(no longer) LOST IN JAPAN

Long Time No Blog

Ok... I feel now that it's my turn to update since everyone else is doing it. Yes, if everyone else jumped off a cliff, I'd do it too... No one wants to be left out ;)
Anyhoo, I have been AWOL because my sister Jennifer was visiting for 2 weeks. It was lovely. I'm so happy that she was able to come to visit since everyone else was able to visit and it would have sucked if she had been the only one not to have seen Japan. But she did. And in the 2 weeks that she was here, she got to see tons. She arrived the 26th (Sunday night) and Kimiyo and I went to pick her up at the airport. Kimiyo was making fun of me because I couldn't keep still. So sue me for being excited...

Monday I had to go into work because I had to meet the new exchange student. She is a lovely girl. Smart too. She speaks like 5 languages. She's from Estonia and she sticks out like a sore thumb at the school since she's tall and blond. And get this! Her name is Kati (pronounced Kaa-tee not Kay-tee). I know I said that I wouldn't like her but that was me being an idiot. I was kind of put in charge of her because the teachers she was originally placed with were transfered...
Speaking of transfers... Monday was the day of the transfers and it sucked. We lost 11 awesome teachers, including Uesugi-sensei... I was so upset I almost cried. I'm sure the new teachers will be really nice but I lost my best friend at the school... and to make matters worse... she ended up at Oji Tech... stupid transfers.

The 28th, we went to Nara. Nice day until the thundershowers came.... My sister paid a tribute to my Dad's old friend O-Jizo-sama... In the evening we went to the Moritanis. They threw a party for Jen, for my birthday and for my passing the JPLT. I got cake. I like cake.

Jen and me at Sarusawa no Ike


Jen's tribute to O-Jizo-sama


Blowing out the candles on birthday cake #2

The 29th, I had to work. It sucked. All the teachers that had been transfered were cleaning out their desks. Meanwhile, Jen was in Kyoto with Kimiyo.

We went to Tokyo for the first weekend in April. The sakura were PERFECT! Weird seeing as Tokyo is further north and Nara's blossoms had barely started by that time. We went to the National Museum, Asakusa, the Imperial Palace, Yasukuni shrine (I didn't pray, I just wanted my stamp) and we spent a beautiful day in Kamakura.

Jen and me at Engakuji in Kamakura


The sakura at Kenchoji in Kamakura. Absolutely gorgeous.


The best part of the day. An unexpected sighting of Fujisan from the top of the mountian behind Kenchoji.

The Daibutsu in Kamakura

Like I said... the cherry trees were PERFECT!


There are a lot of people in Tokyo.


Jen's second week went by really fast. I went to Himeji again because I wanted to see it when it wasn't raining. We went shopping (a lot) and we went to Osaka castle and the aquarium (3rd time for me.... the place is awesome!) And then last Saturday morning, Jen went home... Boo...


Himeji Castle

Himeji Castle art shot ;)


Kokoen. The gardens next to Himeji Castle.


Jen doing the "Exit" pose at the Aquarium.


Weird giant spider crabs at the Aquarium.



Osaka castle.


Osaka castle art shot (I was messing with Picasa)

But it wasn't the end for me... As soon as I dropped Jen off at the bus stop, I got on the train to Yoshinoyama for Hanami... 2 hours later I arrived in Yoshino to meet up with my friends. I did Hanami in Takada on Sunday (since the cherry trees in Yoshino weren't ready yet). Takada was beautiful. Unfortunately, I haven't uploaded those pics yet. Will get on that right away.

School started again Monday. We've had 3 full days of ceremonies... Monday was the farewell ceremony for the teachers who left. It was sad... I cried when Murata-sensei, the music teacher, sang a song... (sorry, I'm a sap). Tuesday was the welcome ceremony for the new teachers. And today was the entrance ceremony for all the new first years. The format of it looks exactly like graduation except about 10 times more boring.
I'm looking forward to teaching this year though. I know that I have less than 4 months to go but I may as well make it a good 4 months, right? Go out with a bang. We have a new textbook which is much more appropriate for the level of the students. It's also more interesting than the old one. The only thing that puts a damper on my last term in Japan is the fact that for 50% of the lessons, I have to teach with the JTE from hell... the word "with" being used very loosely of course... some of you may remember me talking about the "Class of Doom"... yeah, well... here we go again. OOOOOOK OK OK. (*_*)

posted by Samantha @ 1:36 AM