Yakushima monkeys ya'll

Today, an elementary school student at Toriyama shou gakko asked me if I had a baby in my stomach.  This is normal in Japan.  However,  this was the biggest girl in the whole school and she was asking me this.. I wanted to be like.. yo.. do you have 4 babies?  Unfortunately she's only about 7 years old and the Japanese also have a hard time understanding sarcasm and rude comebacks.  Eh.. I've lost weight here.. it's whatevs.

This past weekend we had a 3 day holiday because Monday was some day they justified as having off.  Soooo awesome!  I went to Yakushima with my friends Al-lee, Cassie, Topher, Allen, Cody, and Chris.  We took this hydraulic  ferry boat called "Toppy (or i)"  from Kagoshima City to the island on Saturday morning hella early.  After waiting at the ferry terminal searching for our rental car, we soon realized that we may have told them the wrong port.  Pretty sweet.. so we waited for the fun men to drive over to our port then take us to a car dealership that was literally a few minutes walk.  Yay Japan :)  

Throughout the day, we drove around the island on the west side where the road curves and traps you into this one lane road that looks like it was meant for bicycles... when in all actuality it's the main road.  I wanted to see some freakin' monkeys.. seriously.. and as soon as I said this.. the road was blockaded with a band of wild monkeys defleaing themselves and lounging for a mid-morning sunbathe.  It was sooo perfect..  I proceeded to make friends with one particular monkey that let me get really close to him/her.  I wish he would've sat on my shoulder eating a banana just hangin' out - so I could take more pictures of him/her.  

Yakushima is also famous for deer .. and the deer on the island are different from the deer anywhere else.. they special.  These animals are held on a pedestal and are known for being sacred beings of earth... I forget what they symbolize.  It was just a normal deer to me though.. I mean.. pretty.. but it's nothing I haven't seen.  

That night we scampered around to find a campsite, finally settling on one in the south western part of the island.  It was pretty sweet and right next to the beach.. we saw this amazing sunset too OMG woah.   We also wanted to try one of the famous onsens where you can only go into the hotspring when the tide goes out.. because when the tide is in.. it is overtop of the pools.  It was slightly strange - this process - as are many in Japan.. but even a little more difficult to maneuver seeing as though it was nighttime making our adventure a bit more dysfunctional.  Nonetheless, we dropped hyaku-en into the trustworthy box and ventured down to the incoming tide with only a short time to spare before the pools overflowed with colder sea water.  It took no more than 2 seconds to realize that this was a co-ed onsen where we'd all be naked together.. and having been put into a slew of awkward situations already in these past couple of months.. we all stripped down and jumped in.  After relaxing for a bit, my good friend Cody held up his foot to Topher and says "hey man can you get this thing off?"  Turns out it was a crazy sea urchin attached to Cody's foot.  He threw it off with his hand, scaring all of us out of the hotspring.  So that was the end of our onsen adventure.  However cool it may be to bathe in ocean-hotsprings.. the incoming tide can bring unexpected predators.  That's right.. Kyotsukete!! - Be careful!   

The next day we got up super early to do the beautiful hike that took about 6 hours.. I think there was a 3 or 4 day hike too but we obviously didn't have that much time so instead, we decided to embark on a journey through the enchanted forest.  And enchanted it was.. It was literally one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.  I mean, the entire 6 hours was fantastically incredible.  I can't describe it in words but there is a movie made from this forest with "Princess Mononoke"  it's a Miyazaki film so everyone should look it up and watch it.  Totally awesome.

Flying fish is a specialty on Yakushima which the majority of our group decided to indulge in for the evening.  Awesome food.  We then retired to the same campsite after about an hour of waiting in the rain. 

So that was pretty much my weekend in a nutshell.. 

On Wednesday I had a super awkward experience.  I signed up to have my office-required health screening on Tuesday.   The Friday before I left for Yakushima I was not in the office and Keith sent me an e-mail late in the afternoon saying "your fecal sample kit for you health exam is on your desk."  WHAT the hell?  Really?  A fecal sample Japan?  Really?  Ok.  So I was already in Kanoya when this email took place; I figured I'd just wait till Monday night when I could go pick it up.  Let me tell you, I never want to do a fecal sample again.. that is gross.  So Tuesday I showed up to the office at 8:15, fecal sample in hand ready to do the health screening.  Then I see this piece of paper on my desk.. all in kanji.. to which I said "uh... Zushi sensei!!! Can you read this for me"  ... "Ok, 1. Did you eat breakfast?"  Me:  "Yes."  Zushi Sensei: "OH NO MEARRRY MAAAGAREEETOO.. no eat breakfast no no !!"  Me: "So... uh... tomorrow.. health test.. ok?"  "Ok."

I think there were like 4 things I wasn't supposed to do: 1. Eat breakfast. 2. Drink alcohol the night before.  3. drink anything the morning of and 4. smoke cigarettes.  Yep.. Hence.. my health screening moved to Wednesday.  

First I went into this huge room with lots of stations.  They asked for my little green bag filled with my fecal sample then some man gave me a number.. 139 .. and grunted for me to move outside the door with my paper.. Next, a woman handed me a cup - to which I looked around me and placed on 3 tables were an exuberant amount of cups containing yellow liquid.  To make it better.. there were 3 people in white lab coats scurrying about with test strips... Really Japan?  In the hallway?  Really?  

So I peed in cup 139 .. handed it to the little woman then proceeded back inside the large room to another testing area.  This, I could tell, was for blood pressure... although I wasn't ready for all the other questions Obaasan (grandma) was about to ask me.  She just giggled at my lack of Japanese speaking and comprehension and resorted to gestures.. poking herself and saying .. OUch ouch.. ok? Then I said "no ouch, daijyobu".  I had my blood pressure taken then was placed by Obaasan in the adjoining station.  I sat for maybe four minutes before I realized this was the station where they take 18 pounds of blood from your body.. or so it seemed.  I HATE needles.. like most people in the world.. and literally SECONDS after realizing what was going on I was being ushered under the needle.  Really Japan?  Needles all wide open so everyone can see you getting your blood done.  Wow.  Without looking and while taking deep breaths the poor woman searched for my vein then before inserting the needle she says "GOMEN (SORRY!) GOMEN GOMEN GOOOooooo...... and in went the needle."  Hah at least she knows that some people don't like needles.. right?

After the blood-rific experience.. They check my eyeballs with some sideways and upside down C's then I moved to the tatami room where, as I entered, I removed my shoes and sat next to a cute little old lady half my size.  We were ushered into individual rooms separated by only sheets.  The Japanese nurse lifted up my shirt and bra then put suction cups all over my chest and said "Chotto matte (Just a minute)" and within a minute or so.. they had my heart on record.  Thats right.

The last phase was a little silly.  I waited in this long line of old women who spoke Kagoshima-ben (slang) to me .. for which I did not understand but thought was super cute.  Then 3 of us moved into the back of a bus parked outside .. for which I was told was the Xray bus.  I climbed in the bus... of course having to put slippers on outside the door first (no shoes - only slippers).  I waited till the other 2 ladies came in and saw them reaching into their shirt and doing something..  Soon after I realized ..oh yeah.. you can't have a bra on for a chest xray.. duh.  The little man ushered me into the 1/2 room of the bus with a tiny xray machine obviously meant for small Japanese people.  "breath in" the xray machine said in Hiragana. .. to which I did and all of my tests were then finished.  

So I poo'ed, I spoke Obaasan Japanese, I was poked in front of lots of other people, I peed in a cup which was displayed for the whole hall to see, my boobs were suction cupped, and I de-bra'ed myself with some old ladies.  Then went to school.  YEAH!  You're jealous your day wasn't as cool as mine.  But seriously, none of this was completely awkward.. just new.. and you can't make something culturally accepted for yourself until you experience it first.. right?  So next time.. this health screening thing.. will be a cinch. 

Goooooooooood times. :)

おどりましょう！Let's Dance! Odorimashou!

Today I went to Uto-chu which is my favorite Jr. high school.. yet again I will emphasize this.  I was really confused teaching the 3rd grade class (equivalent to 9th grade) because in their workbook there was a sentence that said "I like to make a cake."   I will bore whoever reads this with some grammar that I don't understand.  First off:

"I like to make a cake"  Is not completely grammatically wrong right?  I mean it works because you can break it down  as 'I' = subject, 'like'=verb, 'to make' =infinitive verb, but then cake doesn't need the article 'a' or it will mean "I like to make one particular cake," although it still doesn't sound right.  Normally you'd say "I like to make cakes" or "I would like to make a cake."  

Can someone give a better explanation as to why this is awkward?  Is it correct?  God this is boring stuff sorry.

So in the midst of my grammatical exploration I was told that 12 students from the 3rd grade are having to perform a hyaena dance from The Lion King.  WHAAAA!  Crazy!!  I watched this stuff today and I swear like half of the dance majors I know would be like "Really?  Jr high school kids with no dance experience are going to do this?"  but my friends... this is Japan and they are all super crazy strong kids ironically.  I offered to video interpret this one minute long dance so I stayed after school and worked with three boys and my JTE to get through the first 24 counts they will be teaching tomorrow.  Tomorrow is also on of my elementary school days where I get out early so I also offered to come again.  I love dance and if this is the exposure I get to it then.. go with the flow.. right?  It's pretty awesome and the kids did 2.5 pirouettes with spotting.  I know.. I was impressed too.  They also have incredible musicality.  What is wrong with American school systems.  Will someone please tell Americans to come over here and look at how amazing this is.  

I talked to my Papa and my mom yesterday.  The answer to American's failed school system lies in Standardized Testing.  I mean fo shizz.  I hated those things and every 5 minutes students are learning stuff they need to know for the SOL's.. not learning crazy hyaena dances and preparing one month for a one day long sports festival.   

I have no idea when they will be performing their lion king dance.. but I did hear they're putting on some part of the play in Japanese.  It's also sweet they take time out of their school day to do this.   Ya know, just free periods to do really fun things.  

Today I had to call Zushi sensei to find out if I could skip office time tomorrow and go to Uto-chu.  So I pulled out of the parking lot, looked at my phone, only to realize my great super amazing wonderful supervisor had read my mind.  I called him and said "Zushi sensei.. my man.. how are you today?!"  "Good Meary Maagareto, How are you? Are you tired?"  "No, Zushi sensei I am super genki today!"  "OOOOOoooooOOOohhhhh goooooood!!!!  uuhh... Meaaarry Maaagareeeto welcome party uhhhh... jyu-gatsu... uuhh..October.. sanjyu... Ok?"

"Another welcome party.. yes that day is OK!" "Zushi-sensei, tomorrow Nogami shou, 2:00.. finish.  Next... Uto-chu ikimas.  Daijyobu desuka?"  "OHhhh HAI Meary Maaagaareeto. Hai, daijyobu desu."  "Okie dokie." "okie DOKIE!"  "ok byebye!"

I heart that man alot.

So he was calling to see if the date for my welcome party on October 30th would be ok.  Weird, I thought I already had a welcome party but BRING IT ON!!! I love parties with my bosses.   Then he said it was ok for me to go to Uto tomorrow.  YAY! Life is good.

Yay! Elementary school tomorrow!

Story of my life :)

Yay for the 2 months in Jay-pan mark (well last Friday but who's counting).  This is by far the coolest place ever.  It may or may not be cooler than France.. and by may or may not.. I mean it sure is the coolest place ever.  It's nice because I'm living on my own this time and not in an international residence with awkward hall bathrooms always containing lots of vomit on the weekends.  The showers had buttons you'd push to turn the water on for a good 10sec but you had to push it 4 times first in order to get warm water... which sucked in the wintertime cuz they'd leave the hall windows open for everyone to freeze.  

So... I love Japan.  They have massive Huntersman (I think that's the kind) spiders that end up inappropriately on my wall thus having to meet their death by body board impalement.  They have rice with every meal - but it's ok because right now it's rice harvesting season and the sticky rice is SOOOO amazing.  Most places don't know how to make good bread.. but coincidentally the grocery store by my house is rock awesome and has so many great loaves of bread.  My Japanese "keitai denwa" (cell phone) is slow.  Japanese technology does not surpass American in that category or many others.. but some things they do have they are super rad.   The language is hard to learn because it sounds like everything starts with a K but after you get used to it you can start to pick out words.  One of my students names is "Kazuko" and the word for family is "kazoku".. AHHH.  right?  My kitchen doesn't have an oven, but it does have a toaster oven, a boiler oven, a microwave, and 2 oven eyes (I forget what they're called - eyes right?).  My apartment is on the beach... wait.. yea I can hear the waves now.  Every Izakaya (Japanese restaurant where you share all in big dishes) I've been to has the most scrumptious food.  My fav was the one time my friends and I ordered corn and we got scallops freshly cooked.. then put back in the shells with lightly browned corn and some sauce.. the best food ever.  I love how there's a Denny's-like restaurant here in Shibushi called 'Joyfull'.  Yes, 2 L's.   Great for cheap food and hangover food.  THe other day I went because that's the only place that serves french fries and pizza and I was seriously craving some.  The french fries came with a little packet labeled "tomato sauce" and the pizza came with 4 pepperonis, corn, and green peppers.  They put corn on everything.  I think when I come back to the US I won't know what to do if there isn't corn plastered on every dish.  It's a good thing I love corn.. it stays in its entirety throughout the bodily digestion process which creeps me out a little though.

This weekend I went to the beach 3 times.  Recently, Al-lee showed me this super beautiful beach that is literally 15 minutes from my house.  Yeah my beach outside my apt is awesome but you can't swim bc the ships come through and you may or may not ingest engine fuel.  Needless to say, I've been a little scared.  My beach is perfect to run on though.  I've been a slacker and I haven't been running for a couple weeks because of vacation and laziness, but today I finally ran again.  So awesome.  I forget why I like it until I do it again.  I guess I've been a slacker my whole life due to the fact I was never a runner before Jay-pan.  Whatevs.. I danced more I guess.  

Today was the first cold day since I've been here.  Every other day has been dripping sweat hot.. but I like that too.. although I have to change clothes during the day because none of my schools are air-conditioned or heated.  I'm always the awkward foreigner sweating through her clothes.  Eh.. it's life.. I just wear more undershirts to avoid that situation.  The weather is soo totally humid here.  They call it "beta beta" meaning sticky.  But if you want to say it in Kagoshima-ben (Kagoshima dialect) then you say "EEE Kyoo waze nukii ne!"  Which means pretty much "Daaaaaamn yo it's freakin hot."  I love it.  

I bought a surf board and have been surfing up in Aoshima, Miyazaki.  It's the prefecture to the north of Kagoshima which has AMAZING surfing!  Aoshima is the surfers hot spot where people line the beach everyday, parking their cars on the sand.. waxing up their boards, and hitting the waves.  My surf board is SCHWEEEEET!  It's a Roxy board .. 6'8".... and it's a fun board.  Soooo pretty.  It's poxy (I think that's what the material is called) but it's lighter weight and more buoyant than other kinds.  It came with a board cover and a foot strap for only 25,000円 which is only about $250.  PERFECT!  I got a great deal.  Normally the board will go for about $400 by itself so heeellllllllzzzz yeah! 

About a month ago I did a homestay only for the weekend in a city called Kanoya that's about 30 minutes from where I live.  I ended up getting to stay with the best couple in the whole world!   Everyone should be jealous of the new friend I've made.  I stayed Miki  みき　and her husband Katsushi　かつし.　A quick rundown of everything we did... I took a Japanese cooking class and an Ikebana (flower arranging) class with Miki and then went to an amazing waterfall, then a Japanese bbq on the beach at sunset with Katsushi's family who didn't speak any English and they were sooooo great and supper genki.  :)  I'm so lucky to have met such happy people.  The next day (Sunday) we took a road trip to Kirishima and saw the famous Kirishima shrine and then went to a farm where Miki milked her first cow.  We ate the ice cream which was super yummy.  After we went to a little stream where you dip your feet in flowing hot springs and watch the sun set over Sakurajima.  Soooo beautiful!  It was the best weekend for sure!  Now, Miki and I meet to have fun gossip time and study lots of Japanese and English.  She's taking the hardest English test you can take .. this month .. so we're preparing for it :)  Miki can speak such GREAT English! I'm soooo proud of her.  Most elementary school teachers hardly speak any - or maybe that's just all of mine.

I have some super friends here in Shibushi.  Cassie (1st year ALT) and Al-lee (2nd year ALT) work for Shibushi High School.  They're my girls.. we cause lots of trouble together.   Christopher is Cassie's boyfriend who isn't with the JET program but just moved out here cuz he loves her.  Then, Topher (1st year from DC embassy) and Steve (from the UK - 1st year) live up north a bit in Iwagawa and Takarabe.  Lisa (1st year Aussie that I dont see much - :(  ) is in Iwagawa.  Keith and Andy in my office are both 5th year ALT's.  Then there's all the Kanoya kids whom I heart lots - Milica (1st year from New Zealand), Alex (1st year from Australia) and Rob (from lots of places in the Europe but his parents are British) I see the most.  Allen, James, and Koji are all my secret lovers (except not).. they live a bit farther away.  I brought Allen to 3 of my sports festivals last Sunday... He was forced to do a Japanese traditional dance - unannounced with me... then we had to throw beanbags into a large paper basket atop a large pole with all the kids' grandparents.  I think maybe the whole student body from one school asked if he was my lover.  HAH.  hm.   Reason #74 why I love Japan.. every boy is a possible lover.  

I have students ask me everyday if I have a boyfriend.. to which I respond "Yes, I have 5."  Then end it there and see their response.. it's always great.  The kids also love touching my hair and they go EEEEEhhhhhhhh!!!! Mega ga aoi desu! Kami ga kiiroi desu! (You're eyes are blue and your hair is yellow!)  then they go "KAWAII!!!!!!!!" "CUTE!!!"  and run off.  They say everything is KAWAII!!!!!!!  haha.  Cassie says everytime she sneezes they go KAWAII!!!!!  #321.2:  KAWAII!!!!!!!!!!!

Sa-rah came down for Silver week which is a string of Japanese holidays that all happened to fall back-to-back this year.  It was September 19th through the 23rd.  I drove to meet Sarah in Kagoshima city (which is where the Shinkansen (bullet train) takes you to).  We went out and stayed in the city for the night then did some massive accessory shopping the next day.. where I bought these sweet polka-dotted tights.  YEAAAH!   Later, we took the ferry back to Sakurajima (which is the GIGANTIC volcano and also the symbol of Kagoshima - and also where my car was parked).  We did a bit of sight seeing up on the volcano because it mini-erupts really often.   Mainly it just spits out ash but nonetheless it's an active volcano.  It's safe though - people actually live on it.. but they're constantly fighting ash.  Saturday night we stayed at my apartment in Shibushi (where we met the intrusive ginormo spider).  The next morning we stopped by one of my sports festivals then decided to head north on the Kyushu (my island of Japan) Expressway not knowing exactly where we were going.  Eventually on the drive up we decided to go to Nagasaki city for the night.. so we took a ferry a little west and stayed the night, to wake up the next day and go see the sites of the bombing.  It was sad and I don't like sad things so I took some meaningful photos and began driving to Fukuoka.  In Fukuoka, Sarah and I met up with our friend Dave who we had originally met at the Washington, D.C. JET orientation.  He is super fly for a white guy and also a break dancer.  He lives in Oita which is above the Miyazaki prefecture (which I previously explained).  He brought 3 of his friends who are supa-cool and we had a great night of drinking in parks and getting lost in a huge city.  We at the famous Fukuoka ramen close to Canal City (a huge outdoor mall) on the river.  It was sooo great.. if you ever go look for the man with shoulder length hair's ramen shop... it's the best.  I forget what the name was.  Everyone needs to go get Fukuoka ramen.. it's totally to die for - or live for.. whichever.  Anyway.. that night we all crammed into the smallest hotel room ever to sleep.  Then, Dave and his friend Kelsey had to leave early and they accidently hijacked my backpack and took it to Oita.  Dave had a break dancing competition. SCHWING!  So off to Oita we went to retrieve my belongings and watch Japanese men spin on their heads.  WORD!  Amazing.  We stayed at the competition all day then ended up crashing at Dave's.  SOOOoo exhausted but well worth it.  The next morning Dave made us french toast out of this really tasty bread.  Then we traveled to Beppu, Oita to go to this onsen (public bath) where they cover you in really dark wet sand and you sit under it for 20 minutes.  AWESOME!  It's so relaxing!  Next, I drove Sa-rah to Fukuoka so she could take the Shinkansen from there and I embarked on the 5-6 hour trip back to Shibushi.. totally well worth the long weekend! :)

All of my schools are amazing and super genki.  I'm playing favorites with my biggest Jr high: Uto Junior High School and Futsuhara Elementary School.  Uto- has the funnest faculty and super outgoing students that talk to me and teach me fun hip Japanese words.  They're also the best at English.  Then Futsuhara Elementary has the greatest vice-principal ever who wrote on the board "Meary is funny and agressive (spelled like that) and happy teacher"  He also writes in all cursive... I'm so proud.  All of the students there LOVE English and are super rowdy.  It's a good thing English isn't a desk class or I'd get in trouble.. those kids 1st-5th grade don't write English - only verbal communication - so we basically have fun and play games the entire class.  I love my life.  I love Japan.

So Zushi Sensei is the coolest boss anyone could ever have.  By ever I mean EVER.  He scared me at first because I think he was afraid to speak English with me but now it's like I think he anticipates fun and no work the 2 times I come into the office every week.  I'm pretty sure when I'm not there he's thinking of something ridiculous to tell me.  Last week we bantered back and forth about how I should send my mother Shibushi air and live ginormo spiders for presents.  I don't think she'd appreciate me.  I also taught Zushi Sensei the word 'okie dokie' because it sounds like the Japanese word for 'sometimes' (tokie dokie).  He uses it RELIGIOUSLY.  It's pretty much the greatest thing ever.  That man.  Hah ..so awesome.  "Zushi Sensei... Where do I go to get a car battery?"  "Okie dokie !!HAHAHAHH!!!"  ... "Alright then."

Tonight I had experimental cooking time. I SUCK at cooking so I'm always super nervous.. I had this meat that I bought 4 days ago .. it looked like hamburger meat but I'm never 100% positive here bc I can't read the Kanji.. So I cooked it tonight with some mystery mushrooms I didn't understand either .. and the meat turned white.. hm. I called my friend and he was like "yeah I don't think it's supposed to do that." and then I looked at the expiration date on it which turned out to be 9/30. ohhhh. no. Needless to say.. that was thrown in the food waste freezer ziplock container. We have to keep all food waste separate.. we can't throw it in the trash like normal Americans. Shibushi (where I live) is like number 1 or 2 for recycling in Japan. They have about 27 different bins to put things in. I have 6 in my apt. It's so confusing but I'm finally figuring it out. Although, when I go to put my trash out I still do it at night on the right day because I've heard horror stories of old ladies bringing your garbage back to you and telling you to fix it. hm.

Anyway, I got super excited bc I remembered I had some variety of noodles and eggplant and green peppers so I chopped them up and put them in a pan... it took like 5 min to cook.. thank god. And it's SUPER good.

Today my entire school board came to watch me teach one class. By school board I mean all the amazing cool people that work in my main office whom I see every Monday and Friday.  I had to wait all day too. So I learned the Kanji for the days of the week, numbers 1-10, 100, 1000, big, small, on top, below, in the middle, hand, foot/leg and a couple more I can't remember right now. It's all elementary Kanji for 1st graders but you have to start somewhere right?! yay!

The school board people said "good job" to me about 100 times and then spoke to the Japanese Teacher of English about something that I didn't understand. They all looked at me and said TANOSHIKATTA! which means it was fun. I assume that's a good thing... I wish I knew the other things they said.

I used my amazing coffee cup this morning. Yesterday in Miyakonojo (a city about 45 min north of Shibushi in Miyazaki prefecture) I bought these cute coffee cups that stack on each other.  My kitchen has zero counter space so I bought it to preserve cabinet space as well.  :)  I didn't eat breakfast today.. which is normal for me so whatevs. I wish for my job I could go drink beer on a beach and nurse my hangover from an amazing night before... I've tried to nurse a hangover in school and that normally isn't such a great idea.

Today one of my students was trying to explain some word in Japanese to me.. and my cell phone translated it as metamorphose (wtf?). I finally found out they were saying 'hentai' which means 'pervert'. Reason number 453.2 why I love Japan :)

btw I went running in the rain today - no one out there to hear my horrible breathing. word.

KAGOSHIMA KURUMA DESU

this is the email to my mom bc i dont have time to post.. but heres an update!!!! yay!



the bank copied my license see if you can get it from them. they might still have it on record.

oh wait so i guess i can write you a real person email too instead of being a jerk and just putting that! haha

first... who the hell won SYTYCD!!!! wait im going to check now bc im at an internet cafe and all the tabs are in japanese damnit maybe i wont. ill check after i write this email. and then i:ll probably write another one.

i wont have internet for a couple of weeks btw but i have found this 500yen/hour internet cafe which is schweet!!! OMG i LOVE my apartment.. it:s so freakin peaceful and beautiful and full of love and its definitely my home... seriously.. you would love it. its kinda small but such a perfect size for me. and it took me 10 min to get to work today which is like from our house to FAs. Seriously amazing.

i got my car yesterday!!! weird right? you would think you needed a license or something but it all worked out that i didnt need any of that.. however if i do get pulled over i:ll get some outrageous fine for not having my license with my drivers license. zushi sensai (my rawk awesome boss who hardly speaks english but is awesome) gave me a drivers test where in the only words i could understand were migi (right) and (hidari) left and i kept turning the windshield wipers on instead of the turn signal..because they are switched. lol. he just laughed really hard at me and was like ooooooooohhhhhh wiper!

when i got here wednesday they (keith the 4 year JET and zushi sensai) picked me up from the airport and drove me to eat ramen (which is not out of a plastic bag) then we went to the office where they gathered all 30 some people that worked there and i had to introduce myself in japanese... BAHHHHH. i did ok and they were all like OOOH SUGOI!! which means great..　and apparantly they were impressed with my pronunciation.

then i went and paid lots of　money to a very shy litttle japanese man and went to my amazing apartment. keith took me to the store to buy food and whatnot then we went out to eat with all the other new ALTs one of which i ended up being really good friends with at the DC predeparture thing.. Ironically we were the only 2 ALTS from dc going to Kagoshima and come to find out he lives like 15 min from my apt. AMAZING! His name is topher and he just got out of the peace corps in africa... haha... anyway... we all went to dinner where i met the really helpful canadian girl Allee:who i:ve been talking to forever and she actually picked topher up from　the airport. wha!

yesterday was my first day in my office (its in the shibushi city hall - which sounds big and is not). everyone who works around me is super super nice and generous and i keep giving them american coins as presents bc i keep forgetting to bring them some.. haha.. i got my car yesterday and did the driving thing and ran some errands.. then went to the cell phone place to see how it:s done (i still dont know when i:ll get one of those either but i think itll be maybe next week) but i wetn to see the other JET, cassie, get one.. except it took like 3 freakin hours bc she was getting an iphone.. f that. those are expensive. then we went to this restaurant that:s like a japanese denny:s .. it:s called joyfull... yes .. with 2 Ls. hah. am,azing.

Then i went home.

Today I came into the office hella early bc i was driving and i had no idea how long it would take. I basically worked on learning japanese the entire morning.. then these 2 super cute little japanese girls were like... hey you want a lunchbox? so i waslike.. yeah ok i:ll eat whatever.. and they kept bringing me over translations in english that i have no idea where they had gotten it from.. but i think it had to do with whatever food was going to be in the lunchbox... it was like -mackrel miso rice cup lunchbox.. so i just pointed to something. im trying all these new foods so im not turning anything down or being picky at all. 　it:s all really really good food so theres no need to be picky. i just ask whats your fav alot and get what they reocmmend. they do have raw chicken at this toher place though and i dont think that:ll be quite as delicious.

so i ate lunch then this really sweet woman named Katagawa san who sits behind me and speaks no english was like.. come with me and bring your things (but she typed it out bc i think she translated it from her translator .. aww) so i ended up at the library with all these older teacher ladies doing arts and crafts and making some bear slash squirrel things and talking to an amazing lady name Midori (green) her name was Green. It sounds so much better in japanese though :)

and now i drove my car here and i:m at the internet cafe. and that:s what ive been doing! hehe :) so i hope this is an ok update for you and i love you lots and im doing ok. the man at the internet cafe said free drink and handed me a cute little cup of coffee... omg i love this freakin country. it:s so perfect! im going for a bicycle ride on the beach now! lots of love mom!

MM!

Tokyo

Meetings, meetings, meetings.  I'm glad that when I am teaching I don't have to sit on my butt all day bc that is crazy not cool.   

I've learned alot about teaching small children and believe it or not.. I am actually excited about it.  If you know me at all you know that me and gross runny noses and screaming do not go well together.  However, my perspective is turning a bit and I look forward to playing games everyday and doing fun after school things.  :) yay!

Dave and I were talking about starting a DanceJET group... hmmmm..  I think this is a schweet plan.

Here is a pic from the hotel:

DARAFT BEER. :) Hello Tokyo!

 TOKYO HERE WE ARE!

Hello my interested blog friends!

You'll be happy to know that I safely arrived in Tokyo at around 4pm Japan-time and 3am America-time.  The broken coccyx is quite a bit tender but will triumph nonetheless. 

I found out about my fabulous car and the expenses... and for future JETs that could possibly ever stumble upon this blog... know that if you have to purchase a car, you will, in fact, be in debt.  I paid over $3000 to start.  Lame.  Now I still owe my rent deposit of 37,000 yen and my key deposit of 72,000 yen.   Moving on to more exciting things... IM IN JAY-PAN!!!!

It's so hard to believe I was in Washington, DC yesterday.  Pre-departure orientation was quite entertaining.  Sa-rah and I met up with Jack (our special friend we met at the interview) and instantly knew it was going to be an amazing day.  They showed us how to act in a Japanese house when you're invited for dinner.. and how to act at work parties.  Have Slippers... point them towards the door and make everything look super neat... and say arigato gozaimasu alot.

some fun things from tonight 

Pics:  Top - JET friends in Tokyo, Saying byebye to Leslie (MMDANCR) my beautimous car, Crazy Taiko drumming video game for 200yen, japanese CRACKAS, The WESTSIDE on American Street, and the coolest vending machines that you can find everywhere!

YAY! I'll try and keep posted. 

BTW the toilet in my room is ridiculous.  It has a heated seat, a bidet (which shoots water straight up your butt), a thing that shoots warm water around your butt, and it also circulates water while you're on the toilet.  The flusher is not on the toilet but where the toilet paper is.  WHAT?  My room key is magnetic something or another where I don't have to insert it into anything.  I just hold it up and it unlocks.  My roomates are really cool bc they're letting me stay on my computer while they sleep.  I had a double espresso from Starbucks because I wanted to walk around and I was about to fall asleep walking.. 

sleep now!  

It's 1:30AM wow.  Jet lag anyone?

Sa-rah's japanese blog!

Sa-rah's blog -  section 3 paragraph 2 word 3 letter 4

?

Sa-rah finally got a blog!  M-azing!  I'm so excited.  I think I'm getting more nervous because I don't know the price of my car.  hm.  Maybe I'll pretend it will only be $50.  Ok.  I feel as if I will be deceived. 

My Address !

Oh yeah! My address (I think this is how you write it):  Send me things!

Mary Margaret Gilliam

899-7402, Kagoshima-Ken

Shibushi City, Ariake Town,

Noikura, 8123-24

Seaside Shibushi, Flat 206 

Japan

Pictores I received from Kate!

Here are some pictures of fun items I will be acquiring for my stay in Japan such as... an apartment with a cool lamp and a fan, black car that I thought was white (check out what side the steering wheel is on... WHA!), a bathroom sink in the kitchen, and some doors that I cannot figure out. 

Kate sent me these yesterday I do believe.  She's amazing.

About one month to go!

Allow me to enlighten you as to how this whole 'going to Japan' idea came about.  

Around the beginning of October 2008 my good friend Sarah Lewis (who I was roommates, quartet partners, stand partners, mischief finders, rebellious leaders, etc with) from college called me up one day and said "Hey MM, want to come teach English in Jay-pan with me?"  To which I replied "Of course, why wouldn't I?"  I had already been thinking of teaching English abroad and how I really wanted to learn an Asian language.  Which Asian language I wanted to learn, I had not settled on - however, Japanese had been the most pleasant to listen to and pick up on when I lived in France in Fall 2005.   This sounded like an extravagant idea.

We settled on the Japan Exchange and Teaching program - this appearing and turning out to be the best of the best.   This program goes through the Japanese Embassy - no sketchy independent programs telling you to find your own Visa in a trash can and mail 100 items to far off destinations to have your identity stolen thus putting you in witness protection.  No, this did not happen to us because we chose the correct program - or so far I believe - I just mailed my passport to the office, we'll find out July 31st.  So the JET program is the best.  They pay the most per month, they set you up in an apartment (although you have to pay rent - but when DON'T you have to pay rent?), you basically take someone's job, and their life - so all affairs are already in order by the time you get there, they pay for orientation (in DC and the sweet hotel in Tokyo for 3 nights), and the application process is hella long... which automatically makes them really awesome.  It's definitely the most competitive program to teach English in Japan.

Right away I began to fill out my application, however, I only had 2 hours before I had to be at work and I didn't realize I had to write a novel and a half as well as recollect what I was wearing on my 3rd birthday.   Just kidding... but it sure did take forever.  It was like trying to figure out your resume, all of the classes you've ever taken, each grade you got in each class, dissecting all teaching experience EVER plus some more.. if you care you should just try and fill it out in your free time - ridiculous - you won't have enough free time.  I think it was about 8 pages long.  Anyway,  I had to get 2 letters of recommendation to which I turned to my colleague and fellow choreographer/teacher from college Merry Davis. She's amazing and I've literally NEVER had anyone write such an amazing recommendation EVER.  I cried a little when she read it to me.  Then for my other I actually couldn't get any professors to write it in such short notice.. so I wrote my own, and had another teacher colleague sign it (like she had written it - although she did approve).  Did you know that is cool these days?  Yes,  I read it on Wikipedia so it must be true right?  hah.  No, I read it on several websites and asked some experts before doing it .. but needless to say it worked well.  I also had to write a 2 pg paper on why I wanted more Japanese people in my life :) It was a happy paper.

So, everything was due on Nov 24th to which we both made the deadline.  First is the paper screening - if you pass the paper screening then you are asked to come to the closest location and interview (Washington, D.C.).  Around the end of January, Sarah and I both got the e-mail that we were selected for the interview - which would be 2 following.  We went on a Caribbean cruise to Grand Cayman and Cozumel, then went for the interview (all tan of course).  We were both wearing shin length skirts and high heels ... in the snow - quite stylish - we should've gotten points for that.  

We stayed with some amazing people we had met on the cruise that lived in DC (quite convenient).

My interview totally freaked me out... I loved it - but it freaked me out.  Sarah and I got there about 2 hours early so we could sit in a small chair and shake and pee alot before we began our interviews.  I found this list of potential interview questions online from some random JET website.  If you were asked why the US bombed Japan what would you say?  If a male superior groped you what would you do?  Do you like sushi?  Who is the prime minister of Japan?  If you could bring one item to describe your home country, what would you bring?  

None of these were my questions.  Sarah and I had grilled each other on said potential questions on the drive to D.C.  Quite scary.

I walked in and realized right away that the Interviewer on the far left had the same last name as one of the Japanese girls helping with the interviews - yes quite observant I am.  haha.  I asked Mr. Smethurst if he was in face married to Ayako Smethurst to which he replied... why yes I am, but don't think I picked her up at the high school I was teaching.  Good start to an interview.  That guy was awesome.  There was a lady there with CLAIR (the organization that sets up all the Japan/America communications) along with a Japanese man who worked in the Science division of the Embassy (idk whatev).  They were all extremely nice at first but turned when they said:  "So I see you have absolutely NO training in the Japanese language and you have taken no steps to prepare yourself on the culture of Japan"  "I see you lived in France and can speak French... why don't you teach English there?"  "Why do you see yourself going to Japan?"  "What entices you about this country as opposed to Korea or China?"  

Don't worry my friends, Mary Margaret was prepared to answer these questions ON THE FLY. "I have no training in the Japanese language but learning Japanese is one of the primary reasons I would like to take this job.  I already know French hence is the reason I do not want to teach in France.  I want to give the children of Japan more worldly knowledge while enhancing my own language and culture skills."  "Honestly, the reason I do not want to teach in Korea or China - I like the way Japanese sounds.  When I was living in France I could tell the difference in the different languages just by hearing them and the pronunciation, Japanese was my favorite.  I liked the flow and how you could hear that each syllable was consistent."  

A couple of other answers I pulled out of no where but they sounded really great I think.

Sarah and I finished our interviews at the same time, met each other in the lobby of the embassy, screamed, told each other about what just happened, talked to a cool kid named Devin who was previously in the JET program, then scampered off to Happy Hour to partake in celebration for finishing our interviews feeling pretty good about them.

April 7th, the e-mails were sent out.  I was selected as an Alternate candidate and Sarah received a position.  This being said - was slightly disappointed seeing as they gave me a time span of April-December to be upgraded.  Hence, I began to plan my life as if I didn't get the job.  At the end of April (actually on the 26th - my bday) Sarah and I flew to Hawaii to visit some amazing friends of ours whom we worked with in Rock Hill at Ruby Tuesday.  Those kids rock my socks.  We met some new fun people too who live with them.  In Hawaii we learned to surf, snorkle (although Sarah didn't bc she doesn't like fish), climb very large mountains, jump off of 50 foot cliffs into a tiny hole (I broke my butt bone, my coccyx, doing this), body surf, not use sunscreen and be blistered for a week (I did this), not brush my hair for 3 days, find a cocktail server on a dance floor (weird), use more sunscreen, take really pretty pictures, and reminisce on the good ole times at the RT.    YAY for Shawn, Brad, Rachel, Richard, Jessie, Rob, Scott, and of course Allie (Shawn's dog).  

3 days before leaving Hawaii, Jason called to tell me that I had won the 3 month wine contest at Carrabba's for the highest wine sales and 2 days after I would be getting back from Hawaii, I would leave for Napa Valley on an all expenses paid 4 day vacation.   WHA!  As I said, I love my life.  So, I flew back across the country, this time with my two amazing work buddies Terri and Roberto to drink lots and lots of wine and live in some more bliss for a few days.  YAY for vacations.  

The week after I got home I started planning my move to Hawaii.  I would leave July 27th, stay with my friends for a month, then get an apartment with Jessie (Shawn's ex who was still living with them but trying to move out).  I had a plane ticket picked out and everything - which I was going to purchase that coming Friday.  

However,  on Wednesday I ignored a phone call from D.C. thinking the JET program was calling to ask me a question about my alternate status if I had started some FBI thing.  After rethinking the ignored call for about a minute and 26 seconds, I called back.. to which they said "We just had a position open up for you, would you like to take it?" "YESYESYESYESYESYES I'll take it"  "Are you sure, do you want to talk to your family first?"  "NO WAY!  THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS PHONE CALL TOO!"  "Alright then, I will send you all of the information in an email right now, Congratulations!"  

And that's how it happened.  My life changed in a matter of 36.2 seconds.  

Since then I've been ecstatic about where my life is taking me.  I feel like I have a future now - not that I didn't before, but I'm about to embark on an incredible journey with lots of travel and new people and fun!  Sweet!

I found out June 2nd that I was placed in the Kagoshima prefecture (like a state) in a port 'city' named Shibushi on the southernmost island of Kyushu.  Its kinda on the southern tip of Japan:

http://www.maplandia.com/japan/kyushu/kagoshima/shibushi/

I went on a mad facebook hunt for the person who's position I could potentially take... slash... anyone from the JET program staying in Shibushi.. and through many contacts I met this girl named Al-lee who is from Canada and is extremely helpful.. she pointed me to Kate who would be leaving and would have a good idea who's position I would be taking.   Kate is awesome and I have been chatting with her for the past couple of weeks, then yesterday she tells me that I am her successor and will be taking her car/job/all of the above!  

The coolest thing though, is that Kate lives on the beach!  Yes, an apartment on the beach.  Can my life get any better?  Hah!  She just sent me this massive email with lots of info about my schools and everything.  I will be teaching at 9 schools:  elementary where I will be doing all of the lesson planning and teaching... and middle where I really will be assisting.  I will actually be living in a town called Ariake in Shibushi... cool stuff.

Here are all of the schools:  Isakida Junior High School, Ariake Junior High School, Uto Junior High School, Ariake Elementary School, Toriyama Elementary School, Harada Elementary School, Futsuhara Elementary School, Nogami Elementary School, Yamashige Elementary School.

Did you know they for real separate all of their recycling.  You have to pull labels off of stuff and separately file them.  I think I will have about 100 different bags.  I'm worried about that. 

My rent for my apartment is approx $400/month ... 37,000 yen... THANK GOD.  I have to buy Kate's car - don't know price for yet - and a surf board - of course.

There are some other random amenities which I need to purchase there - a cell phone, internet, friends... 

My life is amazing...