Mom and Gma in Japan!

At the beginning of the month, I was fortunate to have my mom and grandma visit me in Japan! We went to Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara, and Nagasaki. It was challenging to plan the trip, and to have the best Japanese language skills in the group, but I had a blast, and it was great to see some familiar faces! I think we tired grandma out a little bit, but we saw some pretty cool things along the way...
At Tokyo Station

Nagasaki Peace Museum

Geisha spotting

Kinkakuji Temple


They liked this guy. He is supposed to cure ailments...


Nara Park


Hachiko statue. Our own akita passed away that same day... :-(


The busiest crosswalk in the world!

Change is in the Air...

Right now, I am at the end of spring vacation. In Japan, the new school year begins in April (as opposed to August or September). So I am busy getting ready for a whole new batch of first year students. Another part of the new school year is the influx of new (transfer) teachers. Every year, each school sends teachers to other schools in the prefecture. As a teacher, you can put in a request, but there is absolutely no guarantee it will be granted. This year, only one of my JTEs is leaving, but a few other teachers I was fond of were sent off to island schools (ie really far away). I am told that teachers spend an average of 6 years at one school before being transferred on. Also, each teacher takes a turn at an island school. I am beginning to meet a few of the new teachers, but I have to admit, this whole system seems a bit...awkward. Can you imagine being uprooted every few years? Especially if you have a family?! Odd.

But spring also means...sakura season! The cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and they are gorgeous!

Last Few Weeks...

After school one day, a few of us went to check out the kimono sale. We each tried on a kimono. This kimono is usually $3,000! It was on sale for around $1,500. Still too rich for my pockets! They are all so incredibly beautiful though!

Last week, I had a business trip to go to another school and work with kids at an English camp. This was my favorite student, Erina-chan. She wrote me the sweetest letter!

















I was semi-tricked into dancing Michael Jackson's "Beat It" and "Thriller" at a New Year's Party. But who am I kidding, I enjoyed every minute of it! (Note "Michael" in the zombie picture).


On Thursday, my mom and grandma will arrive in Japan! I am so excited! First, we will explore Tokyo and Kyoto, and then we will head South to see my area...

Nagasaki Lantern Festival

Every year, the Chinatown section of Nagasaki City is home to the Lantern Festival, which celebrates the Chinese New Year. Thousands of Lanterns are on display, some of which are fantastically intricate. Take a peek!

My Preschoolers!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day is definitely popular in Japan. As with most things though, Japan adds a twist. On Valentine's Day, it's the girls who give chocolate and sweets to the boys. Girls also give chocolate to their female friends and family. Sounds like the boys get the better end of the deal, right? Wait, it gets better. Not only is it tradition for girls to give chocolates, the girls actually MAKE their goodies. That's right. They don't go to a store and buy their gifts, they spend hours making them in their houses. Talk about a labor of love!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Some Days....

Most days, living in Japan is great. Just the other day, I reserved plane tickets online, then walked down to the local 7-11 and paid for them there. (7-11 will also mail packages and accept payment for other bills). What a great system. Other times though...

On Friday, I noticed my internet at home wasn't working. I called the company, and after about an hour on the phone, we discovered that the problem wasn't with this company. I was told to call another company. Their business hours are 9-5 Monday - Friday, so with work, I was able to call on 4:45 Tuesday. At which point I was informed my account was canceled. Why? Well, I hadn't paid my bill since October. EH?! My phone line is also through this company. The phone bill is taken out of my bank account automatically (along with all my other bills) so this company sends me letters with "RECEIPT" clearly written on the envelope. I just assumed my internet payment was taken out automatically with the bill. Not so. They told me they sent me letters explaining this. Letters in Japanese. Also, they sent someone to my house when I wasn't there. My name is not written on my mailbox, so they couldn't verify I lived there. Long story short, they canceled my internet. So, not only do I need to reapply again, but I have to pay a $300 early cancellation fee on top of 4 months of payment.

Some days living in Japan is harder than it looks.