it's the end of november already. recently it seems like everyone i know has massive events going on in their lives, good or bad, and the stress is driving us all a little insane. sleep is becoming a rarity.
happily, i watched my friends play an awesome show last night and heard that some of them are moving to tokyo next year (they're wasted in my town) and confused a lot of people who were wondering why the locals were chatting with a couple of foreign women fearlessly.
also, i am slightly disappointed that the really awesome weird honey-apple mentos have been replaced in stores by nasty plum mentos that taste kind of like eating pine trees.
also also, i bought a bass and am learning how to play it because no one needs a vocalist and if i don't get back to performing music soon i might go a little more crazy.
also also also, i need an apartment with more than one room. i can't work in the room that contains both my computer and my bed.
if people want to see what i've been drawing, the links are as follows:
http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=3564797
monstermadam.deviantart.com
they've got pretty much the same stuff on 'em. all the work is drawn and painted postcard size because i have no room to work larger.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
almost my birthday
hey! so i've successfully ignored this for two months, so i guess i should write something. recently work's been pretty good (also exhausting) but the teachers i work with are getting easier to coordinate with and the kids are unreasonably excited to see me, so that's nice. i'm also still playing in the band with the old guys and playing taiko and drawing a hell of a lot and now i am also starting a new, non-old-dude band with my friend tomoyo.
hurray!
i like being busy, but some days i kinda over-do it and then when i finally sit down, i DROP. today i taught at two schools, went straight from the second one to teach a conversation lesson with a private student, and straight from that to practice. now i'm just waiting for my brain to cool down a little so i can let my body sleep.
next week is my birthday, for which i am doing not much verging on nothing, and then some friends of mine are coming to watch me play taiko and listen to some bands. i promised to cook for them, so apparently they're very excited. once i realized they were excited, i started getting nervous. i can definitely cook, so it shouldn't be a problem, but it probably won't be what they're expecting. the idea of american food is 1) hamburgers 2) the size of your head 3) covered in cheese and sauce. this will be none of that.
i'm also totally making apple crumble.
in unrelated news, the temperature dropped 10 degrees C in less than a week. thanks for that, seasonal weather changes. i really appreciated the warning. at least i like fall- i've got some friends who are suffering from summer-withdrawal already. personally, i'm counting down the days to when i can go snowboarding again. snowboarding is the only sport i have ever voluntarily sought out. probably because it's not so much as sport as it is an excuse to fly down mountains and play in the snow while doing quite perilous things. all of which i appreciate. best sport ever.
next month, for about 5 days, some of my drawings are going to be in the foreign artists' exhibition in nagoya. i'm pretty excited- i have no idea which pieces i'm going to send though. i've got a few i really like... but nothing spectacular just yet. i'll work on some new stuff since i have a little time left.
arright, i'm gonna vanish into obscurity for a little longer. bye!
hurray!
i like being busy, but some days i kinda over-do it and then when i finally sit down, i DROP. today i taught at two schools, went straight from the second one to teach a conversation lesson with a private student, and straight from that to practice. now i'm just waiting for my brain to cool down a little so i can let my body sleep.
next week is my birthday, for which i am doing not much verging on nothing, and then some friends of mine are coming to watch me play taiko and listen to some bands. i promised to cook for them, so apparently they're very excited. once i realized they were excited, i started getting nervous. i can definitely cook, so it shouldn't be a problem, but it probably won't be what they're expecting. the idea of american food is 1) hamburgers 2) the size of your head 3) covered in cheese and sauce. this will be none of that.
i'm also totally making apple crumble.
in unrelated news, the temperature dropped 10 degrees C in less than a week. thanks for that, seasonal weather changes. i really appreciated the warning. at least i like fall- i've got some friends who are suffering from summer-withdrawal already. personally, i'm counting down the days to when i can go snowboarding again. snowboarding is the only sport i have ever voluntarily sought out. probably because it's not so much as sport as it is an excuse to fly down mountains and play in the snow while doing quite perilous things. all of which i appreciate. best sport ever.
next month, for about 5 days, some of my drawings are going to be in the foreign artists' exhibition in nagoya. i'm pretty excited- i have no idea which pieces i'm going to send though. i've got a few i really like... but nothing spectacular just yet. i'll work on some new stuff since i have a little time left.
arright, i'm gonna vanish into obscurity for a little longer. bye!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Oidensai was awesome. Obon is probably my favorite holiday in Japan, so it was nice to celebrate it by exhausting myself along with a lot of other people who are as close to family as it gets over here even if i didn't spend it with my blood relatives. i still haven't gone to see any fireworks this summer (not in person, anyway. it's impossible to miss them- they fill half the sky).
in the absence of my closest friends this summer, i've been drawing and drinking a lot of coffee and driving all over and singing karaoke and getting ready to have my band's second show in september. and playing a LOT of drums, although that's calmed down a little now.
for all that summer's not my season of choice, i do kinda love summer in japan. even though it's hot and gross and sticky and all i want to do is go snowboarding and eat an enormous ice cream.
the rice fields have all gone electric lime green, which is gorgeous.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
OIDENSAI
arright, so now it's august suddenly, i'm back in japan, and i have to figure out what to do for a month before classes start up again at my schools.
this means:
lots of music
lots of drawing
...roadtrips?
that's the plan, anyway. as it is, this weekend is completely full of taiko. in fact, sunday is ENTIRELY full of taiko, as in 10 hours or so of my day is practicing drums. outside, in the 90 something degree heat. next week, on the 13th, is my town's big obon matsuri and i'll be playing in that, so i need the practice. my group will be carrying shrines and playing drums and carrying more shrines and, considering the people i play with, drinking and carrying shrines and playing drums.
hurray!
my band's got their next show scheduled, we'll be playing mid september at the same place in the middle of nowhere as last time. this time though, it's looking like my friends (who are talented and have a REAL band with actual CDs and stuff) are also gonna be playing! awesome! i'm super excited about it.
i'm trying to get around 25 pages inked and (maybe) colored by the end of the month, plus a couple standalone pieces. we shall see if it is possible. i'm gonna try, anyway.
as far as roadtrips are concerned? there is apparently a town filled with statues of monsters. why would i not go there?! also, BEACH. also also, OSAKA. these are all places i'd like to waste some time this summer. oh! and there's a full-day hardcore and punk show in shibuya in late august which looks extremely tempting, so that would be cool too.
mannnn if i can get half this stuff done, i will be awesome.
this means:
lots of music
lots of drawing
...roadtrips?
that's the plan, anyway. as it is, this weekend is completely full of taiko. in fact, sunday is ENTIRELY full of taiko, as in 10 hours or so of my day is practicing drums. outside, in the 90 something degree heat. next week, on the 13th, is my town's big obon matsuri and i'll be playing in that, so i need the practice. my group will be carrying shrines and playing drums and carrying more shrines and, considering the people i play with, drinking and carrying shrines and playing drums.
hurray!
my band's got their next show scheduled, we'll be playing mid september at the same place in the middle of nowhere as last time. this time though, it's looking like my friends (who are talented and have a REAL band with actual CDs and stuff) are also gonna be playing! awesome! i'm super excited about it.
i'm trying to get around 25 pages inked and (maybe) colored by the end of the month, plus a couple standalone pieces. we shall see if it is possible. i'm gonna try, anyway.
as far as roadtrips are concerned? there is apparently a town filled with statues of monsters. why would i not go there?! also, BEACH. also also, OSAKA. these are all places i'd like to waste some time this summer. oh! and there's a full-day hardcore and punk show in shibuya in late august which looks extremely tempting, so that would be cool too.
mannnn if i can get half this stuff done, i will be awesome.
Friday, July 8, 2011
... it's july?
i can't believe it's july already. O_o what have i been doing for the last two months?! other than working and playing taiko and joining bands and practicing kanji and working and planning visits to the states and sorting out my apartment and working.
not much, really.
the semester's almost over for my students- just two weeks and then they're all gloriously free for a month and a half! i feel bad for the junior high kids though- they're forced to join a sports team (well, a club, really- but the only clubs available at my schools are sports) and then have to spend all their weekends, evenings, and vacations practicing. it makes me really happy i never had to deal with all that nonsense... i have a feeling i wouldn't have shown up. >_>
my band's first show is a week from sunday- this week and next it's going to be a little insane around here. i have practice twice this week, an open class where my boss is coming to watch (at my weakest school. whyyyy) taiko practice, a friend's band's show, and hopefully i'll get to sleep at some point. then the weekend hits, i play my OWN show, i have an event in nagoya the next day, two days of work and then i catch a plane at an obnoxiously early hour and fly back to the states for ten days.
it's gonna be nice to see everyone for a little bit before i head back to japan.
also, it's gonna be nice to buy jeans and shirts that aren't glittery.
in some ways, this feels like the world's most expensive shopping trip O_o.
let me know if you wanna meet up while i'm in philly! i don't know when i'll be back next. it's too expensive to come back very often.
not much, really.
the semester's almost over for my students- just two weeks and then they're all gloriously free for a month and a half! i feel bad for the junior high kids though- they're forced to join a sports team (well, a club, really- but the only clubs available at my schools are sports) and then have to spend all their weekends, evenings, and vacations practicing. it makes me really happy i never had to deal with all that nonsense... i have a feeling i wouldn't have shown up. >_>
my band's first show is a week from sunday- this week and next it's going to be a little insane around here. i have practice twice this week, an open class where my boss is coming to watch (at my weakest school. whyyyy) taiko practice, a friend's band's show, and hopefully i'll get to sleep at some point. then the weekend hits, i play my OWN show, i have an event in nagoya the next day, two days of work and then i catch a plane at an obnoxiously early hour and fly back to the states for ten days.
it's gonna be nice to see everyone for a little bit before i head back to japan.
also, it's gonna be nice to buy jeans and shirts that aren't glittery.
in some ways, this feels like the world's most expensive shopping trip O_o.
let me know if you wanna meet up while i'm in philly! i don't know when i'll be back next. it's too expensive to come back very often.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Hurray!
I finally did it- after several trips back and forth, I have my brand-new Japanese license. Yayyyyyy
now i don't have to take the bus anymore! exciting!
in other exciting news, i'll be in the states for about a week at the end of july, right after the semester ends. hopefully i can see some of you then!
in other, other exciting news, i'm singing in a band. as of sunday. and as of yesterday, apparently people want me to sing in a second band. so i have two bands now...? maybe? and four of my illustrations will be in a gallery show with a lot of very beautiful paintings of the things that elderly people often like to paint, since the rest of the exhibitors are rather elderly. they favor ships and flowers, except for one delightful woman who likes to paint disney princesses.
now i don't have to take the bus anymore! exciting!
in other exciting news, i'll be in the states for about a week at the end of july, right after the semester ends. hopefully i can see some of you then!
in other, other exciting news, i'm singing in a band. as of sunday. and as of yesterday, apparently people want me to sing in a second band. so i have two bands now...? maybe? and four of my illustrations will be in a gallery show with a lot of very beautiful paintings of the things that elderly people often like to paint, since the rest of the exhibitors are rather elderly. they favor ships and flowers, except for one delightful woman who likes to paint disney princesses.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Obviously I Forget About This All The Time
hey guys, sorry it's been so long. i'm so tired when i get home that i really don't want to do anything but crash.
the new schools are going well! i love my new students, although i miss my old ones very much. i see some of them from time to time wandering around, and reactions vary from extreme excitement (hurray andrea andrea andrea andrea) to extreme embarrassment (oh god that's a teacher this will RUIN my rep). i really wish i wasn't taking buses every day, but hopefully that'll be all over soon and i won't have to worry about it anymore. i'm taking my japanese driver's license test on monday! wish me luck!
i hope i don't forget any of the several million pieces of paper i need to bring with me. that would be a frustration and a half.
i may be teaching a demo lesson next month. i shall keep you posted. it's a 3nensei class in junior high, so the equivalent of 9th grade. 14yr olds! far too cool to be interested in english (during class, anyway.) if i get a chance to teach i'll have to think of something nice and impressive to do. maybe my students will oblige by being awesome in front of an audience.
in completely unrelated news, it hasn't stopped torrentially raining since about 6 this morning. this does not seem fair.
the new schools are going well! i love my new students, although i miss my old ones very much. i see some of them from time to time wandering around, and reactions vary from extreme excitement (hurray andrea andrea andrea andrea) to extreme embarrassment (oh god that's a teacher this will RUIN my rep). i really wish i wasn't taking buses every day, but hopefully that'll be all over soon and i won't have to worry about it anymore. i'm taking my japanese driver's license test on monday! wish me luck!
i hope i don't forget any of the several million pieces of paper i need to bring with me. that would be a frustration and a half.
i may be teaching a demo lesson next month. i shall keep you posted. it's a 3nensei class in junior high, so the equivalent of 9th grade. 14yr olds! far too cool to be interested in english (during class, anyway.) if i get a chance to teach i'll have to think of something nice and impressive to do. maybe my students will oblige by being awesome in front of an audience.
in completely unrelated news, it hasn't stopped torrentially raining since about 6 this morning. this does not seem fair.
Monday, April 11, 2011
new school year!
today starts a new school year, with all new schools and all new teachers and all new students. it's going to be interesting, to say the least- i'll be taking buses for a little while as i get my Japanese driver's license (annoying) and i'm teaching far more elementary school than last year (potentially fun, but i love my junior high students).
without a car, my day's changed from 740-500 to 650-615 (or 550-615, depending on the school). ouch. as soon as i have this oh-so-vital piece of plastic, i'll be able to resume waking up at a reasonable hour. hurray! that day can't come quickly enough.
i'm at two schools tomorrow. i start at an elementary and then move to junior high after lunch- hopefully i can bum a ride from another teacher in between schools otherwise i might be late.
i'm exhausted tonight. i promise, when i've got a better handle on my new schools, i'll post an update.
and now, to make worksheets! and pictures of dinosaurs!
without a car, my day's changed from 740-500 to 650-615 (or 550-615, depending on the school). ouch. as soon as i have this oh-so-vital piece of plastic, i'll be able to resume waking up at a reasonable hour. hurray! that day can't come quickly enough.
i'm at two schools tomorrow. i start at an elementary and then move to junior high after lunch- hopefully i can bum a ride from another teacher in between schools otherwise i might be late.
i'm exhausted tonight. i promise, when i've got a better handle on my new schools, i'll post an update.
and now, to make worksheets! and pictures of dinosaurs!
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
a brief rant
i get along with just about everyone. i really do. very few people annoy me to any large degree, and the number of people i hate is just about non-existent. however, occasionally some other teachers drive me absolutely nuts.
*this post has been edited. heavily. there is no reason to be nasty just 'cause it's on the internet.*
*this post has been edited. heavily. there is no reason to be nasty just 'cause it's on the internet.*
Thursday, March 17, 2011
First Things First
i'm not dead. i'm not even slightly injured. i'm just sleep-deprived and busy. hurray!
because i currently have no desire to talk about the earthquake, or the reactors, just know that i am waaaaaay south and west of them in a town up a mountain out of reach of all possible tsunamis.
instead of depressing current events, which i'm sure you all see lots of, here's some riddles for you posed by my 1st yr middle school students (they're all about 13 years old).
1) I am an alien. I can fly. I eat a lot. I am a character. I am prince of Saiyan. What am I?
2) I am doy. I am 1-A cloess mote. I can play tennis very much. I have big face. Whot am I?
3) I am a girl. But I can't fly.
4) I am a person. I am funny. I am crazy. I am dangerous. I can tennis. I like woman. What am I?
5) I am a character. I am yellow. I don't have pants. I like honey. What am I?
6) I am a character. I am person. I teaorow (throw) knife. I can operation. I had pet. I am woman. I am doctor.
7) I am monster. I can swim very good. I am from Japan. I like kyuri (cucumber). I live nere the riba. (if you know what she's talking about, you get bonus points. i was super excited when she wrote this one.)
and now, some that are SO PUZZLING that they make your head hurt:
8) I am character. I can stand up little. I am populer little. I am person, woman. What am I?
9) I am blue I am big What am I?
if you can figure out those last two, i am remarkably impressed.
because i currently have no desire to talk about the earthquake, or the reactors, just know that i am waaaaaay south and west of them in a town up a mountain out of reach of all possible tsunamis.
instead of depressing current events, which i'm sure you all see lots of, here's some riddles for you posed by my 1st yr middle school students (they're all about 13 years old).
1) I am an alien. I can fly. I eat a lot. I am a character. I am prince of Saiyan. What am I?
2) I am doy. I am 1-A cloess mote. I can play tennis very much. I have big face. Whot am I?
3) I am a girl. But I can't fly.
4) I am a person. I am funny. I am crazy. I am dangerous. I can tennis. I like woman. What am I?
5) I am a character. I am yellow. I don't have pants. I like honey. What am I?
6) I am a character. I am person. I teaorow (throw) knife. I can operation. I had pet. I am woman. I am doctor.
7) I am monster. I can swim very good. I am from Japan. I like kyuri (cucumber). I live nere the riba. (if you know what she's talking about, you get bonus points. i was super excited when she wrote this one.)
and now, some that are SO PUZZLING that they make your head hurt:
8) I am character. I can stand up little. I am populer little. I am person, woman. What am I?
9) I am blue I am big What am I?
if you can figure out those last two, i am remarkably impressed.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
graduation day
the temptation to sit around and listen to the world's most overplayed green day song is strong. but i will resist! i have better taste in music than that.
my 3nensei all graduated from middle school today. they've got about a month and then they're off to highschool. some of them still have to retake their entrance exams... the exams are notoriously difficult, and it's usual for only 50% of students to make it the first time. my 'cool' boys were imitating water faucets for about half the ceremony, but quickly recovered their composure once the speeches were done. a few of my boys enjoyed walking down to massive applause so much that they walked back up and did it again. and again.
i'm gonna really miss these kids- they're awesome and i'll be sad that they're not around. it's a third less people yelling HEY ANDORIA! when i get to work and a third less people smiling when they see me in the hall.
they'll do really well in highschool, i'm sure. they're all good kids, and pretty clever (mostly). but damn, i'm sad to see them go. it's gonna be way too quiet at school from now on.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Short Post, Again
it's rapidly approaching one year since i moved here. amazing, actually, cause it feels simultaneously like two weeks and half a lifetime.
my 3nensei are graduating from middle school tomorrow. i'm really gonna miss them a ton. they're all great kids, even the ones who are still half-terrified of me, and if anyone gives them a hard time at highschool i'll raise hell. i know they'll all do well next year. i'm extremely proud of them.
i'm also slightly horrified by my very proud student who told me that she's happy that i'm her teacher, because now english is her best subject. she got 10 points (out of a hundred) in all her other subjects, but she got SEVENTEEN in english.
ow ow ow ow ow ow sweetheart i know you can do better than that
my 3nensei are graduating from middle school tomorrow. i'm really gonna miss them a ton. they're all great kids, even the ones who are still half-terrified of me, and if anyone gives them a hard time at highschool i'll raise hell. i know they'll all do well next year. i'm extremely proud of them.
i'm also slightly horrified by my very proud student who told me that she's happy that i'm her teacher, because now english is her best subject. she got 10 points (out of a hundred) in all her other subjects, but she got SEVENTEEN in english.
ow ow ow ow ow ow sweetheart i know you can do better than that
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
snowboarding! not dead yet.
so snowboarding was incredibly fun, and i now have a brand new hobby to waste lots of time on. i'm actually going again next saturday! hurray for that!
i also went to 2 shows this weekend, did way too much driving, and got hit on by my students (again). also realized that i should avoid the dollar-store-equivalent that's closest to the school i work at, because i walked in and saw six students in thirty seconds.
eeep.
this is just a short post to let everyone know i'm not dead. i'll write some real stuff soon, i promise.
i also went to 2 shows this weekend, did way too much driving, and got hit on by my students (again). also realized that i should avoid the dollar-store-equivalent that's closest to the school i work at, because i walked in and saw six students in thirty seconds.
eeep.
this is just a short post to let everyone know i'm not dead. i'll write some real stuff soon, i promise.
Monday, February 7, 2011
heads up for anyone trying to get a license in japan
ok, so just so everyone knows: i am trying to get my japanese driver's license.
this is possibly the most frustrating thing i have ever attempted.
would you like to know why? too bad, i'm telling you anyway. as you may be aware, i've been living in japan since late last march. my PA driver's license was due to expire in october. in PA, you can't renew your driver's license more than 5 months before it's due. no, i don't know why. it's an annoying, kinda silly rule. SOOOOO, since i was living in japan and wasn't about to go back to the states just to get a card made, i renewed my license online. hurray! できた。 however, when i began the excruciatingly long, unnecessarily complicated process for switching my international license for a japanese one, i found out something delightful-
japan doesn't believe me.
all the pieces of paper i have saying that my new expiration date is in 2014 do me no good, because i don't have a current piece of plastic. which, i might add, i can't get unless i go back to PA to get a photo taken. i'm waiting for a form to be sent to me so i can get a photoless license made, but knowing the sterling DMV turnaround time who knows when the hell that'll get here. after that, i've been assured, i can allow up to 21 days before they make it and send it to me. that's with 1 week mail time in between PA and japan.
then i can start all over again. first i have to send in all my paperwork (again) to be translated. then i wait. then i take my papers to gifu city (2.5 hours away), where they will only accept them between 3 and 4 pm, monday to friday. then i can make an appointment, if they can't think of anything else to complain about. then i can wait until they have time for me to take my test (written and driving), then drive back to gifu city to take it. this is usually scheduled at 8:30 in the morning. again, only monday-friday. if i don't pass, and most people don't on their first try, i have to wait until the NEXT MONTH before i can re-take it.
my international driver's license expires in late march. school starts up again in early april. i have to drive to work, which will be impossible since there is literally no way for me to get my license before then. perhaps i could cheat and drive without a license for a month, IF it was my car- but it's not. it belongs to my company. and they will take it back if i don't have a license. this means, due to the distance of the schools i will be teaching at next semester, that i will be getting up at approximately 4 or 5 am in order to be at work by 8:30.
hip hip hooray.
some days i feel as though i'm fueled by pure rage.
this is possibly the most frustrating thing i have ever attempted.
would you like to know why? too bad, i'm telling you anyway. as you may be aware, i've been living in japan since late last march. my PA driver's license was due to expire in october. in PA, you can't renew your driver's license more than 5 months before it's due. no, i don't know why. it's an annoying, kinda silly rule. SOOOOO, since i was living in japan and wasn't about to go back to the states just to get a card made, i renewed my license online. hurray! できた。 however, when i began the excruciatingly long, unnecessarily complicated process for switching my international license for a japanese one, i found out something delightful-
japan doesn't believe me.
all the pieces of paper i have saying that my new expiration date is in 2014 do me no good, because i don't have a current piece of plastic. which, i might add, i can't get unless i go back to PA to get a photo taken. i'm waiting for a form to be sent to me so i can get a photoless license made, but knowing the sterling DMV turnaround time who knows when the hell that'll get here. after that, i've been assured, i can allow up to 21 days before they make it and send it to me. that's with 1 week mail time in between PA and japan.
then i can start all over again. first i have to send in all my paperwork (again) to be translated. then i wait. then i take my papers to gifu city (2.5 hours away), where they will only accept them between 3 and 4 pm, monday to friday. then i can make an appointment, if they can't think of anything else to complain about. then i can wait until they have time for me to take my test (written and driving), then drive back to gifu city to take it. this is usually scheduled at 8:30 in the morning. again, only monday-friday. if i don't pass, and most people don't on their first try, i have to wait until the NEXT MONTH before i can re-take it.
my international driver's license expires in late march. school starts up again in early april. i have to drive to work, which will be impossible since there is literally no way for me to get my license before then. perhaps i could cheat and drive without a license for a month, IF it was my car- but it's not. it belongs to my company. and they will take it back if i don't have a license. this means, due to the distance of the schools i will be teaching at next semester, that i will be getting up at approximately 4 or 5 am in order to be at work by 8:30.
hip hip hooray.
some days i feel as though i'm fueled by pure rage.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
February Has Started and i kinda wish it would stop again
welcome to february! it's been almost a year since i moved to japan. i haven't regretted it at all. some days are easier than others, certainly, but yeah- no regrets. my japanese is still bad but it's a lot better than it used to be, my students are amazing, and the other teachers i work with are mostly awesome people.
i'm keeping my fingers crossed that i can work with some of the same schools next year. i know that i'll be in the same town, and the same school district- but the actual SCHOOLS are in doubt. some people are moving back to the US, and some people are moving elsewhere in japan, and so everything gets shuffled.
i really don't want to lose the kids i teach now.
i know that any school i pick up will be filled with students that are probably just as awesome and fun and fabulous as the ones i currently have- but losing these ones is still gonna suck.
on an unrelated note, i went over to my friend's house to help her with her kids yesterday, like i do every week, as it was starting to snow. she told me 'i was going to call you and tell you not to come, since it was getting slippery, but as soon as i mentioned it kaisei started crying and yelling for you. so... i didn't call.' it's nice to know that 4yr olds like me enough to throw fits over. my friend's twins are getting so big! they're six months old now, and definitely not identical. the younger one is HUGE. they're both adorable and sweet (and loud and heavy) and they're super freakin cute. i'll get a picture and post it at some point. also, ever since i taught them how to make apple crumble, it's been getting made with startling regularity. the recipe is apparently starting to make the rounds of the local moms. bwahahahahaha, new local specialty! i feel special.
anyway, i don't really have anything super extra important to say today except that it's cold, i drink too much tea, and i must have gone crazy at some point in the last few months because i'm going snowboarding in a week.
falling down mountains is supposed to be exhilarating. i will let you know how it goes.
-andrea
i'm keeping my fingers crossed that i can work with some of the same schools next year. i know that i'll be in the same town, and the same school district- but the actual SCHOOLS are in doubt. some people are moving back to the US, and some people are moving elsewhere in japan, and so everything gets shuffled.
i really don't want to lose the kids i teach now.
i know that any school i pick up will be filled with students that are probably just as awesome and fun and fabulous as the ones i currently have- but losing these ones is still gonna suck.
on an unrelated note, i went over to my friend's house to help her with her kids yesterday, like i do every week, as it was starting to snow. she told me 'i was going to call you and tell you not to come, since it was getting slippery, but as soon as i mentioned it kaisei started crying and yelling for you. so... i didn't call.' it's nice to know that 4yr olds like me enough to throw fits over. my friend's twins are getting so big! they're six months old now, and definitely not identical. the younger one is HUGE. they're both adorable and sweet (and loud and heavy) and they're super freakin cute. i'll get a picture and post it at some point. also, ever since i taught them how to make apple crumble, it's been getting made with startling regularity. the recipe is apparently starting to make the rounds of the local moms. bwahahahahaha, new local specialty! i feel special.
anyway, i don't really have anything super extra important to say today except that it's cold, i drink too much tea, and i must have gone crazy at some point in the last few months because i'm going snowboarding in a week.
falling down mountains is supposed to be exhilarating. i will let you know how it goes.
-andrea
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Winter Has Finally Started
and by that i mean real winter, the kind with snow and ice and horribly cold mornings. it's a real struggle to crawl out of my nice warm blankets in the morning, i have to admit. it's a good thing i like my job or i'd be very tempted to go riiiiiight back to sleep.
sorry it's been so long since i wrote anything- i'm really not particularly good at remembering about this blog. or any blog-like thing, for that matter. on the few occasions that someone bought me a diary to write in, i'd usually fill out a max of two pages before losing all interest.
the winter term has started- it's a short one. only two and a half months before spring vacation. it's currently snowing big flakes outside and i'm crossing my fingers and hoping for a snow day. liking my job is all well and good, but given the opportunity to sit in a nice warm office and drink tea and draw monsters all day, i will GLADLY take it. no question.
christmas was strange- it's a party holiday in japan. people go on dates and sit around and eat cake and get a little crazy with their friends. looking at the pictures of my family sitting around at home, with the decorations and the tree and everything, was the closest to homesick i've been since i moved here. luckily i've got some awesome friends to spend time with instead. without them, living here would be much more difficult. i really think i got lucky with this job- nice town, relatively friendly people, and cool co-workers. it's a shame a bunch of people are leaving next year, but i'm happy with the thought of staying here. it's a good place to be.
i spent new years' in osaka. THAT was really cool. we went to a countdown party at a rock/metal/punk bar and enjoyed the hell out of ourselves. lots of dancing, giggling (at the absurd song choices) and singing along at the top of our lungs along with the rest of the bar. they played "the final countdown" as it was hitting midnight. best decision ever. it was crazy amounts of fun. two days later, i got sick sick sick and that sucked. it was totally my own fault though- i didn't bring a coat with me to osaka and the hostel i stayed at had no heating, which meant i was insanely cold all week. didn't really help preserve my health, deshou?
let's see... oh yeah! i also went to tokyo and met a cool new friend, went to a dinosaur museum and had the best time ever, and saw my students at a matsuri in town jumping fences in order to cause some sort of trouble somewhere.
i adore my students.
anyway, i hope all 5 of you who read this are having an awesome winter too- and i'll talk to you soon. promise.
probably.
-andrea
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