Welcome Back, Kotter!

Okay - if you don't know that 70s TV show - the following will not be as funny - so here goes. Today I had three (count them three) classes. They were all 2nd year with S-san (nice guy). I had to do the same thing in each class - my self introduction with an accompanying fill-in-the-blank worksheet. There were about 35 kids in each class and the participation level is approximately the same – blank stares. But it’s the first class I had that inspires the title of this post. They were, by far, the most unruly. There was one kid in the back playing with an exacto knife and shouting out random English words (Vinnie Barbarino, anyone?). One of the girls fell asleep and it was quite entertaining when the teacher woke her up – she was like – “what, where am I?” in Japanese of course! I had to try soooo hard not to laugh during this class. I would say a good 60% of the kids were off in the ozone, doing their own thing, or chatting with friends. One kid had all his pens knotted in the curtains. But they are still so dang cute!!! I just kept thinking if this was my 8th grade class – the nuns would be having a field day knocking kids upside the head with rulers!!! But here - this is just the norm.
On a different note, I made the caretaker very very happy by using her name today (I like her cause she gets me fried chicken bento boxes) as indicated by the nice note on my bento box. She also rescued me from potential future embarrassment by pointing out I’d been using the “cooks only” sink in the bathroom – no wonder they had paper towels!!!! The regular schomes have to use their pants or personal hand towel.
Well – I am off to bake in the sun while I watch sports day practice. I did this yesterday, as well, after I gave my welcome speach to the 360 Yatuso students - outside with a megaphone - LISTEN TO ME SLAUGHTER JAPANESE WITH FEEDBACK. But I did get a few compliments from some of the teachers - must be because I wrote the thing out phonetically this time (shirigamasu = sherayguymasue) - LOL.

How are you? I am fine, thank you. And you?

And that is the extent of 95% of the conversation I have with these kids. Can I just say there is something sadistical about having the power to make children blush, giggle and run away by saying "How are you?" I did have one brave soul come up to me this morning and say "I like freedom ???" I swear he said "freedom condom" - but that couldn't be right and I hated to make him repeat himself since he had the nerve to come up to me. I just smiled and told him that was great! Seriously though - this kids are SUPER kawaii!! Even the ones I sense are going to big smart asses!
So today was also the school welcome ceremony where I got to get up on stage and introduce myself to all the student in English AND Japanese. Talk about slaughtering a language!!! At least no one threw any vegetables at me - LOL. I had it written in romajii - but it's still hard cause the letters sound differnet = "hi" is pronounced "he" and so on. Instead of telling them I liked to travel - I proabably said something like "I like to sleep with goats". Who know!!!
I also had my first lunch with questionable food in it. I made a serious effort to eat everything - but the very salty piece of fish had me in gag mode - so I hid it under a muffin paper and the fake piece of grass in the bento box. I think nobody saw me - so I should be okay.
Going kimono shopping today - lets hope they have one in my size :-).

%$#@^&^% Mt. Fuji

AHH, how to describe my Mt. Fuji climb without swearing every 4th word – that’s tricky!! I am not going to give you all the details – you’ll have to read the newsletter. But I will say this – it was one of the most physically difficult things I’ve done - EVER! Of course you must realize that my experience is colored by the fact that I am horribly out of shape. So if you like climbing mountains – I say do Fuji. If you get winding climbing a flight of stairs – STAY AWAY! And it isn’t that pretty either – of course we climbed it at night, in a freaking rain cloud, with a tiny head lamp and other climbers for guidance – so again, perhaps my experience is jaded. I can’t even count the number of time I thought “F this crap, I am giving up”! But I persevered and hiked for 10 hours to see a sunrise above the clouds – hum, I believe that is what flying in airplanes is for – and I didn’t even make it to the top thanks to my own lack of enthusiasm and a human traffic jam. I could see the top – so we’ll call it a draw! And then I had to go down and that part of the adventure caused me to lose a toenail (I will not elaborate). All in all, I can cross Fuji off my list! If you are planning to visit me and want to climb Fuji, I’ll wait for you at the hotel!!!

Mountain Tops Covered in Magic Shell!

WHOOO HOOO! Today a package arrived from home - with MAGIC SHELL!! Now I just need to defrost my freezer so I can put some ice cream in it! Thanks J - you are SUGOI! The great thing about the post office is you just smile and show your alien card (yes, I am an alien) and voila - packages!
Got my car back from the garage today - but he wouldn't give me the bill - should I be afraid?? But he vacumned and dusted and washed the car - so I am sure it will be worth the 500-600 bucks it gonna cost me!
Yesterday was the JET field trip to Mt. Tatayama. I'll leave the details for the newsletter. I passed on the mountain climbing since I have Mt Fuji in 2 days. But I did opt for the onsen (hot spring) - so for 6 bucks I had the privilage of sitting butt naked in hot water with other women. The best part of the whole trip was there was no humidity!!!! I loved it. The worst part - the brief climbing I did do made me realize I will probably die on the Fuji climb! Pray for me.

You've Got Mail!

JOY - received my first piece of international mail today - a letter from my grandma!! Thanks Grandma J!! I got my first piece of Japanese mail last week - my car insurance paperwork. So how happy was I??? Very, especially since I sent out a pity me email yesterday to some folks. The power of guilt worked it's magic on some of them. But it's a bit like the power of cheese - not everyone likes cheese - so it didn't work on everyone - LOL. But I was extremely grateful for the news I did recieve. Congrats to my friend K who recently got engaged. And Get Well Soon B!!!
Of course today was the polar opposite of the previous day. I had 5 people in my hamster-moblie loaner car and we went to the mall and out to dinner with one of the other JETs in the area. Breaded pork and Japanese curry - YUMMY!
Tomorrow is a Toyama JET field trip to Mt. Tatayama. Now I have to decide if I want to climb the mountain (3 days before Fuji climb) or sit naked with strangers in a hot spring that smells like rotten eggs (do you think I can get pictures of this)??? Tough decision!

Hey, could you grab that floating toilet seat for me?

Today was a JET beach party at Himi. That's pronounce "HeMe" for all you budding japanese speakers. I drove (I am getting quite good at navigating) about an hour to the other side of Toyama to Himi. There were about 30-40 Jets at the beach. As for the beach - NOTHING TO WRITE HOME ABOUT. Photos will be include in the next snapfish album. This was, without a doubt the most DISGUSTING water I have ever swam in. I think this beach could have given the Rouge River a run for it's money. Why did I go in - who knows. But while swimming I saw numerous plastic bags, a plastic flower pot, what looked like a child's toilet seat, and the list goes on. The first thing I did upon getting home was take a scalding hot shower!!!!!! But we did get to sit on the beach and sing songs while Reuben played his guitar!!! Ate dinner at a sushi resturant - I had avacado and cream cheese rolls - and once I poked out the avacado - they were quite good! I do not think I will be spending too many days at the Himi beach!

Saturday Night Fireworks

Well my adventure to the Owasano fireworks was aborted when I saw the line of cars waiting to get to the venue - that and the 300 police standing around. I figured if I could not ask were to park - I should not be there.
Spent the afternoon with Satoshi - the japanese dude who spent 7 years in Iowa. We tooled around Toyama on the hunt for a item a friend requested - we found three possible locations - but could not find the item - oh well. Now I am sitting in his dirty nasty apartment using his computer and he is cooking me dinner in mine (a much healthier and sanatary option). We are going to watch a movie as well. Please don't start picking out china patterns yet folks - I am just using him for his excellent english, somewhat good Toyama navigation skills and his wireless internet connection (**Sunday update** which I just figured out - only problem is I have to practically sit outside his apartment door to get a good signal - um - literally - that is where I am right now) - LOL.
Oh - on a seperate note - my mattress ROCKS!!!!

Princess and the Pea

OHHHHHH - I may be getting a REAL mattress today (double) - it's going to look gay as hell in my tiny apartment - so entertaining should be interesting - but I don't care!!!!!! I can't sleep on little mats on the floor any more!!! I am also giving one of my couches to Lou from Britain - she wanted one and I was storing mine in the sunroom/closet. I suppose I should have probably asked for some money for it -but at this point I believe sharing furniture is just good karma - hell - I got a freaking bed from a stranger - so who am I to complain!!!!! It's a funny story - one of the guys from Britain is going home today - he decided this wasn't for him. So he sold his car to Lou and the people who were helping to sort that out came to drop off the paperwork to Lou last night (I was over because she was coming to my house to use the phone) and they brought her a mattress. Of course I was like WTF - where can I get one???? So when I asked they blah blahed for awhile and said we have double mattress and we'll give it to you as a gift - PRAISE jesus!! So that is how I am getting a bed. I am breaking into my gift stash for this lady - luckily I have a Michigan t-shirt I bought at the airport last minute - so it won't be too shabby. Apparently this will be better then offering cash - go figure. Now where to find sheets???

Welcome To Japan

Konnichiwa!!
Recently (like 45 minutes ago) inspired by a friend and the ease of this website, I've decided to start my own blog to bore you with the minute details of my everyday life. I will still publish the newsletter monthly - because it's fun and I can publish them as my memoirs when I am rich and famous. Plus, some of my peeps don't know what the word "blog" means. And who really reads these things anyway?? But Liam you are right - Google does have the answer and website for everything!