Sorry it took me so long to get this up and I am sorry to those of you who cant get the full scoop cause this post is mainly in video. Hopefully I can make sure the next one is typed.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Twenty-Ten or Two thousand Ten?
So the year at work has kicked off with a good start. Thank goodness. Today was moderately busy, and the transition to work after being free for the last nine days was quite smooth. Classes went really well actually. My genius six-year-old was awesome as always (even taught him a bit of lyrics from Michael Jackson, whom he loves), and all my other kids were really behaved for me today. I am going home very happy tonight ^_^
Though, today was a tad bittersweet. One of my favorite kids students had decided to stop coming to class so she could free up time to go to cram school in order to prepare for Jr. high, and today was the first day she didn’t show up. The class was, of course, easier to manage, but I will miss her presence. She was one of my brightest, and she really lightened the class atmosphere at times. I wish her the best of luck! On a brighter note; my first adult class went fantastic. I had two really fun ladies that are both excellent students and made the lesson really fun to teach. A great cap to a good day.
As I sit here typing this, I actually feel really refreshed from my break. I am totally ready to give it all I can until my next long break in May, and have high spirits and hopes that I will improve both as a teacher and a Japanese speaker. I am off to a nice start, but we shall see how it goes . . . Well, I hope >_<
Though, today was a tad bittersweet. One of my favorite kids students had decided to stop coming to class so she could free up time to go to cram school in order to prepare for Jr. high, and today was the first day she didn’t show up. The class was, of course, easier to manage, but I will miss her presence. She was one of my brightest, and she really lightened the class atmosphere at times. I wish her the best of luck! On a brighter note; my first adult class went fantastic. I had two really fun ladies that are both excellent students and made the lesson really fun to teach. A great cap to a good day.
As I sit here typing this, I actually feel really refreshed from my break. I am totally ready to give it all I can until my next long break in May, and have high spirits and hopes that I will improve both as a teacher and a Japanese speaker. I am off to a nice start, but we shall see how it goes . . . Well, I hope >_<
Monday, January 4, 2010
2010 is here
Happy New Year everyone! I hope that the last few days have been wonderful and relaxing for you and that 2010 has much happiness and joy in store everyone. My New Years Eve, day and following days were quite the contrast to the beginning of my break. Originally, I had plans to go to my Head teachers hometown and bring in the New Year at his family’s place. Well, he got sick and the doc told him to stay home and he followed the directions and told both my manager and myself on the 30th. Shortly after that text, my manager texts me that she, two of the students, and myself were moving our trip up to . . . TOMORROW the 31st (and we were leaving t 5am)0_0 Usually not a problem, but I had already had two-week old plans with my hip hop instructor to spend the night drinking and dancing in Tokyo (the 30th) and I didn’t want to be a spoil sport and cancel any plans. Thus, I soldiered it out. I had a great time in Tokyo with the instructor and got off to the ski trip with no problems.
On the way to the resort in Gunma (named Ishiuchi Maruyama) the weather was perfect, but turned blizzard-like shortly after we got on the slopes. I actually enjoyed it a lot though ^_^ The cold totally dispelled any drowsiness I was feeling and the limited visibility made it more of and adventure for me. It was an amazing way to spend New Years Eve day. Later on, we all had a big dinner and then the two students and I headed to our traditional Ryokan. It was great. The accommodations were comfy, we got free yukata to wear during the stay, and were able to enjoy their onsen for a bit. It was quite relaxing. To bring in 1200 am 2010, We turned on the tube and instead of seeing time square and the decent of its ever famous luminous sphere, we saw clips of what was going on at different Shrines across the country and the release of balloons at a famous shrine in Tokyo. It was different, but I was content nonetheless. About 15 minutes afterward, I was asleep and didn’t wake up till 1040 the next morning haha. I was freakin tired.
New years day was done in Japanese fashion (Hatsumode). We were in the town of Ikaho and the town’s Shrine is found at the top of a 365-step stairway. We made the trek up, threw in our 5yen coins, rung the bell, bowed & clapped twice, made a small prayer, and bought our new year’s fortunes. Mine was the second best you could get (out of 3). We then had lunch and headed back to our homes. It was a great way to spend the New Year.
The next day I accompanied a friend to Tokyo because she was unable to do her Hatsumode the day before. Even though it was the 2nd, it was still REALLY crowded, but the line still went by pretty quickly, so That was good. Fortunately, the shrine was in the same town as my favorite Ramen restaurant and we were able to head over pig out. Yummy ^_^ Then, yesterday was her birthday, so we went to this really cool spa/onsen (Check this site for all the details. http://www.ooedoonsen.jp/higaeri/english/index.html). It was a good 3 hours of ultimate relaxation. I am definitely going back there in the near future.
Now I am just recovering from my last 4 days and mentally preparing myself for the New Year. I am gonna put together an actual personal curriculum for my Japanese study, so I can get it going a little bit faster and kill the Japanese Language Proficiency Test I plan to take in a few months from now. I plan to print out pictures from my past to adorn my walls and keep my room from looking drab all the time. I have no resolutions though really. I stopped believing in them sometime ago. I decided that it was silly for me to wait for the first of the next year to fix any problems I may have now. Thus, I have nothing new to share in terms personal goals and aspirations.
Alrights, Im going to get to it now. Have a great 2010 everyone!
On the way to the resort in Gunma (named Ishiuchi Maruyama) the weather was perfect, but turned blizzard-like shortly after we got on the slopes. I actually enjoyed it a lot though ^_^ The cold totally dispelled any drowsiness I was feeling and the limited visibility made it more of and adventure for me. It was an amazing way to spend New Years Eve day. Later on, we all had a big dinner and then the two students and I headed to our traditional Ryokan. It was great. The accommodations were comfy, we got free yukata to wear during the stay, and were able to enjoy their onsen for a bit. It was quite relaxing. To bring in 1200 am 2010, We turned on the tube and instead of seeing time square and the decent of its ever famous luminous sphere, we saw clips of what was going on at different Shrines across the country and the release of balloons at a famous shrine in Tokyo. It was different, but I was content nonetheless. About 15 minutes afterward, I was asleep and didn’t wake up till 1040 the next morning haha. I was freakin tired.
New years day was done in Japanese fashion (Hatsumode). We were in the town of Ikaho and the town’s Shrine is found at the top of a 365-step stairway. We made the trek up, threw in our 5yen coins, rung the bell, bowed & clapped twice, made a small prayer, and bought our new year’s fortunes. Mine was the second best you could get (out of 3). We then had lunch and headed back to our homes. It was a great way to spend the New Year.
The next day I accompanied a friend to Tokyo because she was unable to do her Hatsumode the day before. Even though it was the 2nd, it was still REALLY crowded, but the line still went by pretty quickly, so That was good. Fortunately, the shrine was in the same town as my favorite Ramen restaurant and we were able to head over pig out. Yummy ^_^ Then, yesterday was her birthday, so we went to this really cool spa/onsen (Check this site for all the details. http://www.ooedoonsen.jp/higaeri/english/index.html). It was a good 3 hours of ultimate relaxation. I am definitely going back there in the near future.
Now I am just recovering from my last 4 days and mentally preparing myself for the New Year. I am gonna put together an actual personal curriculum for my Japanese study, so I can get it going a little bit faster and kill the Japanese Language Proficiency Test I plan to take in a few months from now. I plan to print out pictures from my past to adorn my walls and keep my room from looking drab all the time. I have no resolutions though really. I stopped believing in them sometime ago. I decided that it was silly for me to wait for the first of the next year to fix any problems I may have now. Thus, I have nothing new to share in terms personal goals and aspirations.
Alrights, Im going to get to it now. Have a great 2010 everyone!
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