Thanksgiving

I still don’t understand exactly where this celebration came from but it has been a great part of my internationalization since moving to Japan.

We had such a great celebration last year so we decided to do it all over again. In the end 34 people decided they wanted in on the action too. After frantic email sending over the last two weeks, everyone knew what they were in charge of bringing (starter, main or dessert) and which apartment to take it to. We decided to have the starters in Carol’s, the main meal at Cherese’s and dessert at Kitty’s.

It was a little nerve-wracking as I ended up saying the blessing before we ate. Last year Minika did it and maybe because it was in her old apartment but I just felt like I wanted to say something. I find it funny that they let the British girl say grace for the American holiday but nobody seemed to mind.

This year I am thankful for my family and friends, my health and the fact that we all have a job given the way the economy is starting to go. I think everyone agreed with the last one and then the feast began!

Less than a month left.....

I’m at elementary school again for a few days and I today I had a new question. This almost never happens as the kids usually ask about the kind of food, colours and animals you like.

Today I was asked; “What dinosaur do you like?” I said the one with the long neck and drew it on the board as I obviously didn’t know the Japanese name.

The one good thing about elementary is that I usually finish about 3 hours earlier than I do at high school. As I was near Suizenji Park I decided to go and start my Christmas shopping.

It’s definitely harder keeping up with cards and presents when you have to allow for postage time. Oh well only 28 days left until Christmas Day! It’s all shopping and card writing from today!

Suprise!

This week my students have tests so I’m having a quiet week. Last week it was Hanakawa sensei’s birthday and her class wanted to give her a surprise celebration. Because I had the time I told them I would arrange it. I spent this morning decorating the international room and laying out a few snacks. The Chinese teacher, Taketomi sensei bought cakes and, after their last test of the day the students came up and waited.

She was in total shock. Apparently the girl who went to fetch her told her there was an emergency and she had to come quick. We ate the snacks, drank and even had time for a quick pass the parcel game! I think she enjoyed it.

What goes around.....

Japan is often known as a country which dislikes foreigners. It is true that compared to other developed countries there aren’t that many here, and, true it is very difficult to become a Japanese citizen. Luckily, apart from people who sometimes move if I sit next to them on the tram, I have had no real negative experiences.

Tonight Carol, dawn and I decided to head to Sligos in the nearby city of Uto. We had to catch the train but weren’t sure which one it was.

As a train pulled in to the station I asked a young Japanese man (in Japanese) if this was the train to Uto. He barely looked at me before saying he didn’t understand. I asked again and he told me plainly that he didn’t understand my Japanese. I’m not the best student but I know how to ask basic questions. I was polite, said thanks and walked away.

An older man who overheard kindly told me that this wasn’t the train and that I had to wait for the next one. That was kind of him so I smiled and said thank you. The three of us were just discussing what had happened when the older man came up to me again. He explained that the next train would be going in the opposite direction and so I actually had to catch the one after that, How sweet! He had gone to the trouble of making sure we knew exactly which train to catch.

As I sat on the train I wondered if the young man had simply not known and whether I was wrong to be initially angry at his response. These feelings were soon dashed as I saw him sitting on our train and twenty minutes later he got off at Uto. What an ass!

New Trailer!

The trailer for the new Harry Potter movie is out. I cannot contain my excitement but I am not happy with Warner Bros for making us wait until next summer to see it. Boo to big, greedy companies!

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ8dXUtxY4A

Family Reunion

I haven’t seen the Okada family for so long! I used to teach with Mr. Okada at Jyosei junior high school and I went his wife and three children when I visited their house a few times. Mr. Okada now works with Lauren and they were Kitty’s host family when she first arrived. Today the three of us paid them a visit to have a BBQ and catch up.

Kitty and the kids. Kaho (the youngest in the middle) can still eat like a horse and throw a temper tantrum like no other. Still, she is the cutest!

Class of '08

Congratulations Aska-chan!Tonight we went to dinner to celebrate Aska’s graduation from her high school in America. I don’t think I could get a diploma in my second language! I’m sure she will go on to bigger and better things – yay!

Keigo Kraziness!

Revising for JLPT is getting stressful. As I’m taking Level 3 this year I have to start learning keigo. This is basically polite Japanese. Just like English, the language you use depends on who you are talking to but, unlike English, the words are completely different!


To go: 行く (iku) (keigo) = いらっしゃる (irassharu)
To come: 来る kuru) (keigo) = おいでになる (oide ni naru)
To be: だ (da) / である (dearu) (keigo) = でいらっしゃる (deirassharu)
To eat: 食べる (taberu) (keigo) =召し上がる (meshiagaru)
To look: 見る (miru) (keigo) =ご覧になる (goran ni naru)
To know: 知る (shiru) (keigo) =ご存知である (gozonji dearu)
To say: 言う (iu) (keigo) = おっしゃる (ossharu)


Get it?? No, me neither! There isn’t even a pattern to follow!

One of the gang!

This afternoon the whole school went downtown to watch a play. It was, of course, in Japanese and I had absolutely no idea what was going on.

I know it was set in a tobacco shop and at one point a pregnant lady was smoking on stage! Anyway about half an hour in I fell asleep!

I was in the back with most of the teachers so the kids couldn’t see. I was horrified until I looked around and saw the other teachers were sleeping too. Now I feel like I really fit in!

Haiku Poems

My Year 12 students have been writing autumn haiku poems this week. Here are some of my favourites.

Carpets made of leaves
Nuts are relaxing there
Under the big tree

Empty bottle trees
The snow makes the town field white
Wind blows through my hands

Cold wintry wind
Cloud going to golden skies
Higher and higher

Autumn is over

Yearning for a kotatsu

Winter approaches

(A kotatsu is a table most Japanese people use during the cold months. It has a heater built underneath and then you put a big blanket over it. You can them sit under the table with the blanket and keep nice and warm!)

History in the making....

Some people live to see world wars, some watched man walk on the moon; I got to watch America elect its first African-American president. What a difference 40 years can make!
When Barack Obama was born, the thought of a black president would have been unbelievable; now it’s real!

I understand the American voting system but it is pretty ridiculous. When I looked at the electoral votes it seemed Obama won by a mile. He had 365 while McCain only had 173. However when you look at the actually number of people who voted for each candidate; it was a lot closer. America is too big for its own good :)

The election has caused a stir in Japan. The town of Obama has been holding election parties and teachers all over the country are teaching their children to say “Yes we can!”

Can he make a difference? It would take a lot to be worse than Bush! Good Luck Obama!

31-legged race?!?

I remember the 3-legged races at school. I was generally very scared to do them as I feared I would fall and hurt myself and I remember someone broke their arm the last time we had the race at school. Imagine my surprise then when I heard they had 31-legged races over here!

30 kids, 31 legs and they are good! It was terrifying watching the races because the kids were holding onto each other so if they fell (and some did), they would land on their faces! One team is chosen from each area and then in December there is an all-Japan final in Tokyo.

Here I am doing my best sports commentator impression, except I say “OH MY GOD” about twenty times.

And here's the result!

Halloween Party (3)

Tonight we had a joint Halloween party between my Japanese school and an English school in the city. When it comes to Halloween I’ve never been the most creative when it comes to putting a costume together. This year I decided I was going to make an effort!

A few months ago Lauren gave me a very cool Gryffindor jacket and, being the crazy fan that I am, I decided to dress up as Harry Potter! I had the jacket, glasses, face pen for the scar and even crazy star socks. All I needed was a black wig which turned out to be the most troublesome part. I couldn’t find a good one for less than 25 quid and I wasn’t going to pay that. I ended up paying a fiver for a bright blue wig, swapped my trousers for a skirt and hey presto.....

Harriet Potter! It was good enough to come second in the costume contest. (I lost out to a Japanese girl in a Cinderella costume – boo)