Wow what a crazy week its been!
I feel like each week I climb a high mountain.
Thats the best way I can express working and adjusting to this new culture
at this moment.



Tuesday, Moss Burger, I decided one day after work I would walk to downtown, Susukino and eat a burger.
I heard Moss Burger was Japan's version of Inn and Out Burger and it was delish!!
Soo tiny though haha but stil very filling!!


Wednesday, I walked to Susukino again to pay my insurance bill at the main post office that stays open later.
I decided I didnt want to walk any further and got waffuls in Aurora town :)
I was soo happy to eat syrup :D


This is the beautiful veiw of Sususkino at night *_*
Many Ikeman host boys hang out around this spot haha!


My gear for the snow

Thursday THANSGIVING!!
I hope everyone had a delicous meal this holiday :)
I went to Art club today soo fun! I hope to go there once a week :)
I've made so many thanksgiving demos at school haha.
The kids love saying turkey haha!
I went to the local Gajin Kick it spot for a thanksgiving party :)
Super fun! I met alot of JETS, they are so lucky!! X__X They all live in the
same building anyway they were all really friendly and warmly welcomed me into ther lil
shindig.

Now that I think about it..I didnt really think about what I'm grateful for this
year..I forgot what thanksgiving was all about since I'm outside America.
But in reality I have so much to be thankful for.






Friday...

I had an intense day.
I forgot to go to one of my classes..
Lately I wasnt doning so well.
Veryb stressed about not being home for the holidays and feeling lonely.
Eatting lots of swets to make myself feel better too.
Not good.
I just flaked...my mind has been somewhere else.
It all came pouring out too...started crying applogized to the VPrincapal and the teacher.
The bee-eye-tea-sea-eight-ch didnt even come get me when I didnt show up though...
how hard would that have been??
I know she didnt come get me to teach me a lesson. but that gives me a clear view about who she is,
who I am to her and my place at the school.
Whateverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr~
I feel alot better now that I have addressed these issues and starte excersing with the track and field club after school.
We ran from 330pm to 630pm the kids were soo damn funny
haha one of them was singing the Koneky necky nekoo song haha.
Soo adorable!! I love the students at my school.


Saturday
I was super late to meet up with my co workers...I always wait till the last moment to get ready...
Then my hair takes forever about an hour to straighten
Then my makeup takes like 15 mins...to get done...ugh...I gotta start earlier...
I'm going to start tying my hair done so I dont have to straighten it everyday...probally healtheir too X_X'






Sapporo iss sooo beautiful right now!! Its lilke Christmas land! There is a beautiful park with a HUGE Chrismas tree!!
Then there is Sapporo Illumination all around the Tower as well!! They also have a little market set up with German things.
Munich is Sapporo's sister city ^________^
We went to Jupiter the international store and they had lots of yummy things and cheaper pb and j!! YATTA!
They also are having a sale on shin noodles the god of all noodles.
After we headed to Caribe they were having a 1500 yen nomihodai/ tabehodai yess!!
So fun great atmosphere!! Drank alot and danced alot, I'm also getting closer to the reagge dancer girls here yey.



Omg also the cutest thing happend here.
I was standing by the door walking one of my friends out who had to leave for her last train,
and this Japanese Bkei dudes walk by one of them double takes but you know wer ear used to that being gajin.
He came back and was like Beyonce daisuke...something something..and then called me Beyonce-san lol!!
Soo funny!!

At the club Caribe I met this Ikeman!! OMG!!! Hansome Japanese who speaks english!
We have been texting back and forth sooo I hope we can start a frienship or something haha

After drinking and dancing at Caribe we went to Booty for more reagge and hip hop!
This night it was more on fire!! This Japanese guy was trying to kiss me haha it was the 2nd guy of the night!
He spoke a little english though so that was nice...by this time I was pretty toasted though so it was hard to fight off XD lol
There was an african american guy there!! HAHA YES!!! It was sooo awesome!!!
We were both dancing on beat and what I'm used tooo!! WAH!!

Afterwards we all went to another bar lol by this time its 5am but the party wasnt stopping haha
The bar was awesome bar across the street and the music was sooo good!!
Again with the free drinks and welcoming hehe god I love JAPAN!
I danced and danced it seems I got more energy as time wen ton haha!

Sunday
I got home at 8am and took these pics on the way :)

http://mattahan.deviantart.com/ Amazing!!!! Wow!!!!
MATTAHAN is my favorite artist on DEVIANT ART!!!
This is beautiful!! 0__0 This is the first print Ive ever really
wanted to buy hot dam!!!




I went out last night and had a good time ^_^
We went to 3 izakayas haha trying different Japanese food.
The 2nd one we went to had guys in oldfashion Japanese yukata..so sexy!!
Wah!! omg!! Haha got one of the guys numbersss yesss haha!
We are going to try to go to his friends show! Yosh!
The third Izakaya was pretty fun too, it was a girls birthday she was drinking
illegally haha, and they asked to take pictures of us the forigners lol.
We drank and drank and played drinking games it was so fun very nice japanese
and we communicated well even though we couldnt speak eachothers language very well.
so around 3am or so we all headed home.
I walked lol 45mins it was nice :) I got thinking about somethings.
I was thinking I really miss African American men.
And it made me understand why Japanese women go crazy for forigneres.
I was thinking man the first black man I meet when I go back to US..
is not gonna know what hit him haha!! XD


Some Japanese celebs came and sat behind us.

OMG!! 
I'm here!!
In Sapporo, Hokkido! Noo no its not cold!
Just a bit windy!!

Its beauuutiful!! Lots of pretty Japanese leaves changing color.
I had a crazy adventure getting here!

I waited to the last min to pack...as always.
Woke up at 330am started packing...finished at 430am...laid down rolled out of futon
at 5am...showered got ready...took forever...was supposed to be on train at 544 left the house at 544
I had 2 60lb suitcases..I didnt think I'd have a problem walking to the station but it was hell!! Too add it was raining!!
HAHAHA!! so funny right?? So I left half my things outside a salon, and walked to the 7 eleven.
They ship baggs so I shelled out 7000Yen to ship to Sapporo my heavy 60lb suitcase and small suitcase of shoes.
Ran back to my other thaings with my huge bag and laptop in tote XD sooo heavy.
Made it on the train at 630AM made it to the airport at 820 my flight left at 815...
BUT the nice JAL lady sayd just this one time here is a new ticket ^_^ sooo nice!!
Then I ran into some sumo wreslers that were eatting udon...wow :D 
Then!! bought some omiyage and then I got on the plane and fell the f asleeep very comfy seat.
When I got off the hikookee i accidently left my omiyage in the tolireee good thing i didnt even
notice this untillll i was halfway to sapporo on the train...soo i got off the train and took a rapid back to the airport
lucky the nice japanese JR man let me not buy another ticket and i ran and talked to some information lady
whoo was super cuute and helpful. At first she sayd "sorry nothing was found" but i asked her
could i please goo look in the bathroom?? and she said ah ok! so i hauled my heavey ass luggage after her
and after recognizing where she asked a JAL lady to check and they found it! YEYY! Good thing too
because it had my JAPANESE ENGLISH dictionary which is really expensive here!!!!
Sooo I called my rendevous person again to let him know i was going to be late meeting him D :


I felt soo bad but he was really nice I finally met up with him and my loong lonng day started.

1.) Go to City hall to change address on Gajin Card
2.) Make sure address was changed at post office which is also my bank :D ahh convinent japan
3.) Go to Leopalace and make appt to get gas turned on and internet tured on
4.) Hook up internet takes 24hours to activate
5.) wait for gasman to show up
6.)get phone
2 HOURS!! YES 2 HOURS!!! 
at softbank trying to get a phone!!
 I dont think the girl knew what she was dong!! Basically when you get a phone they need your passport, your gajin card
and do a background check on you...geez.
7.) eat delisious miso ramen ^__^ hadnt eatten all day!!
8.)  ^_____^ i got a futon set at don quixote for 5000YEN! Rang up by the hottie cashier who reminded me of ryuichii <3
9.) bit of grocieres
10.) HOME!! 2 MY HEATED TOILET SEAT <3<3<3

 

TODAY!!! 
I met KYOTO SENSEI!! 
One of the managers came to pick me up :)  (10 mins early!!! )
Mr Principal!! Omg he was soo genki and nice!! Older man very nice!! 
I also met alot of the teachers and gave them cookies for omiyage!! :D 
I told my Manager I was brining Nikyoyaki but... I didnt have time to grab because my rush to get to the plane XD 
Soo she told another manager so they are now expecting it X___X ahh now i have to pick it up next time!! $___$ payday is FRIDAY BABY!!
ANYWAY all the teachers were soo nice and genki!!! The science teacher was same age as me so i gave him a hi 5!! <3<3<3
On my way out I met the baseball team!! OMG!! soo genki!! Lots of Hello's and How are you?? and I'm fine thanks and you and NICE to meet you too hahaha!! sooo cuuuute!!! I'm very excited to star teaching!! I'm freaking out inside!!! Wahhh!! As we were walking to the car my manager patted me on the back  almost nearly gave me a hug and said great performence!! So much energy and happiness from her so suddenly made me very happy <3 heart strings pulled.  I was soo surprised because she is usally soo quiet lol and we laughed together haha! She says I'll be a great english teacher and I thanked her for saying that and told her Id do my best for her.

I dont do my formal intro until Monday!! So I am very excited!!
Gonna practice and GAMBATEEMASU!!!
YES!!!

>___________________<  V;;

 

heatherchan

I'm tierrd as heck but I want to get this entry out of the way.
Wednesday I subbed for a teacher in Machida, which I was told is pretty close to Yokohama.
It was the best experience!!! I was nervous about taking over for a teacher, maybe they would miss
they're reglar teacher, but I really had nothing to worry about.

I had to wake up at 430 am and get on the train at 530 to make it to Machida at 745!!
It was an intresting ride I was half asleep for most of it.
The Alt, V, whom I was going to sub for for classes 2 through 6 met me at the station and took me to the school.
When I got to the school I fell in love with all the cute little kids!! OMG soo cuute!!
When you walk into the school you walk into the teacher entrantrance where you take off your outside shoes and
step onto the wood, then you put your outside shoes in a cubby and put your inside shoes on.
Pretty neat!! Then you go to the teachers room for the meeting!!

We got there around 820 and the teachers meeting started at 8am so we waited outside.
The cute woman pricipal stuck her head out the door smiled at us and told us to come in
(im guessing thats what she said she spoke japanese to the V, whom I was subing for)
In the meeting they talked about swine flu and I think something like 2-3 classes had a outbreak??
( all translated by the alt who was showing me around, she was so nice)
I dont remember exaclty...anyway everyone was pretty shy but some looked at me and asked why I was
there soo I smiled at everyone and said Helloo or Ohayoo Gozimasu. They warmed up a bit
after that I think.

So the plan was V the teacher who usually has the class taught the first period 5th graders and I
watched because what she did I would be doing all day!! Crazy!!!
I was so nervous thinking can I really do what she is doing?? The kids wer really resposnive!
After the class was over she told me that the two classes of fourth grades did not know all
the matieral yet so i would have to teach them, i freaked out a bit in my head but smiled and nodded.

Basically, I did what I learned at training which was smile, be warm
and friendly and make them speck english!!! It was a success!!
When I introduced myself for V`s class I told them I was from Seattle,
I also told them Ichiroo who plays for Seattle Mariners while
doing the pose that is so famous by Ichiroo like shooting an arrow or aiming.
One of the kids said hey ichiro does it with the other side (V translated for me)
lol!! I thought it was adorable and laughed.

and im freaking tierd so i'll stop here and update later lol
im leaving for Sapporo for the weekend tomorrow at 5pm and i'll be back satruday!
i'll buy some batteries and take pics XD

-- PART 2!! (thanks for the helpful encouragment guys i love you)

So my first solo lesson I was pretty nervous!!
I followed her lesson plan and things went pretty smoothly.
I added a couple games into the lesson to make things a bit more fun as I went along.
The kids were so sweet and a couple of them helped me pack up my things to take
to the next class room they were soo sweet, a group of them stood in front of the materials
and books organizing and stacking things!!

Umm lets see what else oh the 5th grades were soo cute, I showed the two fith grade
classes my year book and two of the girls said in english `ah cute you are cute` nodding very seriously lol!

By the time I got to my last two classes of 4th grades I felt warmed up and ready!
( oh yeah by the way i taught 3 5th grade classes and 3 4th grade classes)
When we sang halloween songs I pretended to be a ghost and ran around the desksmaking
werid faces lol!!

I taught them fruit names and made them play a game where i gave each
of them differnt fruit and some fake american money.
They got so excited when I haded them the fake cash!
So cute!! Then I made a key on the board with the fruit hung up with a price by it.
The kid would point to the fruit and ask their partner how much is this?
The partner would look at the key on the board and say 2 dollars or 3 dollars whatever i wrote.
Then I went around and made sure they understood and had the chance to give a try.
I tried to praise each kid!!

Then omg they went crazy for this one!
I told them lets play a game and they cheered and stood up.
Then it was perfect how the desks were partnered and in rows.
Each row was a different fruit. APPLE, Banana, Melon, Starberry, Grape and Apple.
After I assigned each row a fruit I squated down in front of the apple row and said apple
and as I said apple i stood up and waved my arms over my head.
I did that for each row lol! the kids loved and and were cracking up.
They all sqauted down behind their desks and I said 3, 2, 1 ACTIon!!!
Then pointed to the apple the apple group stood up and waved thier arms screaming apple!!
Then i pointed to the melon and melon group stood up, then I went crazy with it pointing all over
making them all squat and stand squat and stand so fun to watch lol.
we played this game for 5 to 10 mins I had voulteers come up from the class
and point to different fruit and also asked the sensei to help.

Went really well!!
At the end of the class I let them ask questions to me in english opefully.
But mostly the Japanese English teacher translated for me.
One of the fith graders came up to me and asked me if I like penis!!
While they were asking in one of the classes I noticed a group of boys whispering
and laughing to eachother one of the boys raised his hand from the whispering laughing
group so i was very curious and called on him.
His friends were watching with anticipation lol
He quicky said iie iee, and his friends all laughed I thought he was just shy to speak.
The girls asked me cute questions like favorite food, which i said a donbori in one class
and sushi in the next, chocolate in the other lol. They asked me my blood type which I dont know..
So anyway at the end of the class with the whispering boy when the group of kids started
organizing my stuff the boy came up to me with his friends and said...

DO YOU LIKE PENUS??

I laughed and so did all the group of friend around him and they prentended to hit him
on the head and I said thats bad bad bad!! But smiled and his friends dragged him away.

At the end of the day some of the kids lined up and asked me for my autograph
I didnt know what say!! I just said OK in the end XD It was quite the experience!!
After classes were over we ate lunch!!

My favorite experience of the day!
The kids got into groups and rolled carts of food down to the rooms.
They were dressed in doctor like outfits, white coats and the mouth wrap thing.
I ate with the first class V taught and lucky one of the 5th grade girls who spoke good
english sat by me <3<3<3!!! So many cute little things happend during
this hour long or how ever long lunch period it was!! The girls were asking me
questions and the boy who told me I posed wrong for ichiroo kept saying things to me
I just nodded and smiled haha.

At the very end I gave each teacher I taught with a cookie with a thank you note and
picture ( of sailor moon with an afro lol)

All and all it was amazing experience!
I`m blessed and happy to be here in Japan.
I look forward to teaching Middle School in Sapporo!!

Also that night the Japanese family with the Sumo son invited us over again.
We kept refusing but Mamasan made us a wonder ful dinner!!
With KAKI fruit for dessert!!
I am in love with the KAKI!!
Dont be fooled it looks like an orange tomato but tatste like heaven!! ;)