Best compliment EVER!

Last night was the good-bye party for my teachers who are moving schools in April. I found a way that I wouldn't have to drink (I had kendo... no one bothered me about drinking when I said I was going to kendo!!) and so I did my rounds to all the leaving teachers and headed out the door.

Before I ran away though, I was given the best compliment EVER!
I was talking to Suzuki-sensei. He's been here since I came to Japan. He's taken care of me and made sure that I've known what's going on with everything in the staff room and all that. Really great guy. This past year I did a team-teaching demonstration class that went really well. Anyway, as I was getting ready to leave the party he says to me, "I've taught with many ALTs over the years. But you have been the best." I was so shocked. That's the nicest compliment that I've ever been given. I almost started crying right then and there!! But I didn't... and I ran off and had a great night at kendo.

I'll always remember that compliment... thank you Suzuki-sensei!

When you have to say goodbye...

Now for another round of goodbyes...

This time it's to teachers. And in my case it's to two teachers who really mean a lot to me and have been really important to me in the last few years. See... Japan has an antiquated system of moving teachers every few years... without warning most of the time. So, this time two teachers have fallen victim to the system. One teacher I knew about (Suzuki sensei, his son is coming to junior high and doesn't want his dad around) and the other came as a complete shock (Musaka-sensei has only been here a year!). Needless to say this is added stress to me and I'd rather NOT have this... but there you go, I'm being selfish again! Oh, well... even the best of us are selfish sometimes.

In other goings on...

The Spring holidays have been going well.　But for the obvious missing ingredient... SPRING!!! We had snow last Friday... so it's not really an exaggeration about spring being a bit delayed.

We had a nice Easter the other day... with baskets and everything. Church, lunch and everything else. Even had a massive J-drama session... ended up running out of my house at 10 to locate the last installment of said drama. After two stops and about an hour of looking, we found our drama!! Yup, we're silly girls. ;-)

Hope all's well. Talk soon!

Hahaha...

Now, for the past week or so... I've been a bit sad about my kids graduating. I snapped out of it a bit on Friday (had a really great I LOVE JAPAN night!), but managed to get back in the funk... well... I think it's over! I had a reassuring experience with some students today...

My house runs along a main road (you'd laugh if you saw the road!) that my kids use when they're going to school. So, it was sunny outside and I hung my head out the window. I was saying hello to a few of my kids... when some 2nensei boys rounded the corner and yelled hello.

Well, I figured that was an invitation to go have a chat... I got my shoes on and walked over to where they were. It was hilarious... they both thought I was an absolute NUTTER because I was in shorts and a t-shirt (had just returned from running)... and they'd just finished with their practice. So, I'm sitting there asking them how they've been when I realize one of the boys has bobby pins in his hair. Yep... I checked a second time... they were bobby pins alright.

So, I took a step closer, pointed and said "doshta no?" which basically means, "what's up with that?" He never did answer... but I had his friend in stitches... he knew, like I did, boys don't wear bobby pins!! Haha...

Then they were off to do MORE training... but that little exchange has given me a bit of faith that the new 3nensei may be cool afterall. :-) Yay for that!

BTW can anyone think of a reason boys would wear bobby pins??

This is my fave pic of the week! Makes me happy... and helps me try to forget that my fave kids are all gone. :-( This is Kohei... again. Look how great he is!  

OUCH!!!

Today I did something very silly... I went skiing without sunscreen. Now this may seem like a harmless activity... but it wasn't. The sun was insanely bright and I didn't have any cover on my face (mom would be yelling at me right now if I were home). SO... I have the worst non-summer snow/sunburn that I've ever had. My EYELIDS are even burnt. Yuck!! I look a sight. I'd take a pic, but then I'd scare everyone. Blah! Am hoping I look a TINY bit better in the morning. Wish me luck!

Anyone have any aloe?? They don't sell it here in spring.

Unexpected

I experienced an unexpected emotional response just now...

I walked over to the 3rd year classrooms where the 2nd years were finishing up the clean-up process before the end of the year (officially today!). All of a sudden I was hit by the sadness of it... even though I know the kids are really all graduated and gone... I half expected to see them goofing around their classrooms again. Yes, it might be weird... but it was really empty and sad going near those classrooms again. Until the classrooms get a massive makeover at the beginning of next term they're going to be a sad reminder of my kids who are gone.

At least I'm on vacation from today.

Too cool for school!! Shohei (left) and Toshinari... Toshinari's going to be an absolute STUNNER when he grows up!  

Here's Mami... she's taught me kendo... she's always genki... and always up for English!! I need more students like her! 

Shuya... what a sweetie!! The only one of my boys to willin take a picture with me. He's such a great kid. 

This is my Kohei... I LOVE this kid! He's going to the Olympics someday... just you watch. ;-)  

Graduation...

Well, my babies graduated... and I only used 2 tissues! (They were quite wet...)

I got up early, got my hair in order and headed to Nami's where her expert mum dressed me in kimono! I love wearing kimono. It makes me feel realy special... kind of like dressing up when I was a kid.

When I got to school... most everyone was arriving... the lady homeroom teachers (bar one...??) were in kimono as well. One had the most amazing dark torquoise kimono on! Wow! I've never seen a kimono that color really amazing.

The ceremony went off without a hitch and I got pictures of all my favourite kids!! (I had to chase one down!!!) But the most exciting (in a bad way) event of the day was an almost fight between one of my graduates and a 2nd year student. I have no idea what happened... but all of a sudden Shuya (who I love!!) had a kid by the collar. It was crazy... I never did get what was wrong... but I did get a picture with him. He's one of the only kids that doesn't mind having his pic taken.

Anyway... will post pics later... going to go drink with the parents now!

Chagrine to admit...

So, back in my Truman runnings days... I hated it when we got honked or whistled at. "How degrading?" was always my comment...

Fastforward to my life in Japan... the life in which men never look at me twice.

So... I was running today. And ended up finding myself running alongside a construction site. And what do I hear, a little beeping sound... didn't notice at first, and certainly didn't think it was directed at me. But I turned my head, and sure enough there were a few construction worker types looking in my direction... one eventually waved and yelled "hi!"

I don't think I can express the delight of being honked at! I grinned the entire way home. Oh man!! I was a big "YOSH" moment... And lots of giddiness to follow. Yeah... so there's the highlight of my day... who'd a thunk it??

The Weekend...

For once, I stuck by my goal of getting some sleep this weekend!! YAY! I only had one late night and 2 early-ish ones. How's that for good?? :-) This statement will probably go in the "you know you're getting older..." category, but man... I really enjoyed not really having any big plans. Just kind of going with the flow. It was really nice... yeah, now I'm officially old.

In FANTASTIC news... the Nanooks (my home hockey team...) swept Bowling Green this weekend (both games 6-3!) and are headed to the Super Six in Detroit!! Yay... at least there'll be some hockey in the Joe this year. :-D Gotta love that it's my 'Nooks too!!

Other weekend goings on... Friday: Lauren and I did a girlie movie night in... perfect!! Saturday: went to lunch with my friend Nami, went to my Japanese lesson, had sushi (yummy!! just simple kaiten though...), went and bought a new keikogi (really nice one for during warmer weather), and rented some Japanese dramas to help with my listening comprehension. Easy-peasy...

All in all... nice and relaxing!

Great KENDO!!

So, I've been a bit apprehensive about kendo in Amarume lately... mostly because I've just been sick of the students. (Not something I say very often...) But last night, I remembered why I LOVE kendo!

I got to kendo, got changed and put on my bogu. My buddy Mayuko showed up (YAY!!) and then Shinko-sensei and her daughter, Mami also walked in. I haven't been able to work with Shinko-sensei in ages, so that was great! Also, Kazuki... who is legendary in Amarume... was there. He makes me nervous... because he's so good and I'm crap. Plus, he's really gorgeous! (eeek...)

So, I got warmed up... was feeling, if not quite perfectly on, pretty good. Got to go through the works with Mayuko (tired), then Shinko-sensei (very tired)... then I was sitting there trying to decide who to go up against next, when Kazuki walked over and motioned to follow him. EEEEEK!!

Aside, now Kazuki is about 6'1". I haven't practiced with anyone that tall before... that made me nervous... and then, just the fact that it was him made me nervous.

So... I did men-uchi (smacked him on the middle of his head) once... he gave me a bit of advice (found a way that actually strengthens my left hand-hold on my shinai)... then I had another go. And another... and then he gave me the most useful advice yet... he said, "when you hit men-uchi you want to pretend like you're splitting my head in half, cutting it from the top to the chin..." And that illustration just made things click. I had an ah-ha moment!! Yay!!

So... what next?? Lots and lots and lots of practice!!! Because I finally have some things sorted in my head! Yay.

Sorry if this is awfully boring... but you know what? Last night was great... totally exciting and exhilirating!! Lately I've had a bit of apathy toward my kendo practice... but last night just made it all new and exciting again. :-)

Good Morning, Miss Price...

Yes, I've been watching too much Mansfield Park as of late...

I was just thinking of ways to try to fill my time... I have 3 classes today, but not until later. I have to plan one of those classes... and am really leaning toward doing the Hokey-Pokey. How could that go wrong?? :-)

But despite the weather... and despite the fact I'm tired... I'm starting to perk up! I get to teach a bit today!! Wheee!! I have Spring Vacation stuff to plan... I have kendo to go to tonight! How could it go wrong?? It couldn't!!

Wow! I've not been this optimistic in a really long time. Now, the key is to keep this optimistic as I wait for my life to fall into place. Here's to having a go at that... :-) Yes, my friends... the glass is once again half FULL!!

One of these days...

I'm going to get some sleep!! I promise. I keep saying this... and yet somehow every weekend I end up having at least one late night... and then my sleeping schedule is all screwed up still!! If all else fails, I can catch up when we go on holiday from school in a few weeks. Let's just hope I can make it that long. :-)

The weekend was great... watched some good TV, went ice skating, did a bit of karaoke... was stupid enough to see a scary movie against my better judgement! In no way will I ever be a scary movie fan. Nope, I've just decided that. It's just kind of one of those things that I can live without. Yep.

Yesterday I ran in shorts for the first time since I was in New Zealand (during summer remember...). It was great! I even got a bit of sun on my face too!! :-) Wahoo... bring on the sakura!! I'm ready for the snowiness to go away... I mean it this time.

This week's going to be excruciating!! Tomorrow won't be too bad, but Wed and Thurs I have one class each day, first period, and then I get to sit the rest of the day... I will go insane!! I'm predicting that right now... either that or I'll be climbing the walls. Either prospect isn't really that great... wish me (and my sanity) luck!! ;-)

When?

For weeks people have been saying that spring is right around the corner... but I'd like to know how far away that corner is!? I've already spent a fortune on kerosene this year (prices went up yet again!) and there's still snow falling from the sky! How can this be?? I want it to be over...

Today's been a great day... though I'm going to cry... next week, when I was supposed to have classes with my third years, I don't get to have any because they have to prepare for the high school tests. Grrrrrrrr... bloody let the kids get an education if they want one and stop putting so much pressure on them. At least that's what I say!! Not like anyone listens to what I say though...

I'll be happy when the day's over... I'm tired of being at my desk with nothing to do. It's almost as tiring as DOING something. Ha! Sounds like I have the life?? Wrong... there's something particularly aggravating about being hired to do a job and then not being fully utilized in doing it. The life of luxury it's not.

Anyway... there's my thoughts for the day! I took some really great pics of my elementary kids. And since I love them SO much... I'm going to have to post them later on. :-)

An introduction in Ketchup, Mayonnaise and Wasabi!!

ARGH!!!

About 2 weeks ago I asked my Mum a favor. I asked her if she could get me some posters for the Advanced English classroom. I sent her an email list and also talked to her on the phone about it... she said she'd be willing to help me. I asked for posters of movie stars, sports stars, music groups, maybe some hockey posters from UAF, and maybe a picture of the northern lights. I was really excited... this is going to be SO cool... so I thought.

Fast-forward to yesterday.

The posters had come in. I went after school to pick them up. Ran home to open the package... finally got it open... and out slid 3 posters. (I wanted somewhere around 9-10 posters.) Two posters of grizzly bears and one of the northern lights. That's it. The last thing I asked for... I got. And that was all.

Now, I'm not sure what to do. Take the really crap posters (they're pretty, but at 14 who wants to look at posters of bears??) for what I need. I'm at a complete loss...

Anyway... I suppose this teaches me... never expect that parents listen when you talk to them. Because likely as not... they're busy doing something else at the same time and are ignoring what you're saying. And they're just nodding and saying "uh huh, uh huh" over and over again.

You know it's cold when...

Yesterday afternoon I realized it was cold when I had my heaters on for over an hour and the temperature had not budged from it's 10 degree (C) mark... and the only way I could keep warm was by turning my electric blanket on and crawling into bed. At which point I fell asleep... only to be awakened by the fact that my nose was about to detach from my face because it was frozen!! ;-) Or something like that...

This morning wasn't much better... but we have high hopes for some warmth today. Unfortunately it seems as though mother nature has no intention of throwing any warm weather our way in the near future (read: in the next 5 minutes). My only hope?? Lots of tea and lots of sitting under my kotatsu.

Stay warm out there folks.... :^)

To Lauren... our favorite person was walking slowly past me as I wrote this blog... I'm sure the next thing I get reprimanded for is misuse of the computer!! Just watch...