). All the teachers were warm, nice and receptive - still are till date. So, I currently teach at a JHS school, more on that later.

Move.

Moved to a new apartment (trumpets!!!!) Its kinda odd though, cause it looks exactly like the old place. But I am happy here cause I finally get to unpack and make it look like somewhere I would have picked out for myself. Got my legless chairs coming in (which would follow mi to mars and hack hence fort), my futon would be here soon (I don't think my body would forgive mi if I don't make that sooner rather than later) and I am in search of a nice cabinet like thing for storage....Would put up pictures as soon as I have the place set up :)

Only down side is we - old apartment girls - are no longer together but thats not too bad. We are not too far apart and can meet from time to time. Plus I get to have to talk to my neighbors.... well more so cause I don't know where the trash can is in this area and need to find that like ASAP. lol. Should be fun knocking on some doors.... hopefully they are young and nice people who answer hehe. 

Feeding.

I am in need of new recipes ASAP. Like the amount of rice and spagetti I have consumed in this month can't be healthy. Everyday, my choice is between rice and spagetti....like all other things are additions but it doesn't go beyond that. Today I got some minced meat for my beloved hamburger, but the base is once more, rice.... I forget all the things I used to eat all of a sudden haha. Found out there was an African store in Tokyo, might make a trip soon over there.... if only I could drag someone with. 

Ropongi Today

Had a pretty nice easy day today. Went up to Mori Tower with a friend and got a paranoiac view of Tokyo. If I didn't have to pay the 1500 unnecessary Yen to get up to the Observatory first, then 500 for the Sky view, that would have been fine. Up on the Sky deck, I was thinking it would be a nice date spot if you wanted, especially at night. Only problem was you can't really stay for long cause there are no seats and it is hella cold up there. haha. 

Walked around Ropongi, less crazy than every where else we've been thus far, but fun. Had a nice Turkish dinner, would be cool to go back to that street and chill. Seems like there were a lot of nice restaurants and mini food shops. Just a bit far with 3 train rides but all in all seemed like a worth it experience. Oh forgot, got super lost trying to navigate our way out of Mori tower, while my mum was telling mi about how there was an earthquake in Japan. lol. We here didn't notice it, so I guess thats a good thing, no?? Super tired so off to take a bath, read a few pages for my exam (out of guilt), watch a movie then sleep (Yes, thats what tired people do. A long list of chores then they go to bed at like 1am or so in the morning. When you have a free day coming up.... well lol). Ciao. 

Male Make Up Section et al

Before I begin, my door just randomly closed a second ago, which is kinda creepy since I'm home alone....just wanted to write that out.

Now then.

Today was semi-uneventful - only in the sense that I went sight seeing Japan. lol. Well my friend and I discovered a new town (based on recommendations) called Makuhari, not far from ours. We walked a bit so I am perfectly exhausted, but got to find two super stores and a series of semi-moving pedestrian bridges. They probably weren't moving but we felt they were lol.

All in all, it was a pretty regular day walking, but more fun cus I had nice company.

Anyway, when we got to the first shopping area - I refuse to call it a mall simply cause its not big enough by definition, we were a little taken aback to find out they had a male make up section.... I mean I've always known the celebrities wear make up, even in the States, so thats nothing new, but to think there was actually a section in the mall dedicated to make up for guys - foundation et al - was down right shocking....lol. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the scene, so you'd have to take my word for it. If I happen to sport another section at a different mall - as I seem to believe there are a lot in this awesome country - I'd be sure to update this with a very nice picture.

In other news - the et al section - my neighbors seem to have resurfaced. I was starting to get the feeling I lived next door to an 80 year old couple or something, seeing as I couldn't hear a sound through these super thin walls in the apartment, but alas, I was wrong. And from the sound of it - NO I am not eves dropping, its difficult not to be a part of their discussion with the lack of a sound barrier - its a young lad and his girlfriend. Though funny enough, their conversation sounds more like my sims' conversations than normal human convo. Anyhu, seems they plan on getting busy tonight (if you get my drift), so I need to head over to my headphones asap. 
Of course, the ones above mi, ever faithful, continue to stomp up and down their apartment like they are training for some elephant parade. 
I'm not complaining though. It at least lets mi know I am not the only one in the world. 

For now, ciao, my Korean movie calleth. 

April 7th + First Cooking Session

So I read a blog recently, http://www.thekanert.com/, and got inspired to write my story in Japan. Well, if you know mi, you can best believe this is probably not going to be a daily affair, but I hope to cover the highlights, lowlights, crazies, etc....

Ive been in the country for 2 weeks thus far, and well, I won't say it has been an all joyous two weeks, but I am not complaining either. Japan has always had a sort of nostalgic feeling for mi - kinda like the same feeling I get when I go home to Nigeria except in this case, the anticipation and excitement of seeing family is not present. Its more 'I lived here in a past life' feeling if you get my drift.

I digress.

So first week in Japan was intense training - where I learned that having a psychology background does help you develop a rather peculiar sense of humour, which saves you in times where you have to deal with BS activists (those who propagate BS) with a smile. Had the utmost displeasure of having to spend two of the 5 days at training listening to one of the most arrogant self loving humans I have ever met. Funny enough, I found him interestingly consistent. Have to applaud him. Regardless of when or why he was speaking, he always managed to get the topic of discussion to revolve around him and his rather awesome self (by his definition of course).
Anyway, aside from that, training was a huge wake up call. I realized for one thing I had no idea how to teach students English as a second language, and it was much much more different (is that grammatically right??) than past experience. I also came to discover that rather than my previous conviction, I would much rather teach elementary kids and bellow than anything above. Also that the thought of High School students scares the crap out of mi (something to do with past traumas I imagine).

Anyhu.

After the long week of training, I was moved to an apartment near Tokyo, which is where I currently reside as I await my final placement. I did get a near placement at a site which I was most pleased with, but it got canceled. Why they did not wait to tell mi about it after I it was settled rather than raise and dash my hopes, I would probably not want to understand, but either way, whats done is done. So I've been in this place for a week now. As a lot of people know, I get bored quite easily. So imagine mi in a house for a week with no set schedule....good thing is as alternates, we get placed with people near us, so I get people to talk to and all that. Thus far, the neighborhood here has re-solidified my view of Tokyo/Tokyo area people seeming (I wont say being least I get called out for generalization) cold. For some reason, the country has a different air than I remember - granted coming to school and work seem to have two different implications. But I'm sure this is just my thought cause I haven't settled in yet.

In brighter news, I discovered http://www.thekanert.com/ today. A friend sent the link to mi. Happens to be the blog of this guy from work (well one of our facilitators so I should probably have some 'sempai' attached to that but we all know I'm not one for formalities). I totally love his writing style and I can see myself turning into his cyber stalker if left unchecked. Added to that is the fact that he is kind of a hottie (kind of is not necessary though)....in a different life I would have fallen for him but I don't  do adultery so....lol.  Anyway, I'd be doing that to occupy myself, also attempting to study for my GRE as well as find a way to start studying psychotherapy to help with out with PhD. Did I mention that the boredom in this country can be charged for first degree murder??

In other brighter news, I finally cooked my first meal since I got here - with all the spice and everything nice. So since this is not my final location (BGG), I didn't want to buy kitchen utensils as yours truly has no space for anything extra in her luggage.  But after a whole week of Japanese bento convenience store food - and having to choose between some form of ramen or white rice - and pressure from family and friends, I finally gave in and stocked up my kitchen. Cooked my first meal and it was awesomely delicious. Can't imagine how people eat spiceless food really.
On that note, I would end my first, and hopefully not only, blog about my trip to Japan....ciao.