three day feast of words

word.

today was pretty epic. but that’s not where we’ll start this post, oh no… we need to go back to tuesday to really have a clear idea of how good this week has been. i’m purposely avoiding monday because it wasn't fun. not even a little bit.

but i’m not talking about the bad because it doesn't register with me, it’s all about the good here. oh yes!

tuesday

ok. so. tuesday is when i teach at “favourite school” aka “the happiest most fulfilling place i’ve ever worked. ever.” =) i found out that my classes were cancelled which made me sad. but… the classes were cancelled for their undokai (sports day festival thing) and i got to go. * result *

there were games and races and children using other children as bridges. i pretended that there was lava (i do live on the side of a volcano so this isn’t hugely unimaginable) and all but one of the children were immune to the lava. so they made a wee bridge for that one kid. these kids are troopers and they make me smile a lot.

i was on the white team and i helped secure a win in one of the events: we were throwing beanbags into a basket atop a pole. my height made up for my general sporting incompetence and lack of hand-eye coordination.

the undokai wrapped up with lunch on the grass with two schools (“favourite school” and it’s Junior High School counterpart). * satisfied *

wednesday

i taught at “second favourite school”. in 12 different languages.

15 minutes of my lesson was in english.

then about 10 minutes of french.

then 10 minutes of mangled russian.

then greek, welsh, italian, portuguese, german, korean, chinese, spanish and some japanese for good measure.

it went over well. =)

thursday aka today

today i was almost late. i slithered under the pole and made it just in time. lesson learned: go to bed earlier and get up earlier. instant no lateness. =)

taught some classes. they didn't bomb but they could have gone better. these classes are reaching the end of a section in the curriculum which leads me to think they’re getting a bit bored with repeating, reusing and regurgitating the same sets of vocabulary. had two free periods before lunch where i was planning to revise for the test i had later in the day (more on this later…) but no, there was to be no revision for me…

the free periods were there for a special reason: this school (it hasn’t really warranted a nickname yet but i think it’ll eventually get one…) had some special guests! oh yes, i was treated to a brass band performance. they were really good. however, i was to earn this amazing little treat…

the leader of the brass group (there were two trumpets, a french horn, a trombone, a tuba and a drummer) was engaging the children in a little bit of witty banter, from which i gleaned (it was all in japanese of course): japanese people don’t really have the glottal stop needed to make “ch” noises like in loch. which makes singing Frere Jacques a little difficult. he had the kids attempting to make “ccccchhhh” noises with little success.

it gets interesting when one of my japanese teachers decides to tell the guy that i’m scottish and speak french –  two of the languages/dialects which make extensive use of “cccchhh”.

i may have ended up on-stage, leading an entire elementary school in a what i’d like to think was a rousing rendition of Frere Jacques in french…

as my wee granny would say: “it could only happen to you gavin…” =D

the japanese teachers and i were then hauled up on stage to perform the actions to a japanese version of “DoReMi” from Sound of Music. i belted out the song in english, much to the amusement of everyone.

a good day? you betcha!

it doesn't end there however.

off to “mountain school II” i go, to continue the adventure.

i mentioned a test earlier. i’ve been studying hiragana whenever i can during my free time at school – which has piqued the interest of any japanese person who happens to wander past my desk. “mountain school II” have taken a keen interest in my advancement, to the point that they’ve been quizzing me and getting me to complete worksheets etc. super sweet of them, to take an interest like that. today had been designated as the day where i should have fully completed my learning and revision and they felt i should be ready to be tested on all 46 hiragana.

i get to “mountain school II” and teach. lesson goes really well, kids smiling. none of them died of boredom, one came close to choking from overexcitement. all good.

lesson over, i head back to the teachers room only to be grabbed and dragged into an empty classroom with one wee desk in it (“mountain school II” have more students than “mountain school I” but they still have a lot of empty rooms). on this solitary wee desk is a test paper and a pencil.

20 minutes later…

i’m back in the teachers room, kyotou-sensei (vice-principal of the school) is rabidly marking my test paper, my palms are sweaty. this test is basically for five year olds. i’m a 25 year old with two degrees… the embarrassment would be visible from space if i cocked this up.

100%

i am showered with gifts (in the form of approx. 30 little cakes) and presented with a certificate they made on the computer. my certificate is on the wall in the teachers room, a testament to the fact that when i’ve just been sitting at a desk i’ve been doing something productive.

only friday left in the week, unsure of how it’ll go. i haven’t taught at this school a great deal and it’s weird not to have a feel for the classes or the teachers yet. it’s also frustrating that i’ve been doing my self-introduction lesson after being here for a few months. things will improve once i get into the swing of things, i’m sure of it…

i’ll leave you with some lyrics which have been floating in my head for the past few weeks (temporarily knocked out of my head by the Sound of Music medley today…):

It was the winter of '86, all the fields had frozen over

So we moved to Arizona to save our only son

And now he's turned into a man, though he thinks just like his mother

He believes we're all just lovers, he sees hope in everyone

And even though she moved away, we always get calls from our daughter

She has eyes just like her father's, they are blue when skies are gray

And just like him she never stops, never takes the day for granted

Works for everything that's handed to her, never once complained*

these lyrics make me think of my family. i don’t know why. i get a wee lump in my throat when i listen to the song, a good lump though. missing things and missing people is healthy, i’m enjoying it.

absence makes the heart grow fonder…

*the song is “the gambler” by fun.     listen to it. 

miyazaki city

hey!

yesterday i went to miyazaki city for company training. it was good in it's own way but nothing life shattering.

we went through company policy, again. we were given all the appropriate forms and guidelines, again.

the best part was a sort of diy brainstorm of teaching techniques and games that the other southern kyushu ALTs have used with success in the classroom. it was great to have a (sorta) informal time to see and hear from others who have been doing this a lot longer than i have, who have been in a classroom for more than six weeks. there were four of us who started together at the end of march and another ten who have been here longer so it was a good mix of "old" and "new". was also great to see krish and alex (guys from training) again and find out how they're getting on!

we went out for dinner afterwards which was nice. got a chance to have a chat with a few new people (and a catch-up with an ALT who i met previously). we had burgers. which was amazing. i've not been craving different foods as such but it was amazing to have a completely familiar food in a completely alien environment. the burger was immense. i have fairly low burger expectations to be fair so maybe it wasn't that great? but to me, it was tasty.

today, i've been lazy all morning but i'm off to a party this afternoon (leading in to this evening) which i should go and get ready for. i'm picking up a friend and we're heading through to kobayashi together (kobayashi is the next town over, about 20mins drive from ebino) i'm the designated driver, which is great, so no beer for me! which is a good thing because i'm stone broke.

roll on payday i say!!

more soon, hopefully with photos!

peace.

long time no speak...

hello little blog of mine... 

i'm sorry i haven't been that great at keeping you up to date. i've been busy... 

finally in japan. been here for almost two months now and it's quite weird to think that i live here... i've passed what i thought would be the serious "homesick" period: the time where everything would start to become too much as i realised i'm not here for a holiday. it went fine. don't get me wrong, i seriously miss my family and my friends but i'm here to do something amazing. 

i've made friends, not to replace my old ones. i've got a family set-up, not to replace my actual family. 

life here is slow and warm. it's nice to go to work, have fun (for the most part) and come home feeling you've actually done something rather than nothing. i like my job. i like my new hometown. i really like japan. 

i'm happy. 

now, here's the proof that i've been busy and not just lazing about, avoiding posting a new blog entry. prepare yourself for a visual onslaught... 

 me at the bishamon waterfall.

 the bishamon waterfall

 my local volcano. mt. kirishima (i think?)

 volcanic lake!

 the band.

 i was treated to a sashimi dinner by my japanese family. yum!

 sunset.

 bishamon waterfall again.

 kurason gorge.

my favourite place. the 100yen store.

 mt. sakurajima. an obviously active volcano. =)

 sakurajima again.

 and again.

 torii gate buried by sakurajima's 1914 eruption. the gate was originally 3 meters tall...

 i got closer to the erupting sakurajima. dangerboy!

 largest tree trunk in japan. in aira city, near kagoshima.

 one last look at sakurajima...

 omiyage given to me by the teachers at my favourite school. =)

 my green tea set. makes me happy, so it does.

 tanokansa. the diety of ebino. blesses the rice fields and stuff. =)

 shamisen players greeting the train.

 celebrating 100 years of train travel in ebino.

 mini tanokansa. they're everywhere around town.

 my japanese family's garden. =)

 these chickens gave me eggs. they're in my fridge. the eggs, not the chickens...

 japanese family's house. nice, huh?

 japanese family's garden again.

peruvian latin american music concert at the international centre in ebino. 

see, i told you i was busy. so far i've taken 973 photos. this is just a wee selection of them. hope you like them... 

more soon, when i can get my laptop in a more comfortable place. my charger has been acting up, so i have to do some serious manoeuvring to get the thing to charge. thankfully it's the charger and not the laptop... currently it wants to charge on the floor under my table so i'm leaning under there just now. =D

peace.

A beautiful day.

Yesterday, I spent the day with my Dad.

We went to Comrie, a place where my family used to visit every week (we had a caravan there) and a place that holds a lot of really treasured memories.

I wanted to go there because of those reasons and because, quite simply, it's a really beautiful place.

We walked for miles (approx. 8 of them) and just blethered and spent time together, time which is quickly running out.

It was emotional, yes. But at the same time, it was good. I felt really connected to my Dad. He's my guy. If it wasn't for him, who knows where or what I'd be. He's a good man. A flawed man, absolutely (who isn't?) But he's kind, gentle and always tries to see the good in things.

I feel good knowing he has my back, that he supports me in this whole "lets move a bajillion miles away" thing.

Just a few pictures of the day (apologies for the non-rotated ones...)

The beauty of the hills and the countryside was soothing. Especially as today is my last full day in the UK and things will be hectic.

Off to get ready for lunch with my Dad and my sister. Another emotional roller coaster... Will probably post a last minute blog this evening, just to purge the nerves and the fear and the excitement.

Soon...

Five days to go...

My Visas are done.

Most of my suitcase is packed.

Still have a lot of stuff to do and not a lot of time left.

Good news though...

I was told where I'll be living for the next year which was pretty exciting! I'll be down in southern Kyushu in Miyazaki Prefecture. My city is called Ebino. Very exciting. The city flag is purple. I'm taking this as a good sign.

Obviously, I've done as much research as I can in the last 24 hours and it looks like it's gonna be a pretty awesome place to live. I just hope it lives up to my freshly-forged expectations.

Anyways, just a quick blog today... I have a lot to do and I've got about two hours to do it all... Looking after my two nephews for an hour or so then off out for my "Last Supper" with friends. Expect tears. and maybe some snot too...

Peace Yo!

The cull.

Hello.

I feel very ill today.

I have filled thirteen black bags with rubbish. When I say rubbish, I mean the sentimental things that I've surrounded myself with over the years in an attempt to feel secure.

Things I DON'T NEED.

It really is that simple. The rubbish bags don't actually have any worth. Approximately 90% of the stuff in my bedroom has no worth. They are empty tokens. The don't serve any purpose.

So I'm getting rid.

I have to.

I have thirteen days to go before I leave the country for an indefinite period of time. I need to get on with this.

I still have to secure a visa for China but will do that at the start of next week.

I have my last dental appointment tomorrow which is exciting.

But the most major of the major developments: I got my TB test all done yesterday and I got the results (I think) there and then. Have scanned them and emailed them over to Japan! Huzzah!

That was probably the biggest worry (after getting a training venue and securing my Japanese visa) in this journey, so it is calming to have that taken care of.

I'm going to sign off again for now. Might make it fourteen black bags before the day is out... Who knows?

15 Days To Go...

Hello!

Hope everyone is doing ok? I've been awful at blogging recently but it has been in my thoughts amongst all of the other stuff I'm contending with... And it's the thought that counts, right?

I have fifteen days to go until I up sticks and move to the other side of the world (literally)... I'm getting so excited but am starting to feel the nervous twinges as I go about my daily business... I have my flights booked, my Visa is sorted, I've been eye-tested and new glasses have been ordered!

I've been placed for training in Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu. It's gonna be warm! It'll also be really good. It will. Still don't know exactly where I'll be living but that's ok, it's ok because I'm going and things have a knack of working themselves out. There's still the chance of being placed before I leave but I'm not pinning everything on that. I'll be placed before I go, or when I get there. S'all good!

My flight is a bit of a doozy if I'm honest, I have a 21 hour layover in China which effectively adds an extra day on to my travels. However, it means I have the luxury of sleeping in a real bed, having a hot shower and being refreshed before I hit Japan. It may also help with the jet lag but I'll get back to you on that one! The main benefits are a huge luggage allowance and it was relatively inexpensive compared to other flights so I'm completely on board with it. Just means I have to secure a visa for China at some point this week... Oh well... Just another chapter in the adventure!

I really need to get a move on with packing... I have most of the stuff I want/need to take with me (and probably some stuff I don't need too) so all I have to do is get another suitcase and split the stuff between the two.

And then it's the dreaded room clear out. It's proving to be difficult because my attention span is short right now and it's a tad emotional, packing everything away and throwing a heck of a lot out... It has to be done though so I'm sure I'll find the resolve somewhere.

This post seems to have devolved into a random outpouring of the thoughts that are swirling around in my head right now... Sorry about that. I guess the old saying of "Better out than it" is ringing true right about now!

Anyway, I shall sign off for now. Must do stuff.