so since next week is halloween, my english teachers want me to have a special halloween themed class. they asked me to dress up in a costume (i found a witches hat in my apt), play some games with them, and tell them the 'story' of halloween. that is all easy enough. but then someone threw out the idea of a jack o lantern. i would love to make one for the kids i said, but have no idea where to find an orange pumpkin. (the pumpkins that they have here are small and green). but i would try to look for one.
i was then told that they have had them at school before. "about three years ago we had one!" and then they broke out a ton of pictures of them.
news spread like a wild fire among all of the teachers that i was looking for an orange pumpkin. the principle came up and told me good luck on several occasions that day (tuesday). then a few teachers tried to do research online, thinking maybe we could order one online. no luck. i soon realized that i was probably on a useless hunt for an orange pumpkin. but i wasn't giving up!
i got a list of all of the farmers market type places in my area and even an agricultural school that has a little stand. checked out these over the past few days. but still no luck. and when i would ask the shop owners where i might be able to find one, i was looked at like i was a crazy person with three heads.
so last night i conceded and bought a small plastic pumpkin i had seen a few days prior. :(
but then this morning i walk into school, and sitting on my desk was an orange pupkin! not too large, ad not exactly the same as what we have in america, but it will work! yay!
but in true japanese fashion, no one took credit for finding this pumpkin, but they all just sat there at their desks quietly as i celebrated having an orange pumpkin to make a jack-o-lantern with. eventually i found out that the home economics teacher had brought it in. her neighbor evidently grew it! so sunday will be my pumpin carving adventure. should be interesting!
following this pumpkin ordeal before classes had even started i went off to my first class where i taught a class how to say "you mustn't fart during meals". they had to come up with things about japanese culture that you must or must not do. this is what they came up with, even though the books example was you mustn't wear your shoes in the house. oh middle schoolers. but what made this even funnier was that they had first used a dictionary and written "you mustn't poo during dinner"! i was slightly confused at first and then figured out what they were actually trying to say. but then that led to a questions about why "winnie the pooh" has that name. oh middle school!
and then my next class i had to attempt to explain 'scatterbrained' because some student had seen it in some book. talk about difficult, because not even the other english teacher understood that concept, so she was no help.
and for the rest of the day i heard kids through out the school talking about farting, pooing and being scatterbrained. haha, it was quite amuzing, and even more amuzing because i am the only one that really understands what these kids are saying, if the other teachers knew they would all be scolded. the joys of being a middle school teacher in japan!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
temple, temple, GIANT BUDDHA
*this is a little late, but I have been trying to post it all week, but blooger has not been cooperating.
This past weekend was a very busy but enjoyable weekend. Left my apartment at 4;30 Friday afternoon and didn’t get back until 10:30 Sunday night, just enough time to get my things ready for class in the morning.
Friday night I made my way up to Hitachi-ota where Emma lives. Spent the night at her place, as we were heading out early in the morning on a JET excursion to Kamakura, it is the old capital of Japan, so there is a lot of history to the town. We met other JETs in Mito at 6am.
It took us a few hours to get to Kamakura by bus. Once we got there, there were so many things to see. The city has lots of temples and a giant Buddha. Could have easily spent more than one day there, but one day was sufficient enough to see most everything.
there was a traditional japanese wedding ceremony going on, the bride is wearing the crazy white hat
This was a very interesting temple, it was in a cave that was only about 4 ft high and had lots of tunnels that went through the cave with different little offering locations. it was built for the only female deity in Japan. all of the little statues were left by mothers who have had children that have passed away. There were thousands all about.
and this guy ust makes me happy
Got back to Mito about 10:30 but then went to drive home and my friends car battery was dead. Resulted in having to call her supervisor and lots of interesting drama trying to find jumper cables.
Sunday morning Emma and I walked around her town a bit, as it was a beautiful day. The weather has been lovely recently, really feels like fall (I love it!). Headed into Mito and met a few friends for lunch at an Indian restaurant. Emma and I then went to a mall, she needed something to wear to a wedding that she has to attend next weekend. Had a lovely time just doing some mindless shopping, and trying to understand some of the Japanese fashion. All the rage seems to be wearing socks up past your knees and then high boots to right under the knee with short shorts. I’m going to have to get some picture of this because typically fashion here will eventually make it to the US (but I hope this fashion movement doesn’t!).
Headed home on the train Sunday evening, but then received a message that a few people in my area were going to the matsuri (festival) in the town next to mine. So decided to meet up with them. There were 4 of us JETs there, and all of the kids that were there were one of our kids or had been one of the others kids before. Yet that didn’t stop them from trying to give us beer and other such things. (these were mostly the high school students, not my middle school kids)
*sidenote, I’m currently sitting in the teachers room writing this and my principal and vice principal are sitting at their desks playing with a breathalyzer that one of them just bought or were given! Its pretty hilarious. Like I have said before, the principals of schools here really do nothing!!
This past weekend was a very busy but enjoyable weekend. Left my apartment at 4;30 Friday afternoon and didn’t get back until 10:30 Sunday night, just enough time to get my things ready for class in the morning.
Friday night I made my way up to Hitachi-ota where Emma lives. Spent the night at her place, as we were heading out early in the morning on a JET excursion to Kamakura, it is the old capital of Japan, so there is a lot of history to the town. We met other JETs in Mito at 6am.
It took us a few hours to get to Kamakura by bus. Once we got there, there were so many things to see. The city has lots of temples and a giant Buddha. Could have easily spent more than one day there, but one day was sufficient enough to see most everything.
there was a traditional japanese wedding ceremony going on, the bride is wearing the crazy white hat
This was a very interesting temple, it was in a cave that was only about 4 ft high and had lots of tunnels that went through the cave with different little offering locations. it was built for the only female deity in Japan. all of the little statues were left by mothers who have had children that have passed away. There were thousands all about.
and this guy ust makes me happy
Got back to Mito about 10:30 but then went to drive home and my friends car battery was dead. Resulted in having to call her supervisor and lots of interesting drama trying to find jumper cables.
Sunday morning Emma and I walked around her town a bit, as it was a beautiful day. The weather has been lovely recently, really feels like fall (I love it!). Headed into Mito and met a few friends for lunch at an Indian restaurant. Emma and I then went to a mall, she needed something to wear to a wedding that she has to attend next weekend. Had a lovely time just doing some mindless shopping, and trying to understand some of the Japanese fashion. All the rage seems to be wearing socks up past your knees and then high boots to right under the knee with short shorts. I’m going to have to get some picture of this because typically fashion here will eventually make it to the US (but I hope this fashion movement doesn’t!).
Headed home on the train Sunday evening, but then received a message that a few people in my area were going to the matsuri (festival) in the town next to mine. So decided to meet up with them. There were 4 of us JETs there, and all of the kids that were there were one of our kids or had been one of the others kids before. Yet that didn’t stop them from trying to give us beer and other such things. (these were mostly the high school students, not my middle school kids)
*sidenote, I’m currently sitting in the teachers room writing this and my principal and vice principal are sitting at their desks playing with a breathalyzer that one of them just bought or were given! Its pretty hilarious. Like I have said before, the principals of schools here really do nothing!!
Thursday, October 18, 2007
mom and dads visit
This past weekend, my parents were in town. It was really nice to have them here and have the opportunity to show them around my area after trying to explain things to them for the past 2 months. I think they better understand the life that I live here. And of course it was nice to get all of the goodys they brought for me. Like peanut butter, stickers for my kids, a flat sheet for my bed, Halloween candy for my kids, stain stick, and wool socks.
They arrived Friday afternoon from Guam. I picked them up from the airport and brought them to my apartment. I was excited for my dad to see the changes I had made since last time he was here in August (it feels like a totally different place!). And of course as is Japanese tradition, I had to serve them tea! Then we headed to the hotel that I had booked for them. Trying to find them a hotel that was ok here in Itako was quite a challenge, or more trying to book the hotel was a challenge. They ended up at a semi-traditional Japanese hotel. But luckily they had western style beds, and not only futons on the floor. That evening we had dinner with Tamae at a Japanese restaurant.
While at dinner, I received a phone call from someone who works at the Board of Education (there had been a board of education party that evening I had not gone to, and this phone call came at the end of the party). Ishitsu called to invite my parents an I to go with him to the Sawara festival on Saturday. As is my motto here, don’t ask questions, go with the flow, and you will have a great time (or at least a great story), we told him we would love to join him.
The following morning, we met up with Ishitsu who drove us to Sawara, a town about 15 minutes from Itako. The town of Sawara, has been preserved, and the central area looks like a town from ancient Japan. It was in this area that the festival was going on. There were large floats being pulled and pushed by people. These structures are incredibly heavy, and you could see the pain on the faces of those responsible for moving them. There were also small children that were pulling the ropes at the very front, mostly just for show, they were adorable.
Sunday, I showed my parents around Itako more. Taking them to the infamous road side station, or rest stop that my dad thinks is the most hilarious thing. Showed them a few stores, including the 100¥ store (dollar store), where my mom went a little crazy buying pill cases (I believe they think she has a drug problem) We took a boat ride around the rivers in Itako and viewed the famous 12 bridges (but I’m not quite sure why this is so famous). This boat was operated by an old woman, dressed in a traditional rice pickers outfit, and she was convinced that I was fluent in Japanese and talked at a very rapid speed to me.
Then we headed to Narita where I spent the night with my parents, because they were leaving Monday. It was a lovely weekend.
They arrived Friday afternoon from Guam. I picked them up from the airport and brought them to my apartment. I was excited for my dad to see the changes I had made since last time he was here in August (it feels like a totally different place!). And of course as is Japanese tradition, I had to serve them tea! Then we headed to the hotel that I had booked for them. Trying to find them a hotel that was ok here in Itako was quite a challenge, or more trying to book the hotel was a challenge. They ended up at a semi-traditional Japanese hotel. But luckily they had western style beds, and not only futons on the floor. That evening we had dinner with Tamae at a Japanese restaurant.
While at dinner, I received a phone call from someone who works at the Board of Education (there had been a board of education party that evening I had not gone to, and this phone call came at the end of the party). Ishitsu called to invite my parents an I to go with him to the Sawara festival on Saturday. As is my motto here, don’t ask questions, go with the flow, and you will have a great time (or at least a great story), we told him we would love to join him.
The following morning, we met up with Ishitsu who drove us to Sawara, a town about 15 minutes from Itako. The town of Sawara, has been preserved, and the central area looks like a town from ancient Japan. It was in this area that the festival was going on. There were large floats being pulled and pushed by people. These structures are incredibly heavy, and you could see the pain on the faces of those responsible for moving them. There were also small children that were pulling the ropes at the very front, mostly just for show, they were adorable.
Sunday, I showed my parents around Itako more. Taking them to the infamous road side station, or rest stop that my dad thinks is the most hilarious thing. Showed them a few stores, including the 100¥ store (dollar store), where my mom went a little crazy buying pill cases (I believe they think she has a drug problem) We took a boat ride around the rivers in Itako and viewed the famous 12 bridges (but I’m not quite sure why this is so famous). This boat was operated by an old woman, dressed in a traditional rice pickers outfit, and she was convinced that I was fluent in Japanese and talked at a very rapid speed to me.
Then we headed to Narita where I spent the night with my parents, because they were leaving Monday. It was a lovely weekend.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
なぜ (naze)? why?
I hear this way too much
Going into my second month of teaching English now, and I find myself struggling to understand things about the English language, or at least how to explain certain things. How do you explain things that come so naturally to a native English speaker to someone who has only been studying English for a few months. Especially when Japanese and English have virtually nothing in common (I suppose this is why I struggle as much, or more, with Japanese as my students do with English).
Why is it that…
I play soccer. But He plays soccer.
I study Japanese. But She studies Japanese.
*Why does the y in study become ies but with play you just add an s?
Does Tatsuya like cats? Yes, Tatsya likes cats.
*Why does the like gain an s?
*What is the difference between ‘must’ and ‘have to’?
*Why do contractions exist? Is it so hard to say I cannot? Not, I can’t?
I know that these are all things that myself as a native English speaker just understand, and know. How do you explain why to a student when they ask these questions? I have been left baffled by students’ questions on more than one occasion.
Now unrelated, I just had 2 great experiences in the teacher’s room, which seem quite arbitrary and meaningless but were breakthroughs to me.
First, I am trying to prepare a few things to do when my parents come to town this weekend, so I decided that I should ask my teachers. At the time there were only 4 female teachers in the room, and they all started trying to think of good places to visit and go to eat. I told them that I wanted to find a place that has a traditional meal, but I didn’t know the name. So I showed them a picture, and then they gave me a whole lesson in the different types of set meals. It was great. They then rattled off a ton of restaurants. About 10 minutes after the conversation had ended 2 of the teachers came up to me and handed me maps on how to get to 2 places, all of the menu information, and all of the Kanji characters written out so I can understand them. And my fellow English teacher told me that she would call and make any reservations for me (attempting to make phone calls in Japanese terrifies me!) I love the office ladies here. They take very good care of me ☺
Second, I had walked away from my desk and walked back to two teachers standing around talking about my computer. They were commenting on how ‘cute’ it was (Macs are not too common over here, they have enough really good computer companies over here). Eventually all of the teachers that were in the teachers room, about 6 of us were gathered around my desk, talking about my computer. This may seem quite arbitrary but, none of them speak any English, so it was a great dialogue of miming and gesturing, plus my attempts at Japanese. Eventually we got off of the topic of computers and started talking about me studying Japanese. I told them that everyday at lunch (I eat with the teachers at this school) I learn new words and then write them down to remember them. I learn interesting words this way. Like: to shoot (a gun), bland (taste), bitter/strong (taste), traffic jam, what to call a naughty student…Following this 15 minute dialogue I have had a few teachers come over and ask me how to say certain things in English, they want to learn a few words everyday like I am trying to do with Japanese they said. So I really feel that in the last 2 hours I have finally been accepted into the teachers world at this school. This took much less time than at the other school.
Oh also today was school pictures. Do you think I was told ahead of time? Haha, yea right. I was told to go to a meeting in some room. Walked in and there was a photographer who told me to sit down and smile! That’s going to be a lovely picture.
Going into my second month of teaching English now, and I find myself struggling to understand things about the English language, or at least how to explain certain things. How do you explain things that come so naturally to a native English speaker to someone who has only been studying English for a few months. Especially when Japanese and English have virtually nothing in common (I suppose this is why I struggle as much, or more, with Japanese as my students do with English).
Why is it that…
I play soccer. But He plays soccer.
I study Japanese. But She studies Japanese.
*Why does the y in study become ies but with play you just add an s?
Does Tatsuya like cats? Yes, Tatsya likes cats.
*Why does the like gain an s?
*What is the difference between ‘must’ and ‘have to’?
*Why do contractions exist? Is it so hard to say I cannot? Not, I can’t?
I know that these are all things that myself as a native English speaker just understand, and know. How do you explain why to a student when they ask these questions? I have been left baffled by students’ questions on more than one occasion.
Now unrelated, I just had 2 great experiences in the teacher’s room, which seem quite arbitrary and meaningless but were breakthroughs to me.
First, I am trying to prepare a few things to do when my parents come to town this weekend, so I decided that I should ask my teachers. At the time there were only 4 female teachers in the room, and they all started trying to think of good places to visit and go to eat. I told them that I wanted to find a place that has a traditional meal, but I didn’t know the name. So I showed them a picture, and then they gave me a whole lesson in the different types of set meals. It was great. They then rattled off a ton of restaurants. About 10 minutes after the conversation had ended 2 of the teachers came up to me and handed me maps on how to get to 2 places, all of the menu information, and all of the Kanji characters written out so I can understand them. And my fellow English teacher told me that she would call and make any reservations for me (attempting to make phone calls in Japanese terrifies me!) I love the office ladies here. They take very good care of me ☺
Second, I had walked away from my desk and walked back to two teachers standing around talking about my computer. They were commenting on how ‘cute’ it was (Macs are not too common over here, they have enough really good computer companies over here). Eventually all of the teachers that were in the teachers room, about 6 of us were gathered around my desk, talking about my computer. This may seem quite arbitrary but, none of them speak any English, so it was a great dialogue of miming and gesturing, plus my attempts at Japanese. Eventually we got off of the topic of computers and started talking about me studying Japanese. I told them that everyday at lunch (I eat with the teachers at this school) I learn new words and then write them down to remember them. I learn interesting words this way. Like: to shoot (a gun), bland (taste), bitter/strong (taste), traffic jam, what to call a naughty student…Following this 15 minute dialogue I have had a few teachers come over and ask me how to say certain things in English, they want to learn a few words everyday like I am trying to do with Japanese they said. So I really feel that in the last 2 hours I have finally been accepted into the teachers world at this school. This took much less time than at the other school.
Oh also today was school pictures. Do you think I was told ahead of time? Haha, yea right. I was told to go to a meeting in some room. Walked in and there was a photographer who told me to sit down and smile! That’s going to be a lovely picture.
Monday, October 8, 2007
weekend...
so this weekend was pretty low key, but a needed breather.
saturday i headed to a nearby town to watch a fireworks competition. most of the fireworks in the world are produced in japan, and this competition was a showcase of all the different companies. representatives from all around the world come to view them, as do people from all over japan. the competition was a little under 3 hours of fireworks! and amazing fireworks. there were also street/festival food vendors out. it was a lot of fun.
here are a few pictures of the fireworks, but its hard to capture how pretty they really were.
i headed over with sherley a jet that lives pretty close to me. but we ran into other people there.
sunday i spent running errands, but i also took a walk around itako and found that it is now cosmos flower blooming season. there are many fields full of beautiful flowers and people out and about picking them.
a few picture of the sunset on the wanagawa river in itako. the weather is beautiful these days. it makes it so much nicer to enjoy itako when its not so hot and humid out!
sunday night i also decided to make miso soup. which is really easy and delicious. i think that now that it is cooler i will be making it a lot more often. so dinner was rice with furekake (seaweed mix that goes on top of rice) and miso soup. yum!
i also made applesauce in my rice cooker. it is really easy and delicious! just chop up about 4 apples, throw them in the rice cooker with about 1/3 cup of liquid (water and apple juice mix), a spoonful of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. cook for one cycle. then just mash it up. it was delicious warm and also good this afternoon as a snack, cold.
saturday i headed to a nearby town to watch a fireworks competition. most of the fireworks in the world are produced in japan, and this competition was a showcase of all the different companies. representatives from all around the world come to view them, as do people from all over japan. the competition was a little under 3 hours of fireworks! and amazing fireworks. there were also street/festival food vendors out. it was a lot of fun.
here are a few pictures of the fireworks, but its hard to capture how pretty they really were.
i headed over with sherley a jet that lives pretty close to me. but we ran into other people there.
sunday i spent running errands, but i also took a walk around itako and found that it is now cosmos flower blooming season. there are many fields full of beautiful flowers and people out and about picking them.
a few picture of the sunset on the wanagawa river in itako. the weather is beautiful these days. it makes it so much nicer to enjoy itako when its not so hot and humid out!
sunday night i also decided to make miso soup. which is really easy and delicious. i think that now that it is cooler i will be making it a lot more often. so dinner was rice with furekake (seaweed mix that goes on top of rice) and miso soup. yum!
i also made applesauce in my rice cooker. it is really easy and delicious! just chop up about 4 apples, throw them in the rice cooker with about 1/3 cup of liquid (water and apple juice mix), a spoonful of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. cook for one cycle. then just mash it up. it was delicious warm and also good this afternoon as a snack, cold.
new school
so this past week i started teaching at the second of my two schools. i will be at this school, itako 2nd, for october and then i head back to the first school, hinode, in november.
the week was pretty hectic, trying to learn the ways of the new school. but all in all i think that i like the new school alot. it seems to be a little more laid back than hinode was. the first day however was a little strange. this school is located further away from my house. the board of education has a taxi service that picks me up and takes me to and from school the months when i am at itako 2nd. they insist that i take the taxi even though i have my own car, its in my contract! im not sure how much i actually like this taxi business. it is very strange to get driven to and from school, it makes me stand out at school more than i already do! but the taxi drivers are all very friendly and very talkative, so the drive offers a perfect time to practice my japanese. so the first day after getting dropped off at school, i walk into an empty teachers room, but then a teacher comes in and ushers me to the gym. there was a assembly going on. as soon as i entered, the principal walked over and told me that i was to give a self introduction now! i had literally been on school grounds for 3 minutes, and met no one! i was introduced and then i walked up to stage and did my self introduction.
after that i was given a schedule and went off to 3 classes the fist day where i did mostly self introductions. students at this school were much more enthusiastic about asking me questions at the end of my power point. and i even had questions asking about my opinion of 9/11, if america had a gun problem, and if i owned a gun! i never would have gotten these questions from my other school. one of the other days when i was giving my self introduction, after i showed them the picture of my family, 2 boys became enthralled with my sister! they asked sooo many questions, along these lines...
how old is she?"
20.
"thats not too old for me i`m 14, don`t worry"
"she must be married! she is too beautiful"
"where is she"
shes in college
"good. i want to go to college soon"
"is she tall, i am tall so you don't need worry"
and my personal favorite:
"will you please bring her to school and show her to me for a present"
the two teachers i work with are both great too. they both are always looking for new ideas, and not huge fans of the text books we have to use! one of the teachers in particular and i seem to have a good dynamic in the classroom. this is her first year teaching, she is only 23 and lived in canada for a year, so she thinks outside of the traditional japanese teaching methods.
if this first week is any indicator, this month should be very interesting!
the week was pretty hectic, trying to learn the ways of the new school. but all in all i think that i like the new school alot. it seems to be a little more laid back than hinode was. the first day however was a little strange. this school is located further away from my house. the board of education has a taxi service that picks me up and takes me to and from school the months when i am at itako 2nd. they insist that i take the taxi even though i have my own car, its in my contract! im not sure how much i actually like this taxi business. it is very strange to get driven to and from school, it makes me stand out at school more than i already do! but the taxi drivers are all very friendly and very talkative, so the drive offers a perfect time to practice my japanese. so the first day after getting dropped off at school, i walk into an empty teachers room, but then a teacher comes in and ushers me to the gym. there was a assembly going on. as soon as i entered, the principal walked over and told me that i was to give a self introduction now! i had literally been on school grounds for 3 minutes, and met no one! i was introduced and then i walked up to stage and did my self introduction.
after that i was given a schedule and went off to 3 classes the fist day where i did mostly self introductions. students at this school were much more enthusiastic about asking me questions at the end of my power point. and i even had questions asking about my opinion of 9/11, if america had a gun problem, and if i owned a gun! i never would have gotten these questions from my other school. one of the other days when i was giving my self introduction, after i showed them the picture of my family, 2 boys became enthralled with my sister! they asked sooo many questions, along these lines...
how old is she?"
20.
"thats not too old for me i`m 14, don`t worry"
"she must be married! she is too beautiful"
"where is she"
shes in college
"good. i want to go to college soon"
"is she tall, i am tall so you don't need worry"
and my personal favorite:
"will you please bring her to school and show her to me for a present"
the two teachers i work with are both great too. they both are always looking for new ideas, and not huge fans of the text books we have to use! one of the teachers in particular and i seem to have a good dynamic in the classroom. this is her first year teaching, she is only 23 and lived in canada for a year, so she thinks outside of the traditional japanese teaching methods.
if this first week is any indicator, this month should be very interesting!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
my new japanese family (updated with pics!)
It feels like things have been pretty non stop for the past few week, but I finally have an opportunity to write about last weekend. since i'm at work pictures i can't put pictures in, i'll add those soon.
Saturday I did a home stay with a Japanese family. I had communicated with Reiko (the host ‘mother’) a few times over email the past few weeks and we planned to meet at Mito train station at noon (Mito is a city about 30 miles from Itako). We met there and then headed to lunch, where I met her daughter, Junko, and son-in-law, Ryutaro.
A little about the family… Reiko and her husband (who was out of town on business) have 3 daughters, who are all grown and married. The oldest daughter actually lives in Hong Kong, the other 2 both live in Tokyo, but the youngest daughter came home to spend the weekend with me. Reiko owns a music school and her husband is an auditor (? or something of the sort, it was never completely confirmed). Reiko has a very strong interest in English, so she spoke English fairly well. Her daughter and son in law spoke a bit.
Reiko, me, Junko, and Ryutaro
For lunch we had a fabulous traditional Japanese set meal.
After lunch we drove around Mito and they pointed out all of the ‘interesting’ things to do in Mito. But unfortunately it was very rainy so we were unable to enjoy the beautiful parks that the city has to offer. She had also heard me mention eventually wanting to find a kimono to buy, so she took me to a kimono store where I was able to see the different styles, and just educate myself a little more about kimonos. They are all so gorgeous!
We then went to their home, which was quite large and quite new. It had a gorgeous garden in which she grew many different vegetables (which were all used in the dinner that she made later). It was an interesting house because it was still very Japanese but done in a much more modern way.
After getting to the house of course we had to have tea! Over tea we looked through Junko and Ryotaro’s wedding photos as they just got married in July in Hawaii. We then went to an amusement park where there were batting cages, and such activities. The rest of the evening we spent at home, talking, watching a bit of Japanese tv dramas, and eating dinner. Then I headed to bed, I slept in a traditional tatami style room on a futon.
The next morning we headed to the 2nd largest park in the world (after central park) that is located in Mito. It was still raining but we ventured through the park anyway, and made it to an old shogun house, that we were able to walk though.
view from the top, it was gorgeous, will defiantly be going back in better weather!
we braved the downpour...
shogun house
shogun house
shogun garden
Then we headed to an old samurai school, which we were able to walk through, it was really interesting. And because of the rain, there were very few people out at these two places, it made them incredibly peaceful.
They then parted ways as they dropped me at the train station. I had a wonderful time with the family, and am sure that I will stay in touch with them. I have already received an email from the daughter Junko, because she wants to send me emails to practice her English, and I will send her ones back in Japanese to practice my Japanese. She also lives in Tokyo so I will be able to meet up with her and her husband there. Reiko, wants me to meet the rest of her family, especially her grandchildren who are 2,3 and 4. So hopefully I will make it back up there to meet them. It would be great to play with the kids!
Got home Sunday evening Tamae invited me out to dinner with a few other assistant language teachers that are not part of JET that she knew. It was nice to get to meet a few more people in my general area.
Monday, I didn’t have school so I used the day to get things done. Went to quite a few hotels looking for places for my parents to stay when they come in 2 weeks. This made me feel pretty incompetent in Japanese! But I persevered through and found them a ryoken, a traditional Japanese style hotel. I was also supposed to get rid of the mounds of junk from my apartment with my supervisor but instead; he just came and took everything for me! My apartment is feeling so much better without the mounds of junk ☺.
Saturday I did a home stay with a Japanese family. I had communicated with Reiko (the host ‘mother’) a few times over email the past few weeks and we planned to meet at Mito train station at noon (Mito is a city about 30 miles from Itako). We met there and then headed to lunch, where I met her daughter, Junko, and son-in-law, Ryutaro.
A little about the family… Reiko and her husband (who was out of town on business) have 3 daughters, who are all grown and married. The oldest daughter actually lives in Hong Kong, the other 2 both live in Tokyo, but the youngest daughter came home to spend the weekend with me. Reiko owns a music school and her husband is an auditor (? or something of the sort, it was never completely confirmed). Reiko has a very strong interest in English, so she spoke English fairly well. Her daughter and son in law spoke a bit.
Reiko, me, Junko, and Ryutaro
For lunch we had a fabulous traditional Japanese set meal.
After lunch we drove around Mito and they pointed out all of the ‘interesting’ things to do in Mito. But unfortunately it was very rainy so we were unable to enjoy the beautiful parks that the city has to offer. She had also heard me mention eventually wanting to find a kimono to buy, so she took me to a kimono store where I was able to see the different styles, and just educate myself a little more about kimonos. They are all so gorgeous!
We then went to their home, which was quite large and quite new. It had a gorgeous garden in which she grew many different vegetables (which were all used in the dinner that she made later). It was an interesting house because it was still very Japanese but done in a much more modern way.
After getting to the house of course we had to have tea! Over tea we looked through Junko and Ryotaro’s wedding photos as they just got married in July in Hawaii. We then went to an amusement park where there were batting cages, and such activities. The rest of the evening we spent at home, talking, watching a bit of Japanese tv dramas, and eating dinner. Then I headed to bed, I slept in a traditional tatami style room on a futon.
The next morning we headed to the 2nd largest park in the world (after central park) that is located in Mito. It was still raining but we ventured through the park anyway, and made it to an old shogun house, that we were able to walk though.
view from the top, it was gorgeous, will defiantly be going back in better weather!
we braved the downpour...
shogun house
shogun house
shogun garden
Then we headed to an old samurai school, which we were able to walk through, it was really interesting. And because of the rain, there were very few people out at these two places, it made them incredibly peaceful.
They then parted ways as they dropped me at the train station. I had a wonderful time with the family, and am sure that I will stay in touch with them. I have already received an email from the daughter Junko, because she wants to send me emails to practice her English, and I will send her ones back in Japanese to practice my Japanese. She also lives in Tokyo so I will be able to meet up with her and her husband there. Reiko, wants me to meet the rest of her family, especially her grandchildren who are 2,3 and 4. So hopefully I will make it back up there to meet them. It would be great to play with the kids!
Got home Sunday evening Tamae invited me out to dinner with a few other assistant language teachers that are not part of JET that she knew. It was nice to get to meet a few more people in my general area.
Monday, I didn’t have school so I used the day to get things done. Went to quite a few hotels looking for places for my parents to stay when they come in 2 weeks. This made me feel pretty incompetent in Japanese! But I persevered through and found them a ryoken, a traditional Japanese style hotel. I was also supposed to get rid of the mounds of junk from my apartment with my supervisor but instead; he just came and took everything for me! My apartment is feeling so much better without the mounds of junk ☺.
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