10 weeks left until I'm done teaching English!
Although now that I'm at my new school I'm actually really starting to enjoy it.. I really like my new kids.. they are less "delienquent" and my new teachers are also very kind.
But.. in 12..(give or take) weeks I will be starting my new international relations coordinator job. I'm not really sure what to expect.. so I hope that its going to be ok.
I've been going to Tokyo quite a bit lately.. I was there for all Golden Week and I'll be going back at the end of the month for a conference. I'll probably be moving there at the end of next summer. (2008) So.. yah.. I guess at this point it seems like I'll be in Japan for quite a while.
But its ok.. cause I'm not sure what I'd do if I was back in America anyways. I was going to visit this summer but now I don't think I'll be able too... the money to buy a flight from Japan to America is ridiculous.. and I'm still trying to pay off my loans.. so I guess I won't be back til next spring :( Which is a bummer.. but a lot of my friends are planning to come to Japan so I have to make sure and see them then.
I'm still alive....
Sakura season is coming up. I've so far had the luck not to have pollen allergies.
Im going out into Osaka for an allnighter tonight. But.. I feel like I'm getting to old for them.
Yes Im an old lady at 23.
How depressing.
OHHH by the way... I'll be back in California end of July-beginning of August for all local and interested parties!!
Wow.. has it really been that long since I updated this thing!?
I guess time has been flying by recently. Today it is absolutely beautiful outside. It's about 65 degrees there is a gentle breeze blowing and fluffy clouds are dotting the blue sky. Its been a long time since I took a long walk and so today I did just that. It felt soooo good to be out and about without my heavy jacket. However it seems like this will be shortlasted and that by the middle of the coming week the tempurature will be back in the 40s.
So.. what have I been up to lately? Well for one thing, starting this August I will be changing my job. (Although I will still be working for the same company) I will be working as a coordinator for international relations (CIR) at the Kobe city hall. My job will consist of 80% translating documents for the foreign population of Kobe, 10% translating at official events, and 10% other.. I have no clue what this is going to consist of.. lol
Anyways I have been thinking about being a translator for a while now so this career move seems like a big step in the right direction. I'm really looking forward to doing this work although admitedly I am a little bit afraid if my ability is up to snuff or not. I've been studying like a mad woman.. and slowly but surely it's sticking in my memory. Of course having a boyfriend that speaks the language has also been a big help. He always corrects me if I get things wrong.. which is quite often.. but I find that if I get corrected for the same thing enough I will finally be able to say it right.
Besides that.. nothing really. I guess that my life is pretty boring. I rented and watched the first season of Prison Break. It was surprisingly really good! I guess that the main character is pretty attractive but I'm not really into the stoic type of character that he portrayed. (lol)
Ok thats it for now! I'll write more if I have anymore interesting news (unlikely)
Ok...
I really wish I didn't live in the mountains sometimes... the other day it was snowing, very lightly, but still snowing.
It doesn't snow in other parts of my city, just here.
Ugg.. I hate hate hate winter it just puts me in the most awful mood.
Of course its made worse by the fact that I can see my BREATH inside of my apartment. They really don't know much about insulation here... ;_;
(PS my english is starting to get bad again... it took me 5 minutes to remember the word insulation...)
however, my Japanese has improved very steadily.. tit for tat I guess...
work starts up again the day after tommorrow...
*sigh* feels like I never can get anything done.
Hi alllll~
It's been about half a week since the lovely Janice has graced me with her presence here in Kobe.
We've been spending the week in our usual fashion.. aka spending lots and lots of money on clothes and other fun items. I don't think I've spent this much money in a week in Japan since welll.. I got here.
This is the run down of whats been going
Saturday - Janice got here in the evening and we had a night of chatting and a Japanese mcdonalds feast. Unfortunately we didn't get to talk too much :(
Sunday - I slept in (sorry!) and instead of touring Kobe's sightseeing spots as was the plan.. we ended up touring all of Kobe's shopping sites! (yay!) I probably ended up spending more than Janice that night ;_; I got a new jacket, scarf, not to meantion a couple other random things.
Monday - I went to school and Janice hung out with my friend Rachel. We ended up meeting for tomato broth ramen with Rachel and another friend Alison. It was pretty good, although we had very spicy kimchi that made me sad.
Tuesday - Janice came to school with me!! Although it was probably a little boring. All the kids were very intrigued by the fact that she was Asian but couldn't speak Japanese. They kept yelling "Ni hao" as they ran by us. It was very funny. I was about to die laughing. I love my kids although they were brats. And they still tell me 死ね sometimes!
Afterwards we went shopping and I got some cute accessories and FINALLY fit into Japanese bottoms. I got a very cute skirt and black turtle neck that I'll be wearing to the party Friday! Afterwards we met up with Caroline my friend here and Janices acquitance from high school, we went for Shabu shabu which was delicious as usual but made me feel as though I had consumed a brick of rice, meat, and veggies afterwards. Anyways it was a good night although I really did spend too much money.
Wednesday - From today until Friday I am taking vacation. YAY! So happy, its my first time to have some time off of school. Today Janice and Ryohei and I went to Kyoto, my fave fave fave city in Japan. We went to Kiyomizu temple and took part in all sort of strange rituals. Janice was so cute doing the temple entrance cleasing with the fountains and ladels! Afterwards we were starving so we ended up eating lunch at some funky Japanese resturant in the middle of the Kyoto streets then headed to starbucks for people watching and coffee. I'm not the biggest people watcher, but it was fun and we had nice window seats. We then headed into Osaka to go to the midair garden which has spectacular night time scenery! Place the fact that it was full moon, it was so crowded with people and their professional camera equipment.
Speaking of cameras... My camera ran out of batteries earlier this morning. So I wasn't able to get any pictures of today. ;_; but I'll get some batteries before we head out to Tokyo tomorrow! We're taking an airplace from Kobe to Tokyo! Its going to be soo fun! *^^*
So excited!! Within the next day I will be meeting up with so many of my old friends...
Asako, Kaori, Mizuno, Ricchan, Momochan, Dan ,Moegi.. etc! I can't wait! Anyways
Stay tuned for part 2!
I know some of you remember when we went to Karaoke with some of those Showa girls and boys like 2 years ago. Well one of the guys lives in Kobe so sometimes I hang out with him and his family. When my mom was here we all went out for oden.
It was pretty fun... except oden all tastes the same.. like oden broth.
I guess.. that I don't really like oden that much.
I know you remember this guy Kristen! =)
I finally got a haircut here.. it wasn't too bad but the price was a little steep.
Thankfully the guy spoke a lot of English ( he had trained/lived in England for 4 years) and had experience cutting white-y hair. Anyways I think it turned out well!
I went up into Osaka last night to meet up with my British JET friends Josy and Jake. It was a very good time!
My mom was here until yesterday so I wasn't able to go out at all and as of now I am just comfertably relxing at home.
About this time next week Jani will be here!! And this time in two weeks I'll hopefully be hanging out with Dan!
Ah.. the next couple weeks should be really great! *^^*
I'm so excited.
Its getting soo cold here. Jani make sure and bring long undies!! hehe
So.. they've started selling hot drinks in the vending machines here now.
I'm taking this as a bad omen of things to come.
On the bright side, I'll get to use my brand new kotatsu! Yay!
Right now my mom is here for the next two weeks, its nice to have company.. but, I'm really used to just having alone time now so it's a little trying.
I am really looking forward to when Janice comes in 3 weeks YAY!!
And we'll be heading in Tokyo hopefully to see Dan and co.
well, i made it to 23.
heres to another year.
Sometimes I forget that there is a land where people (mostly) speak English and that where a tall.. (5'4 1/2 <-;_;) white-y fits in just fine.
When Japan seems like the permanent reality, its scary. Has it really been only 2 months??
It feels like forever.
I always get a little lonely on my birthday.. yes I'm going out with some friends here, but its not the same as going out with the same people I have been for the last 5 years..
Please come visit me ;_;
By the way... I found a store in the city that sells Snyder's of Hanover pretzals and I am addicted. Why did I never eat these things in America?!! Yum
Oh.. and Grey's Anatomy kicks my butt everytime. I wish I could watch an episode with out spilling some sort of liquid
tears from crying or pee from laughing.
...eww...
Recent Comments
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Allison said:
You look so cute! Gorgeous hair. And before I scrolled down to see your comment, I was thinking how much... read more
on Oden dinner -
House of Ayers said:
All the kids were very intrigued by the fact that she was Asian but couldn't speak Japanesebwhahahhaahhaha read more
on Japan Adventures part 1 -
caitsith said:
I remember that because I scared the shit out of them throwing my car around every corner during that horrible... read more
on Blast from the past
Oh wow, huge congrats on the CIR position! That's so cool! :D Absolutely a great career move. And selfishly, I'm... read more
on A spring-like day