I have some grave news to begin with. As many of you know, one of my great prides is being able to say that I have visited every single one of the world's Pokemon Centers. In a feat that spanned an entire year, I crossed a nation in order to purchase Pokemon paraphernalia all across Japan. However, last month, that achievement was made void by the duplication of the Osaka branch. Without my even realising it, I had let slip quite possibly the greatest accolade I will ever own. You cannot begin to imagine my torment. However...
... I have now once again earned the right to label myself as a Pokemaniac. Osaka's not that far away, not so far my dreams can't reach out and grab it. And that was my Monday.
Oh, alongside the taking of blood, ECGing and official registration in Japan that also took place.
So I guess there are a couple of things that need special mention today. Job training was Thursday and Friday, which was worth the time out of school. It's clear the staff at school aren't 100 percent sure what to do with me, I think the whole speaking Japanese thing is taking some getting used to. Still, gently does it; I'll be a fully fledged part of the team in no time. In the meantime, it's up to me to try and somehow make myself useful.
So training was pretty good. But Saturday kinda wiped it into insignificance with Kobe Winery's Bon-Odori festivities. Jumping at the chance to re-don a yukata, Steph and I were right there, only a half hour late. I'm sure there'll be photos about on Facebook on due time of my dashing blue gown, lessened only by the poor footwear choice and the fact you can see my tshirt under it. For those who don't know, Bon, or Obon, is a Japanese summer festival typified by expensive festival food, bright colours and dancing. This is the Japanese barn dance, to make a rough comparison, and the fact that we were both foreign and clueless didn't exempt us from giving it a try. However, disaster! Kobe winery was hit by a sudden thunderstorm as soon as we emerge from the changing rooms. It's a good hour and a half before the rain lets up enough to give people a chance to start. And once it did, though very rushed, it was pretty spectacular. Rather than limiting itself to just traditional Obon dancing, there were a number of performances of different cultures. And when you get down to it, having a bunch of sweet elderly women try to explain a quirky dance to you ain't that bad.
Oh, for the record, I was pretty hot on the dancefloor.
Sunday was more church, which continues to prove to be better than we could have hoped. Today's post-service event was bowling, which was cool. Left us both exceptionally tired, though; it's a wonder I got up for work at all this morning.
Well how about that. Just when I'd given up on 100 yen mega-Coke, I waltz into Family Mart to pay my bills only to find they've sold them all along. Once again, all's right with the world.
But yeah, I'm actually walking down the street while I write this. iPhones really are something.
So how's school REALLY going, I'm sure you're dying to ask. Pretty amazingly, all things considered. People are starting to recognise me, talk to me even, and in today's colossal meeting that I only had to be around for part of there was a definite sense that I was one of their's, not just a visitor. I'm also now the voice of the second year English listening mid-terms. That's pretty cool, I think. I even sent off a video letter to my elementary classes saying how excited I was to meet them, but also how worried I was that I didn't know their names nor their favourite foods. Apparently it'll serve as the intro to a name-card making exercise in the coming week, as well as help them recognise me when I finally turn up next Tuesday. Cute, huh?
Okay, home now. Time to kick back and enjoy a big can of sparkling sugar goodness while I beat the snot out of a transforming shark robot with my awesome guitar powers.
Thanks for reading.
Monday, 29 August 2011
Thursday, 18 August 2011
4 - Firsts
Late on my first day of work. May as well just fire me now.
I'm kidding, of course. Everyone at Koryo seems to have taken my blatantly gaijin idiocy in their strides, and just this once it looks like I'm off the hook. Won't stop me getting to the station a good 20 minutes ahead of time tomorrow, though.
But first things first, there was a little thing called Summer School to talk about.
Summer School is a voluntary English learning scheme set up by the KBE, and includes every last Kobe JET. Though participation for the kids is optional, we didn't get the luxury of choice. But before I end up sounding too bitter, let's get right to it. Monday was a preparation day, so nothing much to report...
I did it again, didn't I. I haven't told you about Sunday yet.
So Sunday, early start to head off to church in east Kobe. It's a fair ride, even further than the KEC, but a train, a bus and a shuttle later and we've made our way to Kobe Union Church, as far as I'm aware the only English-speaking church in Kobe. It's a fairly small congregation, about double Doshisha Church's, from all walks of life. Fortunately for Steph and I we were accompanied that day by fellow Hanayama JET Alex and his wife Nozomi, who showed us the way. The building needs special mention, it was really something. The main hall was all polished wood and stained glass, including a really cool organ at the stage-end, and underneath was a huge multi-purpose room where we had coffee afterwards. KUC is non-denominational, which set me a little off-ease at first (owing to bad experience with other 'non-denominationals'), but everyone, it became instantly clear, was about as friendly as you could get. We were encouraged to stand up and briefly introduce ourselves at the start of the service (I pride myself a little by being the only Brit in the church) along with the other six or so newcomers. Everyone seemed keen to say hello afterwards, with many adding a sympathetic "Sorry to hear about the trouble in your country". Steph and I have already decided on returning this Sunday, they even took us took a buffet lunch afterwards!
So yeah, finally, Monday. Preparation day meant an opening address followed by assignment of rooms, then decoration of those rooms and a couple of trial runs using the people from the others. Each room involved an English-based activity, and the students, when they arrived the next day, would cycle between all four in the morning and then have presentations in the afternoon. Most exciting was the 'Harry Potter Room', a series of challenges based on the popular English novels, including riddles and a particularly harrowing Dementor battle. You think saying "expecto patronum" in a moment of crisis is difficult for you, try being a 12 year old Japanese student. Next was 'Carnival Games', with challenges such as maze where one student would be blindfolded and the others would have to guide them through to the other side. 'International Mystery' was a murder-mystery style challenge, where the students were told of a theft by an international hyper-thief who was now hiding somewhere in the world. ALTs took on different roles as people from different countries, and in groups the students had to interview them to find the culprit. And finally, the room your's truly was assigned to, the 'Speed Dating Room'. Can you imagine my excitement? But yeah, in the end it was speed dating in name only, borrowing the 3 minute conversation format with students paring of ALTs several times for a quick chat. You may have seen the photo I stuck on Facebook a few days back: that was my desk what I decorated myself. As I'm sure you can imagine, I was many students' first choices.
Both days progressed very smoothly, all things considered. The opening and closing portions were very well executed, getting the students fired up for conversation, and all of the rooms performed excellently. Student bravery and skill was highly variable, with many opting to not say a thing during their three minutes, but you did occasionally get the gem who asked you what your favourite Pokemon was, or laughed at your jokes, or gave interesting answers. Special mention goes out to the 2nd Year who plays Euphonium at her school's Euphonium club. How cool is that? The presentation contest in the afternoon was also good, despite much unenthusiasm on the part of all of us. We had a few serious ones, the natural topic of the year being Tohoku, but some hilarious ones too, the winners of the second day being a particularly skilled group of boys who translated some traditional rakugo into English. Superb stuff. In the end, though, I'm glad it's over and I have a chance to catch my breath. Well, y'know, sort of.
Because today was my first day of school. I'll just say it now, the day's gone pretty well. First off was meeting the few staff who were here during the summer, with extra attention being paid to vice-principal Fukuda and the principal whose name... escapes me... I had a bit of a rifle through my predecessor's monumental amount of teaching resources, and also helped correct a student's English speech for a contest next month. Apparently I'll be giving her some 1-to-1 tuition on that when the term starts properly. As for the students themselves, I didn't see many, most busy with sports training. I did get more than a few curious glances and smiles, which really helped me feel welcome. A couple of times during my tour with the vice-principal he stopped to introduce me to some small groups of the students, who seemed genuinely very excited to see me. This was after he instructed me to feign not knowing Japanese. There was great surprise when I told them my age ("So young!!") which was echoed later during a meeting with my elementary teachers later that day. The teachers were very pleased to hear my Japanese, however, and seemed genuinely relieved that we'd be able to speak more naturally. Little has been said about classes at this point, though I do have my schedule. Most Mondays will be spend at... Tsu... Tsukushigaoka Elementary starting the 12th September with a class on 'I like'. I'll be bringing in big pictures of England and fish and chips for that one. Tuesdays will be Koryo Elementary, with a similar lesson in mind. Most of my lessons will be with 6th years, the highest year in the school, and I have already been warned that they are a very "powerful" year. By which I think they meant they are high-energy and enthusiastic, not that I should be wary of their magical powers as I was tempted to think. That one starts on the 6th. The rest of the week will be spent at Junior High, with different classes to work with each day. Friday is Nakayoshi day, Nakayoshi being the code-name (meaning 'good friends') for the special needs class. A little nervous about that one, not sure what to expect, but the teacher is very friendly, so what's the worst that could happen? Other than that, I'll have an opening ceremony to give a speech at on the 1st, and Sports Day to attend on the 9th. I also have to write a tiny self-introduction for the school newspaper, that's by the 24th.
So yeah, plenty to be getting on with. Steph and I prepared dinner ahead of time tonight, so when she gets back we just have to reheat the stuff and have maximal Terraria time. Having said that, I'll need something for lunch tomorrow, and every day for that matter. Now, where in my bursting schedule am I going to find time for that... and more importantly, what am I gonna make? Urgh, this is what that cookbook was for, I guess.
That's it. Thanks for reading.
I'm kidding, of course. Everyone at Koryo seems to have taken my blatantly gaijin idiocy in their strides, and just this once it looks like I'm off the hook. Won't stop me getting to the station a good 20 minutes ahead of time tomorrow, though.
But first things first, there was a little thing called Summer School to talk about.
Summer School is a voluntary English learning scheme set up by the KBE, and includes every last Kobe JET. Though participation for the kids is optional, we didn't get the luxury of choice. But before I end up sounding too bitter, let's get right to it. Monday was a preparation day, so nothing much to report...
I did it again, didn't I. I haven't told you about Sunday yet.
So Sunday, early start to head off to church in east Kobe. It's a fair ride, even further than the KEC, but a train, a bus and a shuttle later and we've made our way to Kobe Union Church, as far as I'm aware the only English-speaking church in Kobe. It's a fairly small congregation, about double Doshisha Church's, from all walks of life. Fortunately for Steph and I we were accompanied that day by fellow Hanayama JET Alex and his wife Nozomi, who showed us the way. The building needs special mention, it was really something. The main hall was all polished wood and stained glass, including a really cool organ at the stage-end, and underneath was a huge multi-purpose room where we had coffee afterwards. KUC is non-denominational, which set me a little off-ease at first (owing to bad experience with other 'non-denominationals'), but everyone, it became instantly clear, was about as friendly as you could get. We were encouraged to stand up and briefly introduce ourselves at the start of the service (I pride myself a little by being the only Brit in the church) along with the other six or so newcomers. Everyone seemed keen to say hello afterwards, with many adding a sympathetic "Sorry to hear about the trouble in your country". Steph and I have already decided on returning this Sunday, they even took us took a buffet lunch afterwards!
So yeah, finally, Monday. Preparation day meant an opening address followed by assignment of rooms, then decoration of those rooms and a couple of trial runs using the people from the others. Each room involved an English-based activity, and the students, when they arrived the next day, would cycle between all four in the morning and then have presentations in the afternoon. Most exciting was the 'Harry Potter Room', a series of challenges based on the popular English novels, including riddles and a particularly harrowing Dementor battle. You think saying "expecto patronum" in a moment of crisis is difficult for you, try being a 12 year old Japanese student. Next was 'Carnival Games', with challenges such as maze where one student would be blindfolded and the others would have to guide them through to the other side. 'International Mystery' was a murder-mystery style challenge, where the students were told of a theft by an international hyper-thief who was now hiding somewhere in the world. ALTs took on different roles as people from different countries, and in groups the students had to interview them to find the culprit. And finally, the room your's truly was assigned to, the 'Speed Dating Room'. Can you imagine my excitement? But yeah, in the end it was speed dating in name only, borrowing the 3 minute conversation format with students paring of ALTs several times for a quick chat. You may have seen the photo I stuck on Facebook a few days back: that was my desk what I decorated myself. As I'm sure you can imagine, I was many students' first choices.
Both days progressed very smoothly, all things considered. The opening and closing portions were very well executed, getting the students fired up for conversation, and all of the rooms performed excellently. Student bravery and skill was highly variable, with many opting to not say a thing during their three minutes, but you did occasionally get the gem who asked you what your favourite Pokemon was, or laughed at your jokes, or gave interesting answers. Special mention goes out to the 2nd Year who plays Euphonium at her school's Euphonium club. How cool is that? The presentation contest in the afternoon was also good, despite much unenthusiasm on the part of all of us. We had a few serious ones, the natural topic of the year being Tohoku, but some hilarious ones too, the winners of the second day being a particularly skilled group of boys who translated some traditional rakugo into English. Superb stuff. In the end, though, I'm glad it's over and I have a chance to catch my breath. Well, y'know, sort of.
Because today was my first day of school. I'll just say it now, the day's gone pretty well. First off was meeting the few staff who were here during the summer, with extra attention being paid to vice-principal Fukuda and the principal whose name... escapes me... I had a bit of a rifle through my predecessor's monumental amount of teaching resources, and also helped correct a student's English speech for a contest next month. Apparently I'll be giving her some 1-to-1 tuition on that when the term starts properly. As for the students themselves, I didn't see many, most busy with sports training. I did get more than a few curious glances and smiles, which really helped me feel welcome. A couple of times during my tour with the vice-principal he stopped to introduce me to some small groups of the students, who seemed genuinely very excited to see me. This was after he instructed me to feign not knowing Japanese. There was great surprise when I told them my age ("So young!!") which was echoed later during a meeting with my elementary teachers later that day. The teachers were very pleased to hear my Japanese, however, and seemed genuinely relieved that we'd be able to speak more naturally. Little has been said about classes at this point, though I do have my schedule. Most Mondays will be spend at... Tsu... Tsukushigaoka Elementary starting the 12th September with a class on 'I like'. I'll be bringing in big pictures of England and fish and chips for that one. Tuesdays will be Koryo Elementary, with a similar lesson in mind. Most of my lessons will be with 6th years, the highest year in the school, and I have already been warned that they are a very "powerful" year. By which I think they meant they are high-energy and enthusiastic, not that I should be wary of their magical powers as I was tempted to think. That one starts on the 6th. The rest of the week will be spent at Junior High, with different classes to work with each day. Friday is Nakayoshi day, Nakayoshi being the code-name (meaning 'good friends') for the special needs class. A little nervous about that one, not sure what to expect, but the teacher is very friendly, so what's the worst that could happen? Other than that, I'll have an opening ceremony to give a speech at on the 1st, and Sports Day to attend on the 9th. I also have to write a tiny self-introduction for the school newspaper, that's by the 24th.
So yeah, plenty to be getting on with. Steph and I prepared dinner ahead of time tonight, so when she gets back we just have to reheat the stuff and have maximal Terraria time. Having said that, I'll need something for lunch tomorrow, and every day for that matter. Now, where in my bursting schedule am I going to find time for that... and more importantly, what am I gonna make? Urgh, this is what that cookbook was for, I guess.
That's it. Thanks for reading.
Friday, 12 August 2011
3 - Destination
There's been a death in the family. Thought I'd better get this out of the way now so as to not taint the rest of the story with grief. On Friday I had to say goodnight to my Fuji digital camera. Well, I guess it would be more accurate to say he's still comatose, but the doctor that is my common sense (and he's been running tests every day) tells me to give up hope. Water damage, was the final diagnosis, brought on by Japan's eco-bottles having rubbish caps. The offshoot of this is that I don't have much in the way of photos to show you today. What few I've taken with the iPhone can already be seen on Facebook. It was only a little water... and yet...
Sorry, sorry, I'm okay now.
So, let's get on with the show. I've got a week and a half to cover and Gundam Musou 2 (that's Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2 to you) waiting for me to finish. Wednesday, awoke at 6.30 for a 7am breakfast and to pack, 8am meeting for an 8.30 departure to the airport. This flight was a lot better than the last one we'd take-
I never talked about Tokyo Orientation, did I...
Okay, TWO weeks to cover now. You saw my room, and heard about the flight and Shibuya, so all that's left is to talk about the seminars. Monday morning, 7am start for a 7.30 breakfast with Steph and Amara (it is so GOOD to be in the same time zone as your girlfriend!) followed by the opening ceremony at 9. After a brief explanation by one of the longer-standing JETs ("How do you like my new cat-skin shoes?") the ceremony began. Speeches by staff from the Minstries of Education and whatnot, all very grateful that we were there, and then a run-down of the next two days. We'd be picking our own seminars for the most part, with a few, such as prefectural meetings, being compulsory. Let me see if I can remember this... Steph and I spent the day learning about using JET as a springboard into a career in education, elementary school teaching and finally a very lively talk about self-introductions both for our first time in front of our new co-workers and students. Funny coincidence, that last one was headed up by a guy called Fergus, a British guy who graduated from Edinburgh Uni with a degree in Japanese and then went to Kobe City on JET with his girlfriend. Sound familiar? It's a funny world we live in. Anyway, Fergus is one of the ward team leaders for Kobe JET, so we'd be seeing a lot of him in the coming days. Lunch (in the midst of all that) was a simple tomato pasta thing, but I didn't complain 'cos it was free. We also a number of stellar talks about 'grassroots internationalism' (FAR more entertaining that it may sound) and what foreign language education is like in each of the school levels. Hats off to Mr Junior-High for a simply hilarious talk. Now, throughout all this was an AJET Information Fair, where we could pick up books about travel, education and the like, as well as enter into a raffle and sign up for the JET support mailing list. The one complaint I would have about that first day would be that the fair ran from the time of our first talk to the end of our last, meaning the only way we would be able to make the most of the room would be to skip out on either a seminar (which I for one was told would not be allowed) or lunch (which I for one would rather die than do). Seems like a bit of a silly system, really, the result of which being that Steph and I simply didn't get a proper chance to give it a look. Dinner was a reception in the main hall. We were... fed, I suppose, but the vegi options were slim pickings to say the least and so, after drowning myself in as much free Pepsi as I could, Steph and I headed for the convenience store around the corner for some sweet, sweet instant udon. Bed, sleep, end of day one.
Phew, one down.
Tuesday was essentially more of the same. Breakfast again (did I mention we got chips and ketchup as part of that?) followed by a panel discussion about JET life. Useful stuff was said, even if I was feeling a little rougher than I had the previous day. After that we split into prefecture groups to watch a demonstration of 'team-teaching' (or maybe 'one of us, one of them') in action, which was really excellent. Really helped my confidence to see the system working so well. Then it was more seminars, and let me tell you, the information load on this poor boy's brain was really beginning to weigh heavy. Classroom troubleshooting (such as what to do when some kid tries to ask you how much sex you get) followed by a Kobe City meeting, and then a talk on teaching special needs children. By the end I was ready to collapse, my brain felt heavy enough to give me balance trouble. And so when a not-compulsory-but-you-really-should-go trip to the British Embassy was announced, I wasn't the happiest of customers. I think I had better not have gone, all things considered. 520 yen on the train there and back, and all I get from it is the end of a talk on Embassy services (travel planning team leaders were beheaded for that little blunder) and a beer. I was promised food, but that promise did not come with the assurance that I would be able to eat the stuff. Yeah, more anti-veg levelling. Ridiculous, for a country so vegi-minded as Britain...
Wednesday, and we're ready to go for good this time.
The flight was a whole ton better than the last one I'd taken, only taking a little over an hour. But boy, Kobe is HOT. I mean, it's really, REALLY hot! Even now I'm struggling to get used to just how hot it is. Sweating is as common an action as breathing. But yeah, that's not important. What IS important is that Kobe is also staggeringly beautiful. From close to any vantage point in the city you can see the whole thing, with the tree-laden mountains providing a really awesome backdrop. We didn't get a whole lot of sightseeing done on this first day, taking a bus immediately to the KEC, the Kobe Education Center, where the magic happens. Paperwork, introductions and another talk about things to come. Our CIRs Daniel and Marie are both excellent, and did a superb job of letting us know we were in safe hands. But boy, am I not glad to be back in amongst the red tape of bureacracy. I've done more paperwork these last two weeks than I think any administrator knows what to do with. We also met some of our staff, Siba-sensei, Miki-sensei (finance division) and our own ALT supervisor Wada-sensei who, I am told, is incapable of anger. And after that, the intense fear and tension of meeting our team teachers for the first time. But rest assured, reading public, Nishida-sensei seems like a really great teacher. He quickly warmed to the conversation, and seemed incredibly pleased to hear my Japanese. He even used the term "English gentleman" when he called up the vice-principal of our school to say I'd arrived safe. Talk about a vote of confidence. We took a taxi to Hanayama, my new home, which if anything is even hotter than hot, hot Kobe. It's also very far out of the way, the taxi driver not having heard of it before and being unable to find his way there without help. Travel costs are gonna destroy me, if nothing else does. It's green like no other place I've ever lived before, with trees just everywhere. Oh, and creatures that live in trees. We've been warned about centipedes and cockroaches, but I've also seen crickets the size of my fist and last night I even saw a tiny lizard. Oh, and a praying mantis. It's like living in Twycross Zoo sometimes. The rest of the day was spent socialising with the other Hanayamans, first at a barbeque and then at one of our sempai JETs' places. And make no mistake, the people of Hanayama are quite simply the nicest, most welcoming and most entertaining people I have EVER met. Each one of them is kind and enthusiastic, and very easy to talk to. I am truly blessed to be here, with such a stellar support network in place.
Okay, swiftly on now. Thursday was our first Neighbourhood Day. After a brief trip into the KEC again we went off with our house groups to the ward office to register, and then Sannomiya, the central entertainment area of Kobe, to get iPhones. Those little things are staggering. I'm listening to music on mine right now, it can store all of my library and still has space, essentially making my iPod obsolete. The battery's a little low, so I'll likely bring my iPod as well on travels, but the breadth of function of an iPhone is just magnificent. Downloadable games, a camera, Skype, internet and email, Google Maps. It can even allow you to TALK to people who aren't right next to you, so long as they have a phone as well. After that we went back to the Hanayama area (my poor wallet...) for lunch and to look around. We stopped by a shop called Konan, the B&Q of Japan, where we picked up dehumidifiers and the like. Apparently the humidity here will melt away your clothing if you're not careful. I'm going to have to stop by there again some time soon to pick up bug deterrents. More on that later. That night was okonomiyaki at a nearby shopping area in Oike, which was superb. Drink bar includes icecream, a heavenly combination.
Phew, getting tired here. Next was Friday, in case you were unaware, and a true tour of Sannomiya. We saw Tokyu Hands, the Loft, a little food alley behind the station, cinemas, stations, offices and shops. I didn't buy anything, holding out for a more interesting cover for my phone, but eventually we made our way to the Hub, the British pub, for a quick Happy Hour. Many of us split at that point, but a few of us from Hanayama stuck around for a quick Thai curry and karaoke, which was brilliant. I'd forgotten how much I adore karaoke, it's such a release, and the other Hanayamans are an almost ideal group to sing with. Though the Jankara in Sannomiya didn't allow for things like extensions or cheap alcohol, I was assured that the 'Phoenix' near the okonomiyaki place was a much better deal. Finished at 9pm (I know, pathetic), and then it was home to sleep.
Saturday, Steph and I returned to Sannomiya for a bit of personal shopping. There's a fanTASTic floor of 'Centergai', the main shopping center, that caters to folk of a more otaku slant. I got myself the most incredible phone cover, a white one with a picture of Kyubei's smiling face on it. Don't know who Kyubei is? Google him, and then watch Madoka Magica. After all that, it was off to Ikea (interesting fact: it's pronounced 'ee-kay-ah' in Japan) to pick up some sheets for Steph's bed, and then off to see the fireworks. Kobe's annual fireworks festival is not to be missed, make no mistake. Though I was tired beyond belief I'm extremely glad I went, it was just staggering. The East really does put us Westerners to shame when it comes to fireworks. The afterparty was at a senior JET's house on Port Island, where I once again successfully dodged the King's Cup.
Sunday we had tried to get to church, but to our discredit we didn't do the right amount of research, and when the time came to head out we didn't really know where to go. I'm hoping God's willing to forgive us this once, it HAS been a very exhausting work week. We have plans for tomorrow, though, going along to somewhere called Kobe Union Church with a Hanayaman named Alex. We know absolutely nothing about it, save that there's a Bible study on Wednesdays, but it'll be good to get the those church roots planted. The rest of the day was spent not doing anything. No, seriously.
This next week's been a bit of a blur, so don't blame me if it's a little brief. Monday was a sort-of job-training thing at Suzurandai JHS, a school reknowed for its second-to-none English ability. We had some short, informal talks with our senior JETs about things like teaching materials and extra-curricular activities (can it still be called that if I'm not a student?), followed by lunch with some of the students and a tour of the school. Let me tell you, it was ace being inside a building only ever seen in two dimensional illustrations before. A building, may I also point out, that traditionally gets attacked by supernatural forces or that acts as a training ground for magicians or robot pilots. It was a little odd finally being inside one. The boys taking us around were really nice, they seemed unusually relaxed to talk with us. Hiro informed us we'd be seeing more of him this coming week at Summer School, the English language teaching event for Junior High students that we ALTs help out with. The highlight of the day, though, was getting back on the bus at the very end and reuniting with Steph (who hadn't taken a tour with my group) and holding hands as we walked to the gate, and getting accostered (yes, that's the right word for it) by a small mob of girls who seemed extraordinarily excited to see us. "Couple?" they asked, "Married?", and then squealed very loudly when we responded. Sometimes young girls are the same the world over.
Tuesday was our first day of Japanese language class. Steph and I were placed into the top set together, along with most of the group. Class was from 9.30 to 3, with super-generous hour and half lunch, and consistenly left us drained of life. But I'm glad I went; it was good to have that extra practice and it was very well-taught, even fun. Tuesday was self-introductions, with an emphasis on finding funny stories to tell about our names. Wednesday was illness and wallet loss, Thursday was keigo. We also spent Thursday afternoon and Friday morning preparing for our unofficial assessment: a 3-minute speech on a topic of our choice. The two lower groups had fixed topics. Friday afternoon was a massive presentation of the amazing products of our imagination. In case you were wondering, I did mine on the way that the changing economy is forcing Japanese businessmen to rethink the way that they use Japanese formality markers in speech in the light of money-loss balancing the workforce in the eyes of society*. It was a lot of fun, all in all, and I received a number of happily-received pats on the back.
Over that week we didn't do much with our free time. We were so exhausted, there was little enthusiasm to really do anything. We cooked dinner, we watched films, we restored our energy. On Thursday afternoon, however, we participated in an epic water gun fight with the other Hanayamans (see profile picture for proof) in which a small Japanese boy tried to fire a water gun up my bum. No joking. It was extraordinarily wierd. I was even told afterwards that he was attempting to coerce others into doing the same. Fortunately none of the other Hanayamans were WIERD JAPANESE BOYS! Tch, so ridiculous. I am NOT putting up with that sort of treatment when I get to my school. Friday afternoon we spent out last opportunity to be in Sannomiya cancelling optional extras on our iPhones, buying Crocks and phone covers, and turning traveller's cheques into real money. I also bought Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2, and we played Terraria co-op deep into the night.
And now here we are. It's half-2 in the afternoon, and we're about to head to the convenience store for lunch. It's gonna be a long day of Terraria and Gundam ahead, methinks, and maybe a bit of Dragon Quest 9 in there as well. May well be my favourite game of all time, that last one.
Anyways, as always, thanks for reading. I'll try to be faster next time.
*Psyche. I did it on Pokemon.
Sorry, sorry, I'm okay now.
So, let's get on with the show. I've got a week and a half to cover and Gundam Musou 2 (that's Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2 to you) waiting for me to finish. Wednesday, awoke at 6.30 for a 7am breakfast and to pack, 8am meeting for an 8.30 departure to the airport. This flight was a lot better than the last one we'd take-
I never talked about Tokyo Orientation, did I...
Okay, TWO weeks to cover now. You saw my room, and heard about the flight and Shibuya, so all that's left is to talk about the seminars. Monday morning, 7am start for a 7.30 breakfast with Steph and Amara (it is so GOOD to be in the same time zone as your girlfriend!) followed by the opening ceremony at 9. After a brief explanation by one of the longer-standing JETs ("How do you like my new cat-skin shoes?") the ceremony began. Speeches by staff from the Minstries of Education and whatnot, all very grateful that we were there, and then a run-down of the next two days. We'd be picking our own seminars for the most part, with a few, such as prefectural meetings, being compulsory. Let me see if I can remember this... Steph and I spent the day learning about using JET as a springboard into a career in education, elementary school teaching and finally a very lively talk about self-introductions both for our first time in front of our new co-workers and students. Funny coincidence, that last one was headed up by a guy called Fergus, a British guy who graduated from Edinburgh Uni with a degree in Japanese and then went to Kobe City on JET with his girlfriend. Sound familiar? It's a funny world we live in. Anyway, Fergus is one of the ward team leaders for Kobe JET, so we'd be seeing a lot of him in the coming days. Lunch (in the midst of all that) was a simple tomato pasta thing, but I didn't complain 'cos it was free. We also a number of stellar talks about 'grassroots internationalism' (FAR more entertaining that it may sound) and what foreign language education is like in each of the school levels. Hats off to Mr Junior-High for a simply hilarious talk. Now, throughout all this was an AJET Information Fair, where we could pick up books about travel, education and the like, as well as enter into a raffle and sign up for the JET support mailing list. The one complaint I would have about that first day would be that the fair ran from the time of our first talk to the end of our last, meaning the only way we would be able to make the most of the room would be to skip out on either a seminar (which I for one was told would not be allowed) or lunch (which I for one would rather die than do). Seems like a bit of a silly system, really, the result of which being that Steph and I simply didn't get a proper chance to give it a look. Dinner was a reception in the main hall. We were... fed, I suppose, but the vegi options were slim pickings to say the least and so, after drowning myself in as much free Pepsi as I could, Steph and I headed for the convenience store around the corner for some sweet, sweet instant udon. Bed, sleep, end of day one.
Phew, one down.
Tuesday was essentially more of the same. Breakfast again (did I mention we got chips and ketchup as part of that?) followed by a panel discussion about JET life. Useful stuff was said, even if I was feeling a little rougher than I had the previous day. After that we split into prefecture groups to watch a demonstration of 'team-teaching' (or maybe 'one of us, one of them') in action, which was really excellent. Really helped my confidence to see the system working so well. Then it was more seminars, and let me tell you, the information load on this poor boy's brain was really beginning to weigh heavy. Classroom troubleshooting (such as what to do when some kid tries to ask you how much sex you get) followed by a Kobe City meeting, and then a talk on teaching special needs children. By the end I was ready to collapse, my brain felt heavy enough to give me balance trouble. And so when a not-compulsory-but-you-really-should-go trip to the British Embassy was announced, I wasn't the happiest of customers. I think I had better not have gone, all things considered. 520 yen on the train there and back, and all I get from it is the end of a talk on Embassy services (travel planning team leaders were beheaded for that little blunder) and a beer. I was promised food, but that promise did not come with the assurance that I would be able to eat the stuff. Yeah, more anti-veg levelling. Ridiculous, for a country so vegi-minded as Britain...
Wednesday, and we're ready to go for good this time.
The flight was a whole ton better than the last one I'd taken, only taking a little over an hour. But boy, Kobe is HOT. I mean, it's really, REALLY hot! Even now I'm struggling to get used to just how hot it is. Sweating is as common an action as breathing. But yeah, that's not important. What IS important is that Kobe is also staggeringly beautiful. From close to any vantage point in the city you can see the whole thing, with the tree-laden mountains providing a really awesome backdrop. We didn't get a whole lot of sightseeing done on this first day, taking a bus immediately to the KEC, the Kobe Education Center, where the magic happens. Paperwork, introductions and another talk about things to come. Our CIRs Daniel and Marie are both excellent, and did a superb job of letting us know we were in safe hands. But boy, am I not glad to be back in amongst the red tape of bureacracy. I've done more paperwork these last two weeks than I think any administrator knows what to do with. We also met some of our staff, Siba-sensei, Miki-sensei (finance division) and our own ALT supervisor Wada-sensei who, I am told, is incapable of anger. And after that, the intense fear and tension of meeting our team teachers for the first time. But rest assured, reading public, Nishida-sensei seems like a really great teacher. He quickly warmed to the conversation, and seemed incredibly pleased to hear my Japanese. He even used the term "English gentleman" when he called up the vice-principal of our school to say I'd arrived safe. Talk about a vote of confidence. We took a taxi to Hanayama, my new home, which if anything is even hotter than hot, hot Kobe. It's also very far out of the way, the taxi driver not having heard of it before and being unable to find his way there without help. Travel costs are gonna destroy me, if nothing else does. It's green like no other place I've ever lived before, with trees just everywhere. Oh, and creatures that live in trees. We've been warned about centipedes and cockroaches, but I've also seen crickets the size of my fist and last night I even saw a tiny lizard. Oh, and a praying mantis. It's like living in Twycross Zoo sometimes. The rest of the day was spent socialising with the other Hanayamans, first at a barbeque and then at one of our sempai JETs' places. And make no mistake, the people of Hanayama are quite simply the nicest, most welcoming and most entertaining people I have EVER met. Each one of them is kind and enthusiastic, and very easy to talk to. I am truly blessed to be here, with such a stellar support network in place.
Okay, swiftly on now. Thursday was our first Neighbourhood Day. After a brief trip into the KEC again we went off with our house groups to the ward office to register, and then Sannomiya, the central entertainment area of Kobe, to get iPhones. Those little things are staggering. I'm listening to music on mine right now, it can store all of my library and still has space, essentially making my iPod obsolete. The battery's a little low, so I'll likely bring my iPod as well on travels, but the breadth of function of an iPhone is just magnificent. Downloadable games, a camera, Skype, internet and email, Google Maps. It can even allow you to TALK to people who aren't right next to you, so long as they have a phone as well. After that we went back to the Hanayama area (my poor wallet...) for lunch and to look around. We stopped by a shop called Konan, the B&Q of Japan, where we picked up dehumidifiers and the like. Apparently the humidity here will melt away your clothing if you're not careful. I'm going to have to stop by there again some time soon to pick up bug deterrents. More on that later. That night was okonomiyaki at a nearby shopping area in Oike, which was superb. Drink bar includes icecream, a heavenly combination.
Phew, getting tired here. Next was Friday, in case you were unaware, and a true tour of Sannomiya. We saw Tokyu Hands, the Loft, a little food alley behind the station, cinemas, stations, offices and shops. I didn't buy anything, holding out for a more interesting cover for my phone, but eventually we made our way to the Hub, the British pub, for a quick Happy Hour. Many of us split at that point, but a few of us from Hanayama stuck around for a quick Thai curry and karaoke, which was brilliant. I'd forgotten how much I adore karaoke, it's such a release, and the other Hanayamans are an almost ideal group to sing with. Though the Jankara in Sannomiya didn't allow for things like extensions or cheap alcohol, I was assured that the 'Phoenix' near the okonomiyaki place was a much better deal. Finished at 9pm (I know, pathetic), and then it was home to sleep.
Saturday, Steph and I returned to Sannomiya for a bit of personal shopping. There's a fanTASTic floor of 'Centergai', the main shopping center, that caters to folk of a more otaku slant. I got myself the most incredible phone cover, a white one with a picture of Kyubei's smiling face on it. Don't know who Kyubei is? Google him, and then watch Madoka Magica. After all that, it was off to Ikea (interesting fact: it's pronounced 'ee-kay-ah' in Japan) to pick up some sheets for Steph's bed, and then off to see the fireworks. Kobe's annual fireworks festival is not to be missed, make no mistake. Though I was tired beyond belief I'm extremely glad I went, it was just staggering. The East really does put us Westerners to shame when it comes to fireworks. The afterparty was at a senior JET's house on Port Island, where I once again successfully dodged the King's Cup.
Sunday we had tried to get to church, but to our discredit we didn't do the right amount of research, and when the time came to head out we didn't really know where to go. I'm hoping God's willing to forgive us this once, it HAS been a very exhausting work week. We have plans for tomorrow, though, going along to somewhere called Kobe Union Church with a Hanayaman named Alex. We know absolutely nothing about it, save that there's a Bible study on Wednesdays, but it'll be good to get the those church roots planted. The rest of the day was spent not doing anything. No, seriously.
This next week's been a bit of a blur, so don't blame me if it's a little brief. Monday was a sort-of job-training thing at Suzurandai JHS, a school reknowed for its second-to-none English ability. We had some short, informal talks with our senior JETs about things like teaching materials and extra-curricular activities (can it still be called that if I'm not a student?), followed by lunch with some of the students and a tour of the school. Let me tell you, it was ace being inside a building only ever seen in two dimensional illustrations before. A building, may I also point out, that traditionally gets attacked by supernatural forces or that acts as a training ground for magicians or robot pilots. It was a little odd finally being inside one. The boys taking us around were really nice, they seemed unusually relaxed to talk with us. Hiro informed us we'd be seeing more of him this coming week at Summer School, the English language teaching event for Junior High students that we ALTs help out with. The highlight of the day, though, was getting back on the bus at the very end and reuniting with Steph (who hadn't taken a tour with my group) and holding hands as we walked to the gate, and getting accostered (yes, that's the right word for it) by a small mob of girls who seemed extraordinarily excited to see us. "Couple?" they asked, "Married?", and then squealed very loudly when we responded. Sometimes young girls are the same the world over.
Tuesday was our first day of Japanese language class. Steph and I were placed into the top set together, along with most of the group. Class was from 9.30 to 3, with super-generous hour and half lunch, and consistenly left us drained of life. But I'm glad I went; it was good to have that extra practice and it was very well-taught, even fun. Tuesday was self-introductions, with an emphasis on finding funny stories to tell about our names. Wednesday was illness and wallet loss, Thursday was keigo. We also spent Thursday afternoon and Friday morning preparing for our unofficial assessment: a 3-minute speech on a topic of our choice. The two lower groups had fixed topics. Friday afternoon was a massive presentation of the amazing products of our imagination. In case you were wondering, I did mine on the way that the changing economy is forcing Japanese businessmen to rethink the way that they use Japanese formality markers in speech in the light of money-loss balancing the workforce in the eyes of society*. It was a lot of fun, all in all, and I received a number of happily-received pats on the back.
Over that week we didn't do much with our free time. We were so exhausted, there was little enthusiasm to really do anything. We cooked dinner, we watched films, we restored our energy. On Thursday afternoon, however, we participated in an epic water gun fight with the other Hanayamans (see profile picture for proof) in which a small Japanese boy tried to fire a water gun up my bum. No joking. It was extraordinarily wierd. I was even told afterwards that he was attempting to coerce others into doing the same. Fortunately none of the other Hanayamans were WIERD JAPANESE BOYS! Tch, so ridiculous. I am NOT putting up with that sort of treatment when I get to my school. Friday afternoon we spent out last opportunity to be in Sannomiya cancelling optional extras on our iPhones, buying Crocks and phone covers, and turning traveller's cheques into real money. I also bought Dynasty Warriors Gundam 2, and we played Terraria co-op deep into the night.
And now here we are. It's half-2 in the afternoon, and we're about to head to the convenience store for lunch. It's gonna be a long day of Terraria and Gundam ahead, methinks, and maybe a bit of Dragon Quest 9 in there as well. May well be my favourite game of all time, that last one.
Anyways, as always, thanks for reading. I'll try to be faster next time.
*Psyche. I did it on Pokemon.
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