Merry Christmas!

I hope you all are having a great holiday season! I am a little sad that I am not home for the holidays, but I am still having a great time over here. I took off work on Christmas day to celebrate with other ALTs who stayed around for the holidays. There are light displays everywhere, and I have seen various "Santa-sans" riding around. The "feeling" of Christmas is not the same, it feels more artificial and neon then it does back home, but I am thankful I have friends to celebrate with.

On another note, my supervisor had asked me to turn in my recontracting decision in by the end of the year. Although I have a bit of the "winter blues" right now, all things considered, I am having a great time here in Japan and I do not regret my decision to come at all. So I decided to stay for another year. I went to school on Christmas day specifically to turn my papers in as a "Christmas present". Recontracting another year means saving the school tons of money (by not having to pay for my flight home plus having to pay for my replacement's flight out here). So at the very least, I expected my supervisor to appear happy with my decision. Instead, when I handed him the papers, he looked at me and asked, "are you sure?" Confused, I nodded, and all he said was, "good luck." Not even a smile! I felt badly about this for a while, but I refused to let it get to me. I love being at this school, I love the kids here, and I hope they feel the same about me. If they'll have me, I would love to continue on this journey next year!

Q and A (Part Three)

How much does eating out cost? (McD's, cooking in, a nice meal)?

McD's is pretty much the same price as in the US. Maybe a tad more expensive. Groceries here seem more expensive. Fruits are expensive, cheese is expensive. The fruit has to be of excellent quality. Way better quality than we see in the US. Many restaurants are very fairly priced, so sometimes it is cheaper to eat out. Expiration dates are more strict in Japan, food is usually good for a few more days after the expiry date. Grocery stores tend to mark down prices of items that are getting close to their expiration date.


Do you think getting the car was worth it? How often do you drive?

Absolutely. I drive pretty much everyday. The drive to school takes about 10 minutes. It would be an hour to walk. So if nothing else, I save a lot of time on the commute. I live in a decent sized city (comparable to Aurora) but I live on the outskirts, so it's nice to be able to drive in to town and meet up with the other ALTs near me. Plus, when it rains here, it POURS. It's nice to have a car for those occasions. (Which I hear is pretty much everyday in March-May.)


Do you know all your student's names? Do you have a favorite? Is there one student that is more annoying to you than the others?

Heck no. I have 124 students, and their names all sound foreign to me. So in addition to putting a name with a face, I have to remember the names to begin with. No Mike, Ann, Bobby, etc. I REALLY hate to say "everyone looks the same". Because in reality, they don't. HOWEVER. In Japanese public high schools, all the students wear the same uniform. They also have to have their hair cut a certain way, and it is not allowed to be colored. Their ears can't be pierced. So there aren't a lot of distinguishing factors when students are in school. I do know some names and have gotten to know some students better because they make more of an effort to talk to me. I guess you could say they are my favorites. I don't really have a least favorite student, however I definitely have a least favorite class.


What has been the most surprising thing about Japan that you have encountered so far?

I absolutely love ancient Japanese culture. Watching old samurai movies, oragami, the architecture, just how everything looked and felt. So I had the naive impression that this is how I would find Japan. Well, Japan is one of the most modern countries on earth. (Also one of the least modern, but I'll get to that in a second.) There is a touch of ancient Japan in everyday life, however Japan is very...cutesy. The girls are ridiculously girly. The guys...are ridiculously girly. When I first got here, I was very careful not to wear anything that revealed too much skin. Then I saw what the youth of Sasebo was wearing. And I blushed. Japan is a very interesting mix of old and new.


In what regard do you wish the US was more like Japan and/or vice versa?

Japan's customer service is superb. They are very patient, kind, friendly, and go out of their way to help you. Here's an example. One of my friends, a JET from Ireland, left her bank book in a izakaya (bar/pub) in Kyoto. Kyoto is to Sasebo as LA is to Denver. The pub mailed her bank book back to her. No charge. I wish we had the same customer service in the US. Japan also has a ridiculously low crime rate. But, Japan has a process for everything. It was a real pain when I first got here. First, I need to get this paper, apply for my car, get another paper, etc. If any of these steps is missed, or out of place, everyone freaks out, and calls a supervisor. Who calls their supervisor. It seems like no one here likes to think for themselves. Even if something makes logical sense to you or I, if it's different from standard procedure, forget it. The thing is, every company's standard procedure is different. Things are much easier in the US.

These skis have been here since I arrived at my apartment. They are still chilling outside today. Japan, the land of very little crime.

Q and A (Part Two)

Do guys in Japan try to talk to you?

Ha. Do Japanese guys try to talk to me? Largely...no. Japanese men appear very reserved, and are very "well behaved" in public. No whistling, cat calls, or weird comments. Which is saying something, because the clothes some Japanese ladies wear...or don't wear...well you get the picture. I have heard from a few people that in Japanese culture, the man is the dominant person in the relationship. A Japanese woman even told me that while she cares for her husband's parents (feeds, clothes, bathes, etc), she needs to ask her husband's permission to visit her own parents. While this is not the norm any more, it still happens. Consequently, I've heard that Japanese men tend to avoid us "independent" Western Women. Also, most Japanese people are afraid to attempt speaking English. At enkais (work drinking parties), that sort of behavior comes out a little. But the next day, it's an unspoken rule that no one speaks about what happened at the enkai. It's basically Fight Club. Now, the city I am in has an American Navy base. Do those men try to talk to me? Same American men, different location.


Do you see any tourists in Nagasaki?

I live about 1 1/2 hours away from Nagasaki City, but when I have traveled there, I have seen a few tourists. Japan is extremely homogenous, so it's easy to spot gaijin (foreigners). When I visited the Atomic bomb hypocenter and museum, I saw a fair amount of tourists. But on the whole, most foreign tourists stick around Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. On a separate note, I see many Japanese tourists around my town. Interestingly enough, my town is host to a Dutch village-themed park. People from all over Japan go to see a part of Europe without leaving Japan.


What are the winters like in your region?

From what I've seen and heard so far, not too bad. Right now, while Colorado is struggling to break out of below freezing, Sasebo is a balmy 60 degrees. It only snows a few times, and I don't believe it will drop below freezing. HOWEVER. Japanese homes do not have central heating. Nor are they insulated like American homes. So basically, the temperature outside is the temperature inside. I use my AC heater during the night, and section off rooms to keep the one I'm using warm. It's actually quite energy efficient. Also, I have a wonderful appliance called a kotatsu. Picture a table. The top of the table is removable, and there is a heater under the table. I place a blanket in the middle of the table, put the table top back on, then snuggle under the blanket. It's actually very addicting.

Q and A (Part One)

What do you eat everyday?

It depends on the day! For breakfast, I'm usually only awake enough to make some cereal. For lunch, I either make a sandwitch and bring it, or bring chicken noodle soup, or order a bento (a box lunch which contains rice, meat, and veggies). There happens to be a McDonalds two-minutes drive from my school, so if I somehow forget about lunch, I just drive on down to get some Shakka Shakka chicken (my favorite, but not sold in the US!) For dinner, I have many options. Eating out costs almost the same as eating in, and there are many delicious restaurants nearby. Of course there are sushi and Japanese restaurants aplenty, but when I'm in the mood for something different, there are numerous burger joints, Indian, Thai, Mexican, etc restaurants. I think the best meal I have had in Japan came from a tofu restaurant of all places. When I cook, I usually make curry and rice, stir-fry chicken, spaghetti, or gyoza (potstickers).

What is your routine?

On school days, I wake up around 7, and leave my apartment by 8. Officially, my school day is from 8:15 to 4. I have 8 classes a week, 5 first year classes (sophomores) with 40 students each, and one second year class (juniors) three times a week with 4 students. I plan each lesson, and I am responsible for leading the class. Officially, I am not allowed to teach without a JTE (Japanese Teacher of English) present, but on a few occasions, I have taught by myself. I don't use any Japanese in class, however sometimes my JTE will have to translate. I am at a lower level academic school, but the kids still understand a good deal when they try. After school, I have Japanese classes two times a week, and the other days I spend with other ALTs nearby, or just catching up with friends back home. On weekends, I do a fair amount of traveling. There's always something to do because everyone here is very social and organizes some sort of event or get together. Hardly ever am I bored, in fact, sometimes I need to schedule some "alone time" to chill for a little.

Are the children well-behaved?

Ha. My school is just like high school back in America. I've heard from other ALTs that have visited my school that they are surprised by how relaxed the atmosphere is. Their schools are much more strict. Because Tosho is a lower level academic school, there's not as much pressure on the kids to get into a good college, or get good grades. So there is the usual talking and sleeping in class. Once a week, I go to a kindergarten. They are harder on the kids there, because those kids are aiming for a high academic track. So even though I am volunteering to teach there, my teaching is under more scrutiny, and I receive LOTS of feedback (you should control the class, you should do this differently, etc). Students in Japan tend to be VERY shy, so when I first got here, getting them to answer was like pulling teeth. Kids in Japan also do not want to stand out, so answering questions in front of the entire class is something they dread. All that aside, most kids try to say hi to me whenever they see me, and are always excited for my class (which is probably the only casual class they have).

How often do you interact with the Japanese teachers at your school? What is your relationship with them like?

Like I said, I teach each class with a JTE. So I work closely with three teachers. They have been very helpful, and one always invites me to events outside of school. It's nice to have those teachers when I don't know what the buttons on the copy machine say. I sit in the last row of the staff room, next to one of my JTEs. We get along just fine there. Nobody can see us, so he plays solitare and dozes off while I catch up with my friends on facebook (after my work is done of course ;-). I don't interact as much with the other teachers, but they have been nothing but helpful to me. Every teacher knows at least a few words in English, but most are afraid to talk to me. The Japanese always strive for perfection, and they hate making mistakes, so they would just rather not try to talk to me using English. We have work drinking parties (enkais) every so often, which is where everyone loosens up. That's when I can talk to most of the other teachers. Their English vastly improves when they are drunk. Well, their confidence at least. ;-)

I need your questions!

As a friend gently reminded me, I have not updated in a while. These last few weeks have been full of Halloween festivities, traveling, dinners, business trips, space theme parks, birthday parties, boar racing festivals, work parties, and just generally avoiding the swine flu while not wearing those crazy masks.

I'd like to do a sort of Q & A post next, but to do that, I need your questions! So please, comment with any questions you have about my life in Japan. Anything you are curious about, from day to day life, to work, to...well I'm sure you will come up with something!

Yosakoi and Bunkasai!

Some days in Japan are more difficult than others. And some days, I just can't help but say, "I LOVE JAPAN." This weekend happened to be one of them. My town, Sasebo, hosted a large Yosakoi Matsuri (dance festival). It is the largest Yosakoi festival on my island. There are around 5 performance areas around the city, including a main stage. What struck me most about the festival was the amount of fun people were having as they were dancing. You could feel their excitement. It definitely reminded me of why I love dance in the first place. I am definitely getting in on the fun next year.

I missed the second half of the festival on Sunday, because my school hosted it's annual Bunkasai festival. Students showcased their musical, theatrical, artistic, culinary, and dance talents. I actually performed on stage as well. I danced to a old high school poms routine, and had a great time doing it.

This weekend was definitely one to remember.

Enjoy the pictures.

English Camp

Last weekend I volunteered as a leader for an English camp. It was located in Saga Prefecture, and was nestled in the mountains. I felt right at home! My group was a mix of boys ranging from 3rd grade to 6th grade. Needless to say, this was a huge difference from my high school kids (most of whom are girls). It was so much fun to work with a different group dynamic though! We made t-shirts, watched Ratatouille with popcorn and hot chocolate, grilled hot dogs, set up a mini shopping mall, and sang songs and played games by the campfire. Oh the good old days of camp!

We had free time during the night, and the boy campers' room was right next to the leaders' room. They were climbing in the little window doors at all hours of the night. And they loved to play UNO with us!

Japanese kids are pretty much the cutest kids on earth.

Taiwan!

This past week I went to Taiwan with two other ALTs in my prefecture. We spent half of the week in Taipei, and the last half in a rural city on the Eastern coast. Taipei is an amazing city. It was home to the world's tallest building until recently. It takes about 40 seconds to go up to the top floors. The elevator goes so fast, my ears kept readjusting every ten seconds! We visited a few night markets where street vendors line the streets and sell food, clothing, accessories, etc. We also ate very well, Taiwanese food is delicious! While we were in Taipei, we visited the National Palace Museum, which is home to many ancient Chinese artifacts that date to BC dynasties. We also toured what I would call a ghost town, a town famous for the gold rush. It was so different from Colorado ghost towns though, very green and right by the ocean.

Taipei is huge and crowded, so it was nice to see a bit of rural Taiwan as well. We took a train down to Hualien. While there is not much going on in the city, it is not far from a gorgeous national park. We took a bus inside to Taroko Gorge and hiked around a few trails. There was a beautiful mix of nature and traditional Asian temples. It's one of the most beautiful places I have ever been.

I loved every minute of Taiwan, but I must admit it's nice to be back. I think it finally hit me that I live in Japan because when I went on vacation to Taiwan, I came back to Japan, and not the States. Enjoy the pictures!

In Which I Watch Baseball

I won two free tickets to a national baseball game in Fukuoka, which is a really big city about 2 hours away from me. Not one to pass up such an opportunity, another ALT and I drove to the city to enjoy the event. Baseball stadiums in Japan are smaller and hold less people. The Fukuoka Yahoo Dome has a roof that covers the entire stadium, but can be retracted as well. It was a rainy day, so naturally the roof was closed. There was a band and loud cheering section which lead the entire stadium in chants. Many aspects of the game were identical to their American counterpart, however the energy in the stadium was amazing! After the game and a delicious Hard Rock Cafe dinner, we came back to the car only to find out we had accumulated 8800 yen in parking fees in 5.5 hours. That's $88! Ooops, I gotta learn how to read these signs!

In Which I Encounter SPORTS DAY!

Every year, each school hosts a "Sports Day". This is similar to what you and I know as field day back in elementary school, except way more involved and important. The students and teachers have been preparing for Sports Day for weeks. The students are split up into 5 color coded teams and compete in various events for points. The team with the most points at the end wins! Seems simple enough, right? However the events they compete in are hard core! Various relay races, 5 legged races, 50 legged races, fighting over tires, dance competitions, tug-o-war, and much more. I had the honor of competing as a part of the teacher's team during one relay. I am proud to say that after I ran my 50 meters, students and teachers a like told me "Ashurii Sensei, hayai!" which means fast. I had so much fun, and wish Sports Day existed back in the States.

I made a little video to give you a small taste of Sports Day: Japan style. Enjoy!

In Which I (Finally) Teach My First Classes!

Teach classes? Oh right, that's the reason why I am here! I taught a few of my first year classes today. For the lesson, I set up a powerpoint slideshow about my life in Colorado. Mountains, Broncos, rock climbing, the mint, etc. I included sweet action photos of myself dancing and climbing. The thing they responded to the most though (with plenty of ooohs and aaaahs) was that my dog's name is Ukio. They just couldn't believe a gaijin (foreigner) like me would name their dog a Japanese name. After the power point, I had them answer basic questions about it. "Where is Ashleigh Sensei from?" etc. The students are really shy, and getting them to answer out loud is like pulling teeth. Then, each group was allowed to ask me one question, and the group with the best question recieved a penny from the Denver Mint as a prize.

Some notable questions:

Why are you so beautiful? (Twice)

Are you a model?

I see you have a ring on your hand. Are you married?

Do you have a boyfriend? (Twice)


Winning questions:

Can I have a coin? (Nicely done!)

Why is your dog named Yukiyo?

What are your favorite places in Japan?

Then I asked the students to fill out a survey of things they liked. Favorite movies, music, hobbies, and what they hoped to learn in the class. After class, I felt a little discouraged because I received a lot of blank stares and it didn't seem like I was connecting with the students. However when I sat down to read their surveys, I realize it's just going to take time to get used to each other. When asked "What would you like to learn in this class?" many students replied with some variation of "I want to talk with you."

Cuties.

In Which I Name 7 Things I Love About Japan

Heidi tagged me in one of her posts from her blog Finding My Way. Name 7 things you love. I thought I would change it a bit and name 7 things I love about Japan so far. So in no particular order...

1. The GORGEOUS green countryside and mountainscape.


2. Vending machines on every corner with every drink you can think of.


3. Paraphernalia with very questionable English.


4. Wearing yukata out to summer festivals.


5. The perfect mix of ancient culture blended with modernity


6. Paying bills through the local 7-11


7. Singing karaoke!!!

In Which I Take My First Train Ride

This past week was Obon week in Japan. Obon is an annual Buddhist festival where family ancestors' spirits return to visit. Lanterns are hung outside of houses to guide them, and then the lanterns are put in the river to float away and guide the ancestors back. Obon also is traditionally a week of travel. No one else was going to be at school this week, so I was given the week off too! I decided to to a bit of traveling with the other ALT at my school.

Our first stop was Kumamoto City. While in the city, I decided to buy a yukata (cotton kimono) to wear to the Obon festival at the end of the week. I was lucky to find one so late in the season! We also visited Kumamoto Castle. It is the 3rd largest castle in Japan, and is more than 400 years old. Also on the list was Suizenji Park. This is one of the most beautiful parks I have ever seen. It is modeled to give the impression of traveling from Kyoto to Tokyo, and even has a model of Mt. Fuji.

The next day, we traveled to Aso city. Aso city is actually in the Aso volcano caldera. The Aso caldera is one of the largest volcanic caldera in the world. One of the inner caldera is still active, and a cable car ride to the top takes you right up to the tip. We went all the way to the top, but the weather was so bad we couldn't see 5 feet in front of us! I was disappointed we couldn't see the steaming crater, but hopefully I will be able to come back!

We then traveled by bus to Nagasaki city. Nagasaki is a fascinating city, a mix of ancient and modern scenery and architecture. As I had experienced the anniversary of the atomic bomb in Sasebo just a week earlier, I definitely wanted to stop by the hypocenter and museum. Going to the museum was definitely a heavy experience. There was a timeline explaining various events leading up to, during, and after the bombing. There were many many fragment pieces from various materials (including parts of buildings, clothing, and even skull and hand bone fragments). A lifesize mock up of the "fat man" was on display, as well as survivor testimonies. Some things really hit hard, like seeing a damaged girl's lunch box, with her rice inside. There was a testimony of a little girl watching her mother call for help. Her sister's legs were trapped underneath their house. Many soldiers tried, but left. The fires were approaching, so her mother, already weakened and injured by the bomb, lifted the beam by herself at great physical cost, and freed her daughter. The mother later died. Although the museum was very somber, I think it was definitely a good thing to see.

Later that night, a festival was planned for the last day of Obon. Many lantern floats paraded by and millions of fireworks were detonated all over the place. I was glad I headed earlier advice and invested in earplugs, because it was LOUD. Fireworks would go off within 5 feet of me with little notice. Some teens threw fireworks at a policeman in the street, and he didn't even flinch! Afterwards, the streets were littered with ash and leftover fireworks.

Definitely a great week!

In Which I Become Acutely Aware I am the Only American in the Room

Today, August 9, marks a very important anniversary to Nagasaki-ken. Even though it is Sunday, and still summer holiday, all the teachers and students had to come to school. Today is the 64th Anniversary of the day the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki city. The students and teachers all gathered in the gym, and watched a slide show of pictures from the attack. I remember learning about the atomic bombings in school myself, but I felt very priveledged to be able to experience things from a Japanese point of view.



The pictures in the slide show started out with aerial pictures of the city, and then moved on to some pretty graphic images of wounded and dead women and children. It was a little much to take in. This was my first day being in school while the students are there, so after the graphic slideshow, I had to get up in front of the entire school and give my self introduction in Japanese. Needless to say, I was very nervous. However there was no need to be, as the presentation was not Anti-American in any way; America was never even mentioned. I am so grateful that we seem to have worked out major issues and prejudices between our two countries.



I have great respect for Emperor Hirohito, who was Emperor at the time of the bombings. The Japanese culture is intensely proud, and as evidenced by the kamikaze pilots, were willing to fight to the death. Surrender is not an option for them. So for Emperor Hirohito to surrender to save his people and culture is a very big deal. Here is a quote from his speech...



"Moreover, the enemy now possesses a new and terrible weapon with the power to destroy many innocent lives and do incalculable damage. Should we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization.
Such being the case, how are We to save the millions of Our subjects, or to atone Ourselves before the hallowed spirits of Our Imperial Ancestors? This is the reason why We have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the Joint Declaration of the Powers."



Here are links to some of the pictures shown in the slideshow.

*Note, some pictures are graphic in nature*


Boy carrying his brother
http://media.lvrj.com/images/1984980.jpg

Before and After Aerial View
http://beforetheafter.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/nagasaki_1945_-_before_and_after_adjusted.jpg

Destruction and a Standing Torii
http://edro.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/nagasaki_002.jpg

Flash burn victim
http://inlinethumb29.webshots.com/13596/2528558410088390784S425x425Q85.jpg

In Which I Receive a Little Taste of Home

This past week has been a whirlwind of paperwork. It has actually been a bit of a struggle to get everything done, and I am constantly reminded of my inability to speak Japanese. Luckily, I have many people who are willing to help me, but I just hate not being able to understand and communicate with people, and worse, I hate relying on other people to take care of my business. I have started taking Japanese classes twice a week, and I study at work because there's not much to do yet, so hopefully I can improve quickly!

I haven't spent a lot of time at the school yet, but I love the atmosphere. Japanese students have to test into high school. High schools are ranked by academic level, and the students who test the highest go to the same school, and so on. Tosho high school, where I teach is a low academic school. However it boasts the best band in Kyushu, and has many amazingly gifted artistic students. The teachers have all been really nice to me, and most of them can speak at least a little English.

The apartment is really big, but old. Turning on the shower is an 8 step process (not exagerating), and there is no dryer or oven. (Although it is very rare for Japanese homes to have either). I do have a Western bed and toilet though, for which I am grateful. I also bought a car, and have been driving around Sasebo. Driving in Japan is pretty scary, the roads are narrow, and of course, you drive on the left side. Also, everyone just backs in to parking spots. Everyone. I imagine it is comical for the Japanese people to watch me try to do this. Luckily I am catching on pretty quickly.

Last weekend, Sasebo hosted a seaside festival. A few of us went to eat at a Mexican restaurant, and then watched a one hour fireworks extravaganza by the port. It was a good taste of home. Eating has been interesting. I have been to a variety of restaurants, and am slowly learning what to eat, and what not to eat. In Japan, hamburgers are made out of a pork/beef mix. Not as good as pure beef, let me tell you. Going grocery shopping is a bit of a challenge too. Besides the fact that I can't read Japanese (yet), Japan has no cheese. NO CHEESE. No peanut butter. Also, the ice cream comes in tiny, and really tiny. There is not a huge selection of bread, as rice is the meal of choice. I will also probably need to acquire a taste for fish. While getting my car insurance through the USO, I was able to find Hershey's chocolate, Drumstick ice cream cones, and other delictable American treats. I think I will stop by often... ;-)

In Which the Toilets Outsmart Me

I am here!

I just arrived in Sasebo after countless hours of flying and three days of orientation in Tokyo. My day on Saturday started around 8am at DIA. After flying to LAX, I boarded an 11 hour flight to Tokyo's international airport. After arriving, we took a bus to a hotel in the middle of downtown Tokyo. This hotel was enormous! I had two roommates who came from Denver with me. The room was very nice, there was a flatscreen TV and a very technological toilet! The seat could be heated, and whenever I sat down, it told me to "standby". I had no idea what to do! What could it possibly need me to standby for?

Anyways, I went to meeting after meeting during orientation, and was bombared with a ridiculous amount of info and pamphlets. I met a lot of people who were going to my prefecture, and after orientation one night we went out to sing karaoke. Karaoke in Japan is much different than in the States. You get a room for your group to yourselves. There is a phone you can use to call in drink orders. Singing along with your group of friends instead of in front of an entire bar is a lot more fun! Karaoke is widely popular in Japan, and I think I will go often! I also got a chance to explore a bit of Shinjuku (downtown Tokyo). It is an amazing place to visit, but I am glad I don't live there!

On the last day of orientation, I took a bus to the domestic airport, and flew to Nagasaki airport. The airport was actually made on a man-made island. It's really small, I left the gate, and walked into the next room which was baggage claim. Once I grabbed my bags, I walked into the next room, where my predecessor Rachel and my suppervisor Itose Sensei greeted me.

I have only been in Sasebo for a few hours, but it's becoming more familiar already. I will try to update more on Sasebo in a few days when I am able to get my bearings...

Getting Closer...

I just heard from my predecessor today, and she has been ridiculously helpful and generous with information. Here is part of what she wrote me...

Dear Ashleigh,

Welcome to Sasebo Tosho Hight School! Today my supervisor asked me to send you a welcome letter. There is so much information I'm not really sure where to start. I'll try to give you an overview and please write any time with more questions!

so first off (you probably already know) you'll be working at Sasebo Tosho High School (佐世保東翔高
等学校) in Nagasaki prefecture. I have been the ALT here for two years.
I'm originally from the state of Maine and have loved my time out here.
I am sure you will enjoy it too!

The School:

Tosho
is about a 10 minute drive from your apartment. it's about an hour to
walk. There is a bus that can take you there from outside your
apartment but I have found it extremely difficult because the schedule
always changes due to extra classes held in the early morning. So
during the normal schedule the bus usually comes around 7:30 but a when
the extra classes are taking place it can come at 6am or 7am. there is
one at 8:07 but it doesnt' get you to school in time. so the school
hours are 8:15 to 4:00 M-F. the rest of the teachers have to stay at
least until 5 and most of them stay until 8 or 9 as they have to
moniter/coach the club activities. So there is the 1st bell at 8:15 and
the second bell at 8:20 is when the morning teachers meeting begins for
about 20 minutes. there are about 600 students at Tosho between the
ages of 15 and 18. The students here are amazing!!! They are so cute and are always happy to try to talk to you. They really make coming to school more fun than a job. It is not a high academic high school so they're english levels are pretty low but there are a few students who have incredible English. There
are 3 grades, 5 classes per grade, 40 students per class. you will
teach all 5 first grade oral communication classes with a JTE and one
2nd year class with only 4 students 3 times a week (so you have 8
classes a week). ever since I arrived i have been in charge of making
the lesson plans and leading the class, i believe they will want you to
do the same. 4 of your 1st year classes you will teach with Yoshimoto
Sensei. She is only a part time teacher but she is amazing! she has
helped me so much here and her english is so incredible compared to the
other teachers here. she is a lot of fun, crazy at times but so sweet.
the 5th 1st year class you will teach with Ide Sensei who you sit
beside in the staff room. He was new last year at this school but he
has been so kind to me and always makes sure i know the schedule and
what's going on. His English is not so great, but he really tires. he
knows a lot but his pronounciation is so difficult to understand the
students say they can't understand his japanese either! lol. anyways
you will also teach the 2nd year class with him 2x a week and the 3rd
time you will teach with Fukuda Sensei. she is a new part time teacher
this year. she seems really nice but maybe nervous a lot? i think she
doesn't have a lot of experience teaching with ALT's but she is nice
and her English is decent. As for you supervisor, Itose Sensei, he is
different. He doesn't know a lot of english and doesn't like to speak
in english (either he's self concious about it or just it's too
difficult) so he will probably speak a lot of japanese. He doesn't seem
to know much about being a supervisor but the other teachers here are
so great it really doesnt' matter. they will help you with anything!
and the vice principal and principal are also English teachers or were
so their Engliish is really good and the principal will look out for
you! he's really great...although he looks intimidating. and the new
vice principal seems so sweet but i think she's a little shy to speak
english even though she's really good. there are 2 new young 1st time
teachers maybe 24 years old here and they are both sweethearts! one of
them can speak english pretty well the other one a little. The school
nurse here is so great too! Masuda Sensei. if you're bored or tired or
sad you can always go and visit her and have tea! She loves to practice
English. as for a normal school day the 1st class starts at 8:55 on a
normal day and is 50 minutes after 4th period you have lunch for 45
minutes and then 2 more classes. For your schedule Monday and Tuesday
you have 2 classes each day, wednesday you have 1 class, thursday you
have 2 and friday you have 1. oh there is also a chinese ALT here at
Tosho her english name is Lydia and she just arrived here this past
april. She is so sweet and has fluent japanese and her egnlish is good.
i'm sure if you have any problems she would be happy to help, we hang
out a lot! ok i'm probably boring you so i'll move on...

Your Apartment, Haiki & Sasebo:

Your
apartment is big but old. there are 3 tutami rooms a big kitchen and
bath and shower and a balcony. It comes with 2 couches that can lay
down to make a bed, a fridge, a western bed, etc. if you have skype i
can show you around. rent is ¥18500 a month so very cheap as it is
teachers housing. It is in the town of Haiki in a apartment complex
area (forgot the enlgish word...?) called Hanataka Danchi. it's
actually a nice area there is a small park about 2 minutes walk and a
nice walk path along a small river about 10 minute walk. there is a
tiny store across the street and there is a small grocery store La La
about 10 minutes walk from the apartment but that's about it. The train
station is about 40 minutes walking but there is a bus stop in front of
your house that goes to downtown sasebo or to haiki station. it takes
about 15-50 minutes depending on traffic to get to downtown sasebo
driving. Haiki has quite a lot of stores and restaurants but they are a
bit far from your apartment. a lot of people from downtown sasebo come
to shop here. Jusco is a big department like store with a grocery
store, pharmacy, arcade, restaurants, etc. it is only 5-10minute drive
and there are a ton of others stores around. Sasebo is considered the
country so it's not that big but they do have the longest shopping
arcade in Japan, 1 kilometer long. Sasebo is also home to a navy base
so you will see foreigners/americans wherever you go. A lot of them
live in or near Haiki. You are about an hour+ from Nagasaki city and 2
hours from Fukuoka a big city with great night life. there is a good
beach near sasebo and more near nagasaki.

p.s.
the summer is insanely hot and humid here and the winter is cold and
damp is actually snowed a few times this past winter. and for school
you will need 1 suit but every day dress is casual just nice pants and
a polo shirt or just a t-shirt. you're also allowed to wear sports
cloths epsecially on days with no class or on cleaning days etc. all
the teachers have a tracksuit and jacket. oh and also you need indoor
shoes for school and sneakers for the gym. (you can get those here tho
depending on your shoe size).

p.p.s. i hope you like karaoke!!! ;)

Nagasaki-ken

I found out where I have been placed! Japan has four main islands. Hokkaido up North, the main island Honshu, then Shikoku and Kyushu in the South. Japan is also composed of prefectures (like states). I have been placed in Nagasaki-ken (prefecture) which is on the Southern-most island Kyushu. It is number 42 in gray on the map... (For reference, Tokyo is number 13).

I still don't know where in Nagasaki-ken I will be, so I have been hired at the prefectural level. This means I will probably be teaching at the high school level. Nagasaki-ken is mostly coastal, and gets unbelievably hot and humid.

Nagasaki was actually my first placement choice, so I am very surprised and pleased I have been placed there! Now I am just anxious to find out where in Nagasaki-ken I will be...

So...where in Japan will you be going?

This is the question of the week! I am starting to become anxious about my placement, as I am supposed to find out where I will be going within a week or so.

I am pretty sure I will be happy with my placement regardless of where I am, but I know I am hoping for some places more than others. I requested Nagasaki, Ishikawa, and Hiroshima. All three of these places are in the Southern half of Japan (where is is warmer). I also requested a suburban placement. A city placement would mean more people would speak English, and better access to stores and entertainment, but also less of the traditional Japanese cultural experience. An inaka (rural) placement means less people would speak English, it might be hard to travel, and less forms of entertainment around, but a chance to experience a more traditional Japan. I definitely want to experience both sides of Japan, and living in a city would probably be more comfortable for me, but I think I might be leaning towards living in a rural area.

Where would you live if you could choose?

And So it Begins...

On July 25th, I will be leaving life as I know it, and moving to a foreign country. I don't know anyone there, and I don't speak the language. Japan will be quite the adventure! A couple of my friends have introduced me to the blogging world, and I figured blogging would be a great way for you all to keep in contact and a way for me to share a little bit of Japan with you!

I just found out I was accepted to the JET Program for the coming year! The Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program (JET) sends people from all over the world to Japan to work as an assistant English teacher. I will be placed in an area within the next month or so, and I will leave on July 25th. I am contracted for a one year minimum, so there is no going back! Right now, I am busy trying to get all my paperwork in order. I need passport photos (even though I already have a passport), finger printing for an FBI background check, various IRS forms, and other random requirements. It still hasn't hit me yet, but it is fun to see how excited my friends and family are.

Airfare is pretty cheap right now, so I want all of you to come visit! Yes, I'm talking to you...