IrishOboe

Well, I had no idea I would be so busy at school. I’m sorry I haven’t written in so long. First school kept me busy then I got stranded in Fujiyoshida last night, but first things first.

School has begun! Starting Wednesday I’ve been coming to school all day every day. Wednesday I gave my speech in Japanese to the whole school assembly in the gym. It went pretty well. I think I succeeded in pronouncing things well enough for them to understand but not well enough for them to think I speak Japanese. But I get head of myself. The day (Wed. Aug 24) started at 8:25am with a teacher meeting. I got there around 8am to make sure I’d have time to cool off from the 20min bike ride in raingear that doesn’t let you breathe. I didn’t have enough time and I was still quite sweaty for the meeting. All I had to do in that meeting was say my name and something like “I hope we work well together” and bow. I left my omiyage there, too, though it was salt water taffy and it got a little soft . . . (More)

Mark and I were dead tired when we met Niko at the library to go to the Isawa fireworks festival, but I was impressed with how well we did and how much we enjoyed it despite our state of exhaustion.  On the way to Niko’s place she stopped to by us and Lena (her daughter, though I don’t know how to spell it) bento, which is like a premade lunchbox meal.  It was actually good, and it might be a nice alternative to packing my lunch sometimes.  Of course she wouldn’t let us pay for it.  The traffic was so terrible when we arrived that Niko dropped us (Lenna, Mark and me) off and she went someplace to find a spot, but she ended up waiting somewhere because there were no places!  This festival was even more crowded than Ichikawadaimon because there was less space even though there were fewer people.  Every square inch of space anywhere was occupied.  It felt like all of Japan had come to this place, which makes me rethink just how many people there are in Japan . . .

 (More)

I get all discombobulated when I spend a night away from home, so I hope I’m starting where I left off. The Lake Motosuko region was so wonderfully beautiful and it was great to be back in nature sweating, swimming, sunning and relaxing. I miss the Maggie P.

 (More)

I guess it wasn’t a very exciting past two days, but I’m posting now because it might be another few days before I can post again.  I have a very busy weekend, but it’s filled with fun so it should be good.  Oh, but I nearly forgot!  I had my first adventure with missing a train . . .

 (More)

I have not been able to post on the blog for a while since I have had a wonderful guest at my apartment all week.  That plus the fact that I’m the source of internet for a few people and by the time they’re done I’m in bed . . .

 

This week is the SETY conference, which stands for Seminar for English Teachers in Yamanashi.  Every five years all English teachers have to attend the 10 day conference to brush up and practice their English.  The ALTs are required to join for the last four days so that the JTEs have practice with native speakers.  I have to say that the seminars have been more interesting than any official business (aka orientations) so far.   (More)

Saturday I woke to the phone at 10:30am.  It must have been a wrong number, because I got an earful of Japanese.  I managed to say (in Japanese) that I didn’t understand Japanese so the lady went on and I caught the word mother.  I tried to explain that I was living alone by saying some thing like “no, I, one, no mother.”  Whether she had a clue what I said or not I don’t know, but we ended the conversation courteously and I felt triumphant at my first phone call in Japanese.  Well anyway, I’d just gotten up after a 10 hour sleep so I suppose I would have been happy with anything.

 (More)

Today wasn’t nearly as exciting as the previous days so I had a bit of time to catch my breath.  I’m not going to bed as early as I’d hoped because I got to reading more Memoirs of a Geisha and then my evening was gone (thanks for the book, Helen Louise!).

 (More)

Before I launch into boring details, I thought I'd mention what I wonderful time I had at orientation.  To find out, skip over the days and take a look at the evenings.

I wish I could say the workshops for the local orientation were more helpful than the ones in Tokyo, but sadly, I got about three helpful bits out of workshops, and the rest of the time I entertained myself by writing down my own teaching ideas, doodling, and interpreting for the nonexistent deaf in the room.  Actually, this last exercise was quite helpful in that it showed me just how much I’d forgotten and just how much I know of ASL.  Of course, I was as discrete as I could be . . .
 

 (More)

It is nearly midnight and I should go to bed, but I must right about today now or it won’t get done before local orientation.  It’s in Kofu for three days and two nights and I probably won’t have access to the internet.

 

Having said that, today was a wonderful, exciting, beautiful, and fun day.  I feel blessed beyond what I could have ever imagined.  I’m falling in love with this place and the people.

 (More)