So much has happened!

First of all, I have started teaching!! So far I really like it. I teach mostly with Yoshimoto sensei and Naito sensei. My first week of classes went well. I really enjoyed them. I had to do my self introduction to the students. I would speak, showing pictures of my family and Boston, and they would have to fill in a worksheet about me to test their comprehension, and then they'd have time to ask me questions. I got some funny questions. The funniest was "Where you in Tsuruga (a nearby city) with your boyfriend 2 days ago?" I was so shocked! See, since there are almost no foreigners here, if a student sees me she can pick me out very easily from the crowd. So obviously she saw me and Paul! Then almost immediately after a wise kid asks "What do you do with your boyfriend." So I answered "I go to Tsuruga." Then he asked "What is your boyfriend's name?" and I said he didn't have a name and pretended to cry. The Japanese teacher got a kick out my my answer! (As well and the students). So I guess Paul and I will have to cover for each other all year. ;-)

The school is different than American schools. First of all, there is cleaning time every day and the students will clean the school! I help them out in the teacher's room. They sweep the floor and then run these wet rags on it to wash it! No mops or anything! I eat school lunch. I think if I had chosen not to eat it, I would be the only one not doing so. It's really good! You usually get rice, soup, some salad thing that usually has fish in it, and another course that is fish or meat. We got a little dessert the 1st two days, but haven't since... :-/ I think my predeccessor didn't eat it because she was a vegetarian, and it's not so vegetarian friendly, but it's great for me. No preparation and it's cheap. I think it's only 200-300 Yen ($2-$3).

The first day of school I had to get up on stage and introduce myself in English and Japanese!! How intimidating! Luckily my superviser helped me compose the Japanese part.

On wednesdays I go to a different school which is a bit farther. It's out on a peninsula and it's an absulutely georgeous drive!! I feel like every wednesday will be vacation. The school is really relaxed and small. All the classes are 3-5 students. I really like the English teacher. He is very jolly and makes lots of jokes. We were walking down from one of the classes and stop at a group of pictures that the elementary students had just made. He starts cracking up! I'm looking at the pictures... and though they are cute, don't see the joke. I asked "what's funny?" He starts pointing at pictures saying "That's you, that's you there, that's you again...." Then I notice that "Lisa sensei" is written in Japanese under a good portion of the pictures. How cute!!

The Drive to the Wednesday School:


It is so nice to finally have a car. Everything ended up working out and I am really happy. I like my car a lot. It is a bit old but looks nice and seems to be running fine with the new battery. I just got the tires changed and man are Japanese mechanics efficient. But anyway, it's a no-fuss, service-oriented attitude which I really like. And now I can grocery shop and I bought things for my apartment and it is slowly feeling more like home.

I have been taking calligraphy classes with Paul, Jo, Roisin, Leanne, and Mauren. Japanese calligraphy is completely different than western calligraphy. You use a brush, and it's all about getting the stroke right. At least so far. We learned only 3 or 4 strokes so far, it takes awhile to perfect them. The teacher will often take us out afterward to eat or last week she took us to the festival in Tsuruga.

Jo and Mauren doing calligraphy:


The festival was cool. All these food carts are on the street and some game carts too. (Like, throw the ball into a hole and win a prize type games). The food is great! All sorts of types.

Tsuruga Festival:




Yesturday I went to Kyoto! Naito-sensei (my superviser) and I were at a student's house helping her with her speach contest essay after school. Her older sister, who is a senior in high school, speaks excellent English and loves showing foreigners her country invited me to come with her Sunday! So we just went to Kyoto! Her mother took us. We drove to a train station and then rode the train. Her mother didn't go in the temples since she had seen them so many times, but walked around and looked at shops with us. They are such a nice family!! I had a lot of fun. Not to mention, Kyoto is the coolest city ever. There is something for everyone. First of all, there are plenty of modern streets and shops if you are looking for the excitement of Tokyo. There are also many temples and when you enter them they are surrounded by nature and it is easy to forget that you are in the city. There is also the old section of Kyoto with cute little shops and TONS of free samples of candies and tea. It was amazing!

Kyoto's old streets with a temple in the background:



Anyway, I've written so much! I think that's it for now!

Bye,
Lisa