Weekend Recap: Japanese Language Lessons & PSL

Cheers to a weekend well spent!

running. walking. tennis shopping. Japanese language lessons. pumpkin spice lattes. new friends.

September 24, 2016

Today was a nice and relaxing day. I woke up in the morning, made eggs & coffee, and Facebook video chatted with my parents. I did my usual tidying up and multiple loads of laundry. In the afternoon I went out for a long walk. I hadn't adventured in a while and had the feeling it was about time. 

I picked up a 7-11 iced coffee and started exploring. Just like every time I go out exploring I saw many new restaurants and shops that I'd love to try. I located many new conbi's and JP Post ATM locations. My eyes felt like they were on over drive and my head was on constant rotation. There was so much to take in. In total, my walk was 6km. 

My goal for next weekend is to run the route instead of walk it. 

When I got back to my apartment I dropped off my stuff and then headed out for a short run.  The run wasn't long because I still wasn't feeling quite 100%.  I ended the day with hand rolled sushi and homemade miso soup.  

September 25, 2016 

Today was a great day! I woke up early in the morning and drank my coffee while watching Gilmore Girls. I am re-watching the series in order to get ready for the release of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. I cannot wait for the premiere!!! 

At 10:00, my Japanese friend S came to pick me up. She was taking me tennis racket shopping. I have decided on the Babalot Pure Drive LITE. I've demoed a few rackets and this has been my favorite by far. It's kind of a bummer to admit, but I'm getting the LITE version because when I tried the Tour version I could feel my tennis elbow flare up. I'm getting old! 

When we got to the sports store S got a call from her tennis coach. He was calling to see if I had bought the racket yet. When she told him I hadn't he said, "Good! I have a coupon to use."  It was the best surprise! The coupon is valid next weekend and will give me 3,000 yen off! I am so happy he called before I made the purchase. Perfect timing!

S explained that she will be able to take me to the shop next weekend and K (her boyfriend) and Mr. A (our tennis coach) will meet us there. It's going to be such a fun outing. I think of them as my tennis family and I'm so happy to have met them all.

Before dropping me back off at my apartment S and I did a little Japanese & English language studying. She is teaching me Japanese and I am teaching her English. It's so great to have someone to practice with. 

In the afternoon I headed to Kurosaki for my first Japanese English Lesson.  I had no trouble finding the venue. I walked into the room and immediately new I was in over my head. The students were all speaking Japanese --- fluently!

I met the instructors and explained to them that I was just here to watch. I tried to tell them that I had almost no Japanese speaking ability and that I could not read hiragana or katagana. They were very nice and completely understanding. They let me observe the class in peace. 

Afterwards, the instructors talked to me and explained there was another class happening across the hall that may be a better fit. They walked me over and got me settled.  I'm calling it divine intervention because I was led exactly where I needed to be. They sat me with an older Japanese lady who acted as my personal tutor. She introduced herself, let's call her Mrs. Sensei, and we immediately dove right in. She showed me how to write my name in hiragana and katagana and also taught me how to pronounce my name in Japanese. Basically, by the time I left the lesson I was able to introduce myself in Japanese.

My name is ...

I'm from ...

I live in ...

I work as ... 

My first language lesson was such a success. The teachers and students were unbelievably kind and welcoming. I am already looking forward to next week. Before leaving the session I bought a workbook to take with me. I have so much to study . . . so, so, so much.

On my way back to the train station I saw a Tully's Coffee Shop. I immediately changed my path and walked in. I was in heaven --- okay, it wasn't Starbucks, but it was the next best thing. The coffee shop was absolutely adorable and I was able to order my first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season. 

Oishii! - delicious

Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte, hot, with roasted pumpkin seeds on top!

While I was sipping and studying, two people from the class sat down next to me. I was so happy to see them! We talked for about an hour --- in English. They were so cool. H is a Japanese university student studying English and J is a Korean graduate student studying IT. We all got to know each other and connected on social media. It was the best!

I finished the rest of my PSL on the train ride back and couldn't stop smiling.

I could feel my homesickness 

. . . 

. . .  fading away. 

Weekly Update: September 19 - 23

As of Friday, September 23rd, I have been in Japan for 101 days. I can't believe it! It doesn't seem like it's been that long. As I think back to my first days living here so much has changed. I've grown as a person and come into my role as an Assistant Language Teacher. My Japanese ability has improved considerably. Even though I still am at a loss for words most of the time, I have a better handle of what is going on around me. I am able to pick up on context clues and simple phrases. I don't feel like a wide eyed doe everywhere I go now. I've joined a Japanese tennis league, bought a bike, and have found a place to take Japanese language lessons. I've taken taxi's, trains, buses, and rides for Japanese friends. I can finally turn down the offer of "to-go" chopsticks at the grocery store, which is great because my pantry was becoming crowded with them. I know where to shop for work clothes and I know what size I am in Japanese clothing. I have invested in glass wine glasses and use the plastic ones for water now. I check my mail regularly and have learned how to reduce my electricity and gas bills. I've come a long way since stepping of the plane, but I still have a long way to go. I'm enjoying my journey through japan more than ever. 

With all that being said, I do have to say that I finally experienced homesickness. I think it's the weather and the change of seasons, whatever the case, I found myself thinking of my old bed; Starbucks PSL's; college football and tailgates; country music; and driving my own car. 

I'm so thankful for FaceTime, Facebook, Skype, Google Hangouts, ... and every other social media platform that keeps me in touch with my friends and family, but nothing compares to seeing them in person.  However, I absolutely love what I am doing and wouldn't trade it for anything else. 

So here's how I spent my week. You've probably noticed that I haven't taken any big adventures lately.  That's because I've been focusing on enjoying my local area. I'm also staying busy with school, work, tennis, running, and language lessons. I'm sure I'll have some big adventures soon, but for now I like staying local. 

September 19, 2106

I had Monday off and was able to relax around the apartment. There was a Typhoon that was heading towards Japan that brought heavy rain and wind. I didn't venture outside because it was really dreary. Instead, I made loads of coffee and ate breakfast food all day. And to be honest, I had to recover from the night before.  

All the rain the typhoon brought messed up my internet connection. I took the opportunity to install the "life stick" my apartment complex sent over about 1 month ago. The "life stick" is like the Google Chrome stick except it's from android. Anyway, in the unsuccessful process of installing the stick (it worked for about 15 minutes --- false happiness) I'm pretty sure I scheduled an appointment for an apartment representative to come to my apartment. I was going through the set up screens trying my best to decipher the Japanese writing when before I knew it I was entering my name, phone number, apartment number, and the day and time I wanted to stop by. So when the day rolls around I'll be very curious to see what actually happens. 

In the evening I ventured over to C's apartment and visited with the other ALT's. The night before O and N had come over to C's to celebrate her birthday. I would've gone but I had the work party to go to. Fortunately, they had stayed the night at C's so I was able to see them for a little bit. We started to watch part of Dear Eleanor, but stopped about half way through because it was just too weird and slow.  

For the rest of the night I tidied up around my apartment and did laundry. I ended my night with Gilmore Girls on Netflix.  

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Happy Birthday C!

Thanks for the donut C!

September 20, 2016

Tuesday was another day off. I didn't sleep in because I wanted to get my day started. I had planned to go for a morning run, but the rain and crazy wind was still lingering from the typhoon. It all worked out though because I was able to Facebook video chat with my best friend from Texas, B! It was so good to see her face and catch up. I haven't talked to her since my move to Japan. 

In the afternoon I went across the road and did some grocery and housewares shopping. I bought the cutest little dishes at the 100 Yen store. Since fall is in the air I've been doing a lot more cooking. I decided that it was time for me to invest in cute dishes. I bought a little Japanese pot for miso soup; two new rice bowl dishes; and a sushi platter. At the grocery store I bought ingredients for miso soup. I decided to start making my own instead of buying the pre-mixed packages. 

I also walked down a few side roads just to explore. I'm glad I did because I found new restaurants and bars I had no idea existed. The picture above is the store front of a yakitori restaurant/street vendor. 

I walked up to 7-11 to get cash from the ATM. On Wendesday I have a work dinner to attend. I like the way parties work in Japan. The idea is each person pays a fixed price and for a certain amount of hours everyone can eat and drink as much as they want. It's really a cool concept. The work dinner party I attended was the same way. 

I went for a short run before dinner. The 10 km race is scheduled for the end of November. That gives me a little less than 2 months to train. I have a few different routes that I run around my neighborhood. Each route includes some type of hill because I have this awful feeling that the race course will have hills. It's just a hunch, but I want to be prepared. And I couldn't help but show off my new "catch all" dish. It was only 100 yen! Kawaii! 

For dinner:

salmon nigiri, roe sushi, uni sushi, sushi rice with nori, yellow pickled radish, & sliced ginger

For dessert:

old fashioned chocolate dipped donut 

September 21, 2016 

Happy Sports Day! I had been looking forward to this day for weeks! After hours of practicing and preparation I finally was able to experience the actual event. It exceeded my expectations. I had the best time cheering the students on. I was so impressed! 

Breakfast: coffee, matcha granola w/ yogurt, plain donut, & banana slices

After Sports Day was over I headed back to my apartment to change into my dinner clothes. The company was hosting a dinner in Kokura that I had RSVP'd to. I was excited to go since I hadn't been to Kokura in a while. I grabbed a train and was walking into the restaurant before I knew it. The dinner was great. We had a private room upstairs and had a variety of yakitori and a constant supply of drinks. It's always fun to catch up with other ALT's.

The night ended with karaoke . . . 

September 22, 2016 

Autumn Equinox - National Holiday in Japan, No School

Lots and lots of green tea . . . 

desperately trying to re-balance.

September 23, 2016 

Today was a normal day at school. I worked in a couple of classes and then it was "Hello, Weekend!". In the morning I woke up feeling a little under the weather. I stopped at 7-11 and for a regular iced coffee hoping that would give me the pick me up I needed. It definitely helped because I had a great day at school.

[Insert story of the English Crew]

I decided not to attend the tennis group because I thought it was better to take time to rest. I was in bed by 8:00 pm! 

I'm glad I was able to give my body time to rest and re-balance. 

It was an interesting week to say the least. Having days off during the week was nice, but it really threw off my routine. I'm looking forward to this upcoming week at school and being back on a normal schedule. 

For the weekend I have a few things planned:

- 5 k run

- my first Japanese Language Lesson

- tennis racket shopping

- PURITA charcoal face mask

Weekend Recap: Cancelled Sports Day & Best Time So Far

This weekend was a little different than most because I worked on Saturday and Sunday due to Sports Day events.  But because I love my job so much it felt like the weekend anyway. 

On Saturday I attended JHS #2's Sports Day practice. This was their last opportunity to work out any of the fine details for the official event scheduled for Sunday. Getting to school in the morning was a little challenging. I walked out of my apartment like I do any other day and then realized It's Saturday. Does my normal bus even run on the weekend? 

I walked up to the bus stop's schedule and realized I had no idea which timetable applied to buses running on the weekends. Through process of elimination and a lot of context clues I came to the belief that my normal bus did in fact run on Saturday and at the same time.

When my bus pulled up I was so relieved. My back up plan had been to hail a taxi and pay well more than my usual bus fare to ensure I made it to school on time.

[Insert here --- stories of Sports Day practice and how much fun I had participating.]

When I got back to my apartment after school I found myself completely exhausted and a little sun burnt. If I was exhausted from just standing outside I couldn't even imagine how the students felt. I took a 2 hour nap and slept like a baby. When I woke up I went to buy some groceries and more supplies for another fan. I cooked, crafted, showered, and hit the sack. 

SPORTS DAY had finally arrived! I woke up and my excitement quickly died when I looked out the window. It was pouring rain. I had a feeling that Sports Day was cancelled but I still packed my bag and headed to school. Through a series of unfortunate choices - not wearing rain boots and choosing the wrong bus - I ended up taking a taxi to JHS #1. Taxi's in Japan are so nice. They're so clean and quick. I was at school in no time. 

Even though the Sports Day event was cancelled the students still had a regular day of classes and the party scheduled for later that evening was still happening. 

After school I went home, changed, and headed to the bus stop where everyone was meeting.

*** [Insert here --- the story of the best time I've had in Japan so far.] ***

WORD OF THE NIGHT

Weekly Update: September 12 - 16

September 12th - 14th
MON. TUES. WED. at JHS #2

With Sports Day scheduled for the weekend my school week schedule was altered. On Monday and Tuesday I had classes to work in, and on Wednesday the whole day was dedicated to Sports Day Rehearsal. It's really fun to experience this aspect of Japanese culture. The video I linked in the post, Day Off , shows you what a typical Sports Day event is like. It's more intense than the American Field Day's I remember attending as a junior high school student.

I spent my hours after school by running, cooking, and watching Gilmore Girls on Netflix. 

Thursday, September 15, 2016 

New Bike

I had the day off due to my schedule being adjusted for Sports Day events at school. I got a lot of things done and had a nice time relaxing.  

I made my first BIG purchase, too. I finally invested in a bike. I think I've done a pretty good job of exploring the area around me by foot. I have a decent sense of direction and I can find my way around. I'm finally ready for more mobility. I bought this bike for two reasons. 

1) To reduce the amount of time it takes me to get from point A to point B.
2) To be able to attend tennis league on Friday's. 

Purchasing this bike was an experience. It was a task to say the least. Through my walks around my neighborhood I knew I had two options when it came to buying this bike. I could walk to the second hand store, Book Off, where I bought my golf clubs and buy a used bike; or I could buy a new bike from the bike shop just down the street. Through my research online I found out that buying a bicycle in Japan requires a little bit of paperwork. I'm glad I found this out before hand. At least I knew what I was coming into.  In Japan bikes must be registered, just like cars. Buying a brand new bike like I did allowed me to pay for the registration at the time of purchase (an additional 500 yen). It was a lot easier than purchasing a used bike and doing a registration transfer. Everything I read online about buying a used bike required me taking a trip to my city ward office to register myself as the new owner of the bike. 

I decided that because of my limited Japanese language ability and the fact that I didn't know exactly where the ward office was, I'd be better off buying the bike new. The student from school that had recommended bikes for me to consider, also gave me a great piece of information. He said that in September many bike stores have sales because they are trying to get rid of the old models to make room for the new ones. He was totally right! The bike I purchased was on sale and I paid less than I was anticipating. I probably still paid more than other people would have paid, but due to: my lack of Japanese ability; the fact that I was by myself; and that tennis league was tomorrow, I'm happy with my purchase. I also am extremely grateful for Google Translator and my iPhone camera. 

Purchasing the bike went like this:

1. Browse the store.
2. Decide between the shiny black bike & the matte black bike.
3. Decided on the shiny black bike because it was in my price range. Took a picture of the price tag and the bike.
4. Walked up to the counter.
5. "Konichiwa!" -- I startled the sales representative. "Gomen'nasai. Watashi wa nihongo ga hanasemasen." I then showed him a picture of the bike I wanted to buy. "Kau, onegaishimasu."
6. He nodded and retrieved his calculator. With tax included he showed me the price.
7. I nodded, "Hai. Onegaishimasu."
8. He went to retrieve the bike. He laid out paperwork in front of me.  
9. I filled out my name, address, and telephone number. 
10. He asked me a question and then pulled out his Google Translator. 
11. I nodded, and agreed to pay for the registration. "Hai! Onegaishimasu." 
12. The other sales representative finished wiping down and doing a safety check over my bike.
13. They motioned to the door and wheeled my bike outside.
14. I said, "Sugoi! Domo arigatogozaimashita!", and was on my way.

I am now the proud owner of a bicycle. I cannot remember the last time I owned my own bike. It's liberating and unbelievably scary. I was just getting to the point where I felt comfortable navigating my way by foot. Now, I have two wheels and am much more aware of how many people are around. 

Ki o tsukete - watch out!

Friday, September 16, 2016 

 School Day at JHS #2

On Friday I had a normal day at school. I worked in a few classes and helped some kids practice their speech for the upcoming citywide speech contest. When I got home from work I did a little grocery shopping and then started making my "bento" for tomorrow's school day. I finally learned how to make sushi rice and construct my own onigiri. I also crafted a fan that I could use to cheer for the teams during their sports day practice.  In the evening I rode my bike to tennis league and had a great night hitting with everyone. I was able to use the coach's racket again and killed it! It felt so good to drive shots and hit with top spin. I had the best time! I also practiced my Japanese ...

Ball ikimasu - ball coming.

Day Off: Missing School Lunch & Preparing for Sports Day

Today is a special day. I have the day off from school. Due to the Sports Day that is happening later this week my normal schedule has been adjusted.   I woke up early this morning and made my coffee and breakfast: one egg, salmon, rice, and NesCafe Gold Coffee with milk.  It was really nice to take my time eating this morning instead of rushing like I normally do.  I listened to the NBC Nightly News podcast and Facebook Video Messaged with my Mom who was getting ready to attend an event ---  the Pre-Opening Party of Restoration Hardware! It's one of my favorite stores. I'm insanely jelous that she's previewing their new concept store in Austin, TX!  I also started laundry and cleaned the floors. 

What a productive morning! Here's what else I have planned:

• grocery shopping - rice, fish, milk, coffee, bread, vegetables, eggs, ... 
• bike shopping - I'm looking to increase my mobility around the city. It's finally time to invest in a bike.  * Bragging moment -- One of my students gave me a spreadsheet of bike information. They included different models, price points, and functionality. It was one of the most helpful things anyone has ever given me!
• 20 minute run

Since I don't have school today I'm missing out on "school lunch". School lunch is one of my favorite parts of Japanese culture. They take great pride and care in preparing their meals. A lot of foreigners stay far away from Japanese school lunch. Between the smell, the unfamiliar vegetables, the strict procedure, and the re-occurrence of a a "whole" fish appearing on the plate -- eyes, scales, tail, and all; they find it best to politely pass.  Maybe it's because I'm a 1/4 Filipino and lived in Okinawa, Japan as a child, whatever the reason is, I love Japanese food. 

I found this video on YouTube from CafCu Media that documents everyday Japanese school lunch. For those of you that are curious to see what it's like, this is an accurate representation. The only difference between this video and what I see every day is this was filmed in an elementary school and I work in two junior high schools. Other than that, it's the same. 

Take a look . . . 

Sports Day in Japan is a huge deal. In true Japanese fashion it is executed perfectly. This is due to the months of planning; weeks of practice; and the pride they have in doing only their best. The American equivalent of this would be Field Da.  The Texas equivalent would be the rivalry Friday Night Football Game! Even that doesn't compare, though. Japanese Sports Day has an air of militaristic discipline that I have never seen before. It has been unbelievably exciting to participate in my schools Sports Day preparations.  The YouTube video from garyman808 shows what a traditional Sports Day event looks like. This is not my school, but the video is an accurate depiction of what I have been seeing. 

Take a look . . . 

Weekend Recap: Tennis Racket Demo

Saturday, September 10, 2016 - 

I had a nice and relaxing weekend. I stayed local and took time to catch up on sleep, NETFLIX, and some house chores.  On Saturday I walked to UNIQLO and did a little bit of "work" clothes shopping. I bought two black bottoms and two black tops --- black is still my favorite color to wear.

Shopping at UNIQLO is one of my favorite things to do. Their store is literally the best. The prices are reasonable and everything is color coordinated. I spent two hours browsing and dreaming about all the outfit combinations I could make. I settled on the 4 black pieces because they were the most practical and versatile for the time being. I have my "wish list" that I'm holding onto --- wool coats, blanket scarves, puffy down vests, black jeans, and joggers in every color. Also, UNIQLO sponsors Kei Nishikori, Novak Djokovic, and Adam Scott which is a pretty cool lineup. 

Walking to UNIQLO - walked an extra mile because I took a wrong turn.

Sunday, September 11, 2016 - 

I slept in on Sunday morning and then went out to run a few errands. I bought some housewares at the 100 yen store and groceries at SunLive. This week I'll be cooking a lot of rice, eggs, and vegetables. 

In the evening I was picked up by my new Japanese friends. They took me to a sports store where I picked out a tennis racket to demo. I chose the Babolat Pure Drive Tour edition. I hit really well with it. We played doubles at a sports complex not too far from my apartment. I had a blast playing with them. We played three full sets! I'm already looking forward to our league practice on Friday. 

I'm probably going to end up buying the Babolat racket. I really enjoyed hitting with it. I also am going to look into getting new court shoes. The tennis shoes I have are for hard court only. I found out that the shoes everyone else wear have grips to them that make them usable for hard court and clay courts. Since most of the Japanese courts are a mix of grass and sand the grips help keep them from sliding. My hard court shoes have me slipping and sliding all over the place. 

I can't wait to do all of this tennis equipment shopping!

- - -

I don't have too much planned for this upcoming week:

- bike shopping

- tennis racket & clay court shoe shopping

- a day off of work

- 10 K training

The forecast shows rain for the whole week ... I'm optimistic and see hot cocoa, candles, and rom-coms in my future. 

Hope everyone has a great week!

Xoxo,

M