Monday, January 31, 2005
friday's thoughts
I was not feeling well on Friday. It was difficult to pinpoint or verbalize how I was feeling, but I got some of the thoughts out while chatting with a friend:
On Friday night, I actually felt better when I chatted with a friend and spoke with another on the phone. This convo just recaps and processes what was going on in my head [I think :) ]...oh well
QT: just not feeling "connected"...or just having the non-connectedness surface a bit
QT says:
but i came back home and chatted on IM and then felt better
FRIEND says:
you mean disconnected from your folks or your self or both?
QT says:
well really feeling down b/c there wasn't anyone around who really cares about me
FRIEND says:
i see
QT says:
feeling just "there"..
QT says:
so outside of J, I know people care about me, but it would be good to feel that here at times...sometimes (really just for short short moments) I feel like what I have back in the US is very separate from here so, it almost feels like it doesn't count
QT says:
b/c in that moment, I feel like there is no one around who i can be "me" with or no one who likes "me" b/c really they don’t know ME
QT says:
they only know a little bit b/c that's all that this scenario can provide...a little bit of me
FRIEND says:
you mean it doesn't count cause it isn't all the time or physical?
QT says:
not sure if that makes sense...might be too confusing
QT says:
in reality, it does count
FRIEND says:
no its not confusing
FRIEND says:
i was thinking the same thing that it does "count" it is what really "counts"
FRIEND says:
your folks your real people
QT says:
but in that second or very short moment, it's like "yeah, folx at home love, like and show interest in me" but at 23:04, I don't have that right there
FRIEND says:
who know and love you undconditionally you know
QT says:
and THAT's important and what's missing from this experience
QT says:
i mean people (outside of J) sometimes look at this situation and see "meditation...peacefulness...serenity...solitude" which I believe can exists, but those same people prob know those concepts and ideas from a "safe" perspective
QT says:
by "safe" I mean, they have the love and support around and with them, so having the "garden...koi fish...temple...meditation" is a part of that experience, not what I deal with on the daily
QT says:
i don't have that...i have never been to a temple in my town...have never been invited...it's not Tokyo or Kyoto...it's "real"...it's not a L*n*ly pl*n*t guide or tour book
QT says:
but i think i am rambling at this point...gomen...
FRIEND says:
so its romanticized
QT says:
basically
QT says:
which basically brings me back to needing my reality and not what exists here in J
On Friday night, I actually felt better when I chatted with a friend and spoke with another on the phone. This convo just recaps and processes what was going on in my head [I think :) ]...oh well
Sunday, January 30, 2005
new beginning...
i just looked down at my cell phone and it read "0:00"...it's wild! although it is about 16 minutes fast so it's really not midnight yet, its my first time catching it like that. it's a clear indication that you can really start over new!
Mutsu Fuyu no Sonata
I skidded on ice today....almost, almost running into the car in front of me. The thing is that I was going slowly. However the car in front of me stopped abruptly b/c all of a sudden, she realized that she wanted to make a quick stop at the library. Thank goodness for my car with her super ABS powers. I think it's really odd the way the driving scenario works out here (and possibly throughout J). When the road is dry and there's not a cloud in the sky, people drive like snails who have lost thei way back to the warm, fuzzy and moist homes. When it's -3 degrees, with snow blowing around on streets covered with snow on top of at least an inch of ice, people decide to turn up the speed a notch and drive like speed racers...maybe someone else can do the math on that one.
I went to tea ceremony with the girl scouts today. Like always, the ceremonies were good. We did two different ones yokoicha [thick] and usuicha [thin]...I believe the "thick/thin" refers to the tea itself, b/c it sure was thicker and heavier than any other that we have made before.
After tea ceremony we had lunch and chatted a bit. I found out that everyone is REALLY into Yon-sama. I wasn't extremely surprised at that. The surprising thing is that they had pictures of him in their purses, on their cell phones and in tehir calendars. The thing that was even funnier is that it was the troop leaders and mothers who did all of this...they are all 40-something plus! It makes sense though, especially sinec I've read that most of his fans are between 40 and 65 years of age. :)
I went to tea ceremony with the girl scouts today. Like always, the ceremonies were good. We did two different ones yokoicha [thick] and usuicha [thin]...I believe the "thick/thin" refers to the tea itself, b/c it sure was thicker and heavier than any other that we have made before.
After tea ceremony we had lunch and chatted a bit. I found out that everyone is REALLY into Yon-sama. I wasn't extremely surprised at that. The surprising thing is that they had pictures of him in their purses, on their cell phones and in tehir calendars. The thing that was even funnier is that it was the troop leaders and mothers who did all of this...they are all 40-something plus! It makes sense though, especially sinec I've read that most of his fans are between 40 and 65 years of age. :)
Friday, January 28, 2005
parental declarations
There are 128* things that people say they will NOT do when they become a parent. Today, I will add 1one more and make it 129:
So I wa late again today. I got here just as the bell rand. Being the laid back kocho-sensei that he is, the VP was basically like 'don't sweat it..it's not that serious' :)
*random #
Drive my child to school and park my car in front of the school's driveway. In doing so, blocking all cars from being able to get in...especially the ALT`s. As a result, making said ALT late for work.
So I wa late again today. I got here just as the bell rand. Being the laid back kocho-sensei that he is, the VP was basically like 'don't sweat it..it's not that serious' :)
*random #
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
sentra or lancer?
a recent article touched on J management styles versus Western management styles. Using two famous car companies for the example scenarios, the article talks about J's traditional corporate model. After reading the article, I really cannot say which is better, however I know which style works for me (while I'm in J). sentra please!
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
head scratchin'
I am a bit tired of seeing images like the ones below on television:
Here, ladies and gentleman, we have Bobby Ologun, a mixed martial arts fighter. Apparently, like so many haed-scratchin' "actors", he is not only child-like and ignorant, he's also funny and makes us all laugh! *eyes rolling* These images continue to define people of African descent as exotic and comical fools.
Yes...the show that he was on actually presented some good information (energy conservation, nuclear power, recycling). I just wonder why...why...why, when it's his turn to talk or get a screen shot, must his eyes be bugged out and lips hanging low. why?
Here, ladies and gentleman, we have Bobby Ologun, a mixed martial arts fighter. Apparently, like so many haed-scratchin' "actors", he is not only child-like and ignorant, he's also funny and makes us all laugh! *eyes rolling* These images continue to define people of African descent as exotic and comical fools.
Yes...the show that he was on actually presented some good information (energy conservation, nuclear power, recycling). I just wonder why...why...why, when it's his turn to talk or get a screen shot, must his eyes be bugged out and lips hanging low. why?
volunteering...
I will be teaching for less than 4 hours of my 40 hours per week at work this semester. I really feel like I could really stay home for 3 (and really 4) days of the week and teach my classes on 1 or 2 days. Some people who have the same job as me have had this type of experience for their entire time in J. I, on the other hand, am experiencing this for the first time. The good thing about this scenario is that I have a lot of time to work on my grad class assignments during the week. This is IF I can concentrate while at work. I have all of this time, but can't manage to get anything done while I'm a school. I may take my laptop and then go to the library tomorrow. Maybe that will help me.
While browsing around, I cam across a good number of volunteer sites, but one in particular caught my interest. This site helps you with online volunteering ...yup! online volunteering. So the site says that "online volunteers translate documents, write articles, research data, build web sites, mentor young people, design logos, and engage in many other projects to benefit organizations serving people in the developing world." This is very helpful for people who want to volunteer but are unable to leave their home country or house. Good stuff!
While browsing around, I cam across a good number of volunteer sites, but one in particular caught my interest. This site helps you with online volunteering ...yup! online volunteering. So the site says that "online volunteers translate documents, write articles, research data, build web sites, mentor young people, design logos, and engage in many other projects to benefit organizations serving people in the developing world." This is very helpful for people who want to volunteer but are unable to leave their home country or house. Good stuff!
Friday, January 21, 2005
student growth
Today my students really impressed me. I have always been fond of my 2nd year students and their abilities, however in addition to their usual performance, the 1st year students are shining too. I have to approach them differently. The 2nd years are super genki [energetic] while the 1st years are pretty mellow. The 1st years do not get excited by too much...it's actually funny. Either way though, they impressed me today. I have been teaching the 1st years since last April and they have grown so much. There is even one student who kept her head down for most of the first semester. I had her moved to the front and the JTE and I started pulling her into the lesson. She seemed surprised that we noticed her, but slowly she began holding her head up and paying attention. Today, she wanted to ask me a question, so she looked in her dictionary then consulted the teacher on the grammar, then asked, "Have you recovered?" I just smiled and said, "Not fully, but thank you for asking!" I was just all to happy that she even took the initiative to ask me a question :)
Random thought: I see a lot of French in Japn. It's usually in restaurants, stores, clothing and signs. I wonder whether there are the same issues with French as there are with English. I actually like Japanese English. It makes teaching English difficult, but outside of the classroom it makes sense. I just wonder that when French-speaking people see sign, if they prefer to read the Japanese b/c they have no idea what the "French" part says...hmm...
Random thought: I see a lot of French in Japn. It's usually in restaurants, stores, clothing and signs. I wonder whether there are the same issues with French as there are with English. I actually like Japanese English. It makes teaching English difficult, but outside of the classroom it makes sense. I just wonder that when French-speaking people see sign, if they prefer to read the Japanese b/c they have no idea what the "French" part says...hmm...
gestation
Browsing around online, I came across some info about gestational surrogacy programs. I learned a lot more than I knew before like with this particular organization:
* First timers receive $20,000 in compensation, generous expense allowance, travel, lost wages, health insurance, child care, and various other expenses.
* They have no out-of-pocket expenses throughout the process.
* To initially qualify you must:
- Be between 21 and 40 years of age
- Have at least one child of your own
- Be financially stable and not on any form of government assistance
hmm....interesting...BUT before anyone who knows me gets any ideas. I was browsing one of the craft rings online and came across a woman who is doing this for the 2nd time and THAT's how I came across the info. I actually only even thought about this subject during my last bioethics class when we were discussing genetic and intllectual property, among other topics. Plus, I wouldn't qualify b/c I don't have any children. anyway....back to our regularly schedule program
* First timers receive $20,000 in compensation, generous expense allowance, travel, lost wages, health insurance, child care, and various other expenses.
* They have no out-of-pocket expenses throughout the process.
* To initially qualify you must:
- Be between 21 and 40 years of age
- Have at least one child of your own
- Be financially stable and not on any form of government assistance
hmm....interesting...BUT before anyone who knows me gets any ideas. I was browsing one of the craft rings online and came across a woman who is doing this for the 2nd time and THAT's how I came across the info. I actually only even thought about this subject during my last bioethics class when we were discussing genetic and intllectual property, among other topics. Plus, I wouldn't qualify b/c I don't have any children. anyway....back to our regularly schedule program
Wednesday, January 19, 2005
27 years and counting...
So the story goes that a young QT (me!) refused to stand in alphabetical order at my nursery school graduation. My family name begins with a 'Y' which meant not a thing with me b/c "I was not going to be last". So after a fit, they called my mother and then arranged to have me stand elsewhere in the line, just as I had initially wanted. So there we have it.
I believe I get this stubbornness and determination comes from both of my parents (definitely from my mother)...(*o*)...so as a true sign of being my parent's daughter I decided, upon leaving the doctor's office today, that I will not take all 4 of the different medications he prescribed for me to take. i am still in investiagtion mode, but i am not interested in putting these things into my body.
I believe I get this stubbornness and determination comes from both of my parents (definitely from my mother)...(*o*)...so as a true sign of being my parent's daughter I decided, upon leaving the doctor's office today, that I will not take all 4 of the different medications he prescribed for me to take. i am still in investiagtion mode, but i am not interested in putting these things into my body.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
voiceless
my voice has dwindled :( i stayed home from work yesterday and today. the headache(s) nasal-ish pain has decreased however, i still don't have much of a voice. So since i still don't feel well AND i will not be able to say or do much tomorrow, i will probably stay home. i'll probably go to the doctor just to let my folx know that I am not faking. i really don't care what they think (with respect to me being sick) but i don't want them to take it out of my vacation just b/c i do not deal with sickness the way they do.
Ni Juu Ha sai :: 28 years old
As if this blog isn't already all about me and my wonderful lovliness ;) In honor of ending my 27th year and beginning my 28th year, I am trying to find out about things that happened on February 14th.
So in the February 14, 1977 issue of Time Magazine, Alex Haley's "Roots" was the featured cover and stories. The titles were "Why 'Roots' Hit Home" and "Haley's Rx: Talk, Write, Reunite"
. Of course, I didn't see "Roots" then, but I remember looking at in when we lived in Trinidad and many, many times after that. This story (book/miniseries) was great. I personally think that the stories (whether fact or fiction) inspired people to to examine tehir family histories.
So in the February 14, 1977 issue of Time Magazine, Alex Haley's "Roots" was the featured cover and stories. The titles were "Why 'Roots' Hit Home" and "Haley's Rx: Talk, Write, Reunite"
. Of course, I didn't see "Roots" then, but I remember looking at in when we lived in Trinidad and many, many times after that. This story (book/miniseries) was great. I personally think that the stories (whether fact or fiction) inspired people to to examine tehir family histories.
Monday, January 17, 2005
Japan Breakdown: Winter Trip
So after NT, ES and I got back from Seoul (YES! I am still re-capping the trip) we spent New Year's eve resting up at the hotel in Asakusa before heading out for the night. We had a wonderful dinner. GREAT food is always a plus! It was great to bring in the New Year with familiar faces around. Last year I was on a beach in Thailand by myself. I had a great time, it was was different.
So this is how things went down:
Jan 1 :: Nakamise Dori and Sensoji Temple in Asakusa
Jan 2 :: Imperial Palace, Hakone and Fuji-san area
Jan 3 :: National Museum (Tokyo) and Spa World (Osaka)
Jan 4 :: Kinkakuji Temple and Heian Shrine in Kyoto
Jan 5 :: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
Jan 6 :: bye, bye NT :(
We stayed the night in Asakusa which was perfect for hatsumode [the year's first visit to a temple or shrine]. Although I have visited a good number of places in J, most of the visits and/or events (aside from the summer festivals) have been from a touristy point of view. It was good to go to a Japanese event w/o feeling extremely touristy. We were doing what all of the hundreds (and thousands) of J folx were doing. Happy New Year!
On the 2nd we went to the Imperial Palace. It is only open to the public on two days of the year. On the Emperor's birthday and during the New Year. I went for his birthday and I told him that I would visit again...so we decided to make it a group affair :) ES went back home, so it was NT and I (plus a few hundred of other people). We walked along the path following along the path and made it there in time to hear the Emperor say a few words. I got a couple pics of him and hundreds of Japanese flags waving around. I think he said about 6 words and we waved the flags some more then the crowd moved on...that was it!
After the Imperial Palace we made our way to the Hakone and Fuji area. It didn't take us long to get to the area but getting up the mountain to get a good view of Fuji took much longer than I expected. When we finally got to Hakone I did the funicular cable car ride up to the mountain with NT. That was cool but the viewing poingt was closed b/c it was kind of late AND it wasn't the place to see Fuji-san. So by the time we got back down the mountain to Hakone, it was dark. Not a good thing considering that Hakone is considered a great place to view Fuji-san. I am not the climbing Fuji-san type, so I was looking forward to the view. So needless to say...we ddn't see Fuji-san :(
I think both NT and I were disappointed about not seeing Fuji-san. We went to the onsen right behind the train station b/c they were know for having a nice notemburo [outdoor bath]. I thought it would be bigger (only had a small bath), but it was nice...very relaxing. That night we stayed in Ueno and had dinner in this restaurant that had a nice little private room...of course we cut up..no pictures of that.
The next day (3rd) we went to the National Museum and experienced a good amount of cultural events. They had New Year's celebration so got a chance to see a shamisai (sp?), a taiko drumming and a koto performance, in addition to the usual museum stuff.
After the National Museum, we headed south on the bullet train and wat did we see on the way....
:: FUJI-SAN! YEAH! ::
After the ride we went to Spa World for dinner and a few hours of onsening....let's public bathing! We traveled another hour south-eastish and spent the night in Nara. The next morning we went to Kyoto and saw Kinkakuji Temple and the Heian Shrine. I had been to Kinkakuji already but it was my first visit to Heian Shrine. I loved the grounds and it was much bigger than I expected. B/c of hatsumode there we a lot of people there in addition to the usual crowds.
After doing some souvenir shopping we got back on the bullet train (AGAIN!) and went even further south to Hiroshima. My favorite place in J!! YEAH! We hung out with HL who was out lovely host for the evening. The next day NT and I went to the Peace Memorial Museum and walked around Peace Park. Later on that day, HL met up with us at the train station to good bye to NT...wwaaaaaahhhhhh... :( NT had to go back to Tokyo so she could fly out the next stay. I stayed in Hiroshima for a couple more days. NT was definitely missed and I REALLY enjoyed the trips that we had..even if I am a peanut hog!
So this is how things went down:
Jan 1 :: Nakamise Dori and Sensoji Temple in Asakusa
Jan 2 :: Imperial Palace, Hakone and Fuji-san area
Jan 3 :: National Museum (Tokyo) and Spa World (Osaka)
Jan 4 :: Kinkakuji Temple and Heian Shrine in Kyoto
Jan 5 :: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
Jan 6 :: bye, bye NT :(
We stayed the night in Asakusa which was perfect for hatsumode [the year's first visit to a temple or shrine]. Although I have visited a good number of places in J, most of the visits and/or events (aside from the summer festivals) have been from a touristy point of view. It was good to go to a Japanese event w/o feeling extremely touristy. We were doing what all of the hundreds (and thousands) of J folx were doing. Happy New Year!
On the 2nd we went to the Imperial Palace. It is only open to the public on two days of the year. On the Emperor's birthday and during the New Year. I went for his birthday and I told him that I would visit again...so we decided to make it a group affair :) ES went back home, so it was NT and I (plus a few hundred of other people). We walked along the path following along the path and made it there in time to hear the Emperor say a few words. I got a couple pics of him and hundreds of Japanese flags waving around. I think he said about 6 words and we waved the flags some more then the crowd moved on...that was it!
After the Imperial Palace we made our way to the Hakone and Fuji area. It didn't take us long to get to the area but getting up the mountain to get a good view of Fuji took much longer than I expected. When we finally got to Hakone I did the funicular cable car ride up to the mountain with NT. That was cool but the viewing poingt was closed b/c it was kind of late AND it wasn't the place to see Fuji-san. So by the time we got back down the mountain to Hakone, it was dark. Not a good thing considering that Hakone is considered a great place to view Fuji-san. I am not the climbing Fuji-san type, so I was looking forward to the view. So needless to say...we ddn't see Fuji-san :(
I think both NT and I were disappointed about not seeing Fuji-san. We went to the onsen right behind the train station b/c they were know for having a nice notemburo [outdoor bath]. I thought it would be bigger (only had a small bath), but it was nice...very relaxing. That night we stayed in Ueno and had dinner in this restaurant that had a nice little private room...of course we cut up..no pictures of that.
The next day (3rd) we went to the National Museum and experienced a good amount of cultural events. They had New Year's celebration so got a chance to see a shamisai (sp?), a taiko drumming and a koto performance, in addition to the usual museum stuff.
After the National Museum, we headed south on the bullet train and wat did we see on the way....
:: FUJI-SAN! YEAH! ::
After the ride we went to Spa World for dinner and a few hours of onsening....let's public bathing! We traveled another hour south-eastish and spent the night in Nara. The next morning we went to Kyoto and saw Kinkakuji Temple and the Heian Shrine. I had been to Kinkakuji already but it was my first visit to Heian Shrine. I loved the grounds and it was much bigger than I expected. B/c of hatsumode there we a lot of people there in addition to the usual crowds.
After doing some souvenir shopping we got back on the bullet train (AGAIN!) and went even further south to Hiroshima. My favorite place in J!! YEAH! We hung out with HL who was out lovely host for the evening. The next day NT and I went to the Peace Memorial Museum and walked around Peace Park. Later on that day, HL met up with us at the train station to good bye to NT...wwaaaaaahhhhhh... :( NT had to go back to Tokyo so she could fly out the next stay. I stayed in Hiroshima for a couple more days. NT was definitely missed and I REALLY enjoyed the trips that we had..even if I am a peanut hog!
Sunday, January 16, 2005
winter winter winter...
after cleaning up my apato a bit while playing some music, i felt a bit better. i went to Aomori for a birthday dinner for a few people. had a nice time. ran into some other familiar faces that i only see here in Mutsu.
:: TR and lil bro DY representing with the kawaii [cute!]yet hardcore peace signs ::
Spent the night expecting to get the first train back to Mutsu, but had a full day of relaxation and socializing. I just got in, so I am going to get something satisfying to eat then (hopefully) catch some zzzzzzzzzz
The snow has not stopped....the snow is so bad that people have to go up to their roofs and shovel it off. I heard that many winter injuries happen b/c of this :(
:: TR and lil bro DY representing with the kawaii [cute!]yet hardcore peace signs ::
Spent the night expecting to get the first train back to Mutsu, but had a full day of relaxation and socializing. I just got in, so I am going to get something satisfying to eat then (hopefully) catch some zzzzzzzzzz
The snow has not stopped....the snow is so bad that people have to go up to their roofs and shovel it off. I heard that many winter injuries happen b/c of this :(
Saturday, January 15, 2005
my sinus cavities are mad at me
It started again...
* Facial pains.
* Tenderness of the sinus areas.
* Headaches.
* Nasal drainage that is thick and colored.
* Cough (may be itchy).
* Postnasal drip.
* Upper jaw pain.
* Sore throat.
* Eyes are sensitive to light.
* General fatigue.
* Eye lids swell.
...yes :( the chronic sinusitis is back and in full swing :( WHY? I sensed it coming out in the open again a couple days ago. I woke up yesterday with a headache behind my eyes, running from my eyes down to my jaw ...grrrrr...I still went to work b/c by the time I started getting ready, I felt better. I am supposed to go to Aomori City today. I am not sure if it that will happen....yeah, let's sickness!
* Facial pains.
* Tenderness of the sinus areas.
* Headaches.
* Nasal drainage that is thick and colored.
* Cough (may be itchy).
* Postnasal drip.
* Upper jaw pain.
* Sore throat.
* Eyes are sensitive to light.
* General fatigue.
* Eye lids swell.
...yes :( the chronic sinusitis is back and in full swing :( WHY? I sensed it coming out in the open again a couple days ago. I woke up yesterday with a headache behind my eyes, running from my eyes down to my jaw ...grrrrr...I still went to work b/c by the time I started getting ready, I felt better. I am supposed to go to Aomori City today. I am not sure if it that will happen....yeah, let's sickness!
Friday, January 14, 2005
getting traditional
I took this photo at a studio in december...
...while I am on traditional and still watching TV. how about they have a robot on TV doing traditional odori [dance] ...it's wild!
ok...I think I am finish with the post overload today :)
...while I am on traditional and still watching TV. how about they have a robot on TV doing traditional odori [dance] ...it's wild!
ok...I think I am finish with the post overload today :)
book bag
it will seem odd in J, but I plan on buying randoseru for when I go back to the US. not only are these bookbags cute, but they are very durable. [random info: randoseru comes from the Dutch word ransel]
swappy goodness!
i received a lovely package today from my pinku flower swap partner meowgirl . the package included a choker with a pink flower on it, some chocolate and organic fruit snacks! hmmmm...fashionable and tasty!
natsukashii
in the past couple days, i took it back to the old school. i finally went back to yoga class after almost 2 months of not attending. then today, i visited my friend at the craft store and crafted for a little while with her. it felt good to go back to doing things that i liked doing here...for a while school and work consumed a lot of mine...mostly school though....ahhh... natsukashii [nostalgic] :)
for some reason all of these strange memories are coming to mind, like...when I cut my little sister's Little Miss Makeup doll's hair in an attempt to cut off the "dead" ends...I gave her a bob cut, even though her hair started out cascading doen her back...LOL...she's still mad at that till this day
speaking of natsukashii...I am watching some J television (since my VCR turns off automatically after the movie goes off) and on music station they have a recap of all the past fuyu no sonata artists that have performed. it reminded me of my korea trip when all I saw was NT's boyfriend everywhere. to add to the madness, i bought a couple pairs of these for two students who had the best class participation in december :) I surprised my self, but I knew they would love it! and they DID!
for some reason all of these strange memories are coming to mind, like...when I cut my little sister's Little Miss Makeup doll's hair in an attempt to cut off the "dead" ends...I gave her a bob cut, even though her hair started out cascading doen her back...LOL...she's still mad at that till this day
speaking of natsukashii...I am watching some J television (since my VCR turns off automatically after the movie goes off) and on music station they have a recap of all the past fuyu no sonata artists that have performed. it reminded me of my korea trip when all I saw was NT's boyfriend everywhere. to add to the madness, i bought a couple pairs of these for two students who had the best class participation in december :) I surprised my self, but I knew they would love it! and they DID!
Thursday, January 13, 2005
lovely students
I decided to end my night and begin my day with something positive. I really like my second year students they are so great. I took photos during class today. My kids look like they could be right out of an EFL magazine or book...so genki about English
:: Say Cheezu! ::
:: The drive to work...my school (right) ::
:: Say Cheezu! ::
:: The drive to work...my school (right) ::
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
getting personal
Before I left for vacation, I wrote a letter to my (real) supervisor at the state BOE about my enkai/lack of food provisions issue. He didn't respond directly to me, but he must have spoken to someone here (the principal). My supervisor here (at my school) said that the principal talked to her about the enkais and me getting my money back. She gave me a list of the 9 general parties that we had so far...which indicates that I probably spend about 4800YEN per event. She wanted me to indicate which parties I attended. I told her that my issue wasn't only about attendance. It is related to the fact that although I am told I will have food, when I get there, I usually do not have food to eat... *no need to revisit my rant of 2 weeks ago* So after telling her how I really felt about things, including the fact that I told her about it before but she just ignored what I had to say by saying other J teachers do not get their money back . She responded with a few comments however these stood out ... J people have a hard time understanding vegetarianism...you should go talk to the chefs and arrange your own meals.... WHAT?! Please...
*BREAK*
okay...let's fast forward a few hours to me walking back to this computer a minute ago. I just came back from giving my supervisor the list of enkais I 'attended' and 'did not attend'...she came out with the 'I am not interested in organizing food for parties b/c that is a personal issue'...wait, hold up! See...these folx are going there...I have no problem if they aren't interested in organizing vegetarian food for school events, but they could have said that a year and a half ago as opposed to now. So basically what they are telling me is that they knew all along that they weren't going to prepare food for me, but yet still they took my money AND invited me to the events. Straight trippin'. So now my supervisor is saying that since I went to all but one of the 9 parties, that I can only get the money back from one party...HA! I have already told her that I plan to speak with my (real) supervisor at the BOE....I can't believe she went there...all of a sudden, there are lines drawn between what is personal and what is prfessional...hmm...quite odd b/c I have answered hundreds of personal questions for these folx... when my friends come to visit, they get quite personal by doing lessons for these folx...oh, they are really going there.
*BREAK*
okay...let's fast forward a few hours to me walking back to this computer a minute ago. I just came back from giving my supervisor the list of enkais I 'attended' and 'did not attend'...she came out with the 'I am not interested in organizing food for parties b/c that is a personal issue'...wait, hold up! See...these folx are going there...I have no problem if they aren't interested in organizing vegetarian food for school events, but they could have said that a year and a half ago as opposed to now. So basically what they are telling me is that they knew all along that they weren't going to prepare food for me, but yet still they took my money AND invited me to the events. Straight trippin'. So now my supervisor is saying that since I went to all but one of the 9 parties, that I can only get the money back from one party...HA! I have already told her that I plan to speak with my (real) supervisor at the BOE....I can't believe she went there...all of a sudden, there are lines drawn between what is personal and what is prfessional...hmm...quite odd b/c I have answered hundreds of personal questions for these folx... when my friends come to visit, they get quite personal by doing lessons for these folx...oh, they are really going there.
Tuesday, January 11, 2005
we've only just begun...
I am resting after an hour of shovelling off my car. There was no way a scraper would do it so I hit the car off with a shovel. It worked out nicely, rarely touching the surface of the car with every shovel full. Imagine that! So much snow that I have to shovel it off...this is what my car looked like this morning...
... so add about 10 hours of consistent snow on top of that and you get what I saw as I peaked around the side of the building this afternoon after work. I got up this morning and went outside. When I saw my car, I turned on my heals and called a taxi. I wasn't even in the mood for becoming a snow covered beast on my first day back to school. The good thing is that the snow boarding clothes that I acquired this summer came in handy as snow cleaning clothes! This is only teh beginning...if its anythinglike last year, I expect to see this type of weather until mid April! :( WAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!
... so add about 10 hours of consistent snow on top of that and you get what I saw as I peaked around the side of the building this afternoon after work. I got up this morning and went outside. When I saw my car, I turned on my heals and called a taxi. I wasn't even in the mood for becoming a snow covered beast on my first day back to school. The good thing is that the snow boarding clothes that I acquired this summer came in handy as snow cleaning clothes! This is only teh beginning...if its anythinglike last year, I expect to see this type of weather until mid April! :( WAAAAAAHHH!!!!!!!
Monday, January 10, 2005
Seoul Sistah Breakdown
I visited Seoul from December 25 - 31. I really liked Seoul with a tiny, tiny part that was unavoidable....it was COLD as all get out. Onward with the synopsis...
26: Saw Kabuki at the National Theatre, met wup with ES and flew to Seoul
27: Nam Dae Mun Market and National Folk Art Museum
28: Temple stay at Ja Kwang Sa Temple in Dajeon (south of Seoul)
29: Temple stay at Ja Kwang Sa Temple, Karaoke in Samseong
30: Seoul City Bus Tour, shopping in Itaewon, veggie dinner and walked around Insadong
31: Flew back to Tokyo
I knew that we did a lot in a few days. Now that I am writing it down, it seems like a whole lot more than I thought. I took the overnight bus down to Tokyo on the 25th and met up with NT at the airport. We didn't do much on that first night as far as I remember. On the 26th, we checked out of the hotel then made our way to the National Theatre for some Kabuki. I made reservations the day before, but we were surprised to find out that the show was four hours long! The show was midday, so after about an hour, we left so we could make our way to the airport. The show's title was Hana Fubuki Koinote Kagami/Kanjincho featuring kabuki master Koshiro Matsumoto, along with Somegoro Ichikawa and Shibajaku Nakamura. The title has something to do with "falling cherry blossoms and the pain of love" but based on the part we saw, it featured about a man who left his family and wife to live a life away from home. He came back every now and then to get money but he wanted it so he could spend it in the pleasure quarters. There were other parts but I forgot them. The costumes were really nice and the Japanese was very dramatic and drawn out...actually kind of funny, especially if you have no idea what they are saying. For my first kabuki show, I enjoyed it a lot. People were dressed in many different ways...some jeans, some suits, some kimono...an interesting mixture.
After kabuki, we met up with ES at the airport and got checked in for the flight. The flight to Seoul was only about 2 hours and 40 minutes so it flew by pretty quickly. The only thing that bothered me about the flight was that afterwards, I had an earache that did not quit. I ended up taking some of NT's painkiller just so I could stop whining about the throbbing pain. This happened to me once before (about 7 years ago) on a flight to Cleveland....but anyway. We stayed at a great hotel that was about an hour from the airport. When I initially booked it, I had no idea where it was in reference to the major sites, but it turned out to be a good location AND we got an excellent rate. Not only do they have family rooms, but you can also get the hotel room at "hostel dormitory" rates if you get a youth hostel card. It is so convenient that they actualy have an office in the hotel. We ended up saving alomost $30/person/night by getting the card...major, major hook-up.
:: NT down the street from our hotel...we stayed in the Olympic Park ::
OH! and did I mention that it was freezing in Seoul?! I knew that it would be cold, but I still was not (mentally) ready for what came a us when we got there. There was not a drop of snow in site, but it felt colder than Mutsu. A lot of it could have been simply that I do not spend much time outside during Japan's winter. I must spend about 10-15 minutes max outside. Just enough to walk to and clean off my car, then go to school then do the same to return home. So walking around and siteseeing in the cold weather was no joke.
On our first day, we decided to do a little site seeing and check out some of the markets along the way. It was a Monday, so most of the museums and such were closed so after huddling up with some random Korean men by a space heater outside, we went to Nam Dae Mun Market. According to the tourist guidebooks and pamphlets "Namdaemun Market is Korea's oldest open-air market"...THAT was absolutely correct. They had the oldest items there, clothes for much older people and items for folx who live there and need to go to the market to get household items...NOT what we were looking for. It was a bit disappointing b/c we got a different impression based on what we read about the market (a "must" for bargain shoppers???). We did meet a really nice lady at the market and ES bought a belt from her. She also complimented me on how "well dressed" I was for the weather. ES and NT missed the memo on the attire for the day so they were a bit colder than I was...LOL!
:: ES and I freezing outside of Nam Dae Mun Market, in front of Sunglyemun/Numdaemun (gate) a national treasure of Korea ::
It was so cold that we sought out some indoor sites which lead us to the National Folk Museum (in Gyeongbokgung Palace). I really liked the featured exhibits and the language part was interesting too. They had an audio-visual display that broke down the Korean language and how to say phrases in different languages. Because of the cold weather, we did some fly-by tourism for the open-air/outside displays.
:: National Folk Museum ::
People in Korea were very friendly. They were very willing to talk to us and attempted to help us even if they didn't speak English. I had no idea how to say anything in Korean, so NT served as the "translator" for us since she had the phrase book. She did an excellent job with communicating with people! YATTA! For only 5 days, I think we learned a lot. We also learned that pushing may be a part of Korean culture. At least that is what WE experienced. It was very HILARIOUS! People pushed us purposefully all the time. From the moment we got there til the moment we left. On our last day there, we were standing on the train platform and this older man came up the stairs and (even though there was a LOT of room around me) he walked right into me...I kid you not! It was wild! The odd thing is that we thought it was a "Korean" thing, but when we asked another friend about it when we returned to J, he said that he didn't get pushed the entire time he was there...wild, just straight up wild! LOL!
The temple stay was one of the best parts about the trip to Seoul. We spent 24 hours at Ja Kwang Sa Temple in Dajeon, Korea. The abbot was sooooo peace! It was a pleasant surprise. I knew that spending time at the temple would be a fulfilling experience, but it was totally unexpected that the abbot would be so chill. We were able to talk to him for at least an hour and a half. We touched on Buddhisim in Korea, his life before becoming a monk and meditation (among other things). He even suggested that we watch a movie to give us an idea of how Buddhists view the after life....it was really nice. I didn't bring my camera into his office b/c I read in several places that you cannot take photos and that (women) cannot touch the abbots...but it was soooooo different from what I read. We took photos with the abbot and had a great time, just within our first two hours there. While at the temple, we learned about meditation and Korean Buddhism, we did a meditation walk, got rid of our anguishes by doing 108 bows (no joke! I was sore for the entire next day), and I made a lovely lotus flower. There were other activites within the schedule too.
:: A worship hall for the temple that is run by nuns. In Korean Buddhism, women are allowed to operate/run temples independently ::
:: Eating lunch together at the temple ::
:: My lovely lotus flower that I made (craftiness is a part of spiritual growth too!) ::
:: Main Buddha Hall where we had the ceremonies ::
We had a great time at the temple. I would love to go back (when it is warmer) and stay at the temple again. The abbot had a lot to share and before we left, he said to me "You are a good person" :)
After the temple stay we took the bus back up to Seoul and headed back to our trust hotel. We rested a lottle bit then went out for some socializing and ended up at karaoke! YATTA! It was great b/c NT got to experience a smidge of karaoke, althought it wasn't exactly like J, it was extremely close. On our last day, the 30th, we set out to see a some sites via the Soul City Bus Tour...too cold for walking around. Initially I wanted to get off and on the bus at different stops, but it was good riding around and seeing all of the sites from the bus. Plus, there was an English audio-naration provided too. At the end of the tour, we stopped off at Itaewon where we hoped to find some good shopping. We did! Although I was not really into the shopping aspect of things, I wanted to get purses for my mother and sisters (since that is all they have asked for since I placed my hips in the East). I bought some funky bags....mission accomplished!
GRANOLA MONOLOGUES:
There were two highlights in the Seoul trip. The temple stay AND the veggie restaurant on our last night! The food was so AMAZING! It was Korean food and it was off the hook. We had had some good food thus far, but the restaurant that we visited...our faces and the plates tell the story very well...to top it off, they finished off an excellent meal by serving us some quince tea! It was so good that one person in our party (was tempted to) lick the cup :) LOL!
:: Gamsa Hamnida/ Thank you! ::
Seoul...would definitely go back again!
26: Saw Kabuki at the National Theatre, met wup with ES and flew to Seoul
27: Nam Dae Mun Market and National Folk Art Museum
28: Temple stay at Ja Kwang Sa Temple in Dajeon (south of Seoul)
29: Temple stay at Ja Kwang Sa Temple, Karaoke in Samseong
30: Seoul City Bus Tour, shopping in Itaewon, veggie dinner and walked around Insadong
31: Flew back to Tokyo
I knew that we did a lot in a few days. Now that I am writing it down, it seems like a whole lot more than I thought. I took the overnight bus down to Tokyo on the 25th and met up with NT at the airport. We didn't do much on that first night as far as I remember. On the 26th, we checked out of the hotel then made our way to the National Theatre for some Kabuki. I made reservations the day before, but we were surprised to find out that the show was four hours long! The show was midday, so after about an hour, we left so we could make our way to the airport. The show's title was Hana Fubuki Koinote Kagami/Kanjincho featuring kabuki master Koshiro Matsumoto, along with Somegoro Ichikawa and Shibajaku Nakamura. The title has something to do with "falling cherry blossoms and the pain of love" but based on the part we saw, it featured about a man who left his family and wife to live a life away from home. He came back every now and then to get money but he wanted it so he could spend it in the pleasure quarters. There were other parts but I forgot them. The costumes were really nice and the Japanese was very dramatic and drawn out...actually kind of funny, especially if you have no idea what they are saying. For my first kabuki show, I enjoyed it a lot. People were dressed in many different ways...some jeans, some suits, some kimono...an interesting mixture.
After kabuki, we met up with ES at the airport and got checked in for the flight. The flight to Seoul was only about 2 hours and 40 minutes so it flew by pretty quickly. The only thing that bothered me about the flight was that afterwards, I had an earache that did not quit. I ended up taking some of NT's painkiller just so I could stop whining about the throbbing pain. This happened to me once before (about 7 years ago) on a flight to Cleveland....but anyway. We stayed at a great hotel that was about an hour from the airport. When I initially booked it, I had no idea where it was in reference to the major sites, but it turned out to be a good location AND we got an excellent rate. Not only do they have family rooms, but you can also get the hotel room at "hostel dormitory" rates if you get a youth hostel card. It is so convenient that they actualy have an office in the hotel. We ended up saving alomost $30/person/night by getting the card...major, major hook-up.
:: NT down the street from our hotel...we stayed in the Olympic Park ::
OH! and did I mention that it was freezing in Seoul?! I knew that it would be cold, but I still was not (mentally) ready for what came a us when we got there. There was not a drop of snow in site, but it felt colder than Mutsu. A lot of it could have been simply that I do not spend much time outside during Japan's winter. I must spend about 10-15 minutes max outside. Just enough to walk to and clean off my car, then go to school then do the same to return home. So walking around and siteseeing in the cold weather was no joke.
On our first day, we decided to do a little site seeing and check out some of the markets along the way. It was a Monday, so most of the museums and such were closed so after huddling up with some random Korean men by a space heater outside, we went to Nam Dae Mun Market. According to the tourist guidebooks and pamphlets "Namdaemun Market is Korea's oldest open-air market"...THAT was absolutely correct. They had the oldest items there, clothes for much older people and items for folx who live there and need to go to the market to get household items...NOT what we were looking for. It was a bit disappointing b/c we got a different impression based on what we read about the market (a "must" for bargain shoppers???). We did meet a really nice lady at the market and ES bought a belt from her. She also complimented me on how "well dressed" I was for the weather. ES and NT missed the memo on the attire for the day so they were a bit colder than I was...LOL!
:: ES and I freezing outside of Nam Dae Mun Market, in front of Sunglyemun/Numdaemun (gate) a national treasure of Korea ::
It was so cold that we sought out some indoor sites which lead us to the National Folk Museum (in Gyeongbokgung Palace). I really liked the featured exhibits and the language part was interesting too. They had an audio-visual display that broke down the Korean language and how to say phrases in different languages. Because of the cold weather, we did some fly-by tourism for the open-air/outside displays.
:: National Folk Museum ::
People in Korea were very friendly. They were very willing to talk to us and attempted to help us even if they didn't speak English. I had no idea how to say anything in Korean, so NT served as the "translator" for us since she had the phrase book. She did an excellent job with communicating with people! YATTA! For only 5 days, I think we learned a lot. We also learned that pushing may be a part of Korean culture. At least that is what WE experienced. It was very HILARIOUS! People pushed us purposefully all the time. From the moment we got there til the moment we left. On our last day there, we were standing on the train platform and this older man came up the stairs and (even though there was a LOT of room around me) he walked right into me...I kid you not! It was wild! The odd thing is that we thought it was a "Korean" thing, but when we asked another friend about it when we returned to J, he said that he didn't get pushed the entire time he was there...wild, just straight up wild! LOL!
The temple stay was one of the best parts about the trip to Seoul. We spent 24 hours at Ja Kwang Sa Temple in Dajeon, Korea. The abbot was sooooo peace! It was a pleasant surprise. I knew that spending time at the temple would be a fulfilling experience, but it was totally unexpected that the abbot would be so chill. We were able to talk to him for at least an hour and a half. We touched on Buddhisim in Korea, his life before becoming a monk and meditation (among other things). He even suggested that we watch a movie to give us an idea of how Buddhists view the after life....it was really nice. I didn't bring my camera into his office b/c I read in several places that you cannot take photos and that (women) cannot touch the abbots...but it was soooooo different from what I read. We took photos with the abbot and had a great time, just within our first two hours there. While at the temple, we learned about meditation and Korean Buddhism, we did a meditation walk, got rid of our anguishes by doing 108 bows (no joke! I was sore for the entire next day), and I made a lovely lotus flower. There were other activites within the schedule too.
:: A worship hall for the temple that is run by nuns. In Korean Buddhism, women are allowed to operate/run temples independently ::
:: Eating lunch together at the temple ::
:: My lovely lotus flower that I made (craftiness is a part of spiritual growth too!) ::
:: Main Buddha Hall where we had the ceremonies ::
We had a great time at the temple. I would love to go back (when it is warmer) and stay at the temple again. The abbot had a lot to share and before we left, he said to me "You are a good person" :)
After the temple stay we took the bus back up to Seoul and headed back to our trust hotel. We rested a lottle bit then went out for some socializing and ended up at karaoke! YATTA! It was great b/c NT got to experience a smidge of karaoke, althought it wasn't exactly like J, it was extremely close. On our last day, the 30th, we set out to see a some sites via the Soul City Bus Tour...too cold for walking around. Initially I wanted to get off and on the bus at different stops, but it was good riding around and seeing all of the sites from the bus. Plus, there was an English audio-naration provided too. At the end of the tour, we stopped off at Itaewon where we hoped to find some good shopping. We did! Although I was not really into the shopping aspect of things, I wanted to get purses for my mother and sisters (since that is all they have asked for since I placed my hips in the East). I bought some funky bags....mission accomplished!
GRANOLA MONOLOGUES:
There were two highlights in the Seoul trip. The temple stay AND the veggie restaurant on our last night! The food was so AMAZING! It was Korean food and it was off the hook. We had had some good food thus far, but the restaurant that we visited...our faces and the plates tell the story very well...to top it off, they finished off an excellent meal by serving us some quince tea! It was so good that one person in our party (was tempted to) lick the cup :) LOL!
:: Gamsa Hamnida/ Thank you! ::
Seoul...would definitely go back again!
Friday, January 07, 2005
Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!
It's 2005! Already! Time has flown by sooooo quickly. I am not even talking about the the time since my last entry. I mean looking at 10 years ago...things are so different now.
10 years ago...
... I was 17 years old
... I lived in NJ
... I was a high school student...a GRADUATING senior though
... I applied to nine colleges and universities :O
... I could communicate in both Spanish and English
... I ate chicken and fish
... I was a cheerleader
... I had two jobs: at a children's library and a video store
... I didn't know that I would be living in Japan teaching English
... it was 1995!
My HS reunion is next month :) but I won't be able to attend for obvious reasons. They requested that people send photos, so I will probably do so when I return back to my apato...I am still on vacation.
I had a great time with NT and ES in Korea and in J. We saw a lot for 2 weeks. I will update when I get back b/c...I just don&t feel like doing it now and the photos will give me inspiration.
10 years ago...
... I was 17 years old
... I lived in NJ
... I was a high school student...a GRADUATING senior though
... I applied to nine colleges and universities :O
... I could communicate in both Spanish and English
... I ate chicken and fish
... I was a cheerleader
... I had two jobs: at a children's library and a video store
... I didn't know that I would be living in Japan teaching English
... it was 1995!
My HS reunion is next month :) but I won't be able to attend for obvious reasons. They requested that people send photos, so I will probably do so when I return back to my apato...I am still on vacation.
I had a great time with NT and ES in Korea and in J. We saw a lot for 2 weeks. I will update when I get back b/c...I just don&t feel like doing it now and the photos will give me inspiration.
