Please see my Flickr site to see the new pictures, so copy and past this link into you address bar. for some reason, Blogger doesnt like posting hyperlinks.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29109046@N03/sets/72157609839283349
These pictures are from Kinkaku Temple and Arashiyama in Kyoto. there is also a picture from Halloween in Kyoto.
enjoy!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Praise and Realizations
So today two teachers came up to me to talk about our future lesson plans. The first teacher came to me, beaming, and said, "I love your lesson plans. You always give me a new way to learn about my students. Last week you had them write about what they want to do in the future, and this week you are having them write about what they are thankful for. Thank you, you are doing great work" or something like that.
The next teacher came up to me to talk about the same lesson plan as the other teacher and she said, "I really like this lesson. You always find a way for the students to practice all four parts of English; writing, speaking, reading, and listening. Thank you for your hard work. Im looking forward to fridays lesson."
So the rest of the day i was pretty much floating. Until i stepped outside.
I knew the day was cold, but today was the coldest day i have ever experienced. It was around 45 degrees with a brisk wind. It would have been good cape weather, had i had a cape. They say it's going to be colder this week and next week, and will only get worse. I am a bit nervous about the cold. I think i might have to breakdown and get some long underwear. I havent worn those since i was 6 years old.
Life is good. I am excited for the 3 day weekend. I bought a folding 2-person couch-thing and im thinking of getting a rug for my apartment. my place looks so bare.
mike
The next teacher came up to me to talk about the same lesson plan as the other teacher and she said, "I really like this lesson. You always find a way for the students to practice all four parts of English; writing, speaking, reading, and listening. Thank you for your hard work. Im looking forward to fridays lesson."
So the rest of the day i was pretty much floating. Until i stepped outside.
I knew the day was cold, but today was the coldest day i have ever experienced. It was around 45 degrees with a brisk wind. It would have been good cape weather, had i had a cape. They say it's going to be colder this week and next week, and will only get worse. I am a bit nervous about the cold. I think i might have to breakdown and get some long underwear. I havent worn those since i was 6 years old.
Life is good. I am excited for the 3 day weekend. I bought a folding 2-person couch-thing and im thinking of getting a rug for my apartment. my place looks so bare.
mike
Thursday, November 13, 2008
A quick update from work
So life is pretty good. I have been really busy and I like it. The weeks fly by when I am too busy to think. I've fallen into a rhythm which is quite doable.
Monday - wake up at 7, shower and dress, eat breakfast, make coffee, leave for work, stop at the conbini for riceballs, teach 3 classes, plan for tuesday lessons
Tuesday - wake up at 7, shower, dress, eat, make coffee, pack my ninja/martial arts equipment, leave for work, stop at conbini for riceballs, teach 2.5 classes, practice kobudo(weapons martial arts) and Bojuutsu with the other AET that comes to my school on Tuesdays, leave work at 415pm.
Wednesday - wake up at 6, shower-dress-make coffee at the same time, leave apartment at 635am to catch a train, switch trains at kyoto station, get to my visit school around 805am, teach 2 or 3 classes, have ESL club meeting at lunch, go home around 430pm.
Thursday - wake up at 7, shower and dress, eat breakfast, make coffee, leave for work, stop at the conbini for riceballs, maybe teach a class, go home at 415, meet up with friends for dinner/drinks around 7pm.
Friday - wake up at 6, shower-dress-make coffee at the same time, leave apartment at 635am to catch a train, switch trains at kyoto station, get to my visit school around 805am, teach 2 or 3 classes, meet up with friends to drink and mess around.
Saturday - Martial arts/bojuutsu practice in the afternoon, Japanese conversation practice or karaoke with other JETs until last train home.
Sunday - laundry and seinfeld or exploring.
Im pretty sure that im recontracting for another year in JET (about 88% sure).
Monday - wake up at 7, shower and dress, eat breakfast, make coffee, leave for work, stop at the conbini for riceballs, teach 3 classes, plan for tuesday lessons
Tuesday - wake up at 7, shower, dress, eat, make coffee, pack my ninja/martial arts equipment, leave for work, stop at conbini for riceballs, teach 2.5 classes, practice kobudo(weapons martial arts) and Bojuutsu with the other AET that comes to my school on Tuesdays, leave work at 415pm.
Wednesday - wake up at 6, shower-dress-make coffee at the same time, leave apartment at 635am to catch a train, switch trains at kyoto station, get to my visit school around 805am, teach 2 or 3 classes, have ESL club meeting at lunch, go home around 430pm.
Thursday - wake up at 7, shower and dress, eat breakfast, make coffee, leave for work, stop at the conbini for riceballs, maybe teach a class, go home at 415, meet up with friends for dinner/drinks around 7pm.
Friday - wake up at 6, shower-dress-make coffee at the same time, leave apartment at 635am to catch a train, switch trains at kyoto station, get to my visit school around 805am, teach 2 or 3 classes, meet up with friends to drink and mess around.
Saturday - Martial arts/bojuutsu practice in the afternoon, Japanese conversation practice or karaoke with other JETs until last train home.
Sunday - laundry and seinfeld or exploring.
Im pretty sure that im recontracting for another year in JET (about 88% sure).
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Screw the fountain of youth...
...Just shave your beard!
So Friday was Halloween. Me and a group of my friends here in Kyoto got together at a local Irish pub called McLoughlin's. They were having a huge costume party, or so the signs said.
So I get all excited about getting into a costume and scaring the bajebus out of Japanese people on the train and in town. I decide to go as Wolverine from the X-men movies and comics. I have a brown jacket that was pretty spot on and i decided to make the ultimate sacrifice for a halloween costume, I altered my beard. If you have never seen Huge Jackman as Wolverine, do a quick google image search. He has huge mutton chops that come all the way down to the corners of his mouth. so i shaved off my goatee area and just left two unconnected beard tentacles. It looked fantastic. I also made some claws out of wooden rulers, aluminum foil, and a pair of cheap gloves. The costume looked great, and i didnt get too many odd looks, i suppose thats because i have seen weirder fashion on normal afternoons in Japan.
So my friends were dressed up as a Jewish Russian immigrant, 2 chickens with helmets, the guy from the Nightmare before Christmas, and a man in a shower. The night started off pretty slow because when we got there, no one else was dressed up. I was a bit concerned when i noticed that the bar was full of Japanese people only there to share conversation and laugh at stupid foreigners in costumes. After I had enough liquid courage to begin talking to the natives, i found myself in a trap of 3 hungry Japanese cougars. I skillfully navigated my way out of that frightening pungi stick filled booby-trap and made my way to the bar to chat with the bartender when i was accosted by a pair of more attractive and more interesting Japanese girls with fantastic English. Eventually, more foreigners came. there was a Johnny Depp, a Tengu demon, lots of girls with kitty-cat ears. The night began to wind down for most of my friends, but not for showerman and myself. we escorted a few Japanese of the female persuasion to another bar. we eventually lost track of time and missed our trains home. Such is the sacrifice i make for good conversation and cultural exchange.
The next day i proceeded to shave the rest of my beard off except for my extraordinarily long sideburns, mostly to spite the old sideburns law at Brophy. I took a picture of myself and realized that i look about 5 years younger. I do prefer the beard, much more mysterious and individualistic. very few people have decent beards out here. As i have always said, "in the land of the patchy stubble, the man with the luscious beard is king."
So Friday was Halloween. Me and a group of my friends here in Kyoto got together at a local Irish pub called McLoughlin's. They were having a huge costume party, or so the signs said.
So I get all excited about getting into a costume and scaring the bajebus out of Japanese people on the train and in town. I decide to go as Wolverine from the X-men movies and comics. I have a brown jacket that was pretty spot on and i decided to make the ultimate sacrifice for a halloween costume, I altered my beard. If you have never seen Huge Jackman as Wolverine, do a quick google image search. He has huge mutton chops that come all the way down to the corners of his mouth. so i shaved off my goatee area and just left two unconnected beard tentacles. It looked fantastic. I also made some claws out of wooden rulers, aluminum foil, and a pair of cheap gloves. The costume looked great, and i didnt get too many odd looks, i suppose thats because i have seen weirder fashion on normal afternoons in Japan.
So my friends were dressed up as a Jewish Russian immigrant, 2 chickens with helmets, the guy from the Nightmare before Christmas, and a man in a shower. The night started off pretty slow because when we got there, no one else was dressed up. I was a bit concerned when i noticed that the bar was full of Japanese people only there to share conversation and laugh at stupid foreigners in costumes. After I had enough liquid courage to begin talking to the natives, i found myself in a trap of 3 hungry Japanese cougars. I skillfully navigated my way out of that frightening pungi stick filled booby-trap and made my way to the bar to chat with the bartender when i was accosted by a pair of more attractive and more interesting Japanese girls with fantastic English. Eventually, more foreigners came. there was a Johnny Depp, a Tengu demon, lots of girls with kitty-cat ears. The night began to wind down for most of my friends, but not for showerman and myself. we escorted a few Japanese of the female persuasion to another bar. we eventually lost track of time and missed our trains home. Such is the sacrifice i make for good conversation and cultural exchange.
The next day i proceeded to shave the rest of my beard off except for my extraordinarily long sideburns, mostly to spite the old sideburns law at Brophy. I took a picture of myself and realized that i look about 5 years younger. I do prefer the beard, much more mysterious and individualistic. very few people have decent beards out here. As i have always said, "in the land of the patchy stubble, the man with the luscious beard is king."
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