Aizu Homestay!

 

I had an amazing time at my homestay in Aizu.  I mentioned it a bit in my last entry.  Saturday after class my host father (Ikuo) picked me up and drove me back to his place. I watched some game show on the car tv for a bit but I had to stop watching because I was getting dizzy. lol

When we got home Hiroyasu (Ikuo’s sun) had started the BBQ.  The first thing I saw when we pulled up to the house was Natsuki (the 5 year old boy) crouching down on the ground with the water hose.  He looked up at us and he was covered in mud! All over his face and in his hair and on his clothes.  He was in the process of washing his face off with the hose, but he was holding the hose only about an inch from his face!  What a cute kid! He wanted to show me his beetle.  I don’t know what type it was but I want to call it a hammer head. It was big lol.  For the BBQ we had grilled squid eaten right off the stick, rainbow trout (the whole fish and you eat it right off the stick it was grilled on), beef, chicken, steak? and grilled vegetables (green peppers, onions, squash).  There was also yaki soba cooked on the BBQ.  There was too much food.  lol  I ate way too much and they kept giving me more food! Then when I had already said I was full about 3 times, they brought out melon and pocky and tried to get me to eat more! lol 

Ikuo’s other son (Masahide) and his family came after we had started eating and they joined in the fun.  Masahide has 2 kids (Yuuya, Gr.1; and Mizuki who isn’t in school yet).Yuuya took to me pretty quickly and we had fun with fireworks after dinner.  Natsuki and his sister Shiore sang 2 English songs for us.  “How is the weather” and the alphabet song (adjusted slightly for the easier pronunciation of lmnop).   Lots of pictures were taken that I will post on facebook once I get the internet…Sunday? maybe?

for my flist, if you want to add me on facebook to see all the pretty pictures my facebook page is

www.facebook.com/frellnik

let me know who you are on lj and I’ll add you on facebook.

I said goodbye to Natsuki and Shiore Saturday night because I wouldn’t get to see them on Sunday before I went back to Iwaki.

On Sunday I slept in until  7:30.  There was just the three of us for breakfast that morning (me, Ikuo and  Keiko).  We had eggs ( I had mine on toast), rice, soup, cucumber, broccoli, tomato, lettuce, and fish. I made a mess with my fish and Ikuo and Keiko laughed at me. They assured me it was fine and encouraged me to keep trying. lol  Eating fish with chopsticks has always been a challenge for me…and I’m not getting any better at it. lol

We looked at pictures I’d brought with me…Eric dressed as the pirate jelly fish at Jon’s party was a big hit! So was the “giant” moose of Canada LOL.  And everyone is amazed by how much I look like my mom when she was younger. lol   Ikuo and Keiko got a kick out of the fact that they are both younger than my older siblings! lol I got a kick out of their reactions!

OH! I forgot to mention.  After the singing at the BBQ Shiore grabbed all the kids (except for Ryo who was asleep in his stroller) and went into the house for a few minutes.  They all came back out and shiore had something behind her back.  They all lined up in front of my chair and they presented me with a present.  It’s a square, gold rimmed, thick bristle board or thin cardboard and they had drawn me a picture of all of us (just our cartoon heads) with our names underneath it and little messages around each face.  In English and Japanese.  They had gone into the house so that Masahide’s kids could add their faces on the back.   I have every member of the family that I met drawn on this little board with their names and little messages telling me to come visit again, and that I’m welcome any time, and that Shiore wants to come to Canada when she’s older! lol  It’s the best present!!  I’ve got a picture of it! I absolutely love it!

 

So, back to Sunday.  Ikuo taught me how to make Soba noodles.  He made two batches while I watched and then he let me do the third one.  He made it look so easy! It’s not!  I did well with the first part, kneading the dough, but the rest of it takes some practice…maybe a lot of practice.  I can’t really explain it but Keiko took lots of pictures.  I think this weekend homestay is going to have its own album. lol

So after we made soba noodles (mine were not very pretty to look at, and none of them were the same size!) we ate them for lunch!  Yuuya and Mizuki came with their mom for lunch and we ate noodles with cucumbers.  They may not have looked all that good…but they sure tasted good!

After lunch it was time for me to go.  We all piled into the car and we went to the drop off point.  On the way Ikuo drove by the Aizu Castle and we stopped so I could take a picture. We walked all the way up to the castle to find it was under renovations and we couldn’t see anything lol.   So we got a picture at one of the touristy areas and then went back to the car.  When we got to the drop off point Yuuya let me hold his hand as we walked to the building.  Then when we got upstairs and were saying good bye, Keiko gave me a hug and said something about it being her first time *snicker*  ( I know what she meant) and then Yuuya came up for a hug so I picked hum right up off the ground and swung him around a bit.  People laughed so I guess it was fine. lol  Mizuki still didn’t know what to think about me so no hugs or handshakes for her…but I did get a high five out of her. lol  Ikuo gave me a firm handshake and reminded me again (about the 4^th time) that when I get free time from work I should call them and he’ll drive to Iwaki to get me and bring me back to Aizu (it’s about a 2 hour drive!).  So I promised I’d let him know when I get a few days off.  Looks like I’ll be seeing them at least once a year for the next few years.  I’m happy about that! I really like them.

So after the host families left we filled out survey sheets about our experiences in the Japanese classes and with the host families and then we left to catch the highway bus back to Ikwaki.  It costs about $23 to go from Aizu to Iwaki…so I could easily take the bus back to visit them. J

We got back to Iwaki at 5:11pm and had to wait until 6:15 for the train back to Izumi…so I went to Mr. Donuts with Sam and Chelsea.

And that’s that.

August 23rd

 

Today I got a phone call from mom!  We talked for just under 25 minutes.  That’s a pretty good way to start the day!  I keep thinking about the things I want to tell people and then when I talk to them I forget to mention them!

Smirnoff Ice can be bought at the convenience stores here for 237 yen! That’s about $2.50CAD.  I paid about $4 for one at the bar at Carleton U. So yeah, alcohol is cheap here and very accessible…too bad I don’t drink much. lol.

 

 So today I went to my base school. I got there at 7:50am and I spent an hour talking with the teacher that is more or less responsible for me.  If I need anything I can go to him.  He’s a third grade teacher.  So he gave me a copy of my schedule (if you can call it that) and explained things to me and showed me where the English room is where all the school material is that I can use in my lessons.  He basically told me what we do in class is completely up to me.   I will teach only one grade a day and have 4 classes a day…so one class will be a double class because there are 5 classes per grade.  It’s a big school! 23 classes in the school for grades 1-6. 6^th grade is the only grade that doesn’t have 5 classes, it has 4 instead.  There are 6 periods in a day so I get 2 spares.  But I won’t know which periods are spares until I talk with the teacher I’ll be working with that day. lol  weird.

Then I worked on my Self Introduction. Kondo Sensei made a few corrections to my speech for Wednesday but he was really surprised at how good it is.  Now I need to practice it!

After lunch I went home and dropped my stuff off then caught the train to Taira for a ceremony of receiving the letters of appointment.  All the ALTs (new and returning) met at the Culture centre and the Superintendent of Iwaki School Board gave a speech and we were introduced to him one at a time and then he came to each of us and presented us with a certificate or letter of appointment that confirmed our contracts and was signed by the city mayor. 

After that I went to the BOE and printed the rest of the pictures for my self-introduction and started the process of laminating them. I ran out of laminate plastics…so I’ll have to finish it tomorrow. 

 

The boxes that I had shipped from Ottawa with my winter clothes in them got here yesterday (the 23^rd). I brought one home today and will bring the other one home tomorrow.

Tomorrow I have another long day at the Culture Centre.   All the new ALTs will meet there and be introduced to ALL the principles in Iwaki City! and then we will meet the Mayor.  I better actually sleep tonight or I’ll end up sleeping through something tomorrow.

Now I’m watching HEY HEY HEY!!!  It’s not that interesting tonight.  I might turn it off and read instead. Also, my but hurts from sitting on the floor. hahaha. I guess I need a second cushion.

I’m trying to think if there is anything else…I can’t so I guess that’s it.

 

August 24th

Last night I left my AC on all night set at 18C on the weakest setting and I slept great.  I think I’ll do that until it cools down enough that I can sleep without it.  Right now it’s 29C but there is a nice breeze coming in through the open windows so it feels pretty good (although I’m not moving around much right now). Now that the sun is setting a bit and it’s not right overhead beating down on us, it feels a lot cooler outside.

I thought of another random fact I wanted to share with everyone.  You get your bills in the mail (gas, electricity, water, etc.) and you bring them to either the post office or the Convenience Store (7/11 or Lawson, etc.) to pay them.  I got my electricity bill in the mail the other day (just under $30 bucks for the month…which is more than most of the other JETS because I live with the AC on lol) and I brought it to the corner store last night and paid it at the counter. There is a barcode on the bill and they scan it and it brings up the amount for you to pay and then they stamp it and you get a receipt and then you’re done. easy.

So today the Principals of all the schools in Iwaki had a meeting at the Culture Centre and we (all the ALTs) were brought into their meeting in the morning and introduced to all of them.  We were also told today that the Japanese government is trying to save money so they are downsizing the JET program a little every year. They are scaling back the English programmes at school. So last year English was taught starting at grade 1. This year English is being taught to grade 3 and higher…next year will be grade 5.  So if not enough people decide to go home at the end of this year then some of us will be “laid off” at the end of the year.  I know 3 people for sure who are not coming back next year…but I don’t know how many places will be cut at the end of the year.  So Each school has to make reports on our progress and how efficient we are throughout the year and the best will be renewed and the others will be renewed if there is space. So it looks like no new ALTs will be hired next year to come to Iwaki.

We had a 2 hour lunch break today! Chelsea and I went to Yamani Book store in Taira on our lunch break so I could get a Kanji work book for the JLPT level 2 and she could get an application form for the JLPT.  Apparently Chelsea bought the last copy of the book I wanted and they hadn’t restocked so the clerk put the book on order for me.  It should come in sometime in the next 3 or 4 days.  They’ll call me when it’s in.  After we ate we went to city hall to pick up our ID cards.  I now have my health insurance card and my Alien Registration card (never leave home without it!). lol

After lunch we had time to work on our Self Introductions, so I finished laminating my pictures.  Then we went back to city hall to meet the Mayor.  We got into the room and were told where to sit.  The chairs were more like little one seater arm chairs. Very low to the ground.  They were comfy, but hard to get out of.   

A cell phone in Japanese is called a Keitai [kay tie].  Eden had pulled his keitai out to turn it off so it wouldn’t ring during our meeting with the Mayor. Of course it made a noise when he turned it off.  So Mr. Takahama saw this and told us all to “please set your keitai to stun.” At which point every one of us started laughing, including Mr. Takahama. Then came all the star trek jokes and wishing our keitais really did have a stun setting lol.  Mr. Takahama is a big fan of all the Star Treks. But his favourite is the original.

After meeting the Mayor we went back to the Culture Centre and we continued working on our self introductions. I was finished so I got permission to go home…after I went to the BOE to pick up my parcel that was still sitting on someone’s desk.  So I did.  When I got back to Izumi with my big box and was on the escalator I heard someone behind me say “how you doing?”  I half turned around and saw a guy dressed in almost a Hawaiian shirt and hat lol.  I told him I was good and asked how he was. He told me he was “super duper!” LOL!  I told him I liked that. He asked me where I was from and then welcomed me to Fukushima.  Izumi is his hometown lol.  He asked me if I needed help with my box and I told him I was ok. It wasn’t as heavy as it looked (sweaters and a picture frame).

On my way home from the station I passed a group of elementary school kids playing. One girl said “hello” to me so I said hello back which caused them all to giggle.  I asked her “how are you?” and she asked her friends in Japanese what to say. One of them told her the answer quietly and then she told me “I’m fine thank you. I’m Manasomething. and you?”  I told her my name and then in Japanese I told her that her English was good. Then  I asked them what they were doing and she told me that they were playing Dodge Ball.  I said have fun and she said thank you and I kept walking.  I got around the corner and I heard her run after me and tell me to wait.  So I stopped and turned back to her as her friends came around the corner and she asked me if I was going to teach at Izumi Kita Elementary school. I told her I was and everyone got really excited and she and her friend both said, at the same time, that they go to Izumi Kita Elementary school.  They are in 5^th grade (4^th class and 5^th class) and that I absolutely must go to their class to teach English. lol   I told them I would be in their class next Tuesday.  Then Mana made me promise to say hi to her when I get there…I told her I may not remember her name because Japanese names are hard for me but that I would do my best. I think I’ll remember it though. Mana is the short version of her name.

So after that cheerful welcome I smiled the entire way home! lol  I’m still smiling! I would have asked to play dodge ball with them but I had that big box in my arms and the longer I was holding it the heavier it got….I was also wearing formal wear and didn’t want to get dirty.  So I’ll settle for seeing them in class lol.  Tomorrow is the first day of the semester and I have to give my speech in front of the whole school.  I have my speech finished.  I’m going to try to memorize it tonight, or at least part of it.  It’s just over 2 minutes.

Oh, I found more tv channels last night, including one that plays English movies. It’s weird, when I tried those channels a week or so ago they were just black. Then last night they were only the top right part of the screen while the rest of the screen was full of menus and stuff…then when I went through them again later they all looked like any other channels I have.  I don’t understand it but I’m happy to have them! BS 1 and BS 2 often show Disney movies.

Anyway, I think that’s it for today.   This turned out longer than I was expecting.  I got a post card in the mail today from the internet company confirming that they will come in the afternoon of the 29^th so I will get my internet set up on Sunday! YAY!!!! That’s when I’ll be posting this. lol  Take care everyone!

 

August 25th

 

Today was the first official day of school after summer break.  There were no actual classes, just a school assembly and homeroom.  I arrived at school just after 7:45am and I was drenched in sweat.   I really hate how humid it is here.  It wouldn’t be half as bad if it was a dry heat. 

Anyway, I got all dressed up in my dark brown short sleeve suit and walked the 12 minutes to school.  In the morning I talked with some teachers and practiced my speech a bit.  At 8:20 everyone assembled in the school gym ( no AC, just open doors and windows) and we had our opening ceremony full of speeches.  First the Vice Principal spoke then the principle.  On the stage is a small platform and a microphone. Behind that on the wall is a big flag of Japan. When you go up onto the stage you have to bow to the flag.  Then you bow to the crowd of kids and teachers. Then you give your speech.  So that’s what I did, after watching the VP and the Principal do it. 

My speech went over very well.  All the teachers liked it and said that their students had enjoyed it and inferred from it that I was very nice and they are all looking forward to talking with me.

Every teacher I’ve talked to is very relieved and impressed that I can speak Japanese so well. They all seem surprised when I tell them that I want to improve my Japanese more.

At lunch today all the lady teachers had a special lunch together.  There was a lot of food.  There were some things I didn’t like so I just left them. There was enough food that even with not eating almost a quarter of it, I was still full when I finished eating.  And there was cake!   It was supposed to cost about 2000 yen, but they gave it back to me and told me they’d take it later…then they never did.  So I don’t know if I should try to give it to them again or not. oh well. I’ll find out later.

There was thunder in the distance this afternoon before I left school and I was really hoping it would rain here…but it’s now almost 7:30pm and it hasn’t rained yet.  So I guess it missed us…again.  Maybe rain would help cool things down….

After school I stopped in at the 7/11 to get dinner.  I need to do groceries on Saturday.  On my way home from 7/11 I pass by the park.  On my way, 4 girls from my school called out to me and ran over to me from the park.  So I talked to them for a few minutes and then I told them I needed to go home and change out of my work clothes.  So they said good bye and went back to the park…to get their things.  They followed me home. lol  They ran across the park and met me on the other street and then started chatting with me again (in Japanese) and then I finally asked them if they were planning on walking with me all the way home and they said yes.  So I said, Ok.   They knew where I lived once I said it was the pink building. Their response was…Oh Kasey’s house. hahah. yeah, I moved into Kasey’s old place.  Apparently Kasey didn’t have a problem with the kids following her home either. 

So when I got home I asked them if they wanted to play at the park and they were really happy that I wanted to play with them. So I got changed and then spent almost 2 hours playing at the park with the kids from school.  We started out just the 5 of us but at one point there were 10 of us.  I only learned 2 of their names, Miki, and Nana. Both are in grade 6.  So learnt a little more about Izumi and met a bunch of kids.  It was a good day!  Now I’m watching tv while writing this. I think I’ll go take a cool shower and get into my pjs and then have dinner.

Tomorrow I go to an elementary school in Yumoto to (eeeewww!!! A little fly landed in my hair and  just squished it on my head! eww.)  shadow one of the senior ALTs so I can see what it’s like teaching at elementary school.  I’ll be at Chelsea’s school tomorrow and Friday.  Then I start teaching on Monday at Izumi Kita.

And that’s it for today J

 

August 26th

Today was another busy day.  I left my place at 7:35 to go to school. On my way I stopped in at the 7/11 to buy lunch (shrimp tempura with rice for $4). I got to school just before 7:50 (I walked). When I got to school I dropped off some things for my self-introduction at my desk (Ajima Sensei and Matsumoto Sensei both wanted to look at them) and then I grabbed my indoor shoes and headed outside to wait for the taxi to come at take me to Yumoto 1^st Elementary school.   I talked with the Principal until the taxi came. I really like my principal, he’s great!

The taxi came and I got in the back and the driver asked me where I was going. I didn’t know. lol  So he radioed the base to find out and then had to ask directions because he didn’t know how to get there.  He was really nice too. Once he realized that I could understand him and actually talk back, we talked the whole way there! He had to stop and ask directions twice, but we got there alright. lol  He thanked me for the fun conversations and for telling him about where I come from and stuff.  He said he had enjoyed it. He was all smiles too.   I enjoyed the ride quite a bit.

I got to Yumoto 1^st just as the other taxi with 3 other ALTs got there.  So 5 of us shadowed Lenny at work today.  He only had 2 classes (his school is MUCH smaller than mine).  He taught 3^rd grade today so we went to class with him and participated in the games and stuff. It was fun.  We had lunch in the principal’s room and we hung out in the principal’s room when Lenny wasn’t teaching.

I had milk with my lunch at school today and it tasted a lot like whipped cream. It wasn’t cold enough though so I didn’t really like it, but I think if it had been cold it would have been good. I think it was 3.5 %.

At 2pm the taxi picked me up to bring be back to my base school. I spent about 40 minutes reading a book and having a cold drink and then my principal drove me to my other school (Izumi Elementary) to meet the principal and other teachers.  One of the teachers took me on a small tour (where I can park my bike, where my locker is) and we talked about school life at Izumi.  It turns out that at Izumi Elementary I am not the main teacher in the classroom!  I’m actually the assistant! So I don’t have to prepare lessons in advance.  Instead I get to be the human tape recorder and assist the Japanese teacher. So I’m happy about that because I’m not at the school as often.  The teacher that took me around and talked to me speaks really good English, although she doesn’t think she does. lol  Her name is Ayako and she asked me to please call her Aya and not to use san after her name. I laughed and explained that my best friend in Tokyo is named Ayama and she asked me to call her Aya and not to use san after her name too!  She thought that was funny.  Aya is a year and 3  weeks younger than me and we hit it off.  She said we should go for dinner one night after school.  So it looks like I have made a new friend! J

Izumi Elementary school is smaller than Izumi Kita. Instead of having 5 classes a day I’ll only have 3 or 4 depending on the grade. So I’ll be bringing my Japanese work with me to work on in my free time.  I have a course to complete while I’m here. I got into the advanced course for CLAIR.  So I have to finish 4 textbooks. There is 6 in total but I complete each one and do the test on time then I only have to do 4.  The course is supposed to be pretty difficult from what I’ve heard but I haven’t gotten my books yet so I’ll have to wait and see.

Aya drove me home from school today at 4pm. When we got to my place there were kids hiding in the bushes LOL.  They were waiting on me to come home so I could play with them.  Two of the girls I remember from yesterday, the third one was new.  We placed the Japanese version of Soccer Baseball and then we tried to throw the ball into the basketball net.  It’s been thundering outside for the last 3 hours or so, but still no rain.

I think I’ll do laundry now. I was going to wait but I don’t think it’s going to rain. 

So that’s it for today. Tomorrow