She was chasing him with snowballs in hand. I didn't see how it ended...
Everyone wants to pose for Katie-sensei! These are second and third graders I think.
They wanted to show off their handiwork.
A snowman in the works...
Thursday, November 22, 2007
I'm dreaming of a white... Thanksgiving?
I spent this very windy/snowy/blizzardy day teaching about Thanksgiving at Kado Elementary School (the one closest to my home, so the kids in my neighborhood go there, too). Today was curry and rice day for lunch, which is my absolute FAVORITE so I think it was a good Thanksgiving meal. During lunchtime recess, all the kids got bundled up to go outside and play in the snow! I didn't have the right gloves or a hat, but I couldn't resist and I went out to play, too (with my camera!).
Everyone wants to pose for Katie-sensei! These are second and third graders I think.
They wanted to show off their handiwork.
A snowman in the works...
Everyone wants to pose for Katie-sensei! These are second and third graders I think.
They wanted to show off their handiwork.
A snowman in the works...
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Eikaiwa: Round Two!
I just had my second English conversation class, and I totally rocked it! We reviewed days of the week, names of the months, "how's the weather?", useful English expressions (from "How's it going?" to "good luck!"), and three different "running into a friend on the street" scenarios. Kind of a lot for one class, and we didn't get to practice the scenarios by making skits due to time, but that's okay - it can be review next class! It went 300X better than last class (by the way, the grumpy grandma didn't come back - which is okay by me!), and everyone had a good attitude, learned, and seemed to be enjoying it. I think the level was right on. There were three students that found it kind of difficult, but they worked together and everyone helped each other out, so it was okay. Also, I demonstrated three dialogs by myself, which was pretty entertaining. For two scenarios, I played two characters, and for the third I played three! haha it was tiring, but successful, and not only were they able to understand, but they were also amused and appreciated my obvious efforts.
Tonight, I had a good attitude, a good lesson, an attentive class, and I was a good teacher. So, I am happy.
In fact, I'm in such a good mood, I'll put forth the effort to upload some pictures! Enjoy!
Okay, so this was 11/4, I went to a Kiritampo Party in the woods! Kiritampo is an Akita specialty food. It's cooked rice that's mashed together and boiled in miso broth (so like rice balls), and in this case it was in a kind of winter stew.
I like to party with 70 year olds! :) This is my friend Steph's English Conversation class.
We actually ate outside in the woods. It was awesome!
This is what happens when ALTs want to play badminton but don't have enough rackets (notice Steph in green with a cutting board, and Caito in black with a brownie pan!
Why were we in the woods? One of the ladies in the class makes wood crafts so we were lunching outside her studio. These are the crafts she makes - They're so American! I wanted to buy them!
My JET friends Paula and Phil had a joint birthday party (11/10) at a Japanese restaurant in the city. Maggie was there!
Amelie (from Quebec) and I wore matching shirts!
And, of course Christy was there, too!
Jumping ahead to this past weekend, I hung out with Marie (the friend with whom I went bowling and to play random sports). We went shopping at the mall and to watch a sappy Japanese love story at the movie theater. Good fun! And we took purikura:
The next day (11/18), I hung out with Maggie and three Japanese guys we met at the JET Halloween party. We went bowling then out for Chinese food. Good times! So that's Tetsu, Koike, and Yuta.
After two games, we were bowled out, and I was happy because I wasn't the one with the lowest score (*cough Maggie cough cough*)
hahaha when the guys saw these costumes to try on, Koike jumped at the chance. He's quite the character - and not just when dressed as a bowling pin.
Of course, we had to make time before dinner for some purikura!
Tonight, I had a good attitude, a good lesson, an attentive class, and I was a good teacher. So, I am happy.
In fact, I'm in such a good mood, I'll put forth the effort to upload some pictures! Enjoy!
Okay, so this was 11/4, I went to a Kiritampo Party in the woods! Kiritampo is an Akita specialty food. It's cooked rice that's mashed together and boiled in miso broth (so like rice balls), and in this case it was in a kind of winter stew.
I like to party with 70 year olds! :) This is my friend Steph's English Conversation class.
We actually ate outside in the woods. It was awesome!
This is what happens when ALTs want to play badminton but don't have enough rackets (notice Steph in green with a cutting board, and Caito in black with a brownie pan!
Why were we in the woods? One of the ladies in the class makes wood crafts so we were lunching outside her studio. These are the crafts she makes - They're so American! I wanted to buy them!
My JET friends Paula and Phil had a joint birthday party (11/10) at a Japanese restaurant in the city. Maggie was there!
Amelie (from Quebec) and I wore matching shirts!
And, of course Christy was there, too!
Jumping ahead to this past weekend, I hung out with Marie (the friend with whom I went bowling and to play random sports). We went shopping at the mall and to watch a sappy Japanese love story at the movie theater. Good fun! And we took purikura:
The next day (11/18), I hung out with Maggie and three Japanese guys we met at the JET Halloween party. We went bowling then out for Chinese food. Good times! So that's Tetsu, Koike, and Yuta.
After two games, we were bowled out, and I was happy because I wasn't the one with the lowest score (*cough Maggie cough cough*)
hahaha when the guys saw these costumes to try on, Koike jumped at the chance. He's quite the character - and not just when dressed as a bowling pin.
Of course, we had to make time before dinner for some purikura!
*The End!*
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Akita in the news again
Check out this article from the New York Times!
Snowbound in Japan
And, as it happens, snow season has begun - with a HUGE storm yesterday/last night.
I'm going to get my tires changed today. Driving in the snow/ice is kind of scary. Think good thoughts for me!
Snowbound in Japan
And, as it happens, snow season has begun - with a HUGE storm yesterday/last night.
I'm going to get my tires changed today. Driving in the snow/ice is kind of scary. Think good thoughts for me!
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Updates!
1. In case you did hear/see/read elsewhere, I will be coming home for Christmas. I'll be in CA 12/15-12/27. I'm going to spend a couple of days in Berkeley when I fly in, and then head up to Chico. :) Hope to see you!
2. I have a new hobby ~ jump-roping!! I decided a winter exercise activity, so I went out and bought a jump rope. I'm going to make some cool jump-roping playlists and try to do some everyday. Let me know if you have song recommendations!
2. I have a new hobby ~ jump-roping!! I decided a winter exercise activity, so I went out and bought a jump rope. I'm going to make some cool jump-roping playlists and try to do some everyday. Let me know if you have song recommendations!
Thursday, November 8, 2007
I love karate!
No matter how tired/frustrated/sad/yucky/lazy/grumpy I am when I get in the car to go, the ride home is ALWAYS full of singing along to the ipod and clapping and smiling.
I had my first eikaiwa (English Conversation Class) this Tuesday, and I don't think it went very well. I wasn't in a very good mood going into it, so I think I made the class too hard - or at least some people were complaining it was too hard afterwards. There's students of really low (no) English ability, and then there are some that are pretty good, and age 20 to age 72. I knew what we were doing was difficult, but I had them working in groups and everyone was trying (and succeeding!). That is, except for this one old grandma lady. She just sat there shaking her head complaining it was too hard and not even trying, even when I tried to help her. And at the end of the class she started people complaining. So yeah, that basically sucked. It's frustrating because some people want to do REALLY basic stuff like greetings and names of the months and stuff, and then most of the class (10 of 15) is way beyond that. I'm afraid if I only do really easy stuff, the higher level students will quit, and I don't want that. Honestly, they're the ones who will benefit the most from an eikaiwa (as opposed to 72 year old grandma who I doubt will ever actually use the things from my class). But, I do have to teach to the whole class. The other part that's kind of annoying is that the Board of Education is watching me like a hawk, and keep trying to interfere (granted in the name of being "helpful"), so my autonomy is kind of limited. I want this class to be something I'm in charge of. The rest of my ALT job I'm just that, and ASSISTANT, so I want this to be something I do on my own. Call me stubborn, but I don't really like/want someone from the BOE telling me what to teach and how to run my class.
Anyway, overall, I left the class feeling pretty bad about it (a bit of a flop), and it's kinda put a downer on my week (even though I started teaching about Thanksgiving today which is totally fun!). But then, tonight I went to karate, and now I feel like everything's okay.
For one, I'm becoming even friendlier with the blackbelts there and I really like them. For two, they saw me practicing some weapons kata (empty-handed) and asked me about it, so I got to tell them all about how I do weapons, too. And then my favorite old man teacher whipped out a pair of nunchaku and let me borrow them!! I only did one kata (nunchaku dai ni), but by the time I was halfway through, the WHOLE room (class and parents) had stopped what they were doing and were in total silence watching me. haha it was a little scary, but mostly funny. I guess they were impressed? They clapped and everything. So yeah, after that I got to tell them about what weapons I know how to use and they asked if I had them here. Unfortunately, I don't, but I said I'm going to bring them back when I come back from Christmas, and they want me to teach them!! I think that's so cool! I'd LOVE to teach weapons - especially to these guys. I'm actually thinking I'll get myself a bo (aka go buy a 6ft dowel at the hardware store), and I know I can buy kama at the 100 Yen store (yes, they sell those scary bladed weapons for less than a dollar each - to cut your grass!).
After class, we were talking more, and I found out two of the teachers are also ski instructors!! They said they'll take me out and teach me! haha I'm excited! They're all just so nice. It's a sort of dojo family. I like it.
Oh, and to top it all off, Itoko (the blackbelt lady who ALWAYS helps me) had come to my eikaiwa, and told me as we were walking to our cars that she really loved the class! And she's looking forward to next time! She said it was kind of hard, but she liked the challenge and I thought I did a good job. Now being in Japan, you never know if that's politeness of genuineness, but she's a pretty genuine person and she seemed like she really meant it. And even if she didn't, it made me feel better.
In conclusion:
Next eikaiwa I will have a better attitude and it will be great.
Weapons are ALWAYS fun.
I'm going to learn to ski from two old men!
I had my first eikaiwa (English Conversation Class) this Tuesday, and I don't think it went very well. I wasn't in a very good mood going into it, so I think I made the class too hard - or at least some people were complaining it was too hard afterwards. There's students of really low (no) English ability, and then there are some that are pretty good, and age 20 to age 72. I knew what we were doing was difficult, but I had them working in groups and everyone was trying (and succeeding!). That is, except for this one old grandma lady. She just sat there shaking her head complaining it was too hard and not even trying, even when I tried to help her. And at the end of the class she started people complaining. So yeah, that basically sucked. It's frustrating because some people want to do REALLY basic stuff like greetings and names of the months and stuff, and then most of the class (10 of 15) is way beyond that. I'm afraid if I only do really easy stuff, the higher level students will quit, and I don't want that. Honestly, they're the ones who will benefit the most from an eikaiwa (as opposed to 72 year old grandma who I doubt will ever actually use the things from my class). But, I do have to teach to the whole class. The other part that's kind of annoying is that the Board of Education is watching me like a hawk, and keep trying to interfere (granted in the name of being "helpful"), so my autonomy is kind of limited. I want this class to be something I'm in charge of. The rest of my ALT job I'm just that, and ASSISTANT, so I want this to be something I do on my own. Call me stubborn, but I don't really like/want someone from the BOE telling me what to teach and how to run my class.
Anyway, overall, I left the class feeling pretty bad about it (a bit of a flop), and it's kinda put a downer on my week (even though I started teaching about Thanksgiving today which is totally fun!). But then, tonight I went to karate, and now I feel like everything's okay.
For one, I'm becoming even friendlier with the blackbelts there and I really like them. For two, they saw me practicing some weapons kata (empty-handed) and asked me about it, so I got to tell them all about how I do weapons, too. And then my favorite old man teacher whipped out a pair of nunchaku and let me borrow them!! I only did one kata (nunchaku dai ni), but by the time I was halfway through, the WHOLE room (class and parents) had stopped what they were doing and were in total silence watching me. haha it was a little scary, but mostly funny. I guess they were impressed? They clapped and everything. So yeah, after that I got to tell them about what weapons I know how to use and they asked if I had them here. Unfortunately, I don't, but I said I'm going to bring them back when I come back from Christmas, and they want me to teach them!! I think that's so cool! I'd LOVE to teach weapons - especially to these guys. I'm actually thinking I'll get myself a bo (aka go buy a 6ft dowel at the hardware store), and I know I can buy kama at the 100 Yen store (yes, they sell those scary bladed weapons for less than a dollar each - to cut your grass!).
After class, we were talking more, and I found out two of the teachers are also ski instructors!! They said they'll take me out and teach me! haha I'm excited! They're all just so nice. It's a sort of dojo family. I like it.
Oh, and to top it all off, Itoko (the blackbelt lady who ALWAYS helps me) had come to my eikaiwa, and told me as we were walking to our cars that she really loved the class! And she's looking forward to next time! She said it was kind of hard, but she liked the challenge and I thought I did a good job. Now being in Japan, you never know if that's politeness of genuineness, but she's a pretty genuine person and she seemed like she really meant it. And even if she didn't, it made me feel better.
In conclusion:
Next eikaiwa I will have a better attitude and it will be great.
Weapons are ALWAYS fun.
I'm going to learn to ski from two old men!
Monday, November 5, 2007
11:11pm
Make a wish! :)
I just wanted to post up a couple of pics I took with my cellphone recently.
Let's enjoying!
This is me and Seth (ALT in a nearby town) pretending to be Japanese high school students for Halloween.
I found this lake when I was riding my bike around. It's behind the baseball fields at one of my junior highs. Soooooo pretty!
This one's kind of blurry, but I took it for Camille -- Japanese ducks! :)
I wish I knew how to rotate.... I guess you can see the symmetrical aspect better...
I LOVE the country!!
I just wanted to post up a couple of pics I took with my cellphone recently.
Let's enjoying!
This is me and Seth (ALT in a nearby town) pretending to be Japanese high school students for Halloween.
I found this lake when I was riding my bike around. It's behind the baseball fields at one of my junior highs. Soooooo pretty!
This one's kind of blurry, but I took it for Camille -- Japanese ducks! :)
I wish I knew how to rotate.... I guess you can see the symmetrical aspect better...I LOVE the country!!
Sunday, November 4, 2007
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