Broken glass and running more than I ever have before

Again, this entry is very late. I was about to write this on Saturday night, but I had sort of a rough week and I wanted to lighten up a little so that the entry doesn't end up too negative.

On Thursday, a student at the elementary school I was at on that day threw a rock at a tree and accidentally broke my car windshield. The whole situation was really overwhelming because I had to watch the upset 5th grader be questioned about what happened by 3 adults (while I sat there trying to look as patient as possible) and I later met the child's mother. Anyway, my car was taken to a repair place and I was lent a car to use in the meantime. I didn't care much for the borrowed car and I looked forward to getting my car back. I finally got it back on Sunday morning and this morning I found a letter from the student inside of it. To my surprise, the letter was written entirely in English. He must've had help from someone, but the letters were written painstakingly well and I didn't see any of the common errors that I see is middle school student papers all of the time, so I was touched by how much effort was obviously put into it.

I suppose that this should really be part of the next entry (...uhh... -this- week's), but on Sunday I took part in a Kagoshima city wide scavenger hunt! I don't believe I've physically exerted myself that much in my entire life, but it was really, REALLY a lot of fun. If the event happens next year, I am definitely participating again! I'll (probably) go into more detail on this one in the next entry.

Sorry again that this is late.

Folllow up

Sorry that this blog entry is late... once again! It's coming a Sunday night tradition, I guess. :)

Last week was rather busy. I had elementary school all 5 days and 4 classes on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, AND Thursday (3 classes on Monday). It was pretty exhausting. On top of that, I taught a little 1 hour Japanese lesson after work with the other Hioki city ALTs on Wednesday. Needless to say, I was exhausted.

So I just realized that all of my blogs have been about separate isolated events/ideas and I've provided little follow up on anything. So, I'll go through old entries and tie up loose ends. Starting with most recent entries--

The broadcasting vehicles are finally silent! I overheard the result of the elections announced over the loudspeakers at work and I was immediately relieved to know that this nonsense was finally over.

SWINE FLU! Ok, so that finally reached Japan recently. I guess the spread of swine flu all began with some sort of volleyball tournament in Osaka. It's kind of interesting that this is common knowledge. Anyway, there have been cases of it in the Osaka area and in Tokyo- not down here yet.

Here's a map of known swine flu cases in the world.

People around here are considering it to be only a matter of time. I heard another ALT in this prefecture was told to go to the hospital for what he was certain was just a cold.

The weather has become hot and humid at times, I've been leaving my window open just about all day. At the same time, we've been getting more and more rain because the "rainy season" of Japan, or "tsuyu" is just beginning.

Hmm... I was thinking about going farther than the real recent entries, but now I really feel no need.

Noise pollution

So, there are city elections going on now. I can't say I know for what office(s) in city government, but I can say that Japanese elections cause a lot of noise.

I probably mentioned the broadcasting vehicles here in Japan before, right? They drive around saying pretty much whatever they want- advertising, etc. I kind of enjoyed the novelty of it even though it kind of worried me at first. I thought it was worrisome because I can't immediately tell the difference between a broadcasting vehicle advertising a pachinko parlor and one notifying everyone of an actual danger.

I kind of let it slide and decided to enjoy the novelty because it doesn't do me any good to make a fuss over something that isn't going away.

But now, with the election going on, it's definitely annoying.

Imagine not just one, but many broadcasting vehicles ALL. DAY. LONG. Sometimes they're in the same area, so the two loud voices are practically competing. Sometimes one practically parks in front of my apartment building and sits there for a good 10-20 minutes broadcasting "vote for so and so" very very loudly. Sometimes I can't think with all of the noise.

It turns out Japanese people are very irritated by it, too. Then why do they do it?

My Japanese teacher told me I can yell "URUSAI!" (Be quiet!) to the cars. I decided I would only do it from my apartment so that they can't see me. I ALMOST did it today, but a woman in the car looked up, saw me, and waved before I could open my mouth.

Man, what a nuisance these politicians are.

I told myself that I wouldn't criticize Japanese government because it's not really my place, but certain I can at least complain about -this-.

All of that aside, all has been well lately. :)

Sand, rummage, and shoes

Sorry this blog entry is late again.

Last week was Golden Week here in Japan, so I had a five day weekend due to many national holidays that were bunched up together. Many (and by "many", I mean "most") ALTs traveled, but (as I mentioned in the last entry) I pretty much stayed home.

I was kind of glad I made no particular plans because I was sick for about half of it. I got better in time to drive down South a bit to see the ocean and go to the Sand and Flower festival. The flower aspect of the festival wasn't that impressive in my opinion, but the sand sculptures were pretty amazing.

I'll update my album with pictures from that. Sorry, I've been kind of slacking when it comes to uploading pictures lately. I'll force myself to catch up... uhh... soon!

Today I went to a rummage sale in Kagoshima city. It was a lot bigger of an event than I expected. There were maybe 100 booths or so. I was hoping to buy a full length mirror, but sadly all of the ones there weren't for sale (not that I asked every single booth that had one). Anyway, I was pretty excited about this rummage sale because I hadn't been to (or seen) one since I moved to Japan.

So one thing about lately is what aspects of my Japan life I plan to keep up after returning back to the US. An example of this being taking off my shoes when I enter my apartment.

A couple times semi-recently when people have decided that one or two steps into the apartment wearing shoes shouldn't make a difference, I found later that I could see EXACTLY where the shoes touched the floor. I realized then that it really DOES make a huge difference in how much dirt is brought into the house.

The thing is, though, people who ask folks to take off their shoes in the US are sort of considered to be (for a lack of a better word) anal. I don't want to be viewed quite like that, but I also feel like a "no shoes" rule makes lots of sense.

I think I'm going feel torn on quite a few things when I move back to the US.

Oink

It's kind of strange to obviously be a foreigner in a country that is worried about a foreign illness. Of course, I am talking about swine flu.

It kind of makes me wonder what it's like for Mexicans in the US now. Are they looked at by people as being likely carriers? That would suck- some people back home don't need MORE reason to be racist. *sigh*

I think it's kind of similar here now, although no one's been super obvious about it. It seems like people seeing me and other foreigners around might wonder if we just arrived in Japan the other day or if we've had any recent visitors.

I got a flash of a GLARE a little while ago at the grocery store checkout line when I sneezed. Whether it was in relation to that, I don't know.

I guess it doesn't help that I have a cold or something right now.

IS it swine flu? I really doubt it. Although my last interaction with someone newly arrived to this country WAS about a week ago at a party I went to, I think the chances that I got swine flu from that short interaction are very small. Have there been any cases of swine flu in Italy? There have been absolutely no known cases of it in Japan. But I guess it's not -great- to be a foreigner with a cold right now.

In other swine flu chaos related news-

It's Golden Week now (5 day weekend) and a lot of JETs are taking trips right now. Many of them are traveling overseas, even. Last week, I got an email TWICE instructing us to be careful traveling and warning that it might be difficult to get back into the country. It also recommended that ALTs have travel itineraries to our offices. One day, I found the exact same notice printed out on my desk as well. I realized immediately that my office was trying to tell me that they want an itinerary. BUT- since I have no plans, I just threw it away. I assumed that they would figure I have no plans because they didn't get any info from me.

However, yesterday, on Friday, one of the bosses of the office came up to me and began asking me if I was going anywhere. He seemed very surprised to hear that I really DID not have any plans.

I told him that I kind of plan to go to the US in the end of July and he warned me about the swine flu (...he thought I never heard of it *sigh*). We have no way of knowing what the situation will be like in July, so I see no reason not to plan for it now.

Portraits and windshield wiper fluid

YES! I remembered to blog this week! Just barely- but I did!

I am not really sure what to blog about this time, once again.

Last week, I had only elementary school and kindergarten classes. The outcome- lots of energy drained and my Japanese language brain hardly functioned on Friday.

A few 1st graders took a "draw whatever you want" opportunity to draw me!

Here's my favorite of the ones I managed to take home.



Not bad, huh? :)

It's a sweet feeling when kids decide they want to draw you.

The weather has been AWESOME lately. Did I mention that before in an earlier blog? Well, it's true! I love sweater weather more than I can easily say.

Last weekend, I purchased wind shield wiper fluid for the first time in Japan (and second time in my entire life.)

I don't really know what to call the store that I went to- but it had things like auto supplies, insecticides, gardening things, and the like. I guess I can compare it best with Home Depot or Orchard Supply.

Anyway, I've never been to one of those kinds of stores before in Japan. Traveling people and people living somewhere short term don't go to those stores, right?

So walking around that store I felt oddly happy because I felt that for the first time in a very long time that no one would assume that I am a tourist and that I don't know what I am doing (well, anymore than -anyone- would). It sounds weird, but I can't wait until I have another excuse to go there. (haha)

Pretty grand

Yikes! I totally forgot about this blog last week.

Well, here we go then-

I don't really feel up to doing the Kagoshima touristy places blog right now because I'm trying to get this entry out quickly because I'm pretty tired and distracted by about a million other things.

(Actually, I am having a hard time getting myself into the idea of writing it in the first place.)

This week was my first week teaching again in the new school year. It's been fun with the new middle school 1st years. I really enjoy being part of the beginning of the school year far more than I enjoyed jumping in during the middle of one. The students seem to see me more as a familiar face and I feel like they're a lot more comfortable with me now than they were last term. I think I am a lot more comfortable with them, too.

The weather has been very nice lately- bordering on HOT (at least to Central Coast Californian standards.) I've walked around wearing jeans and a t-shirt and still thought it was pretty hot. Anyway, since I am such a wimp when it comes to cold, I am really enjoying this heat.

I suppose I don't have a lot to say right now, besides the fact that I am really, truly enjoying my life here right now. My apartment feels clean, my job is fun, my bank account has money, the weather is nice, and my overall mood is pretty grand.