Well, since you're reading this, I guess it means I decided to update. And just how did my first ever Golden Week in Japan go?? Terrible!! I was sick from flu (Swine Flu, was it??? meybe!!) and thus was quarantined for 3 days. Oh well, it happened just after the Nariwa Kagura Matsuri, so I didn't miss that, and it rained for Children's Day, so maybe nothing major happened. I did make a run to YouMe Town for some Vitamin-C emergency supplies, and I saw that the department store was packed with people. I was hoping I wouldn't run into any of my kids, cause chances are that they'd want hugs or hand-holding or something that would surely cause the spreading of nasty germs.

Spending three days indoors wasn't all that bad. I caught up on all the Angry Video Game Nerd vids, most of the Nostalgia Critic videos, and I started the Nostalgia Chick series. I also saw the first 4 episodes of the awsumist anime eveor... Eden of the East, as well as the first 2 episodes of K-On, which is alright, but not as good as Gakuen Utopia Manabi Straight, which I just finished last month.

I could probably use the rest (and the lessened urge to spend money) since I just spent last weekend in Osaka/Nara with my dad and stepmother, as well as made a run into Hiroshima with those two and Michie and Rie-san on Wednesday. Crossed a lot off my "Things to Do in Japan" list, including seeing the Big Buddha statue, playing with the deer in Nara Park (I have to go back since I lost all my photos), visiting Yodabashi Camera, seeing the Atomic Dome, and journeying to Miyajima Island. Quite an eventful week, though I'm sure my parents are grateful for one of the events we all did together... something that can't be bought in any kind of travel package: a hiking trip with elementary school students!!

My stepmother is a 2nd-grade teacher, so she's used to being around kids. The chance to see kids of another country was exciting for her, and for both of them, seeing me at work. I absolutely love my kids! They were all very friendly and very talkative. They were anxious to show off their English. As usual though, my biggest fanclub (my second-graders-turned-third-graders) staked their claim on me early and basically held me captive for the whole day. I didn't mind though since they're fun and easy to talk to. Last week I taught them all "watch out!" and "be careful"... which couldn't have been any more perfectly-timed, considering how often I had to say it to them. What's even better is hearing them all saying it to eachother, then smiling at me waiting for praise.

I haven't written in this blog since graduation season. The ceremonies went well. I think I was a lot more emotional here than I was at my own graduations. I didn't care much for school or for my classmates when I was a kid, so when I was out, it was more like a "meh, whatever, what's next?" kind of deal. But here, I was a basketcase walking around as I realized that many of these kids would be leaving me. I got many photos requests, including a lot from the Tennis Club girls. I even got flowers and cards. I didn't cry at the actual event, though I almost lost it when I was given my gifts.

Speaking of my Tennis Club girls, my girls continue to be adorable. I taught some of them how to say "I would greatly appreciate it if you would give me a sticker." Haha... nice, go girls!! The other day Mi--- asked me why I call her "Mi-chan," but when I tried to ask her if it bothered her, she would always get distracted. Knowing her though, she probably wants me to say "because I love you with all my heart!!" She's so funny... and I know she has a huge crush on me, haha. Oh, teenagers and their emotions and hormoes... good thing I'm friends with her parents since misunderstandings are hard to explain.

That's the latest... time for bed finally!! One day left of my break, but I have to teach my night-class at the factory. Boooo~ Oh wait... extra spending cash... yaayy~

Tags: japan, students, teaching, update
Current Location: Japan
Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: "Falling Down" by OASIS

I am completely obsessed right now with Eden of the East !!! It's like The Bourne Identity: the Animation, haha. They talk about 9/11 and Ground Zero a lot, so it's kinda treading in places not many anime have gone before... though as a big fan of Rescue Me, it's not my first time encountering a fictional-work that was based on a story centered around the disaster. I think what I love most about Eden of the East is that the OP theme is performed by OASIS. Yeah, who knew that band was even still together? Kick-ass song. I posted a copy of the opening on youtube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNNmw7s4he4&feature=player_embedded

it's also in the preview article I published here...

May 5, 2009: Eden of the East - Spotlight Preview

the rest of this post you can ignore, unless you want to see how busy I've been over the past 3 years. It's a list of links to all the anime reviews, convention reviews, and culture articles I've written for anime-source.com. I also had a review published on the AnimeNewsNetwork, but I don't remember where it was and I'm too lazy to look it up. Anyway, I posted this list mainly as a way to increase our link-pressence on outside networks, heehee. I'm a whore... but at least I'm an industrious whore. I'll post an update on my life in Japan in a bit. ( Read more... )

Tags: anime, anime-source
Current Location: Japan
Current Mood: dorky
Current Music: "Falling Down" by OASIS

I took this survey just before leaving for Japan.  I'll edit it just to the ones with new answers...


( Japanified Survey )

Tags: japan, survey
Current Location: Takahashi, Japan
Current Mood: bored
Current Music: "Just Tune" by savage genius

ahoy minna!!

my attention has been divided amoung many things as of late, and sadly my LJ was one of those things that had to be pushed aside.  Not that I haven't been blogging about everyday of my life in Japan on the internets... I've just been doing it in a more public-place.  The blog I set-up over at anime-source.com has proven to be very successful.  I'm coming up on the 100th entry soon.  Very excited about that and happy to see so many users participating over there.

So what have I been doing since arriving in Japan?  Teaching and playing with the kids mostly.  The first few weeks were strange for us all, but now that I have been "accepted" as a part of the school community, things are going pretty well.  I have my "fan clubs" in different areas, particularly the elementary school 2nd and 3rd graders and the junior high school 1st graders.  All the students have been very warm and welcoming, as well as many of the teachers (all of the JHS teachers love me, though 1 or 2 of the ES teachers are douches at times... though the others make up for it immensely).

( lots more to update )

Tags: japan, teaching, update
Current Location: Takahashi, Japan
Current Mood: refreshed
Current Music: "Again" by Yui Sakakibara

Humidity, weird food, hot-seated toilets, wacky tiny cars, and earthquakes... I've been in Japan for just 3 days now and already I've experienced more insanity than a whole month in America would ever bring.  Anyway, sorry to keep this short, but 5 days of seminar training and making new friends is taking up so much of my time.  Apparently there are changes to my placement details, too, that have me a little worried, but Alisha assures me that they are for the better.

I'm here.  I'm safe.  I'm somewhat healthy, though the food-situation is a nightmare for picky-eaters such as myself.  At least I can get toast and orange juice in the morning.  I was gonna try the vending machine hot dog tonight, but ended up entertaining friends in my hotel room, so now it's time for bed and I'm not even hungry right now.

Okay, just saying hi.  I have some photos, I'll post them once things get less hectiic around here.  I'll post more in-depth, too, though if you want the play-by-play, check out the staff blog on anime-source.com (heh heh, sorry, A-S gets priority since I get like 4 or 5 views on LJ as opposed to like 1,500 on there).  More soon!!
 

Tags: japan, update
Current Location: Narita-shi, Chiba-ken, Japan
Current Mood: exhausted
Current Music: weird Japanse tv

stolen from nighstar
... because I'm bored and I haven't seen this ones before  :O




There was a second one of equal length, but it's 1 in the morning, and since I'm finally back on a NORMAL sleep schedule, I'm actually tired enough right now to go to bed.   I have to be up at 9am anyway.

Tags: meme, profile
Current Location: at home
Current Mood: bored
Current Music: "Kimi Sae Iriba" - Love Hina OST

is it the spacious skies? the amber waves of grain? the purple mountains majesty? the fruited plains?

nah, none of those.  Maybe it's family and friends?  yeah, sure, that's a given.  My little kitty cat, Mika-chan?  of course.  But there's something else that has been at my side since the day I was born... something that defines American culture for not only those of us who grew up in the United States, but also for everyone on the planet.



Journal Entry - Part 2...

 

Tags: american, culture, japan, tv
Current Location: Franklin Fire
Current Mood: productive
Current Music: silence

How does caramel leak out of a Snickers bar??  I mean... come on!!  The caramel is the best part.  If anything, I want JUST the caramel.  Ugh... anyway, even though I'm watching Stephen Colbert interviewing a guy on the problem with branding becoming an epidemic in our society (interview sponsored by Dr. Pepper), it's time for an Adventures in Japan update.  (apologies if I'm repeating anything... I'm too lazy to go back and see where I left off)

I made contact with my new co-workers.  Well, some of them at least.  There is one girl I've been talking to mostly and then I got a few emails from the branch manager in Hiroshima.  I will be working with 3 other ALTs... 1 girl from New Zealand and 1 guy from Jamaica who both started last semester, and 1 new girl from England who is actually a JET.  With connections already made, I already feel like this new place is home.  You have no idea how much of a weight off my shoulder this is.  It's bad enough that I'm going to be shuttled around and pointed to, prodded at, and pushed around... told when to eat, bow, yawn, sneeze, blink... but now that I know that there's a cool girl already excited about my arrival so we can cause mischief and mayhem in the mountains of Okayama, it's such a relief.

Tags: interac, japan, moving
Current Location: Franklin Fire
Current Mood: excited
Current Music: silence

Kinda depressing, in a way. I mean, yeah it's exciting that I'm getting set for a whole new journey, a whole new stage in life, but life in Hopedale has also been a big adventure and now that part of my life is ending. Living in the small town near the lake in the home where my grandmother spent so many years of her adult life has been a great experience. Luckily I've taken a jillion photos inside and outside of that place since I moved in, so I will always have my reminders. And of course, the memories.

My dad is taking the hutch tomorrow morning, which means ALL of my college textbooks and ALL my magazines need to be boxed and secured. Man, you never realize how much crap you build up over the years until it comes time to move it all. I'm such a pack-rat, so it's terribly hard for me to throw ANYTHING away. I bit the bullet and tossed out a few magazines, as well as a few old documents that I think I can live without.

Packing is an adventure within itself, as well. You come across so many things you haven't seen in years. I mean, I'm only talking 2 years, but stuff gets burried so easily. I think what takes most people so long to pack is every 30 minutes or so, they come across something interesting or nostalgic that they have to play around with for a bit. Then comes the tough decision of "should I toss it or should I store it?" This move is not like any normal move, since unlike normal moves, I'm putting this stuff away for a long, long time... as opposed to just tossing it in the box, taping it up, shipping it to whereever, and then unpacking it. Stuff like old trophies and old notebooks can be locked away until the turn of the century, but items like posters and DVDs are the things I'm really going to miss.

Anyway, enough emoing about packing... though take pity on me since I have to "live in boxes" for the next 3 weeks. There is other stuff related...

Tags: family, japan, moving
Current Location: at work
Current Mood: busy
Current Music: silence

Saturday, July 19th was supposed to be my last activity-date with my SFC2 girls, Naoko, Saki, and Asuka... but fortunately, we've managed to squeeze in one more outing together later this week. I have the photos from our trip to the fire station where I work posted, so I'll do a photo-journal entry for now.

I was very sad when I arrived at the school at 10am to learn that Asuka wasn't feeling well and thus would not be joining us, but Naoko and Saki were energetic as usual, so all was well. First stop was the Wrentham Village Outlets... cause... all guys love going... to the... mall. sigh~ Ah well, this trip wasn't so bad. Saki ran around like nuts checking out everything she could get her hands on while Naoko and I lagged behind and gawked at super-high pricetags... even for an outlet mall. At least I got to help Naoko pick out a shirt... so cute. She bought the one I recommended cause I'm awesome like that. I did get to hit the Sony Store and grabbed some pretty nice headphones for my iPod... and they were on sale, unlike the ridiculous prices at the Apple Store.

The girls had fun dressing me up in whatever crazy articles of clothing they could grab... which lead to me transforming into Dai-Sensei Jeff at one point, haha. Saki has the photo of that. She'll email it to me once she figures out how to transfer photos.

After the mall... which included lunch at the food court and some very interesting conversations about vegetable soda (mmmmmmmmm... ::vomit::), we drove over to the next town, which was the lovely town of Franklin where I grew up and now work.

Before that though... this is the photo (taken with my cell phone cam) of Naoko at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company sitting on their bear mascot. No one yelled at us, so I guess people sitting on that thing is quite common, haha.



More photos after the cut...

( Read more... )

Tags: naoko, saki, sfc, showa
Current Location: at work
Current Mood: content