i feel compelled to not ignore the blog.
ever since the facebook craze hit i've been less motivated to update my blog. but i need to remind myself that this is a medium for me to look back on when my time in japan has come to an end. to read snippets and be reminded of the times i've had out here. facebook is great and fun for pictures etc but i don't write about the day-to-day life here and all of the zillions of things that make japan japan.
it's been a constant for me almost since i first arrived. it doesn't deserve this untimely death. so it will be revived.
a little recap of the past few weeks:
i returned from my SE asia adventure to the beginning of a new school year. both the kocho and kyoto senseis at both my schools (vp and principles) were replaces, as well as 6 out of 9 english teachers. it made for a nice change. my semester is much busier at saruhashi (nicknamed my "bad" school though it's much better now, and most days i even prefer it to toyoura). H-san, who is in charge of my schedule, is eager to utilize me and tries his best to schedule me for all available english classes while i'm here 2 days a week. this makes a big difference, because when i am busier, the days go by faster and are usually more enjoyable. it also feels good to have a sense of accomplishment.
my other school is better too. the english teacher who is in charge of me there is a bit crazy, but he's fun and we have a laugh together. he has a great relationship with the kids and they are very well behaved around him.
there are four new english teachers at saru chu. three of them are guys who are my age, and i think they are extremely frightened by me. they are soooo nervous in my presence. maybe they think i will judge their teaching abilities, or their english abilities, or maybe they are just terrified of a non-timid female gaijin who is about a foot taller than each of them.
at toyoura i teach the special needs kids one class a day. this year there are only 3 of them. but we have a good time together and i'm amazed at the vocabulary they're able to pick up.
so school is...fine/good.
i've written below about golden week, which was...fantastic. emma w., lindsay, kat, kate and i all came to japan at the same time 3 years ago. i've made so many amazing friends out here, but these guys are my golden gals. three years of going through the same ups and downs, always being there for each other, and knowing what one another is going through. unfortunately,
they're all from england but luckily, they'll all be in the same place when i visit!
i'm still kickboxing twice a week and that's still going well. i love my instructor so much, i really wish i could transport him back to canada when i leave! a few months ago during a fight, he was kicked diagonally in the knee and ripped something, and had to use a cane for several weeks. at the beginning of june he's going in for surgery to correct this problem, and will be bed/home-ridden for up to a month! so he'll have his assistant teach his classes. but that's kind of too bad since i've only got another two and a half months or so with him. (as an instructor! ;) ) last night i went to class but wasn't feeling well and actually had to leave halfway through due to a fever and stomach cramps. he send me a text later on in the evening making sure i made it home ok.
i'm starting my pottery class again on wednesday nights with casanova. i missed it this week due to a dinner but looking forward to starting it up again.
tuesdays i meet with 5 women from my eikaiwa class who want to continue to practice their english. it's also good for my japanese, and they all cook delicious food so i'm quite happy to oblige!
the weather's slowly warming but i'm still waiting impatiently for the days to come when we can take off to the beach at any time of day. now that i'm back from GW i really feel as though the summer's pretty much here and that the time is just going to go at high speed until i leave. the homeward stretch. finally and literally. less than 3 months...or 12 weeks. it makes me terrified, excited, sad, anxious, happy...
i know 3 years here is enough. and that it's time to move on. but what's that going to mean???
here's to a fantastic final summer in japan.
it's been a constant for me almost since i first arrived. it doesn't deserve this untimely death. so it will be revived.
a little recap of the past few weeks:
i returned from my SE asia adventure to the beginning of a new school year. both the kocho and kyoto senseis at both my schools (vp and principles) were replaces, as well as 6 out of 9 english teachers. it made for a nice change. my semester is much busier at saruhashi (nicknamed my "bad" school though it's much better now, and most days i even prefer it to toyoura). H-san, who is in charge of my schedule, is eager to utilize me and tries his best to schedule me for all available english classes while i'm here 2 days a week. this makes a big difference, because when i am busier, the days go by faster and are usually more enjoyable. it also feels good to have a sense of accomplishment.
my other school is better too. the english teacher who is in charge of me there is a bit crazy, but he's fun and we have a laugh together. he has a great relationship with the kids and they are very well behaved around him.
there are four new english teachers at saru chu. three of them are guys who are my age, and i think they are extremely frightened by me. they are soooo nervous in my presence. maybe they think i will judge their teaching abilities, or their english abilities, or maybe they are just terrified of a non-timid female gaijin who is about a foot taller than each of them.
at toyoura i teach the special needs kids one class a day. this year there are only 3 of them. but we have a good time together and i'm amazed at the vocabulary they're able to pick up.
so school is...fine/good.
i've written below about golden week, which was...fantastic. emma w., lindsay, kat, kate and i all came to japan at the same time 3 years ago. i've made so many amazing friends out here, but these guys are my golden gals. three years of going through the same ups and downs, always being there for each other, and knowing what one another is going through. unfortunately,
they're all from england but luckily, they'll all be in the same place when i visit!
i'm still kickboxing twice a week and that's still going well. i love my instructor so much, i really wish i could transport him back to canada when i leave! a few months ago during a fight, he was kicked diagonally in the knee and ripped something, and had to use a cane for several weeks. at the beginning of june he's going in for surgery to correct this problem, and will be bed/home-ridden for up to a month! so he'll have his assistant teach his classes. but that's kind of too bad since i've only got another two and a half months or so with him. (as an instructor! ;) ) last night i went to class but wasn't feeling well and actually had to leave halfway through due to a fever and stomach cramps. he send me a text later on in the evening making sure i made it home ok.
i'm starting my pottery class again on wednesday nights with casanova. i missed it this week due to a dinner but looking forward to starting it up again.
tuesdays i meet with 5 women from my eikaiwa class who want to continue to practice their english. it's also good for my japanese, and they all cook delicious food so i'm quite happy to oblige!
the weather's slowly warming but i'm still waiting impatiently for the days to come when we can take off to the beach at any time of day. now that i'm back from GW i really feel as though the summer's pretty much here and that the time is just going to go at high speed until i leave. the homeward stretch. finally and literally. less than 3 months...or 12 weeks. it makes me terrified, excited, sad, anxious, happy...
i know 3 years here is enough. and that it's time to move on. but what's that going to mean???
here's to a fantastic final summer in japan.
posted by Justine at 7:46 p.m.
4 Comments:
Hey Smust, I love your reading your blog...so glad you are back to it. Have a great summer in Japan, and when you are back here, we can do some fall camping somewhere... Stacey
facebook is okay, i guess... but the novelty wears thin pretty quickly and in terms of daily reading, its uninspired and unimaginative.
it takes more work but i say, keep up the blog! i still check back everyday.
ps. do you ever check your myspace?? i invited you as a friend AGES ago!
hey stranger. keep the blog, even back in canada, i like it.
hows japan, ground to a halt since i left (i think not!)
how are you?
ps, think my birthday pressie from you is at my mums, will get her to send it up to scotland
xx
thanks guys.
you've given me all the motivation i needed.
:)
tam: think i just added you. i never use it tho...
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