This is my name tag that I have to wear when I am in office
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Office
This is the base that we work at when we are not going to schools, the Nagaoka Board of Education.
This is my name tag that I have to wear when I am in office
This is my name tag that I have to wear when I am in office
Mr. Donut
Sophie, Chris and I have our regular dose of doughnuts almost everyday. It has become our favorite place to chill. Chris is a coffee addict, so he’s happy that he gets unlimited refill of coffee there. Chris got Sophie into drinking coffee too, so now Sophie has slowing becoming a coffee drinker...
宴会 after Kids English Academy
Another English camp. This time it’s for the elementary kids, so we called it Kids English Academy. It was a 3 day program at the civic centre. We play games with them and helped them put together a play called “Magic Monkey”.
After the program ended on the third day, we had “enkai”. Enkai is a party with your co-workers after work. It cost 4000yen for each of us at the party and we could get unlimited drinks.
And this is how the enkai went. Someone gave a short speech and then a toast, then we began to eat and drink. We are not allowed to pour drinks for ourselves; we pour it for someone else and vise versa. After drinking and eating, we played maru-batsu (OX) games. Each of us got a mini lottery looking sheet. We played rock-paper-scissors with one and other, who ever lost the game had to scratch off from the sheet and carry out the punishment as indicated on the sheet.
At the end of the party, we had a couple toasts again.
Some people went home after the dinner party, but some of us went somewhere else to have a 2nd party. We ended up going to a karaoke for the 2nd party.
It was really fun, some of my co-workers got pretty drunk, but I left early before any ugly things happen…
After the program ended on the third day, we had “enkai”. Enkai is a party with your co-workers after work. It cost 4000yen for each of us at the party and we could get unlimited drinks.
And this is how the enkai went. Someone gave a short speech and then a toast, then we began to eat and drink. We are not allowed to pour drinks for ourselves; we pour it for someone else and vise versa. After drinking and eating, we played maru-batsu (OX) games. Each of us got a mini lottery looking sheet. We played rock-paper-scissors with one and other, who ever lost the game had to scratch off from the sheet and carry out the punishment as indicated on the sheet.
At the end of the party, we had a couple toasts again.
Some people went home after the dinner party, but some of us went somewhere else to have a 2nd party. We ended up going to a karaoke for the 2nd party.
It was really fun, some of my co-workers got pretty drunk, but I left early before any ugly things happen…
A Day With Chris
This afternoon Sophie, Chris and I took a Japanese sweet making class at the cultural centre.
It was a small class, 4 students in total. The other student was a mid-age woman who owns a Japanese restaurant.
We made 2 different kinds of sweets. The first kind was jelly made of sea weed extract. The other one was green tea flavored bean paste jelly.
After the class, I wanted to shop for some t-shirts for work, so Chris took me to the mall.
Chris drove...
When we exited the parking lot, we almost crashed into another car…
After we almost killed ourselves, we stopped by a gas station. The gas stations in Japan give full services. They wipe the windows for you and collect the garbage in your car, etc. The guy at the gas station gave Chris a towel to wipe the inside of his car, but after Chris paid for the gas he just completely forgot to return the towel and drove away. It was only after we drove a couple blocks after, he realized about the towel. We were both too embarrassed to go back to the station to return it…
When we arrived at the mall, we walked towards the entrance and thought the door was automatic, so we stood there for a while, then realized that the people behind just went around us. It turned out that we just stood in front of a door-looking shield… which wasn’t the entrance. It was so embarrassing!!!
We had a silly day. What can we say… we are “crazy gaijin”.
It was a small class, 4 students in total. The other student was a mid-age woman who owns a Japanese restaurant.
We made 2 different kinds of sweets. The first kind was jelly made of sea weed extract. The other one was green tea flavored bean paste jelly.
After the class, I wanted to shop for some t-shirts for work, so Chris took me to the mall.
Chris drove...
When we exited the parking lot, we almost crashed into another car…
After we almost killed ourselves, we stopped by a gas station. The gas stations in Japan give full services. They wipe the windows for you and collect the garbage in your car, etc. The guy at the gas station gave Chris a towel to wipe the inside of his car, but after Chris paid for the gas he just completely forgot to return the towel and drove away. It was only after we drove a couple blocks after, he realized about the towel. We were both too embarrassed to go back to the station to return it…
When we arrived at the mall, we walked towards the entrance and thought the door was automatic, so we stood there for a while, then realized that the people behind just went around us. It turned out that we just stood in front of a door-looking shield… which wasn’t the entrance. It was so embarrassing!!!
We had a silly day. What can we say… we are “crazy gaijin”.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Obage Parfait
Stuffed ourself with giant ice cream parfait. We had 14 or so people, but there are still a lot leftover. At the end we forced ourself to finish it while playing drinking games...who ever loose had to eat a spoon full of ice cream...But we still didn't get to finish it... just too much!!! No more ice cream for the next couple weeks >.<
English Academy with Junior High Kids
Spent 4 days with 80sth junior high students at an English camp up in the mountain in Myoko.
80sth students were divided into 12 groups of 7s. So another Japanese teacher and I had to look after 7 students and guide them through different activities from morning till night. We did Quiz Hiking, Show & Tell, performances, and auction. If they did well in these activities, they will be rewarded with Sugi Dollars.
Another way to collect Sugi Dollars is to go up to the teachers, greet the teachers and collect their signature. Because of that, they would come up to me and say “hello~ good morning~ sign please!”
All I can say is that the students are super cute! They are all lovely kids.
Here are some pictures that I took during the camp.
My group <3 href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgsbtJr8abYnfNiq4TyJ4VFzUqJMZAxeaEo8OLeFiZXZcCSv0VlbNbd7tl3Yq1Fe1BTIh47cQBAU2YoT_yR5yFO8Cn2K_9sJQ0f8nUr2ILihBnVvqtg_m3AeIlm11-V4TNAQu6EbHDp_A/s1600-h/PAP_0011.JPG">
She's the most genki kid in my group.
We were practicing our skit. They made a blue flower for me to wear...
Before we say good bye to each other at the end of the camp, my student gave me a card. And one of the boys wrote “Marry my plese, I love you” Terrible spelling mistakes but nice attempt lol.
Nagaoka Firework & Summer Festival!
This is the yukata we wear for the dance parade
The day before the actual firework, the local people had a dance parade on street. Each organization or company has their own group wearing yukata of different pattern.
Chris, Sophie and I had a chance to join the dance parade with the city hall people.
We danced for 2 hours on the main street, it was very fun.
The next day is the firework. The Nagaoka firework is claimed to be the #1 firework in Japan.
The same group met up again at Jay’s place before going to see the firework.
The firework lasted for 2 hours. The firework itself was very impressive. The best firework I have ever seen so far. But what made it imperfect were the weather and the crowd…
There were probably 15 of us watching the firework together… I just can’t deal with big groups very well…
Plus it showered throughout the firework, so I had to use an umbrella all the time. At the end of the firework, the rain finally started to pour… Everyone was all soaked wet.
The firework last for 2 days. On the 2nd day of the firework, the weather was very nice. But I didn’t plan on going. I was trying to avoid the crowd. So after work, I did more cleaning and went out to do some shopping.
At night as I biked home from shopping, I could see fireworks afar in the dark. So instead of going home… I biked towards the other direction. I watched the fireworks as I bike. I think I prefer watching the fireworks alone…
Chris, Sophie and I had a chance to join the dance parade with the city hall people.
We danced for 2 hours on the main street, it was very fun.
The next day is the firework. The Nagaoka firework is claimed to be the #1 firework in Japan.
The same group met up again at Jay’s place before going to see the firework.
The firework lasted for 2 hours. The firework itself was very impressive. The best firework I have ever seen so far. But what made it imperfect were the weather and the crowd…
There were probably 15 of us watching the firework together… I just can’t deal with big groups very well…
Plus it showered throughout the firework, so I had to use an umbrella all the time. At the end of the firework, the rain finally started to pour… Everyone was all soaked wet.
The firework last for 2 days. On the 2nd day of the firework, the weather was very nice. But I didn’t plan on going. I was trying to avoid the crowd. So after work, I did more cleaning and went out to do some shopping.
At night as I biked home from shopping, I could see fireworks afar in the dark. So instead of going home… I biked towards the other direction. I watched the fireworks as I bike. I think I prefer watching the fireworks alone…
Heading to Niigata
In the morning all the Niigata people gathered to take the bullet train.
Chris, Sophie and I got placed in the same town.
Thought that was lucky, otherwise I would be on my own.
Arrived in Nagaoka station. We received a very warm welcome from the office.
Apparently we have many ALT’s working in the same office as us.
Then we went to the office for lunch.
After that, we each got dropped off at our own apartment.
Compare to Chris and Sophie, I‘ve got the biggest apartment and nearest to the office.
Arai-san and Mary helped me settle in.
They took me to buy a new set of futon and explained to me about garbage disposal.
The apartment was really dusty.
Found lots old futons in the cabinet…. Want to throw all of those away…More clean ups, unpack, and put things away…
Tatami is a pain in the butt…. I hate tatami…especially when the weather here is so humid I am so afraid that the tatami will get moldy and grow nasty things…
Chris, Sophie and I got placed in the same town.
Thought that was lucky, otherwise I would be on my own.
Arrived in Nagaoka station. We received a very warm welcome from the office.
Apparently we have many ALT’s working in the same office as us.
Then we went to the office for lunch.
After that, we each got dropped off at our own apartment.
Compare to Chris and Sophie, I‘ve got the biggest apartment and nearest to the office.
Arai-san and Mary helped me settle in.
They took me to buy a new set of futon and explained to me about garbage disposal.
The apartment was really dusty.
Found lots old futons in the cabinet…. Want to throw all of those away…More clean ups, unpack, and put things away…
Tatami is a pain in the butt…. I hate tatami…especially when the weather here is so humid I am so afraid that the tatami will get moldy and grow nasty things…
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