Life is a Bowl of Cherry Blossoms

Secrets of a Former Fitness Instructor

2012-02-05T21:54:00.000+09:00

It's been quite a busy couple of weeks, but busy in a good sense. I feel as though my lifestyle routines have become healthier and more organized. It could all be just psychological since joining the gym, but I really do feel like I have more energy, more stamina and more resistance to all the viruses that are lurking about these days. However, that does NOT mean I am invincible. I still have to take good care of myself now that flu season is in full swing. I have never had a flu shot before and luckily, I have not fallen victim to the flu for the past ten or more years? This year I decided to get the flu shot back in November when my school offered the shot to all staff members at their request. I'm glad I went ahead and got one. So far, my class has been safe from the flu and all my students have been coming to school as feisty and perky as ever. BUT, we did get our first diagnosed case in my class on Friday so who knows what our attendance will be like tomorrow morning. My friends at my old school had their class closed for 3 days since they had 13 students out with the flu. It is certainly not the best time for classes to be closed since we are all busy preparing for the annual Presentation Day which is sort of like what Open House was at my old school. Students prepare presentations for their parents and share these presentations on a Saturday. My students have been working hard on their presentations and I'm glad that they are so motivated to practice and work on their activities. For me, it's a lot of fun to guide and encourage them to do the very best that they can.

Last weekend, I enjoyed a great little weekend getaway to my old stomping grounds. I got my hair done, Sinbad got his hair done and then we headed to a dog-friendly resort hotel in Hakone with our friends. I'll write more about that later this week.

Today I had a very specific post in mind. It all started when I discovered this picture of me when I worked for Holiday Health Spa about 25/26 years ago:

When I taught in Los Angeles, I was not on a year-round contract so that meant I was without a salary for the summer months. I suppose most teachers budget well enough so that they won't have to work during the summer, but...well...I lived from pay check to pay check without a care in the world. This was not the best philosophy financially speaking, but it did make for some interesting ways to pay my bills. I had way too much pride to ask my parents for help although there were some summers I worked as a receptionist at my dad's dental office to get that extra cash. I was constantly thinking of ways to earn money during the summer. Some of my ventures were not too successful. I lasted 3 days in a sketchy telephone sales job. I really hated it. We were given a list of phone numbers that we had to call and we read from a script. I still remember the opening lines:
"Hello, is this telephone number 123-4567? (wait for answer) Well, congratulations! You have just won a chance to win a brand new Ford Mustang. (wait for reaction)"
We then had to explain that we were selling coupon booklets which offered discounts to many of the local businesses and attractions in Southern California. I don't like telephone salespeople so I really don't know why I took this job, but that's how desperate I was at times for a job. Surprisingly, I made some sales which earned me a bit of commission, but then the red flags came up. The man in charge would add these incentives like an extra 50 dollars if you make a sale within the next 30 minutes or an extra 20 dollars if you stay an extra hour. Well, when he said that anyone who was interested in posing for some lingerie ads could make some extra bonus money, I quickly resigned. My dad came with me to collect my 3 days worth of pay and I got a little lecture from my parents for taking such a sketchy job. The following year, I did the game show route. I tried out for game shows and was selected to be a contestant on "Sale of the Century." The selection process was a lot of fun. We had to take a written test, then play a sample game. After we were selected, we had a whole list of things we had to do like get a week's worth of wardrobe together since a week's worth of taping was done in one day. We had to write an introduction about ourselves to be used if we were picked for the day's taping. But even though I made it through the entire audition process, I was not selected to be on the show. All the contestants who make it through the auditions have to come to the taping and our names were put in a box. Because one contestant may continue to be champion for the whole week, less contestants may be needed. It's all luck of the draw and unfortunately, my name was not picked out of the box. I did get a week's worth of new clothes though!!

So after some crazy summers like the ones just mentioned, I decided to give teaching aerobics a try. Don't ask me why. I had never taken an aerobics lesson in my life. I was taking dance classes at Dupree's Dance Academy and I figured that my background with drill team would come in handy since we spent so much time choreographing and teaching routines. I went to apply after seeing a classified ad in the papers. I figured it would just be the usual interview and application form stuff, but instead, we were asked to take a class as our audition. Holy moly!! I must have done okay since I was called back and given the opportunity to attend a 2 week orientation training period. Being called back did not mean you got the job. The training period would determine who would be selected and who would be eliminated.

Although Holiday Health Spa is no longer operating, (I think it became Bally's Health and Fitness Club?) at the time I worked there, it was one of the most popular health club chains in Southern California. It had a great atmosphere and the health club boom was in full swing. That was right around the time the movie Perfect with John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis came out so everyone was interested in joining a fitness club for both health and social reasons. A lot of the girls who made it into the training program had a lot more dance or athletic experience than me. I was also one of the older ones at 27 and the only Asian. If I recall there were about 20 of us who made it into the orientation. The training was held at the West LA Holiday Health Spa which was one of the busiest and biggest clubs.

During our training, we had to learn and memorize all the names of the muscles, the machines and equipment, and what each machine was used for. We had to learn and demonstrate all of the gym equipment and the free weights. Our trainer taught us a basic 30 minute aerobics routine which had to be done exactly as taught to us. If we were hired, we could then create our own routines, but they had to be exercises or moves from a specific list of acceptable, approved moves. Holiday Health Spa had a rotation of cassette tapes which were to be used during an assigned hour. Some tapes were better than others but you were not allowed to change the tapes or go out of order even though some girls did. We had to use a handheld microphone to teach all of our classes so learning how to control your voice was important. Too bad they didn't have the headset microphones that instructors use now! Anyways, it was not an easy schedule. Our trainer was bubbly, cute and very fit, but she was also extremely strict and critical. You really had to know your stuff and prove it to her. Attitude was very important so you had to be on your best behavior or you'd be cut. Some girls dropped out during the training period because they couldn't hack the pressure or the criticism. Since the spa depended on the instructors to give good tours of the facilities and show that they knew their stuff, the pressure on all of us was pretty intense. The sales staff would call your name over the broadcasting system and you would have to report to the front desk to give either a tour or a guest workout. I liked giving the tours, but guest workouts were tough. Some guests didn't want to be shown how to use the equipment, but the sales staff needed guests to be given the VIP treatment in the hopes that they would join. The hardest part of the training period was teaching the actual aerobic classes. If you could not motivate your participants, it did not reflect well on your abilities as an instructor. Morning and daytime members were usually older and the hardcore members usually came in the evenings. Therefore, the evening crowds expected wilder, rowdier and more intense workouts. We were taught how to "read" your class as soon as you walked in the studio and you had to gear your workout for that class. Was it a class that needed the instructor to walk around and assist with exercise techniques or positions? Was it a class that needed lots of encouragement and cheering? Was it a class that needed lots of challenges, high-energy and woo-hoo-ing?

After the 2 week training period, our trainer announced the girls who were selected to be instructors and which club they would be going to. It felt like cheerleading try-outs. Some girls worked sooo hard, but were not selected for whatever reason. In that short amount of time, you tend to bond with each other because you're all going through the same pressures and anxieties. I was really honored to be chosen to work at the West LA Club, but it was also very challenging. It was ALWAYS busy and the atmosphere there was very high profile. We had a lot of celebrities who worked out there and the weekends were almost like a night club more than a health club. We usually had to teach anywhere from 3-6 classes depending on your hours. I had a lot of night shifts which were the wildest, but also the most fun. If you weren't teaching classes, giving tours or guest work-outs or cleaning the equipment, you were supposed to walk around the gym and talk with the members or help out people needing assistance. It was probably the best job for a shy wallflower like me.

I made some memorable relationships during the time I was at the gym. The two girls in the picture with me were probably my closest friends. Shawne even moved in with me for a while until I had to kick her out because she wasn't responsible with a lot of things. Her boyfriend Will was one of the regulars at the gym and I guess the three of us had it pretty good knowing that we had the support from all the regulars. Cynthia was really nice and had a little girl of her own. I have no idea what happened to either of them.

Once the summer was over, I had to cut down my schedule and just work part time. Originally I had planned to quit, but I enjoyed teaching the aerobic classes and I figured it was a good way for me to stay in shape and earn a little extra money. But the staff seemed to have forgotten that I had another job. They wanted me to work more nights and during weekends, especially when other instructors flaked out or didn't show up. I didn't mind subbing in, but physically, it was getting to be a bit too demanding. I also wanted to have my weekends for myself. So finally I quit.

Now that I have started going back to the gym and taking classes regularly, it brings back a lot of good memories. I like the atmosphere and the energy. I like how cheerful and smiley all the workers are. I know that's probably one of their work requirements, but I most certainly appreciate their warmth and friendliness. If the instructor is trying hard to motivate everyone and encourage members to shout out or cheer, I always will because I know how hard it is to do that. I don't hesitate to ask questions like how to use a machine or what a machine is used for because I know that the staff has most likely been trained just as I had been and it is their pleasure to show you how to do something. I remember the feeling right after you've taught an amazing class: the energy level lifts you up and gives you such a high. If I can contribute to that energy, then that makes me happy. You know, I wish everyone could see some of the people in the classes I take. It is so inspiring to see men and women in their 60's and 70's doing Zumba or J-Pop dance and loving every minute of it. That's a big credit to the sports club and their staff. I still think it's rather ironic that I went from one Holiday to another. Three cheers for Holiday Sports Club !

xox

A Healthy, Happy January in Progress

2012-01-22T21:45:00.000+09:00

January is off to a great start. I've been faithfully going to the gym and I absolutely love being back in fitness classes again. One of the most inspiring and motivating things about being in those classes are the people I'm surrounded by. My gosh, if I can move half as well as those senior citizens in my class when I'm over 60, I'll be lucky! I think what I enjoy most about the fitness clubs here in Japan is that the atmosphere is so upbeat and friendly. I was writing to a friend of mine who also does Zumba and we were comparing the differences and similarities between our classes. I was telling her how loud my classes were. Perhaps Zumba is a time for all those Japanese businessmen and housewives and super busy students to let loose and cheer at the top of their lungs. Our instructor is total high-energy and he keeps that energy flowing during the entire class. I also love all the different types of people that come to the class. The age level is quite varied, but I'd say that most of the people are older rather than younger than me and there's quite a number of older men in the class! (And no, I'm not looking at any of them...haha) I compare the Zumba and J-Pop dance classes to karaoke: it doesn't matter how well or how bad you are as long as you're having fun. That is what makes working out here so enjoyable. No one cares if you don't have any rhythm or if your salsa is out of step. It's fun to see the ladies decked out in their brightly colored workout gear and men in their animal print spats or snazzy sportswear. I guess the best thing about going back to the gym is that I feel so much healthier and peppier. Sure, it's probably just all in my mind, but having a healthier attitude is one of my number one priorities for this year.

Well, I just wrote a whole paragraph about something else and decided to save it for another day. I think it's time for bed!

My Winter Vacation

2012-01-15T20:39:00.000+09:00

As promised, I will recap a little bit about my winter vacation. I know, I know...better late than never, better never late.

The first thing I'll clarify is why I kept my trip somewhat of a secret. As you know from reading previous entries, or if you were aware of my situation back in the first part of 2011, my financial status was a big question mark. Thanks to decisions made by my previous employers, I was without a job and had monthly mortgage payments including double payments due in August and February. Even though I was going to receive a severance pay sometime in October, I still had to make sure I could cover all my housing payments until I could get a new job and/or someone bought/rented my place. It was very stressful. As much as I wanted to go home for the holidays, it was impossible to plan anything until I could get myself back on track. And then, lucky stars finally sprinkled my way. I got a new job in July, my severance pay in October and renters for my mansion (condominium) in November. The last day before winter vacation at my new school was December 16th. I had racked up enough mileage points to earn an almost free trip to the US. I didn't want to get anyone's hopes up if for some reason my plans fell through so I only told my mom about my plans. At the time when I booked my flights, I still didn't have renters so I needed to keep my trip short. I needed to plan an itinerary that would meet my travel needs as well as allow me a little time for myself to relax and re-energize. My primary reason for going home was to see my parents. They are fine, but as we all know, anything can happen to any of us at any time and sometimes there's a little voice inside you telling you that it's time to spend with family. I chose flights that worked best in my time frame and much to my delight, I was able to fly business class with the leg I chose from Narita to Portland and then first class from Portland to Las Vegas. How often could I do that?! After one night in Vegas, my plans were to fly to Boise where my family is. But because my visit was so brief, I wanted to use that time in Boise to relax and just get a feel for the area. I thought it would be fun to surprise my brother and my sister-in-law at their shop so when I booked my hotel, I chose a hotel that was close to their home and to their shop. My mom and I also felt it was best not to tell my dad until I had actually arrived in Boise. Well, my surprise sort of backfired. My brother sent me a facebook message asking what my mystery trip was and I kind of felt obligated then to spoil my own surprise by letting him know I was coming. A week before I was set to arrive, my mom had told me that my brother was going to be in Las Vegas during the exact time I was going to be in Boise. The day I was flying back to Vegas was the day my brother was returning to Boise. Now, had I let them all know that I was coming, my brother probably would have changed his plans, but that was exactly what I didn't want to happen. I didn't want anyone to change their plans just because I was coming. Next time I go to visit, of course I will let everyone know and I definitely plan to spend a little more time in the area. But like I said, with the time constraints I was under, I just needed to plan things my way.

Much to my surprise, I really liked Boise. I can totally see why my brother and his wife moved there. The mountains are quite beautiful and I'm sure when it snows it's even lovelier. I stayed at the Boise Hyatt Town Square Hotel and it was the perfect location! The hotel was gorgeous and I had a huge room complete with internet access, a little mini-bar and a nice large TV. It was great to see Tom and Cristi's shop Buzz Coffee and Cafe and meet some of their friends. I haven't seen my niece and nephew in over 5 years so they have grown considerably. Hopefully someday they will be able to visit me here in Japan. We had a little mini pre-Christmas celebration on the 23rd before I left to Vegas. I was really touched.

Another fun surprise in Boise was meeting one of my fellow bloggers. Jill and I have known each other for about 9 years although we had never met in person. We met through another online blogging site and during that time, we both shared a lot of our lives with each other through our online journals. Meeting a blogger is interesting because you know so much about each other even though you have never met face to face! It was awesome being able to chat and talk with each other and I really felt as though I was meeting an old friend who I've known all my life. Thanks again, Jill, for meeting up with me!

In Las Vegas, I had yet another fun surprise. My cousin Kirk was going to be in Las Vegas at the same time I was! I haven't seen him for quite a while either, but since we're facebook friends I could at least keep up with what was going on in his life. Kirk and his partner Nick were taking in a lot of the Vegas shows, but we were able to meet for Christmas Eve buffet lunch at Paris. It was great!! I had a blast spending time with them and catching up on the past few years. We shared a lot of laughs over some delicious food. It was one of the best Christmas Eves I've had in a long time!

It would have been nice to spend time with old friends and family in Los Angeles, but I decided that with limited time, staying in Las Vegas was my best bet (no pun intended). I know the Las Vegas area pretty well and I knew I could do a lot of shopping, eating and gambling all within walking distance of where I was staying. I was able to squeeze in some last minute shopping on Christmas Eve (great deals!) and then I was ready to come back to Japan on Christmas Day.

My flight coming back to Japan went from Las Vegas to Los Angeles to Narita. I was not the only one flying on Christmas Day! While I was waiting in LAX, I sat down to charge up my iphone and lo and behold, there was Hok sitting right in front of me!! Hok was on "So You Think You Can Dance" and he is a member of the America's Best Winning Dance Crew, Quest. I have been a Quest fan since they began and subscribe to their You Tube station and blogs. Hok is now well-known for being the choreographer for LMFAO. He hails from Japan (Machida, Tokyo) so I figured he was going home for the holidays. It was easy to spot him with his trademark hair and zebra dance pants!! I really wanted to say something, but at the same time, I wanted to respect his privacy. You never know...sometimes people like to be recognized, sometimes they don't want to be bothered. And since no one else was making a scene or coming up to him, I felt it best to leave him alone. (He was working on an ipad.) HOWEVER, I decided that if my airplane seat was next to him, I would definitely say something. Unfortunately (but maybe luckily for him) he was a bit further back and I was in the special Economy Comfort area. Once we landed, I thought I'd wait and get one more glimpse of him as he exited the customs area. I watched him get his airport limousine bus ticket, a few snacks at the kiosk and then he went to the waiting room area. During that time, no one came up to him. I wonder if anyone recognized him? Perhaps not. I think only people who are familiar with dance shows would know who he is. I went to check in to my hotel room at the Narita Airport Rest House where I usually stay after a trip abroad. It was still early so I decided to go back to the airport for dinner. I know it sounds funny to be so shy and nervous about approaching someone you're a total fan of, but that's how I felt. I then decided that if he was still at the waiting area, I would go up and acknowledge him. But sadly, he was gone. I sent him a tweet and who knows whether he realized that the old lady who was sitting across from him at LAX is one of his biggest fans!!!

I decided to compile my holiday photos into a short video so here's a look into my winter trip home. Enjoy!

xox

My First Week in January

2012-01-08T22:01:00.000+09:00

2012 is off to a pretty awesome start! Oh, I still am behind in getting all my writing up to date and I still have a lot of household organization to tackle, but all in all, I'm feeling really good about how the year is starting off.

I totally relaxed during the O-shogatsu holidays (New Year's holidays) and enjoyed eating the traditional Japanese food known as osechi ryori. I stayed indoors with the exception of when I took Sinbad for his morning walks. But once January 4th rolled around, I decided that I needed to start taking care of business.

First on the agenda was finding Sinbad a new vet. We both really, really loved our vet in Numazu. Dr. Miyata had been Sinbad's vet since he was a wee puppy and his cheerful attitude always made it easier for me to relax. He would belt out laughing when he saw Sinbad and was constantly giving me pointers on how to help Sinbad lose weight. I loved all the nurses at that hospital too. I knew it was going to be hard to find a hospital as good as the one we had. A friend and fellow teacher of mine recommended his vet whose office is walking distance from where I live. So I decided to try that place out first. Sinbad was due for his biannual filaria shot so I needed to find out if the hospital offered that shot. Dr. Miyata told me that some hospitals offer it while others opt for oral medication instead. I explained my situation to the receptionist and she seemed a little confused. She went in the back and I overheard her talking with the vet. I think it would have been more polite for the vet to come out and just speak to me himself rather than use this receptionist/nurse as a go-between messenger. The impression I got from their conversation was that he didn't really want to deal with me so he told her to tell me to come back in June because they don't do those shots until the summer. Now, I'm sure he really is a nice vet because my friend's cat was well taken care of by him. But I just didn't get a good feeling from that office. Later in the afternoon, I went to another animal hospital that was connected to the dog run I have taken Sinbad to. This hospital was also recommended to me by the owner of the dog cafe I went to with my teacher's assistant. What a difference in receptionists! I was greeted warmly and since I had Sinbad with me, she immediately came out to make contact with Sinbad to make him feel at ease. There were several other pet owners in the waiting room and I immediately felt a more comfortable atmosphere. We met with the vet and he introduced himself to Sinbad. Sinbad seemed fine with him. The vet was prepared to give Sinbad his filaria shot, but he also explained some of our other options and I decided to go with his advice. He suggested we go with the oral medication and begin it in April or May since the mosquitoes aren't out right now and since Sinbad is not an outdoor dog. He also gave Sinbad a quick first check-up and said Sinbad is a healthy, happy dog, but he could stand to lose a kilogram. Anyways, Sinbad and I were both happy with this vet and the hospital so we're going to go with this one.

The second thing on my agenda was to join a gym. I'm grateful that I'm healthy and in pretty good shape, but for the past five years, my exercise has been limited to just walking Sinbad, playing wii fit, and maybe doing a dance/exercise DVD. Whenever I have my health checks, the main area of concern is my cholesterol level and most of the advice I've been given is to do a little more exercise. Having led a fairly active lifestyle throughout most of my life, I know that exercise is the one part of my life that has been lacking lately. So I decided that starting a new year off by going regularly to a gym again was a good resolution to start. When I was in Numazu, I belonged to this gym. When I canceled my membership, they told me that if ever I decided to rejoin, I could just bring my card to the front desk and they would re-sign me. I looked at all of the gyms in the area and decided to return to Holiday . Isn't it ironic that my gym is called Holiday Sports Club? The reason I say this is because I used to work/moonlight at Holiday Health Spa in West Los Angeles...good memories there! But I think all the Holiday Health Spas got bought out by Bally's or LA Fitness now. Anyways, they still had my info on file at the Numazu Club so it was really easy for me to resume my membership. I'll post an entry about the whole gym scene another day, but since I joined on the 4th, I've been to the gym 3 times already and am loving it! I took my first Zumba class and had a blast. The energy was amazing and the crowd was really motivated. The teacher was the same teacher as the J-Pop Dance Class I took on Saturday. I've taken 2 J-Pop Dance classes (they teach the same routine) and enjoyed those too. I would love to try the Be a Dancer Class but it is only offered on Tuesday nights from 10:10~11:00 pm. Um...that's a little past my bedtime?! So I guess I'll have to wait until summer vacation before I take that class.

Two purchases I made within this past week were a kitchen scale and a new VCR/DVD recorder/player. I'm loving my little digital scale~ it helps tremendously with cooking. My old VCR/DVD player broke down prior to my moving here, but I just haven't had the finances to replace it. I found a good deal at one of the electronic stores and went ahead and bought it. My cleaning and organizing is coming along slowly but I got a lot more done than I anticipated. I need to figure out some good storage strategies, but at least I am feeling more and more at home here.

Well, Sinbad has already made himself comfortable in bed so I think I'll turn in now too. We have one more day off before school resumes. Tomorrow is a national holiday in Japan honoring the new 20 year old adults in Japan. The holiday is referred to as Coming of Age Day and special ceremonies are held throughout the towns and cities to welcome these 20 year olds into adulthood.

xox

Rockin' in the New Year

2012-01-01T23:19:00.000+09:00

Happy New Year!

Well, we certainly did rock in the New Year today right around 2:28 pm. I was cleaning out the living room closet and Sinbad was sleeping on the sofa when all of a sudden, the windows of my sliding doors began rattling. Yup, it was an earthquake. Sinbad started barking and since things were shaking for a bit longer than usual, I grabbed Sinbad and we went under the table. Although it was pretty strong, it wasn't a jolting type of quake. It kind of felt like turbulence when you're flying. I turned on the news and checked out the earthquake reports on yahoo. It was epicentered in the Izu islands and mainly all of us in the Kanto area felt the shaking. The magnitude was a 7.0, but was later downgraded to a 6.8. Luckily, there were no tsunami warnings or reports of any damages or injuries. The earthquake also didn't trigger anything up in the Tohoku region. I guess it was just Mother Nature's way of wishing everyone a happy new year.

I love New Year's Day. It's the one day where I feel it's okay to do nothing but play, relax, eat and sleep. And that's basically all I did today!

This photo sums it up! Sinbad has been letting me sleep in until 7:30 these days! I actually wake up before he does and then as soon as I start stretching, he is ready to go out for his morning walk. We've been so lucky with the weather lately. Even though it's been cold and chilly, we haven't had any rain.

I spent part of the day getting some more things organized. I think I'll need to get me a few more storage units, but I'm happy with the way things are going. I'm looking forward to writing some e-mails and catching up on correspondence tomorrow. At the moment, I just want to hibernate and re-energize. I think Sinbad loves having me home and it's nice to have him snuggle up next to me while I'm reading a magazine or watching TV.

I intended to write about my winter travels today, but only got as far as creating a photo album on facebook so the travel update will have to wait until tomorrow.

Time for bed....
xox

Sayonara, 2011!

2011-12-31T23:58:00.001+09:00

I am so ready to say good-bye to 2011! What a year it has been for everyone!

Looking back on the year, I must first count my many blessings. I am thankful to have been able to spend the past year safely and in good health with my loved ones. As each year passes, time is so precious and I am grateful that my family and I are all still around to enjoy that time together. Distance is hard at times, but we remain strong in our hearts and my family's love and strength is what gets me through each day. I am so glad that I was able to spend some time with my parents this past month. It was hard, of course, to see how much my father has deteriorated from the Parkinson's disease and the medication he takes for it, but he is in good spirits and doesn't appear to be suffering from any pain. I know the disease is running its course and there's very little we can do anymore except to continue to make things as comfortable and safe for my dad as possible. I'm not ready to say good-bye, but who ever is when death comes knocking at the door of your family members? However, my parents and I have always shared a very realistic and open view of death. We will be the first to admit that we have all been blessed with good lives and wonderful experiences so should it be our time to go, we are all ready and have no regrets about anything. I've always had the attitude about how important it is to make each moment count and live each day to the fullest. I don't take anything for granted and I know that it could very well be me going before anyone else in my family so when that day happens, I don't have any regrets about my past or the decisions I've made or the wonderful, insane and fabulously crazy life I've been lucky enough to lead.

2011 was such a turning point for so many of us here in Japan. We watched in horror as an earthquake and a tsunami transformed peaceful villages and towns into unimaginable wreckage. We waited in anxiety as we learned about the events at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant triggered by the earthquake. We monitored radiation levels and paid attention to where our produce came from. We sat in darkness without electricity to conserve power, rationed supplies like batteries, toilet paper and bottled water, and watched transportation come to a standstill in Tokyo. We cried seeing the images of the devastation in the media and it hurt to read stories of despair and anguish in newspapers, in blogs and on websites everywhere. (And we still continue to cry.) The tragic events brought out heroes and angels all over the world who worked together to help the people, the animals and the children whose lives were turned upside down. I can remember the events of that March 11th day so clearly so I can only imagine how much that day still haunts those who survived the Tohoku disasters. With each aftershock, tremor and new earthquake that happens in Japan, there is still a bit of fear and worry because you just never know....However, I do believe that there is great power in love, faith and optimism and hopefully 2012 will bring the powers needed to rebuild Japan and bring peace and stability to everyone.

I only have a few moments left to reflect before it's time to say good-bye to 2011, so I'll just do a quick recap of my 2011. I started out the year in confusion and uncertainty. Looking back on where I was a year ago at this time, I really was in a state of limbo. My job status was up in the air and all of a sudden, my security with my home was in jeopardy. I had no one to blame but myself for deciding to stay in Japan and assuming that my position at my work would still be available. When I had found out that someone new had already been hired, I knew I had to start searching for a new job. Then, after the earthquake happened and teachers started changing their minds about staying in/coming to Japan, my hope was renewed. Unfortunately, I was not prepared for the news I was told in regards to why I was not going to be re-hired. I can look back now and laugh. But at the time, it really hurt. I would have endured any situation at my former school and I dedicated myself to doing the best job that I could for my students. I invested in my own place because I intended to make Numazu my home. But for whoever it was that told my director that they did not want me on staff for reasons that were never explained to me, well...I hold no hard feelings because I know karma is a magical force and it will set things right. My karma certainly did. I spent the first 6 months of 2011 dealing with so many emotions and trying to find it in my heart to forgive and understand why someone would be so negative towards me and want me gone. It was interesting because I really saw the true sides of different people. People I honestly believed to be my friends were not and sadly, they never let that be known until after I was gone. While I was at the school, I felt very comfortable and I still cherish the true friendships and relationships that I made there. In fact, the circumstances which evolved afterwards made some relationships stronger because they know/knew my heart was in the right place and that my integrity was rock solid. I still wish that person would have had the courage to explain their reasons to me but it's no longer worth my time or energy to understand what this person's underlying reasons were. In fact, I really ought to thank that person because the last 6 months of 2011 were great!!! I think people who try to manipulate or control the lives of other people are usually people who are not happy with their own lives and so they have to find some way to make themselves feel better or more powerful. So perhaps my departure has given them that satisfaction but I personally can think of so many other healthier ways to feel better or raise self-esteem! As I mentioned in an earlier entry, or maybe it was a facebook status, when they say "things happen for a reason," I now understand the reasons. I am at a happy place in my life and everything is coming together. This is why I can look forward to 2012 and put full closure on 2011 with a smile!

OMG...there's only 7 more minutes left so I need to hurry and eat my soba (buckwheat noodles) and get ready for the countdown!!

My resolutions haven't changed from last year so once again, I will copy and paste them:

1. Live each day to the fullest without regrets.

2. Dare to be daring: Take the risks, live the dreams, and do the impossible.

3. Express my love to those I love and allow them to love me freely without worrying about what society deems right or wrong.

4. Wish for the good health and safety of my family and my loved ones. May we see another year through together peacefully.

5. My last wish is a world wish...may we somehow put our differences and selfishness aside and live together in harmony and peace. And while we may have little control against our fate when the forces of nature speak powerfully, may we somehow find the strength and love to help each other get through the pain and suffering.

And to add to that, I will try to write more regularly! Up next, I'll post my photos and details from my winter break trip!

Happy New Year, everyone! May it be filled with good health, safety, peace and happiness for you and your loved ones! And while we're at it, let's throw in some good fortune and magic!!!

xox

Where Did November Go?

2011-11-27T20:42:00.000+09:00

As the year is winding down to its final month, I feel as though each week just races by! I can't believe that November will be over in just a few more days! Seriously, where did November go? At least I can look back and smile at the past month. It's been a lovely one and I feel truly blessed for everything that I have right now in my life. Even though I wasn't able to spend Thanksgiving Day with family and a turkey dinner, I was able to reflect on all the things I am thankful for. I have my health and my sanity (although some people may doubt that!) I have my family. I have Sinbad. I have a wonderful support network of friends and colleagues. I have a job which I enjoy doing at a school I am proud to be at. I am surrounded by people who inspire me to be the best person that I can be and others who teach me how to be more loving, more tolerant and more forgiving. I have a roof over my head and can live in peace. Well, goodness me...we could be here forever because the list just keeps on going. I suppose this past year has taught me to never, ever take anything for granted. In our hearts, every day should be Thanksgiving Day and we should be grateful for be able to enjoy each day to the fullest.

This past week was quite a whirlwind of a week and I'm still trying to catch my breath and catch up. (Will I ever?!) I had to renew my driver's license this past week. Thank goodness the Ota City License Center is not like the local DMV in Los Angeles! I remember going to the Montebello DMV and having to wait for hours!! Luckily, the renewing process for me was quick and easy. It actually depends on your license status. If you go through 5 years without any accidents or traffic tickets, you may be awarded with a "gold" license. A gold license sometimes gives you some added benefits like cheaper car insurance! I had one a while back, but my status dropped to blue when I received a parking ticket. *boo* But, after 5 years of "safe" driving, I am back to being a gold license holder! *yay* So all I had to do was take a new photo, have my address updated, then listen to a short lecture and watch a DVD with the other gold license drivers. When I lost my gold status, I had to listen to a longer lecture and the process took a bit longer. This week, I will have to apply for my international drivers' license. Since I no longer have a California address, my California license expired.

Wednesday was a national holiday in Japan called Labor Thanksgiving. It is Japan's version of Thanksgiving where you pay homage to those who work hard in their jobs. I originally intended to be a blob and putter around at home, but one of my co-workers invited me to join her on a Christmas shopping excursion to the Yokota Air Base. I had never been to a base in Japan before so it was a totally new adventure for me. She goes there regularly as she once lived on the base and has many friends who are still on base. It was a nice easy drive there and once we got on base, I immediately noticed the chilis restaurant! We went there for lunch and I was in food heaven!

Throughout the day, I felt as if I were on vacation because you don't feel as if you are in Japan anymore. It was really strange. I was able to indulge at some other familiar eateries like Taco Bell, Cinnabons and Anthony's Pizza. It was fun accompanying my friend as she shopped for her son's Christmas presents. The atmosphere of the stores really stirred the Christmas spirit up in me. On our drive home, we stopped at Starbucks. It was such a nice day and I felt so refreshed and content.

Thursday and Friday turned out to be a bit busy and intense with preparations for our parent observation lessons on that Friday. My class also had an additional meeting to discuss a few pressing matters so we really didn't have much time to exhale. My lesson went well, I thought. The students were PERFECT! Sometimes I wish parents were in class every day! *haha* The children were active, enthusiastic and all of them were anxious to show off what they were learning in English. The meeting afterwards also ran smoothly although I know my teaching partner was under a bit of stress. So we decided to go to dinner afterwards to unwind from the busy week and celebrate the beginning of the weekend.

Yesterday, I went to Costco with my neighbor/co-worker/friend and we beat the crowds. We bought lots of yummy food, as usual and so I feel like my refrigerator/freezer is stocked for the next several weeks! I also started doing my Christmas shopping and it was great being able to shop for the holidays. We only have 3 more weeks before school lets out and I can't believe that Christmas is less than a month away!!

Well, before it gets too late, I promised to post my Halloween photos so here they are minus names to protect the true identities of these costumed staff members! The costumes were all amazing and so creative!!

Sinbad enjoyed his Halloween too.

You can't see it very well, but his bandana was a Halloween themed bandana.

xox

Feeling Content

2011-11-20T20:49:00.000+09:00

I really wanted to write an entry on my birthday, but time just escaped me this week. I was so touched by all the birthday greetings and messages and wanted to acknowledge all of those wishes personally. I am still trying to catch up on those personal replies and correspondence! I will take time out here to say a huge THANK　YOU to all my dear friends, family members and readers. I am truly blessed and your wishes meant the world to me. Thank you.

My birthday was spent peacefully and quietly. I didn't expect much to happen at school but I was so pleasantly surprised by the birthday wishes from my new colleagues. To top it all off, my Japanese partner teacher secretly worked with the children to create a big birthday card with individual messages for me. They presented the card to me at closing homeroom and I got all teary-eyed as they sang "Happy Birthday." In the afternoon, all of the elementary school staff went up to the junior/senior high school campus to observe classes and meet with the high school teachers to discuss lessons, challenges and issues. The campus is absolutely gorgeous and the facilities there are beautiful. When we arrived back at the elementary school campus at 5, one of the Japanese teachers asked if I wanted to go and celebrate or do something on my birthday, but I told her that I was quite content to celebrate my birthday peacefully at home with Sinbad. I called up and ordered pizza and substituted ice cream for birthday cake. I reflected on all that has happened this past year and thought about all the things I have to look forward to this upcoming year. I know people who get depressed about turning another year older, but I look at getting older as something to be proud of. Life is such a precious gift and I have always been one to live life to its fullest with no regrets or expectations. I am grateful for what I have and so thankful for being healthy enough to enjoy another year. Being content at this point of my life is one of the best birthday presents I have been given. Or maybe I should say it is one of the best birthday presents that I have given to myself!

My realtor called me this past week and everything is now set to rent out my mansion (condominium, in Western vocab). Although financially it would have been better to sell my place, there are a lot of things that preventing that from happening. It is not a seller's market at this time in Japan and unfortunately, even if I did find a buyer, they probably would not pay enough to cover the remainder of my housing loan. I was also told that in order for someone to buy my place, I would have to pay the remainder of my housing loan in full before the new buyers could actually become the new owners. Who has that kind of money?! Well, let's just say, I don't have that kind of money. *sniff, sniff* So my original plans were to try to get my housing loan changed into a personal loan, but I cannot do this from where I am living now. I hopefully will be able to do that during the winter holidays when I will spend some time in Numazu and see what I can arrange. In the meantime, my realtor consulted with me and we discussed the option of renting out my place. We weren't sure whether or not my complex allowed renters, but with the economy being the way it is, the building now allows units to be rented out. My realtor was showing my place, but we hadn't had much luck. Then, we got a lucky break. A company offered to rent out my place and my realtor made the necessary arrangements and deals. As the owner, I had to authorize a few things and approve a few other things. And thanks to the efforts and hard work of my lovely realtor and her staff, my mansion will be rented out to a couple who works for the company who made the deal. *yay* My first rent payment is due to arrive at the end of the month and although it will not cover my full monthly mortgage payments, it will definitely be a big help. I LOVED my place and I can only hope that the new renters will love it as well and enjoy living there as much as I did.

In celebration, I decided to buy a birthday present for myself. Last weekend, I went and ordered myself a new iphone 4s! My current cell phone's 2 year contract will be up at the end of the month so it is the perfect time to trade in for a new phone. It will take 2~3 weeks for the new phone to arrive so it will be perfect timing. I'm really excited. I've never been an iphone kind-of-person, but after watching a few demos of siri and hearing all the positive feedback from iphone users, I think it's time to jump on the bandwagon. Plus, I can still keep my same docomo number. There is a reason why I need/want to keep my same cell phone number which only some of you know so it's a big relief knowing that I can switch to a new phone and a new company without having to change phone numbers.

On Friday, I experienced another first in Japan and I guess, in my life! I had my first flu shot. My school helps teachers and staff to set up appointments to get them so I decided to take advantage of that. Shots and needles don't bother me as much as they did when I was a kid. At my age, I've had far too many other procedures which make shots and injections seem like a tickle. I was a little concerned and worried about reactions or side effects, but I think I'm okay. My arm is still a wee bit sore. It feels as though I've been lifting weights or had my arm pinched and twisted. I felt fine yesterday, but today I've taken it really easy. I don't feel bad, but I know I don't have the energy or appetite that I usually have. Hopefully an early to bed night will make me fresh and back to normal in the morning. My school also helped me sign up for a new health/life insurance plan. It's actually the same plan I belonged to at my former school, but I made a few changes and I feel really good about the decisions I made.

I wanted to post my Halloween photos tonight, but I think I best get to bed.

xox

Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

2011-11-13T21:00:00.001+09:00

Oh my goodness...is it really November?! The days have been zooming by yet every day has been filled with so much excitement and activity. I actually started this post last weekend but I never got around to finishing it so I'll edit what I have and hopefully it will all make sense. I need to get to bed early tonight just because I don't think I caught up on all the rest that I needed. I'm anticipating a busy week and on Friday I have an appointment to get my very first flu shot. I want to be in tip top condition for that and fingers crossed that all goes well. Because I've never gotten the flu nor have I ever gotten a flu shot, I don't really know if I'm going to have a reaction or not. I'm usually pretty good about taking good care of myself and knowing when my body needs rest, nourishment or medicine. But I decided that it might be a good idea to take precautions since I'm in a new area and have plans to do some traveling over the winter break. I had a weird dream last night that they were giving me a flu shot in my leg, my calf to be exact. The syringe was huge and looked like a bicycle tire pump. I wonder if that was some sort of signal to hurry up and pump my bicycle's tire full of air?!

Work has been busy, but in a good way. It feels wonderful to be working in a job that I absolutely love and to be surrounded by such positive energy. I have some amazing co-workers who have made my transition here so much easier than I could have ever hoped for. It's always a bit scary to make a big move and I've been really lucky whenever I've done so. We just finished our 2 days of entrance examinations this past weekend. It's a pretty intense two days of testing, interviews and observations. I've been involved with entrance exams at almost every school in Japan that I've worked for so I am used to the intense atmosphere. Tomorrow will be a half day for the students and our staff will go and observe classes at the high school. Our junior high and high school just became an International Baccalaureate authorized school and so it's important for our schools to know how we can best work together to keep our immersion program strong and successful. I'm looking forward to seeing the new campus which just opened this past April. Even some of my veteran coworkers have yet to tour the new campus. From the photos, it looks amazing!

I still have yet to update about my observation lesson and the fun Halloween I had, but I will update more in a later entry. When I first started this entry, I had a lot on my mind after visiting my old school for their annual bazaar. So here is what I started to write:

The Japanese have a word they use called gaman which means to persevere and endure whatever circumstances may be causing one grief or unhappiness. Although I believe that there are some cases where it is good to show gaman, I also think there comes a time when you need to make whatever changes are necessary or evaluate the situation and decide whether it is worth it to persevere. As I've mentioned before in previous posts, I have dealt with so much disappointment and hurt in the past year which caused me to feel bitter, depressed and angry. These feelings will eat away at you if you let them take over! Despite having those moments, I am indeed a survivor and a fighter and one of the things that always kept me going was that old saying, "Things happen for a reason." Those reasons are becoming clearer and clearer to me and I am truly grateful for the path my life has taken. It feels awesome to go into work every day and be a part of a supportive team. Another former colleague of mine who will be joining us in January noticed the changes in environment, atmosphere and in me immediately. He said it is nice to feel appreciated and wanted. I so agree. I recently went to visit my old school during their annual Bazaar. It was GREAT to be reunited with friends, colleagues, students and parents. I met my former Japanese teaching partner who was asked to resign last year and we entered the schoolyard together. Several parents came running up to greet us with hugs and smiles. Then, I heard my name being shouted from the balcony where the 6th grade booths were set up. My former students are now all in 6th grade; I was their homeroom teacher in grades 3 and 4 so we share a very special bond. It was also nice to see some of my old students who are now in junior and senior high school as well as some of the other students I taught in grade 4, grade 2 and in club. Miss N and I spent a lot of time in the 6th grade gameroom where we were able to chat with our old students, take pictures and play some of their crazy games. We also went down to the parents' booths and spoke to many of our former parents. It was actually one of the first times I was able to see them since I had left so I could finally thank them in person for their farewell gifts and messages. I was touched by their kindness and flattered by their pleas to return. Miss N and I had both offered many times to be put as homeroom teachers for this class, but for whatever reasons, our requests were not granted. To be honest, it saddened me to hear the stories of things that are happening with the grade 6 class at the moment. There are genuine concerns, anxieties and frustrations by parents and teachers. One parent and grandparent asked if my new school had already had their entrance exams for junior high school. The mother said, "If you are at that school, it must be a good school. We are worried about where *name of student* will go to junior high school so we are thinking of moving to go to a better school." I was flattered, but also sad that parents are feeling so much anxiety. My former school is indeed a very good school and has a solid program, but their concerns are valid in regards to whether or not the current problems are going to be addressed. Miss N and I had to remain silent and empathetic as we listened to parents express their worries and confusion. The atmosphere is not healthy at the moment and I can only pray that some steps are taken to solve the problems. I see a lot of people gaman -ing and I worry about their health and well-being. Recognizing problems is easy, but one truly has to be willing to acknowledge the problem before a suitable solution can be developed. I disagree with the strategy of ignoring the problems or pretending the problems don't exist. This can have a snowball effect or be a ticking time bomb ready to explode. Those children are important to me as are their teachers so I do hope the issues can be addressed. I felt so sad when I saw some of my Japanese coworkers and they greeted me with, "Take me back with you!" and "Help us!" One of my former Japanese coworkers who is like a sister to me gave me a big hug and whispered in my ear, "You are so lucky to be where you are now." The whole situation with that message that was written to me didn't play a factor at all in my enjoyment of the bazaar. In fact, those who knew about the message were just as puzzled as I was as to why it was even written in the first place. If anyone shared the same feelings as the person who wrote the message, well...I didn't see them at the Bazaar anyways! I had nothing but love and gratitude both for and from the people I came in contact with. For whatever grudge or sour grapes that individual or other individuals feel towards me, I simply can't be bothered with people who harbor such negative feelings, petty jealousy or phoniness.

Well, it's time to go to bed, but I intend to update tomorrow and start #53 on a high note. As for my last entry at 52? Let's just say my 52nd year wasn't what I would consider to be my best year, but it definitely was a year of awakenings, change, transition, emotions and growth. Despite the setbacks, the hurdles and the disappointments, I have nothing to complain about. I am healthy, I am blessed, I am loved, I have inner peace and I have the best family and friends around.

xox

Busy Weeks, Relaxing Weekends

2011-10-23T21:19:00.003+09:00

I can't believe how quickly time flies. Is it really the last week in October already?

I've had quite a busy couple of weeks, but it has been busy in a good way. Last week, we had an Observation Lesson for the parents of the children in our class. Following the class, my Japanese teaching partner and I held a short conference/meeting with all of the parents. It was my first time to formally meet and talk with the parents. Sure it's a little nerve-wracking, but I actually love being able to speak with the parents and let them get to know who I am. It's interesting to see how much the children look like their parents! The observation lesson went very smoothly. In fact, the students were absolutely perfect! Their reactions and enthusiasm were exactly as I had hoped they would be. The students asked questions, worked cooperatively, used English and even laughed at the right places. It was just the kind of lesson any teacher hopes for when the parents are around. This week, I have another observation lesson. This time, a group of my colleagues and administrators will be observing me. I think this observation will be a little more nerve-wracking, but I'm hoping all will go smoothly. Even if it doesn't, one of the purposes of these lessons are to receive advice and constructive criticism. I think it's great that we have these observation lessons because you can learn a lot from your colleagues and gain a lot of new ideas and insight. We used to have these type of lessons at my old school, but it was often impossible for teachers to observe each other because we were always teaching at the time of the demo lessons. I'm planning to tweak up the games I introduced last week to reinforce certain skills so I really need to get busy on that. My intentions were to finish all the preparations this weekend, but....

I had a wonderful weekend and am sad to see it coming to an end. Yesterday I went shopping to Costco and luck was definitely in my favor. I arrived at Costco around 9:40 am so I figured I would just wait in the car until it opened. However, I saw people going in the store. Perhaps they were Business Members, I thought. But they were just ordinary shoppers like me. Apparently, for whatever reason, Costco was open earlier than expected. I walked in and even though there were lots of other shoppers, there were no crowds! I was able to shop comfortably without having to maneuver my cart down crowded aisles. I finished all my shopping by 10!! I decided that since there was no line, I was going to eat my hot dog although it was only a little past 10. Usually those hot dogs with the all-you-can drink soda cup cost something like 250 yen, right? Well, yesterday, the price was only 180 yen! What a bonus! Where else can you get a meal/snack like that along with a beverage for the mere price of 180 yen?! (roughly $1.70?) As I was getting ready to throw my trash away, I heard my name being called by a little girl. Lo and behold, it was one of my students who was with another of my students. Both of the students' moms came up to say hi and we enjoyed a brief chat. After Costco, I decided to stop off at the shopping mall SMARK (don't you just love that name?!) and I ran into one of my fellow grade 2 teachers and his son! I bought the supplies I needed for my Halloween costume at the 100 yen shop and leisurely shopped at the mall before heading home.

I was doing a lot of online research regarding prices of travel options and I have a few things burning on the back burners at the moment. So today I had to take care of a few things to hopefully make my plans happen. We'll see.

This evening I had the pleasure to go to one of my colleague's houses for dinner. Her husband prepared a fabulous Carbonara penne dinner for us all so we all enjoyed a delicious dinner with her family and another one of our co-workers. I have been truly blessed by the new friendships I have made here. In fact, I have been very fortunate with all of the friends I have made wherever I have worked. Next weekend I will go to my old neighborhood for a couple of appointments and to my former school's annual Bazaar. I'm looking forward to seeing my former students, colleagues and friends. Thanks to facebook, it's been nice to keep in touch with a lot of my students who are now in junior high school and high school. A lot of them will come to visit at Bazaar too so we are all hoping to bump into each other.

I had an interesting dining experience which may be tmi (too much information) for some of you so just scroll down if necessary. It has to do with these jalapeno bagels from Costco. My friend, neighbor and colleague bought these at Costco and loved them so I thought I'd give them a try. I like spicy foods and I thought jalapeno bagels would be great to make pizza bagels out of. Let me tell you, they pack quite a punch! My mouth was on fire! It was weird because as spicy as they were, I still ate them up. Well, this morning, I went to use the toilet as normal, but it was a little strange. It was like I could feel the jalapenos coming out, ya know? Everything was normal if you know what I mean, but as I was going to the bathroom, I could feel the heat. *ahem* In Japan, they sometimes put hot chili peppers into bath salts to heat one up during the cold winter months. I wonder if that same effect happens when you eat a lot of jalapenos. I don't know if all the peppers digest and get broken down or do they come out of your system as peppers in your poop? Like I said, everything poopwise was normal, but it gave new meaning to the phrase, "That was some hot sh*t!"

xox

A Field Trip to the Kiryugaoka Amusement Park and Zoo

2011-10-16T21:41:00.003+09:00

On Thursday, all three of the 2nd grade classes took a field trip to the Kiryugaoka Zoo and Amusement Park. I believe it was the first field trip of the year for the students so they were crazy with excitement. I grew up going on field trips and I think they're a very important part of any child's school life. It is a nice opportunity for the children to go on a trip with their classmates and learn the importance of getting along in a big group and compromise. When children go to amusement parks or zoos with family, they can usually decide where they want to go and what they want to do. They can eat when they want to and whine to their parents if they get bored, tired or thirsty. As a teacher, it is interesting to see which children can adapt to following directions in a big group and which children become very immature and needy. The students have to learn that it's not always about them as an individual, but that they need to abide by group decisions and time restrictions. Most of our second graders handled the busy day quite well. However there were a few children who became very over-excited and anxious. Several children threw tantrums perhaps because they were tired or they couldn't handle all the stimulation of the day. For us teachers, it becomes quite an exhausting day as we try so hard to make sure the students are safe and do not get lost or sick. We must keep an eye on everyone and do our best to make sure each child has an enjoyable experience.
The bus ride took about 45 minutes. There were a lot of school groups at the park but most of those groups were kindergartens. Earlier in the week, the students had to choose 5 out of the 7 attractions to go on. My group chose the Adventure Ship, the Sky-Helicopter, the Spinning Tea Cups, the Ferris Wheel and the Sky-Cycle. I think this ride was everyone's favorite but I sat out with the students who didn't want to ride it. I don't blame them!

Most of the rides were pretty tame and perfect for 2nd graders. I'm actually surprised that no one got dizzy or sick!
After the children rode the 5 rides, we all met up at the park to enjoy a picnic lunch. The weather was perfect. Then the students had a little quiz activity as they went around the zoo to observe the different animals. Even though I personally am not a big fan of zoos because I worry about the well-being of the animals, I do think it is nice for children to be able to see all the amazing different animals there are in the world.

These dogs weren't part of the zoo. But on our way over to the zoo, I saw these dogs on this tree stump so I quickly snapped a photo of it. My photos of the animals aren't the greatest, but here are a few shots I took with my little camera:

In the end, everyone had a great time and I enjoyed the day very much.
We have a busy week ahead and I've been preparing some things this weekend to get ready for it. More later as I really need to get to bed.

xox

The Joys of Shopping

2011-10-11T20:46:00.001+09:00

I was telling a friend of mine that I had something to confess and admit, but saying it makes me seem so...well...horrible. I shouldn't be embarrassed because I would like to believe that others share my feeling. Okay, so here goes....
On Saturday, I decided to do a little exploring around my new surroundings. I looked up a few things online because I was in search of a bookstore which sold English magazines and I was in the mood to do a little shopping. I discovered the Keyaki Walk in Maebashi and Smark Isesaki in Isesaki which is about halfway from Ota City where I live and Maebashi. Both are encolsed shopping malls. When I walked in, this feeling rushed over me and I felt like I was "home." It's hard to describe. I was thinking, "I am in my element" and an enormous wave of happiness rushed over me. It's not like I needed to buy anything or even that I felt like I needed to buy anything. It was just the fact that I was in a shopping mall. There. I said it. Isn't that crazy? I felt so exhilarated and comfortable. I know that feeling is how you are supposed to feel when you're at the beach or the mountains or even outside in the beautiful sunshine. But at a shopping mall?! And as long as we're into confessions, I get that same rush of adrenalin and excitement when I'm in Las Vegas and I enter a casino. It has NOTHING to do with gambling or spending money...it is more of an association with my family and reminders of home.
Sooo, I enjoyed my Saturday of shopping and relaxing. It gave me just the pick-me-up I needed to get my place organized. I tackled some of my boxes and I assembled some of my bookcases and wall grids. One of my new friends and coworkers who shares the same appreciation for the joys of shopping asked to see if I wanted to go shopping on Sunday. Since I didn't get a chance to spend as much time at Smark as I would have liked to, I suggested we go to Smark since he had never been there either. I could go on and on about the pleasures of shopping but I really need to get to bed early tonight. I thought I'd share a few of my finds:
Check out this keyboard cleaning brush I bought! I took it to work today and by golly, it really does clean off the dust that collects in between your keyboard keys!

So here it is with the cap on and below is with the cap off.

Isn't that wild? I also bought this pencil container/storage box because it looks like a certain dog I know! *heehee*

Speaking of dogs, Sinbad was a "big help" (*sarcastic tone*) when I was trying to unpack boxes. Of all the places he could sit, of course he has to sit right on the boxes that I'm trying to tie up and put away.

xox

Sports Day

2011-10-02T22:48:00.001+09:00

Someone at work asked me if I had ever been to a Sports Day before. Well, ever since I arrived in Japan, I have been to a Sports Day every year. Sometimes I attended 3 or 4 Sports Days in one year!

Sports Day is one of the biggest school festivals held during the year. When I first came to Japan, I experienced one of the wildest Sports Day event ever at my very first base school in Japan, Tottori Technical High School. The students all made these gigantic floats and decorated huge flags. I'll have to dig up those photos because those floats were something else. Since the student population was about 90% male (*smile*), the competition was always fierce between the 4 classes (Electric Course, Mechanical Course, Architectural Course and Chemistry Course). There were always fights that broke out and eventually the ritual of having an evening camp fire to burn the floats had to be put to rest. I enjoyed taking part in the Hanagasa Odori folk dance that all the girl students performed.

When I worked at Tottori Girls' High School, we also did a lot of folk dancing. There were a lot of fun events and one of my personal favorites was the dance contest where each class choreographed an original routine to a selected song. I usually had to judge that event and it was so hard because all the routines were so unique and creative.
In Osaka, I used to love going to the Sports Day of all my assigned schools. Of course, that took a little maneuvering because they would all be on the same day. I would carefully plan out my schedule to make sure that I caught my favorite events at each school. I loved ALL of the elementary schools that I visited. Even after I moved to Numazu, I still tried to attend the Sports Days of my former schools. It was a good opportunity to reunite with teachers and students in a festive, fun atmosphere.
For the past 6 years, I enjoyed the Sports Day at my former school where I usually volunteered for the job of MC. I loved that job because you always had the best seat in the house with full view of the grounds and you were always in the shade. I think my favorite Sports Day was the time I was a 6th grade homeroom teacher and was in charge of the White Team along with the grade 6 homeroom teacher from the regular program. We worked well together and both the Red and the White team performed their cheering dances beautifully! That year, we battled the rain and unfortunately, many of the events had to be cut from the program because we delayed the start of the Opening Ceremony. The ground was muddy and the conditions were not the greatest, but it certainly didn't dampen the spirits of those 6th graders.
I'm so glad that I was able to experience another Sports Day this year at my new school. (My former school's Sports Day was held in May.) At this school, 3 teams compete against each other: the Red Team, the White Team and the Blue Team. I was on the Red Team. I was so impressed by the Sports Day at my new school. Perhaps because the school's population is much larger than my previous school and has a huge school ground, the impact of the festival was much stronger. I really liked the fact that because we are an immersion school, the ceremony and atmosphere reflected that. Some people asked me what the differences were between my previous school and my current school in regards to Sports Day. I came up with a few major similarities and differences but none of these differences should be considered as negative or bad. They are simply differences.
1. During the Opening Ceremony, KES sings the Japanese national anthem and school song. The victory flag is returned from the previous year's winning team and an oath made in very traditional Japanese style is spoken by representatives from each team in Japanese and in English. Warm-up exercises are done to "RadioTaiso" which is a Japanese standard exercise routine.
At GKA, there are welcome speeches and introductions of the special guests. The warm-up exercises are led by a student representative and a committee of students, all in English. The students all do a rousing Haka dance to kick the events off. There are no anthems.
2. The Red Team and the White Team at KES square off in a cheering competition where original lyrics are written to a song chosen by each team's 6th grade leaders. The songs are always in Japanese. Chants and cheers are done by each team in very Japanese traditional style using a taiko drum and with the team leaders wearing a military style traditional Japanese school uniform. Points are scored for the cheering competition.
The Red, White and Blue teams at GKA teach their team a basic chant/cheer all in English for the students to cheer throughout the events. Grades 1 and 2 made maracas to accompany the cheers and grades 3 and 4 designed cheering fans. All students cheer enthusiastically, but there are no competitions or awards for cheering.
3. KES does pretty much the same events every year. I haven't been at GKA long enough to know if that's the same case although some of the teachers told me that there are some events that change. Some of the events that both schools do are the dashes, the tug of war, the eye of the typhoon relay and the bean bag in the tall baskets event.
4. KES has a family group relay in which all students run a relay in their family groups which are mixed grade groups that they do activities with throughout the year. GKA's relay is composed of several representatives from each class so I imagine it's the fastest runners from each class.
5. KES doesn't perform any grade level dances. The schools that I worked at in Osaka always had either folk dancing or cutesy routines for the grades 1 and 2 students to perform. GKA performed Japanese folk dances this year and introduced it with a tribute and dedication to the Tohoku region. I heard it was thanks to our amazing PE teacher that these dances could take place. She spent a lot of time on them and her hard work paid off!
6. An original design logo for T-shirts is made for all the GKA staff and students to wear on T-shirts in the color of their choice. Talk about team spirit! It was great! At KES, some of the teachers wear either Red or White, but there are no special T-shirts.
This year, the Blue Team won by a commanding lead. As for my team?
We-ell, the Red Team came in last, but I do think all the students gave their best efforts. It was pretty exciting and definitely fun to watch. Here are a few photos and videos of the day:

We all had different responsibilities to do in preparing for the Sports Day. Since our ground is like a huge park with both grassy areas and gravel, stray cats sometimes use the ground as a litter box. You gotta love that checking for cats' poop is someone's assigned prep job!

Each grade level came up with a slogan and teachers voted for the winning slogan. When coming up with a slogan, the students were asked to think of something that could be an inspirational message to those recovering from the disasters in the Tohoku region. This was the winning slogan created by
Grade 4. Isn't it lovely?!

I wrote a message on the board from Sinbad with our Red Group cheer. I always have Sinbad hidden somewhere in the room (usually on the chalkboard) with a message so the students look for Sinbad's message. He has become an unofficial mascot for our class.
One of the things I really liked was the all-school Haka performed to kick off the events. It was led by a vivacious student leader and the energy was amazing!

I think one of my favorite events was the folk dancing. The students in grades 1~4 performed the Yagibushi. They were great! But the highlight of that performance was the grade 5 student who sang the Yagibushi live! Apparently she has won awards for her singing talents. It was like being treated to a Japanese concert! I loved it! Following that performance, the 5th and 6th graders performed Soran Bushi. This is a very high-energy version of the traditional folk dance. I've seen it performed by professional dance troupes on TV and it's always been one of my favorite dances. I thought the 5th and 6th graders did a fabulous job! It seriously brought chills and teary eyes to me!

And here were the final results:

The long day ended with a little get-together with co-workers at a neighborhood izakaya. It was a nice chance for me to get to know some of my co-workers a little better and for everyone to celebrate the success of the event.
The students don't return back to school until Wednesday. It is the end of semester one so the students receive a semester break tomorrow and Tuesday is a substitute holiday for having worked on Saturday. Many teachers will use their paid holiday and take Monday off, but I'm planning to go in and use the time to get ready for the new semester and organize my classroom.
Yikes! Where did the time go? I guess I better get to bed and continue writing more later.

xox

So Content!

2011-09-25T21:31:00.000+09:00

It's been such a nice week. With last weekend's 3 days off followed by a 3 day work week and then having another 3 day weekend, life couldn't be sweeter. I am feeling so content at the moment with just about everything. The weather has cooled down and Autumn is upon us. Autumn is definitely one of my favorite seasons here in Japan. The temperatures are comfortable, the natural scenery is beautiful and the seasonal foods are delicious. I feel as though my summer was an absolute whirlwind of emotions, change, adjustment and transition. Now I feel as though I can finally breathe again. I'm getting my groove back and it feels fantastic.

Work was quite busy this week as we needed to input our first semester's grades into the report card system. The report cards are very similar to my previous school's report cards but the computer program used to input the grades was definitely a whole lot easier and user-friendly. We had a bit of excitement on Wednesday when Typhoon #15 headed our way. We were able to squeeze in a regular day of classes, but walking home was crazy! It was too windy to use an umbrella. Luckily, I wore my rain coat and galoshes but I still got soaked and my face looked as if I had went swimming. My neighborhood didn't take any brutal thrashings from the typhoon, but much to my surprise, my old neighborhood in Numazu took quite a beating! Some of my friends posted photos and relayed facebook messages and twitter tweets describing what was happening. A lot of my friends even had to use the special typhoon shutters a lot of the houses are equipped with. Fortunately, no one was injured and there were no major damages to any of my friends' homes.

On Friday morning, I participated in a webinar teacher training for a program called Reading Plus. The five of us who volunteered to participate actually came in early on Thursday morning at 7 am. There was a mix-up in times because of the time difference between California and Japan. So we actually wound up coming in on our day off at the same early time. It wasn't a problem at all for me since Sinbad and I are up at the crack of dawn anyways. The other participants all live in my building so it was easy for us to get to school before 7. The program sounds like a great way to help our readers who are struggling with fluency. We'll be giving it a try and it's great to be at a school that works hard to attend to the needs of the children.

I'm feeling more and more "at home" here and my new co-workers have been extremely helpful, friendly and supportive. The teamwork and collaborative efforts of this staff is refreshing. People are sincere, cheerful and down-to-earth. Everyone works hard and yet they continuously offer to help each other out! It's always scary being the newbie, but it makes it so much easier to adapt and adjust when people are so naturally warm and kindhearted. I'm really enjoying the opportunity to get to know my co-workers and it's such a blessing to be around such a peaceful and comfortable environment, both in and outside school.

Although I didn't get everything I wanted to do accomplished this weekend, I made a dent. I got two more boxes unpacked and I'm slowly getting around to figuring out how to store everything. Of course, building bookcases and cabinets are not so easy when you have a curious puppy poking around in everything. Sinbad will just purposely plop himself down in the middle of what I'm working on. But I have to praise him because he isn't destructive and he only seems to take things just for the attention since he loves me to go chasing after him.

I couldn't resist snapping this shot of Sinbad with my stuffed animals, especially after one of my friends commented how Sinbad's new haircut makes him look like a plushy toy.

Here's what I meant about Sinbad plopping himself right in the middle of my work:

When he finally decided to get out of the cabinet-to-be, he took my screwdriver and wouldn't give it back.

I only wish Sinbad could have done the building for me!

Time for bed after a very relaxing weekend!

xox

Hooray for Three Day Weekends!

2011-09-18T22:20:00.000+09:00

Tomorrow is a national holiday in Japan known as Respect for the Elderly Day. It is a day to pay tribute to our elders and recognize the accomplishments and hard work they have done before us. It's a nice day to say thank you to our grandparents and tell our elders how much we appreciate them.

We teach Moral Education in Japanese elementary schools. At my school, we did a lesson about why we should respect and honor our elders. The students made cards for their grandparents with messages in both English and Japanese. It made me a little teary-eyed because I still miss my grandparents so much. It's been 4 years since they both passed away. (My grandmother died first, and then my grandfather passed away 10 days later.) I also miss my Japanese grandparents (my dad's parents). They both passed away when I was still in elementary school. Because they didn't speak much English, I really couldn't have extended conversations with them. How I would love to be able to talk with them now in Japanese and share the things that I'm sure they missed when they lived in the US! And wouldn't it be awesome to be able to cook them their favorite Japanese meal?! You know, lately I've been having some really weird dreams with deceased family members in them. They're not scary dreams, but I believe that they are dreams to let me communicate with my dead relatives. It sounds morbid, but I remember watching something on one of those crazy psychic network shows about how dreams were dead people's telephones. So whether or not that's actually true, I would like to believe that there is some bit of truth in that and my relatives (and pets) are just checking up on me!

Well, speaking of pets, Sinbad made his first friend today. On our walk this morning, we met this elderly couple who were walking their Shih Tzu. Sinbad is happy to meet any dog, but he has to be the one to approach a human first, not the other way around. I think he may have been missing Marron's dad because Sinbad went right up to the old man, snuggled up to him and even gave him a lick on his face! He was fine with the Shih Tzu until the Shih Tzu tried to mount him. Sinbad is not aggressive in that way so he played it cool while the other dog kept trying to get his attention. I asked what the Shih Tzu's name was. His name was "Ado" and he was 11 years old. I don't get the connection but the man was trying to tell me that the dog's original name was "Doughnuts" and it got shortened to "Ado."

I just thought of something random in regards to the name "Doughnuts." There is a student in grade one named "Coconuts." That's pretty original, eh? It ranks right up there with Gwyneth Paltrow's "Apple." I don't know anything about Coconuts' personality, but I think it would be hard to have to ever discipline someone named Coconuts.

So how have I been spending this 3 day weekend? Well, I haven't been doing much. I have so many things I have to do and I think I'm either in denial or in extreme procrastination mode. I have one more day to buckle down and get some of those things on my agenda accomplished. Yesterday, I enjoyed a great phone chat with my mom. I wasn't going to go out, but I decided that before I could unpack the rest my boxes, I needed some storage units or a few more bookcases to get my things organized. I did a little bit of shopping and came back home with every intention to get those remaining boxes unpacked. But what did I do? I took a nap! *sigh* So much for getting things done....

This morning I was going to tackle those boxes, but instead, I thought I'd take a drive out to check out the new Costco. I had planned to go next weekend after pay day, but I decided that it would be better weatherwise to go this weekend since it is supposed to rain all week. Now, anyone who knows me knows that I usually don't go anywhere on Sundays to avoid traffic and crowds. I should have listened to my instincts because the crowds at Costco were horrendous. This Costco opened on August 26th so it's still new and it looks like the surrounding Power Mall is also quite new. I was pretty lucky with parking though. Purely by accident, I entered through a back entrance so I avoided the main entrance. Plus, I arrived just a little after the store opened.

Looking at this photo, you wouldn't think you were in Japan, would you? As bad as the crowds were, I think having shopped at the Costco in Alhambra (where I grew up) prepared me well. Those of you who have shopped there know what I mean!

My guilty pleasure at the moment are these popsicles from Chateraise . The popsicles have these little tarty candies in them and the "ramune" flavor has a refreshing citrus taste. I also bought their orange juice popsicles which are nice and pulpy and I bought a pack of their sundaes. When I lived in Kawachinagano in Osaka, there was a Chateraise right down the street. So having one just a hop, skip and a jump away from me now is a nice treat.

Well, I think I better stop for now because there is a certain dog holding an ice cream cone waiting for me to play with him. How can I resist this?!

xox

It's Tsukimi Time (Time to View the Harvest Moon) and a Tribute to Marron

2011-09-12T21:52:00.001+09:00

One of the zillions of things I love about living in Japan is how the Japanese people have festivals for everything! I particularly love those festivals that pay tribute to nature or let you appreciate the simple beauties in life.

Tonight is a festival which honors the Autumn moon. In Japanese it's called tsukimi or literally, "moon viewing." It's one of Japan's more quieter festivals yet people gather together and have parties to celebrate the beauty of the Harvest Moon. Tonight is supposed to be the night where the moon is at its brightest and most beautiful. Foods such as dango (dumplings), satoimo (taro potatoes), edamame (soy beans) or chestnuts are offered to the moon in an altar to pray for an abundant harvest. I celebrated by eating this:

This was a special dango sold at our local 7/11 in honor of Tsukimi. If you're wondering why one of the dumplings is a rabbit, it's because Japanese people see a rabbit pounding rice cakes when they view a full moon. Can you see it?

It is indeed a beautiful night tonight and although it was quite hot today, the nights and early mornings are cool and comfortable. I am really looking forward to the cooler Autumn weather.

The other day, I was very surprised to receive a call on my cell phone from this guy Naotaka. I never really knew his name until just right before I moved. We only knew each other by our dogs' names. He had a miniature dachshund named Marron. Marron absolutely LOVED Sinbad. He would run full speed on his little short legs to greet Sinbad. Sinbad would sometimes bark at other dogs we met along our walk, but he never once barked at Marron. Marron usually walked off-leash, but I always kept Sinbad on his leash. Sinbad is quite mellow among dogs that are smaller than he is and for whatever reason, Marron always tried to "do his thing" with Sinbad. Sinbad didn't like that much, but he tolerated it. The four of us would walk around our neighborhood usually in the wee hours of the morning. Naotaka usually left for work around 6. He was originally from Okinawa, but lived in Kishiwada in Osaka so we both had a common stomping ground in Osaka. We talked about a lot of things, but mainly we talked about our dogs. Even though Marron was 5 years older than Sinbad, Marron seemed to be the playful puppy while Sinbad just played it cool. When I told Naotaka that I was moving, he was very sad. On the last morning before I moved, I gave Marron a dog toy present and gave Naotaka a photograph of Sinbad and me (my Twitter profile pic photo). Sinbad can be very selective of who he likes and who he doesn't like, but he absolutely adored Naotaka. Whenever we finished our walks, Naotaka used to give Marron and Sinbad a treat. The two dogs would sit next to each other and then they'd get their reward. Then Sinbad would give Naotaka a lick or two and a cuddle. I took these photos on the last morning we saw Marron and his "dad."

When Naotaka called, I just assumed that it was to say hi and see if I had settled in okay. But the moment he said he had some sad news to tell me, I knew that something must have happened to Marron. He told me that Marron had become very sick and at first he thought that it was just due to the heat and humidity. But when he took him to the vet, the vet said that Marron had cancer and probably wouldn't have much more time left. He was admitted to the hospital. I told Naotaka that we'd keep him and Marron in our thoughts and prayers and I encouraged him to stay strong. When I arrived home from school today, he called again. I had hoped that it was to tell me that Marron had been released from the hospital, but unfortunately, Marron had passed away at 8:30 this morning. It's hard to find the right words to say especially when it's in your non-native language, but I think all Naotaka wanted was someone he could cry to. So our conversation was brief. He thanked Sinbad and I for being Marron's friend and he wanted me to know how much Marron looked forward to seeing Sinbad every morning. I'm glad that we were able to be a part of their lives and I know Marron was very much loved and very well taken care of. I'm sure he will be watching over his dad and hopefully Marron can meet up with my old husky Sundance who will be waiting to play with him over on Rainbow Bridge. Be at peace, Marron.

xox

Moving Forward

2011-09-11T22:05:00.001+09:00

Before writing this post, I would like to take a moment to send my love, thoughts and prayers to those who lost their lives or lost someone dear to them on this fateful day ten years ago. As I watch and read the memorials and remember the tragic events of September 11, 2001, I still get teary-eyed and my heart hurts remembering all of the horrific moments on that day. The impact 9/11 had on the entire world was one of the cruelest blows of reality and it pains me to think about how people could be so heartless to one another. Yet despite the nightmarish actions of those who planned and carried out those attacks, there were the heroes who fought unselfishly to save lives, give hope and protect others. Many of those heroes sacrificed their own lives. Many of those heroes have probably experienced and witnessed moments that could never be forgotten. There are also heroes who continue to serve our countries in the hope that we may live peacefully and create a world which we can live harmoniously in. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to move forward and my prayers go out to those who have endured so much suffering yet continue to move forward.

Moving forward is my topic for this evening's entry. Of course, we all move forward physically with each new day, but I'm talking about moving forward emotionally and mentally. Sometimes we're forced to move forward, sometimes we choose to move forward and other times, we get a little push in the right direction to move forward. Although it would be wonderful to have some stability in my life, I've never been afraid to accept and embrace a challenge, a change or a hurdle. I have been very lucky because I've always known when to zig and when to zag. Life often has a funny way of giving us multiple paths to choose from and when one path is blocked, you may not understand why it's blocked but there definitely is another path you can take. Moving forward is not always easy, but especially in this day and age, you can move forward and continue to keep the relationships and friendships of your past alive no matter where you are.

So let's jump back to last weekend. I was so thankful that Typhoon #12 didn't interrupt my plans to spend the weekend in my old stomping grounds. In fact, the drive was beautiful and the rain didn't start until I hit the Gotemba area of the Tomei Expressway. I dropped Sinbad off at his pet hotel/salon and the workers greeted him as if he had been away for a long time. (It had only been about a month since he was last there!) The workers and groomers are all so kind which puts my mind at ease knowing that he is well taken care of and familiar with the surroundings. I picked up my three friends and former co-workers and we headed off to Shizuoka for our hair appointments. The rain had actually picked up quite a bit and unfortunately the expressway was closed from Fujinomiya to Shimizu. I decided to take Route 1 into Shizuoka instead. We made perfect time and the four of us enjoyed a delicious Italian buffet lunch before our appointment. It was so nice to be able to relax and catch up on summer trips and exciting events (weddings, babies, etc.) with my girlfriends! And of course, any time with Hide is magical. I'm sure he was shocked at the condition of my hair *eeks* but as always, the four of us were given the VIP treatment and those head massages felt wonderful! We did a little bit of shopping before heading back to Numazu where I had made reservations at a yakiniku (BBQ meat) place to celebrate the August wedding of one of my friends. I was excited to meet her husband for the first time and we were looking forward to introducing him to the joys of yakiniku. My friend had invited all her co-workers including the 3 new teachers who began last month so I was looking forward to meeting them as well. With kids and husbands joining us, we had 14 people and a baby in all. Following the dinner, we headed off to karaoke and my friend's husband made an adorable karaoke debut. Everyone sang and it was a good chance for everyone to get to know each other outside of work.

I have always been one to try to welcome the newbies to Japan. I used to help out with Tottori orientation when the new batch of JET participants arrived even when I was no longer on JET. New teachers get plenty of overwhelming information about work and rules and stuff so my job has always been to try and introduce things like where the good shopping is, where the foreigner-friendly restaurants are and where you can find comforts from home that you might be missing. Work is different things to different people and I have always believed that it's best for each teacher to adapt in the way which they best adapt. So meeting the new teachers was nice, but it certainly was not my objective to talk work with them. Instead, they were more curious about how things were out my way and what my new school was like. And since I'm a new teacher like them, we could all relate to what it's like getting used to a new area and a new school.

On Sunday, I met with one of my realtors and we talked some more about some of the challenges we're facing regarding the sale/rental of my mansion (condominium.) *argh* It's frustrating because I can't get a lot of the things done until I am in the area on a week day when the banks are open. So we are trying to do as much as we can until then. After meeting with them, I stopped off at another friend's house and enjoyed spending some time with him and his family. Sinbad's grooming appointment would be over by 2 so I headed back to the hotel and picked him up. They gave me this crazy photo they took of him! I burst out laughing.

Thank goodness Sinbad is a good sport about it all! I'm not sure whether this was a wig or a photo application! Hilarious!

The drive home was very smooth with only a couple of spots that had some rain. There wasn't any traffic, thank goodness, so I made it home in about 3 and a half hours.

SoooOOOOooo, I was feeling pretty good about everything in life until I received a message from a friend telling me about some stuff that was happening at my old school. For whatever reason, one of the teachers was telling another teacher some stuff about me. I don't know exactly what except that she said he told her that I should not be trusted and that I had been trying to steal away her job. What???? Number one, how could I steal a job that was already told to me wasn't there for me to steal?! Number two, if I really wanted that job, would I have went looking for another? Number three, why would she even care if she could trust me or not? I'm not there! She was equally as puzzled and could only make the assumption that this teacher didn't like me much. I actually didn't think I had any problems with this teacher myself so apparently I was wrong on that account. I always considered this teacher and his wife to be my friends and if there were any problems he had with me, nothing was ever said to me by him, by his wife or by anyone! I was also told that this teacher was trying to get me banned from coming to the school's bazaar at the end of October. The Bazaar is an annual event open to the public and held on a Sunday. My old Japanese partner and I have already made plans to go together to visit our old students and say hi to our friends, former co-workers and parents. I was really confused. Why should he care whether I come to Bazaar or not? And why would he tell a new teacher that I shouldn't be allowed to visit? The crazy thing is that this teacher isn't even going to be at the Bazaar because he will be on the school's trip abroad! Well, as people who know me will attest to, I will always go right to the source to get my information. I wanted to know exactly what was up and rather than make judgement calls or accusations, I wanted to get things out in the open. So this is what I wrote: (names omitted)

"Hey _______,

How's it going? Hope you had a relaxing summer and getting ready for a busy term 2. It won't be long before you're back in (trip location) and hopefully (the name of the class that's going on the trip) will be an easy class to travel with.

I just wanted to touch bases with you because I've just been told that you've been saying some not-so-nice things about me behind my back. Regardless of what you personally think of me, it hurts me that you are telling people not to trust me and that I was trying to steal someone's job away. Yes, I wanted to stay at (name of school) and I thought there was a chance when the first grade 1 teacher (name of first 1st grade teacher hired) decided not to come. When I was told there were other reasons why I couldn't stay, I was forced to look for a new job. Luckily for me, I did and as everyone told me, things happen for a reason and now I totally understand that reason. I would not come back to (name of school) if they paid me to because I'm much, much happier where I am now. Anyways, I could care less who trusts me or doesn't trust me at (name of school) because I'm gone so I just thought that was a rather strange and hurtful thing to say to someone about me. I also heard that you were trying to get me banned from coming to bazaar. Do you have a problem with me visiting my former students and teacher friends at (name of school)? I'm surprised that you would say that unless you were joking around and it was misinterpreted but if you do have a problem involving me going to bazaar, I wish you would tell me. (Name of my former Japanese partner) sensei and I have already made our plans to come and if that bothers you, I hope you could at least tell me the reasons behind your feelings.

I've always considered both you and (name of his wife) as my friends which is why what I heard today just leaves me feeling a bit baffled and hurt."

And here was the response I got a few minutes later:

"When I heard you had plans to return for Bazaar, I felt it was the last straw. I've tried very hard to get along. But your return to (name of school), based on how things ended, is very inappropriate. It furthers solidifies my opinion that you are deluded in thinking that you played no part in your own demise.

This school and staff is trying to make a fresh start and move forward without the drama. The atmosphere is much lighter and I want it to stay that way. I can hope you GET the message and truly move on.

Personally, I haven't felt comfortable with you for some time. I'm sorry I have hurt your feelings but it's time for a clean break. I'd like this to be our last communication.

Good luck in your new job."

wtf?　Nice, huh? I mean, it's almost funny because here he is talking about moving forward without the drama, yet why then would he instigate drama by telling someone who doesn't even know me all this? My return to school based on how things ended also puzzles me because he has no idea how things ended unless he is basing assumptions on what he thinks he knows. He's never talked to me about "how things ended." Delusional? Puh-leeze...if he read my past blog entry, I will be the first to admit that I was the one who resigned first. I am grateful to my director and the reference I was given, I had wonderful farewells with my friends at the school, and I look forward to continuing my professional ties with my fellow professional co-workers. I think the only thing I may have been delusional about was assuming that this person was my friend! I still am not quite sure what message it is that I am supposed to "GET" because obviously I have moved forward and the only person who seems to feel uncomfortable with me is him. I do feel bad that he never let me know that he was so uncomfortable with me. He never let on to those feelings and he did a good job then of fooling everyone because I don't think anyone else saw a problem there either. I look back on some of our past correspondence and there was never any indication of any problems. I guess for all the times he wrote things like he was glad to be working with me and stuff like that, it was not sincere. (and yes, I do have examples of those messages too.) I also really feel bad if his wife felt the same way because I thought we shared some good chats at school and away from school. I really think she is an angel. I still value my friendship with her because I'd like to believe it was sincere, but I'm sure he will probably ban her from talking to me. Time for a clean break? Request that it be our last communication? Wow~ so much for trying to get along and keeping a light and friendly atmosphere. If that's what he would like, then I will respect his wishes although I have to laugh because did I really have a choice?! It was so very high school because as soon as he sent that message, BOOM! He de-friended me and that was that! I do feel for my friends though who still have to work with him because he has put them in an awkward situation, especially my close friends who have been really hurt by his intentions. It's also a shame that members of a staff who are instructed to and expected to get along with each other, keep lines of communication open and work cooperatively with each other have someone like this on their team. Somehow I don't think this behavior or bullying attitude would be condoned by my former administrators or my former co-workers but it really doesn't matter. No one would probably believe that he's done something like this anyways because sometimes all people want to see and believe are facades of positivity. Besides, his wish is granted. I'm no longer there, he doesn't need to communicate with me anymore if that's his wish and the only thing that he'll need to deal with is feeling uncomfortable anytime my name is mentioned or if I'm in the vicinity. As one of my friends wrote, "The children are all waiting for you when you come to Bazaar. They miss you very much." And yes, THAT is the reason I am going to Bazaar: for the children and to see my friends who I have built everlasting relationships with during the time I was there.

xox

Learning and Loving It!

2011-09-10T21:50:00.000+09:00

Wow~ what a week it's been! It started off last week with the crazy typhoon which turned out to be quite gentle in my neighborhood. We did, however, receive a day off on Friday in anticipation of heavy rain throughout the day. It was a very welcome day off. I was able to relax here at home with Sinbad and it gave me a chance to watch the BB live eviction for that day and do some work around the apartment. I also was able to get plenty of rest in preparation for my drive back to my old stomping grounds. I'll post what happened during that weekend tomorrow as there were lots of interesting things that occurred following that weekend. Let's just say that people's true colors come out when you least expect them to. It's funny how the people who accuse others of causing drama are often the ones who like to instigate it. Anyways, I'll save all that for my next post.

Today my school had its Prospective Parents' Observation Day. This is a chance for parents to visit the school, observe classes in session and attend a brief meeting to introduce the school's program and explain the application procedures to the parents. We had the same event back at my old school as well. It is an excellent chance for parents to see what happens during classes and determine whether or not they would like to apply for this unique type of learning environment. My new school is almost triple the size of my old school so we had a lot more parents wandering through our 2nd period class today. Since both my old school and my new school have such unique English immersion learning environments, both schools have many visitors throughout the year. Although you might think that the students would be easily distracted by all of the visitors, they are actually very good about maintaining their focus on the lesson and showing off their best skills. Everything ran smoothly today although if I had to self-critique myself, I think the lesson I prepared may have been a bit too hard. Naturally, you want to do a lesson which showcases the students' speaking abilities in English and I had tried to incorporate a lesson which also showcased cooperative learning. The students were doing a lesson on length and measurement and my Japanese partner and I team-taught the lesson. We used a lot of hands-on activities, but as the students were taking part in the activity, I realized that the students still need a bit of practice in learning how to do things like sharing information and explaining their thought processes to each other. I guess my expectations were a bit high, but I've always tried to encourage my students to take on new challenges rather than settle for just doing the bare minimum. The students LOVE using their new rulers and using them to measure and draw lines so I have to remember that they are still at the experimental stage and enjoying being able to use a new tool in their assignments. The students were dismissed around 11:30 and our work day ended at 12:15. We have several working Saturdays throughout the year, but they are not so bad when they are only half day. After school, I treated myself to a nice lunch. I went to this Italian restaurant where you can get your choice of pasta, a salad, a drink and all-you-can-eat pizza. The servers come around with all different types of pizza and ask if you'd like a slice. I made the mistake of having 3 slices of pizza before my pasta came and so it was really hard to finish my pasta! But it was yummy. Then, I stopped off at the market to do my grocery shopping. When I came home, I put my groceries away and just fell asleep on the carpet! Sinbad came and took a nap right next to me, too. I guess I must have been more tired than I thought!

Things are continuing to go well at school. It has been interesting to see the way the same events are handled differently between all the schools I've worked at within Japan, and actually even with the schools in Los Angeles. Take, for example, the earthquake drill. At my school in LA, we had scenario cards for our earthquake drill. When the announcement was made over the loudspeaker and the emergency bell rang, teachers were asked to open an envelope which contained a scenario card. I remember my card said that the teacher (me) was knocked unconscious. How easy was that for me!! I stayed quiet and "unconscious" during the whole drill. The teacher in the connecting room checked up on the class and evacuated them out. They sent a crew in to rescue me and I was carried out on a stretcher. Of course, after the drill was over, I praised my class for staying calm and knowing exactly what to do in case of emergency. At my former school, all the teachers wore helmets and the students put these emergency cushions over their head. An announcement was broadcast over the loudspeaker and we evacuated out to the grounds. Everything was very orderly even though students will not always have access to their emergency cushions. When the earthquake happened in March, I was very proud at how well the students and teachers handled the disaster. All the preparations and drills paid off. At my new school, the drill was pretty much the same except that the broadcast system did not have an announcement. Much to my surprise, they had background noise to make it sound like an actual earthquake with things crashing and rumbling. I suppose it was to give the drill a little more authenticity with those sound effects.

This past week, we had a grade level meeting to discuss the dental hygiene presentation/check that the 2nd and 5th grade classes will be having next week. As with other schools in Japan, a group of dentists come to check the students' teeth and then they go over some healthy dental habits. Many students and teachers in Japan brush their teeth immediately after lunch and they encourage the students to gargle frequently. Well, my class is about to experience something that I've never done before at any school! Apparently, the group of dentists coming to our school are encouraging people to chew gum with Xylitol as a way to prevent tooth decay. They are giving us a supply of Xylitol gum and the school has decided and approved the use of the gum to help the students take better care of their teeth. We have been instructed to give the students the gum during the quiet reading time which is about half an hour after they've had their lunch and played at lunch recess. Parents will be notified of this new practice and it will continue for the rest of the year. So wow~ gum chewing at school~ that's a first for me! But hey, if it works, it's all about healthy teeth, right? It will be interesting to see how the students react. I think we'll definitely need a few lessons on proper gum disposal as well as polite gum-chewing etiquette. On the plus side, perhaps it will be refreshing to have a class with minty fresh breath! I'll let you know what happens!

Okay, I think it's time for an early night, even though it's a Saturday night! Back tomorrow.

xox

Work in Progress

2011-08-31T21:59:00.000+09:00

I had hoped to come home a little earlier so that I could write a decent entry tonight, but I wound up going grocery shopping after school and didn't get home until about 6:30. Typhoon #12 is headed our way so I just wanted to have enough available just in case. I also wanted to fill up my gas tank since I'm planning to drive back to Numazu on Saturday. The more I could get done today, the easier it will be for me this weekend. As soon as I arrived home, there was yet another little earthquake. It's kind of a funny coincidence because tomorrow we are scheduled to have an earthquake drill at school provided it's not raining. Then again, perhaps it might not be a bad idea to have the drill in the rain because these earthquakes seem to strike anytime, anywhere, rain or shine!

I thought I'd post a few photos (mainly for my family) of how I'm settling in to the apartment. These are definitely "work in progress" photos as I'm still unpacking and trying to get organized. I am under a super tight budget at the moment so I'm just trying to get by with what I have. Hopefully once I get back on track (if I ever do!) I can better organize myself and get rid of what I no longer need or can use. It is still hard juggling my mortgage payments and my rent, especially when I'm only living in one residence. I have an appointment to meet with one of the realtors who is trying to sell my place on Sunday morning. We are merely going to touch bases as I don't think anything has changed since I talked with them last. Anyways, back to the photos:

So this is kinda like Sinbad's room...haha. Actually, I guess it's the dining room, but I decided to put my dining room table in the kitchen to give Sinbad a little more space to play. The curtains are just from the 100 yen shop (like the Dollar Store) so they are cheap and flimsy, but they'll do for now. I bought them short on purpose so that Sinbad could see out the window. I may need to re-think this because he barks when he sees people walking past outside. It is probably a big change for him since we used to live on the 7th floor. The orange pad is his "peepee pad" and he's never had an accident yet! Ever since he was a puppy, he peed on this area. You can see his doggie stroller which once again, I bought purely for emergency evacuation purposes way back when he was just a puppy. Our earthquake kit is under the stroller. Hopefully we'll never have to use the kit, but at least if I have to evacuate somewhere, Sinbad can rest comfortably if we have a long walk to go and my arms could be free. Ah yes, and you can see the "Big Brother 13" live feeds in the background! (lol) I just bought the throw carpet a couple weekends ago and we both love it! Sinbad's "pillow" is there too.

Japanese kitchens don't have a lot of counter space or storage space so I am really missing my old kitchen. Since this is a rental and not my own place, I also have to be conscious of trying to keep the place as clean as I can. So I started putting the film sheet over the tiles. It makes it much easier to clean when grease spatters. I actually like the polka dot film so eventually I may do the rest of the tile. I haven't decided yet whether having the table in the kitchen is a good thing or if it's too crowded so we'll see how things go.

My living room is still Box City. I also have to get my TV connected. Now that Japan has switched from analog to digital, I think I have to do something differently to get my TV working. But at them moment, it just stays unplugged.

My bedroom also needs to get set up. I brought my sofa bed and my mattress but I got rid of my bed frame when I moved. So I have to figure out how to fit everything in or just get rid of my mattress. You can see Sinbad's favorite toy "Fur" on my bed. One of these days, I'll post the video I have of Sinbad playing with Fur.

Today in Art, the students made maracas. They will use these for Sports Day when they are cheering. Obviously I can't post photos of the children, but you can get an idea of what the maracas look like. I thought they all came out really nicely! Each child brought their own PET bottle and they could fill it with whatever "noisemaker" they wanted to use. Some had marbles, others had beans, some had beads and one girl even had curly-Q pasta! The students used tape, stickers, markers, ribbon and streamers to decorate their maracas. Afterwards, we shook different rhythms with the maracas and the children repeated them. I was very impressed.

I couldn't be happier with the students in my class. Today in the story we read, there was a letter that had hearts and x's. The students asked why there were x's so I explained that we use x's for kisses and O's for hugs. I told them that I always sign off my blog/journal using "xox." I also had a private chuckle today. When I'm teaching, I try to be very conscious of what I say. For example, I don't say, "Oh my God" or make any religious references; I usually say "Oh my goodness" or "Thank goodness!" I have been noticing that a lot of my students, particularly the boys, are saying, "Oh my goodness!" It's kinda funny.

Time for bed. Time for a typhoon? We shall see.

xox

BB13: Out of Control?

2011-08-28T21:57:00.000+09:00

Unlike other reality TV shows, "Big Brother" allows its viewers and fans to subscribe to live internet feeds so you can observe what's happening inside the house 24 hours a day. You are not privy to everything and some of the feeds are not shown. Although there are cameras all around the house, only 4 screens are shown and each screen is not always a different feed. But for the most part, live feed subscribers can see a lot more than what is shown and edited on TV. For many people, this voyeuristic obsession seems a bit outrageous, maybe even a bit pathetic. After all, why would anyone want to watch a group of people all day long as if they were stalking their private life? Good question. I can't even explain my own fascination except that I have always been interested in group dynamics and how people interact with each other. Who knows? Maybe I am a bit crazy, but I know I am not alone. Big Brother fans are some of the most loyal fans of all TV reality TV shows and the Twitter world is full of diehard BB fans just like me. I also think some of the former "Big Brother" houseguests are some of the most gracious of "celebrities" who answer tweets, e-mails and appreciate the support shown both during and after the show. Many of them participate in charity functions, fund raisers and reality rescue missions. But unfortunately, some people forget that "Big Brother" is just a game and what we see on TV and on the feeds is not always how the contestants are in real-life. They are put under extremely stressful circumstances and forced to live with people they may or may not click with. At the beginning of each season, we read the contestant profiles, watch the contestant interviews and often choose who we want to cheer for or who we predict will give us the drama, the showmances or the comedy that we are anticipating with each new season. CBS tends to edit contestants a certain way whereas live feed viewers get a more intimate look at what goes on late at night, behind closed doors and in private.

I have been a live feed subscriber since season 6. Remember that season? Who could forget the chemistry between Janelle and Kaysar, the Sovereign Six versus the Nerd Herd and all the fights & drama of that season? I remember when Kaysar was voted back into the house, gave the HOH to Jennifer who then in turn went back on her word, put Kaysar up as the replacement nominee and Kaysar was evicted. Oh, the aftermath of that week was crazy. I admit, I was one of many who was so infuriated with Jennifer and I chatted with other live feed viewers just to get my frustrations out. I remember a website being set up by some enraged viewers which made fun of Jenny and let Jennifer haters get out their anger towards her. There were plenty of rude nicknames and stories being tossed around the internet and even when the game was all over, the haters were still out there trashing the Nerd Herd. You don't really hear much from a lot of those Nerd Herd members including the Season 6 Winner, Maggie. Yet other members of Season 6 still grace the reality TV scene and the illustrious BB alumni scene. I think contestants have very little clue during the show how they are perceived. Most contestants would like to believe that America loves them or supports them. They assume they have fans and fan sites, but are they loved? Are they hated? They don't really know until after the game is over and they can check the sites for themselves.

Earlier this season, BB13 contestant Rachel made it clear to everyone that she was trying to change her image after she realized how hated she was in BB12. Oh, she had her fair share of fans, but she was not America's favorite as I think she hoped she would be. Former contestants always advise new contestants not to pay attention to the websites and blogs. They warn new contestants that you will often get rude nicknames or people will post the worst photos of you online and they will try to dish up any dirt that they possibly can from your past or the feeds. I wonder whether those who finally are chosen to do "Big Brother" have thought carefully about these risks. The temptation of the TV exposure, fame and monetary prizes could overshadow the negative impacts of being on such a program. It really makes me sad when I'm watching the feeds and the contestants are totally clueless as to how they are being perceived. Arrogance, cockiness, self-righteousness and bashing others based on appearance or weaknesses comes out a lot and you have to wonder whether these contestants are aware of what they are doing and saying.

Anyways, these past few days have been out of control. Many contestants have a strong fan base who support their every move, cheer for them in every competition and cry with them when the chips don't fall their way. Unfortunately, hate fan bases are also strong in a very disappointing way. It is only natural to feel anger, bitterness and disappointment when the players you like are betrayed, backstabbed or evicted. In a game like "Big Brother," it is hard to separate emotional game play from strategic game play. You can only imagine the levels of stress and emotions among the players. As viewers, we can all feel these same emotions, but it is so important to remember that this is a TV show game. We are often invited to participate by voting on such things as "America's Choice" or participating in polls and some competitions. But that does not give viewers the right to interfere with the game or take what is happening in the game into our own hands.

For my friends who don't watch the show, briefly what happened was this: One of the contestants, Shelly, has been playing both sides. She has been very good at what she has been doing by talking strategically with both sides, being supportive to others at the right time and making both sides believe that she is with them. All the while she has been doing this, she has been swearing that she has not lied at all and the reasons she is playing the game is for different reasons which people will find out after the show is over and when they watch the tapes. When it came to the live show on Thursday, Jeff and Jordan realized that Shelly had been playing the other side and she went against what they had thought she was going to do. When the double eviction happened, Shelly voted out Jeff. In my opinion, she did exactly what she felt was best for her and that's what you should be doing in the game. However, the way she did it hurt Jordan a lot because she had trusted Shelly and felt betrayed. I didn't like the way Shelly handled things either, but I think the thing that bothered me more was how self-righteous Shelly is being by insisting she never lies and is 100% loyal to someone when she isn't. There are a lot of other circumstances surrounding all of this, but I think that's what triggered off the haters the most. Shelly has not been a fan favorite because of her strategies, but by betraying Jordan especially after Jordan gave her the prize she had won of a phone call from home, this infuriated people even more. Well, apparently, haters went on a rampage. Unbeknownst to Shelly, her husband had to be notified because there were threats made against him, their daughter Josie and Shelly's workplace. A facebook page was made and haters had a field day posting horrible photos, terrible name-calling and worst of all, threats to an innocent child. This type of behavior is uncalled for and should not be promoted at all. Twitter fans have been very supportive about calling attention to these out of control actions and posts. It's really sad. Requests were also made to CBS to reconsider showing family segments involving children of contestants because of the risks.

Please, people. Reality TV shows can reflect the good and the bad sides of human characters. Perhaps many of us find these studies in human characters intriguing, entertaining or downright silly. Regardless of who we like, who we dislike, who we support or who drives us insane, we need to respect the private lives of these people who have chosen to share their personalities with us in their attempt to win a half a million dollars.

This isn't the first time the actions of a reality show have sparked so much reaction. But I don't have time to go into all that tonight. We'll save that for another time. More thoughts to follow. Right now, it's time for bed!

xox

My Weekend (short update)

2011-08-28T20:40:00.000+09:00

Ah, what a relaxing weekend I've had! Did I get a lot accomplished in terms of unpacking? Absolutely zippo. But after surviving my first week at a new school with a new class, I think I deserved to treat myself to a totally slug-it-out weekend.

Yesterday, one of my former Japanese partner teachers who also had to leave the school we both worked at came all the way out to visit me. When she called to see if I was free, I felt a little bad that I couldn't be a better host. Since I am still living out of boxes and I don't have a lot of extra room at the moment, I couldn't offer her a place to stay. I also don't think Sinbad is ready yet to share the apartment with someone else as he is still getting used to the place too. But that didn't matter to her as she was content to just come out for the day. She lives all the way in Hamamatsu so it was quite a long (and possibly expensive?!) train ride, but she wanted to come out. So I met her at the station and we drove around my neighborhood so she could see my new place from the outside. We drove around my school campus and she was very impressed with how large the school was. Then we went to the AEON shopping mall. We ate at the Italian restaurant there and I had this delicious cold spaghetti with tomatoes and avocados. It was so yummy that I tried to recreate it for lunch today. I'm on an avocado kick for some reason. We went shopping and I bought a few things I needed for school like a new thermos and some notebooks. She bought a pair of sandals. We treated ourselves to ice cream and then I took her back to the station. It was nice to see a familiar face and spend some time just chatting and laughing. We'll meet again when I head to our former school's bazaar.

I'm looking forward to next weekend when I'll head back to my old stomping grounds for both business and pleasure. I'll take Sinbad to his grooming salon which is also his pet hotel. After I drop him off, I'm picking up my 3 friends and we're heading for some hair therapy and beautification courtesy of my dear Hide. I am in desperate need of some of his magic! I'm staying the night so it is the perfect opportunity to celebrate one of my friend's recent wedding. By recent, I mean she just got married this month!!! I am excited to meet her new hubby and we'll celebrate with a nice dinner in the company of friends most of whom are my former co-workers as well. I can't wait!

Well, the next part of my post may or may not be of interest to you so for those of you who aren't "Big Brother" fans, you can go ahead and sign off or you can read the next post and be totally confused. BUT for those of you who ARE "BB13" fans, can I just get a holy moly?!!!! I'll post my BB post next!

xox

Stormy Weather But I'm Still Walking on Sunshine

2011-08-26T22:38:00.000+09:00

Wow! Today we had some crazy thunder and lightning in addition to a downpour of rain, but the weather didn't dampen my spirits at all. You know, this morning I was thinking.... I had just cooked a vegetable omelette, heated up a frosted croissant and prepared a half of a grapefruit. I sat at my kitchen/dining room table leisurely eating my breakfast and not feeling the least bit stressed about going to school. My gosh, isn't that the way work should be?! I no longer feel rushed in the morning or worried about making sure that everything is ready for the day's lessons. I come into school excited and happy to see my class. I don't have to walk around on egg shells or say "good morning" to people who don't even have the courtesy to say "good morning" back to you. I know that sounds unbelievable, but that was what was happening to me. My friend and I even did an experiment. I greeted someone with a cheerful "Good morning" and was ignored. I said it loudly and clearly on purpose. No response. My friend, who was standing about 2 steps behind me said the same thing and was greeted with a very hearty "Good morning." I could have easily ignored this person, but I never stooped to her level. It was just so blatantly obvious that this person had it in for me for whatever reason. One of my former co-workers who is now an administrator herself after also leaving the same school said, "A school is only as good as its leaders are." I couldn't be happier with the administration here and apparently a lot of the staff are also happy with the changes that began from April this year.

Yesterday we had our first full day of school so it was interesting for me to experience the whole school lunch scene. When I've worked at previous elementary schools in Japan, the lunches were prepared by a center and served to everyone by the students. Sometimes the lunches were good, but after serving, they became cold. I was very impressed by the school lunches here. Everything was still nice and hot! The portions were quite satisfying and many of the children were able to have second helpings. Teachers apparently get bigger portions and to be quite honest, I was stuffed! I considered taking my bread home, but went ahead and ate it. One of the teachers told me that he sometimes can't even finish all the lunch so he sometimes brings a little container to take the extras home. The kids however aren't allowed to take any food home. That teacher told me that the yummiest dish is a Korean pork dish that he said rivals any Korean restaurant specialty.

So on Thursday, here was my school lunch:

Thursday's lunch was a cream stew and a broccoli salad with a canned peach and a loaf of French bread. My bread was the adult size whereas the children got a smaller loaf. The student lunch comes with milk. Some days are bread days and other days are rice days.

Today's lunch was a Japanese menu:

It's really nice not to have to worry about preparing my lunch every morning and I feel as though I'm at camp or at a restaurant when I get the food served to me. Obviously though, if you're a picky eater, the school lunch option for teachers may not be for everyone. My teacher's assistant is vegan so she brings her own lunch and my Japanese teaching partner prefers to make her own lunch. Each day the students prepare your seat for the day so I get to sit at a different table each day. Perhaps because I am still new, the students all enjoy speaking in English with me. Not once have I had to remind them to speak in English with me or with each other.

So far, it's been really fun teaching my classes. From what my colleagues are telling me, the students seem a lot happier and motivated. They really are keen to learn and I think the way the academic program is set up is perfect for good immersion education to be successful.

Tomorrow, one of my former Japanese partners is going to come out for a visit. I was really surprised that she wanted to come out all this way just to say hello, but she just wanted to say hi and hang out. Since I don't know many places, I'll pick her up at the station and we'll maybe drive by the school and then head on over to the AEON mall, have lunch, and go shopping before she heads back. It'll be nice to see a familiar face and talk about life after our old school.

On a totally unrelated note, I was so sad with BB13's double eviction results. This weekend, I'll have to catch up on Project Runway and Bachelor Pad. Oh my, I'm such a hopeless reality TV fanatic.

Time for bed....

xox

What a Difference!

2011-08-24T20:58:00.000+09:00

In one of my recent facebook updates, I referred to the Katrina and the Waves song and wrote about how "I'm walking on sunshine...and don't it feel good?!" It sounds cheesy, but it's the truth. As difficult as this move was, changing work venues was definitely the right move. Why be at a place where you are no longer valued? The crazy thing was that I was begging to stay. I pleaded and proposed every scenario to remain at my old school because I loved my students and wanted to do as much as I could to support them as well as support my friends who still work there. I was willing to take the good with the bad and endure some of the challenges that are currently facing the school. I would have gladly stayed in my little cubby hole of a room even though I still believe that a teacher should be among and accessible to their students. Well, I feel as though I have been rewarded for my patience and for staying optimistic.

The first two days back at school have been incredible. I am on such a high at the moment and isn't that the way it should be for a teacher?! Even though my new school follows the Japanese school calendar with the year beginning in April and ending in March, they use a double semester schedule. My former school used a trimester schedule so each term began and ended with a formal opening and closing ceremony. Our first day back from summer holidays began without all the formalities that a Japanese school would have. It was really nice. We only had three periods of classes and the students were excused at 11:30. We followed the same schedule today. From tomorrow, the regular time periods will begin. This was such a good move, in my opinion. Sometimes it's hard for students (and teachers) to get back into the swing of things and adjust to the daily school routines. By having half days on the first 2 days back at school, it gradually eases the students into the routines and teachers have enough time to get summer homework corrected, new lessons ready and adjust to the routines as well.

My students are adorable. It is so weird though because several of them are spitting images of students I had at my other school. There are even some similarities in personality types. The students have been very responsive, talkative, energetic and happy. My Japanese partner teacher and I have tried to establish a whole new environment for the students. I think our chemistry works well together and the students can sense that they are starting off fresh. Whatever problems or challenges they had before summer may still exist, but at the moment, the students, according to my partner teacher, seem to be much happier with a lot better attitude. This makes me happy and I hope I can keep that attitude going.

Some of the changes at schoo which I have noticed have made such a difference to me personally. Every school has its good points and bad points, but at the moment, I am so impressed with the good points:

1. the building: It's clean, modern, airy, open, bright, innovative, safe and unique. When I first toured the school, I felt as though I was in a shopping mall! The classrooms consist of open spaces and closed spaces and the furniture can be easily moved to accommodate many styles of learning.

2. the teacher neighborhoods: You are able to interact and meet with your grade level members without the students being right there at your desk which allows you to prepare your lessons and do your work efficiently. It's a very professional atmosphere as well.

3. having TAs (teacher assistants): Every homeroom class has a Japanese TA which is very similar to what I had when I taught in Los Angeles. Your TA can assist you during your lessons, help students who may need extra help or attention, prepare materials or handouts, check homework or other assignments, sort and prepare newsletters or announcements, etc. The TAs also supervise the students during recess duty and lunch recess. My TA is fabulous!!

4. Every Japanese staff member speaks English fluently. This includes the entire office personnel, the maintenance supervisor and the toilet cleaning lady! Every broadcast announcement is made ONLY in English and the only time the Japanese teachers speak in Japanese to the students are during their own Japanese subject lessons. With such an environment, it really does make a world of difference in the attitudes of speaking and functioning in English. It sets good examples and it makes it easy for the foreign staff to communicate easily with EVERYONE! This staff is also much larger than my previous staff. The specialist teachers are also truly specialists in their area of expertise. I am in awe of some of the talented music and art specialists we have at this school.

5. resources: If you're going to use a program or a specific curriculum, you need the resources to support it. In the reading program we are using, the students each have the text book, the practice books, the phonics readers, the supplemental texts and the CDs that go along with the readers so that the students can listen to the stories at home. I am impressed with the organization done by the curriculum coordinators (one at each grade level) who get everything organized for you to teach. The rubrics, assessments and record-keeping are very well-organized and teacher-friendly.

6. daily e-mails: Announcements for the day and any pertinent information for the day are sent in an e-mail which is in your school account every morning. You feel well-informed of the day's events without having to rely on someone telling you the information down the line. Each classroom is also equipped with a telephone system and each neighborhood also has several phone lines.
7. gardens, gyms and grounds: What a difference it makes having a huge ground that all the students can play on as well as several playground areas, courtyards and play spaces. There is also a gymnasium and lots of garden spaces. The grade 2 vegetable garden was a huge success this summer and we're planning to serve the vegetables with lunch on Friday. The students grew edamame (soy beans), string beans, carrots, egg plants, tomatoes, and white radishes. I'm going to have to take a photo of the sponge gourd garden. It puts my old sponge gourd garden to shame!

8. recess: The students ALL have a recess break from 10:20~10:35. My teacher friends back in the US will say, "So what? We do, too." But my previous school did NOT have a recess break and as we all know, children and teachers NEED a recess break!

9. bathrooms: After dealing with funny odors permeating from the toilet areas at my former school, the bathrooms here are a godsend. They are clean, Western-style and look as though they belong in a shopping mall.

10. school lunches: Waitaminute...I guess I can't comment on this as a good point until after I've eaten one! But I'm still going to rate this as a bonus. A school lunch center/cafeteria prepares the lunches and the students in your class serve the lunches to everyone. Homeroom teachers eat with their students and once a week, homeroom teachers will eat with another class at your grade level so you can get to know other students and they can speak English with other teachers. Tomorrow will be my first school lunch so I'll give you the verdict tomorrow.

11. a school counselor: We all know how valuable a trained counselor is to help teachers, parents and students with children who may be experiencing different challenges or problems at school. This is definitely a luxury!

There are plenty more positive points I've noticed but I'll stop for now.

This afternoon, we had a professional development which I think we all found helpful. Our principal spent the summer at a teachers'/administrators' conference in the US so part of this PD shared some of what she learned with us. Today's topic was how to deal effectively with various types of parents. What strategies could we use? What strategies SHOULD we use? Each grade level presented a role-playing scenario between a teacher and parent with a specific type of parent. After each scenario was performed, discussion was open and teachers shared possible solutions and strategies which could be used. Then our principal shared the suggest advice with us and we learned which strategy might work best for our school. Some of my colleagues were fabulous actors and it was great fun to watch them role-play. But at the same time, the information was very worthwhile and valuable. Some of the sample parents were the parent who takes their child out of school to go on vacations and they expect the school to prepare the child's homework ahead of time, the parent who blames the teacher for their child being involved in an altercation with another child, the parent who tells the teacher that their child feels as though the teacher is picking on him/her, and the parent who questions why their child was given a certain grade.

Well, it's almost 9 o'clock and I guess I should get to bed as it's a full day tomorrow. My old school begins tomorrow too so I'm thinking of all my friends and former students who will start back tomorrow too.

xox

The Night Before the First Day of School

2011-08-22T20:49:00.000+09:00

I remember as a child how hard it was to fall asleep on the night before the first day back to school. I guess it's a combination of nerves, excitement and anticipation. Even after I became a teacher, I still had these pre-school jitters. Well, that feeling is back again.

I've spent the last couple of weeks getting acquainted with my new school. Most of the teachers and administrators were all on their summer holidays. But having just joined the school, I was scheduled to report for duty. Even though I was pretty much the only teacher at work, the hours were shorter than usual and the dress code was casual. It gave me a chance to navigate the computer files, look over the curriculum and get to know how everything worked. I still have oodles to learn, but I feel a lot better prepared.

Everyone I have met so far has been awesome. It has been a lonnng time since I've worked at such a big school. I'm very impressed with everything and everyone I've come in contact with. Now I feel as though I know why the things that happened to me did in regards to the belief that "everything happens for a reason."

Tomorrow is my first day with my new students in my new class. It's all so exciting. I took a few photos, but I've spent the day re-decorating the classroom so these were photos I took of when I first arrived.

I have a huge classroom! At this point, the desks and chairs were not arranged yet. I love the wall chalkboard which is magnetic as well and the white board is sturdy and easily portable.

There is a carpeted area which has beautiful windows and lots of room for students to read quietly, play games or work independently.

The walls have a corkboard/wooden surface which makes it easy to display student work and use thumb tacks to hang things. At my other school, we had to wallpaper the walls with butcher paper in order to tape things to the walls. The walls had hideous scars from taping things directly on to the wall and then peeling the paint off when you pulled the tape off.

Teachers' desks are all grouped in one area. They call these areas "neighborhoods." My desk is in the grade 1 and 2 neighborhood. This is what is behind me. That's a rice field that one of the grades planted. The school has a huge playground, several play areas and lots of gardening spaces.

I am a 2nd grade homeroom teacher! The second grade theme is a fantasy theme. My class is 2A, the Dragon Class. 2B is the Pegasus Class and 2C is the Unicorn Class. I will have 36 students in my class.

I know it may seem silly, but I'm posting this for my former co-workers. The bathrooms here are so nice and clean! They remind me of shopping mall restrooms!

This is a view of my neighborhood. My desk is the one on the end closest to you. (You can see my pink bag on top of my desk.) The doorway there by the clock leads to a separate male and female staff toilet, a small kitchenette with a refridgerator, sink, microwave and storage area and a small workroom with a copy maker, laminator and printer. This area is just for the grade 1 and 2 teachers so you can imagine how huge this school is!

Well, I guess I best get to bed early tonight since I have a big day ahead of me! I'm excited, but I'm also missing my old students and teacher friends a lot.

xox

I'm a Newbie Again!

2011-08-21T21:10:00.000+09:00

I really never expected to have to change jobs again, but as you've read in the past few updates, life can change at a moment's notice and all of a sudden you find yourself back at square one. I went from being a veteran to a newbie again in a period of a month. But that's not necessarily a bad thing. During each of my job experiences, I have had been fortunate to work with a number of incredible, amazing people. I have been mentored by the best and learned the ropes from fabulous educators and teachers. My education in education goes all the way back to my own school years where I was taught by some very talented and respectable teachers. As nice and secure as it is to always stay in one workplace, the benefit of moving around so much is that you get exposed to so many different people, systems and environments. I have also been blessed with having the most wonderful, memorable students. Most of them will never realize how much they have taught me and helped me to grow as a teacher. Thanks to social networking and the internet, I have been able to reconnect with so many of my former students and for those who are reading this now or perhaps may read this some day, I'd just like to say "Thank you" for helping me to become a better teacher and a better person.

I was planning to update more with photos but I think I'm going to turn in early and try again tomorrow.

xox

Settling In

2011-08-20T20:32:00.000+09:00

Life continues to be living in a maze of boxes, piles and papers, but I do see progress. On Friday, the moving company came to pick up my empty boxes. It's nice that they recycle boxes. One thing that I didn't know that I'll remember for next time is that you can request to use old boxes rather than new ones which the moving company drops off at your place to use. In other words, you don't have to buy boxes because the moving company supplies them for you. However, if you request to use old boxes, they will not only recycle boxes discarded from previous movers, but they will also cut give you a bigger discount.

Before I brought Sinbad over, I had to make enough room for him to feel comfortable and realize that this was our new home. I was really relieved when the first thing he noticed was his "peepee pad" and went on the appropriate place. Sinbad is super good about his toilet habits. He is a creature of habit and pees only on this pad. He does his poop outside on our morning walks which is one of the reasons I walk him around the same time every morning. The only time he ever had an "accident" was when my parents were visiting and my mom had to give my dad an enema to help him go to the bathroom. Go figure. It was like Sinbad was trying to show my dad what he was supposed to do. They say dogs can sense these things. Leave it to my dog to be the one who shows you how you're supposed to take a poop.

So here's a little clip of Sinbad's introduction to our new place:

And here's a few photos of our new residence:

This is the outside. I'm on the 3rd floor. I was living on the 7th floor at my old place so it's a bit of a change. I'm back to walking the stairs because this complex doesn't have an elevator.

I also went from having a lovely view of Mount Fuji to now having a view of railroad tracks. I no longer hear the sound of cicadas and frogs; I hear the sound of commuter trains. (And it's pretty loud.)

Even though I miss my luxurious penthouse, I have to look at the bright side of things. Rent here is cheap, Sinbad is okay and we're close to school. It only takes me about 5 minutes to walk to school. There's a 7/11 up the street from me and the actual neighborhood is pretty quiet. Oh yes, and this is only 4 km away from me:

So this is probably the closest I've ever lived to a Starbucks and a Subway sandwich shop in Japan. It may sound silly to people who have never lived abroad before, but any reminders from your home country immediately become your comfort food hang-outs. I also found out that there is a brand new Costco opening up in Maebashi which will be less than an hour's drive from here. It will definitely be nicer than having to drive an hour and a half to Costco. The grand opening is actually next weekend, but of course I'm not going to battle the crowds just yet.

I am slowly getting my life back on track. The hardest part is trying to put things away when you no longer have the space to put anything. I also can't find a lot of things. At the moment, I have no idea where my bicycle key disappeared to. I also put Sinbad's new license tag somewhere and I can't find that either. *sigh* I still have a lot of phone calls and address changes to make. My banking is a mess too. I still have bills coming out of my old accounts because I only just got my new bank account a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, I still have house payments to make until something happens with my realtors. I have entrusted everything to the realtor that was recommended to me and so far, she has been a godsend. There are 3 people working on trying to sell the place, but they don't want me to get my hopes up because it's not a good market at the moment. They are going to try to sell it at a price where the entire remainder of my housing loan can be repaid. The down side is that if they can't sell my place for that price, I might have to pay the remainder of my loan which I would be willing to do except that apparently the way it works in Japan is that I'd have to pay off that remainder before the new buyer could buy the place. I don't know...it's something complicated like that. The realtors checked with the building managers and it is okay to rent out my place so the realtor is also looking at renting out my place which would at least help me out with my monthly payments. It is such a headache, but I can only trust that things will work out and I'm thankful that the rent here is so much cheaper.

So I'll close for now and tomorrow I'll update my work situation which is the best part of this whole move.

xox

The Move

2011-08-17T21:11:00.000+09:00

So everyone knows that moving is considered to be one of life's most stressful situations. I think it really has to do with why you're moving. When I moved out of my first residence in Numazu into my own mansion (condominium), it was a lot of work, but not at all stressful. I was excited and moving into a brand new place that was built according to specifications which I got to choose. It was also in my same basic neighborhood. When I moved out of the apartment I lived in when I was married, I was also moving into a brand new apartment and of course I was excited to be back on my own again. The circumstances made it easier to move. This move was totally different. I had never seen the place I was moving into (only photos which were sent to me) nor did I have much information in regards to storage area, views, etc. I was on a definite time limit as well. You would think that after moving 8 previous times within Japan that I would be a pro at moving. I started off being fairly organized: labeling boxes, sorting out stuff, numbering boxes, etc. But when the time crunch came, I just sort of threw everything in the boxes and didn't have much organization at all.

I made the mistake of filling out an online survey to get estimates from different moving companies. I thought that this would save time and I could choose a company more easily. Big mistake!! The results of the survey were sent to all local moving companies and within minutes, I had companies calling me and e-mailing me begging for the opportunity to come over, assess my situation and give me a price quote. It was rather overwhelming. I decided to narrow my search down to only a few companies that I was familiar with. The first company came down that same day and gave me a quote. I wasn't planning to take the first quote so I told the dude that I would think it over and get back to him within the week since they were the first company that I had dealt with. Well, the poor guy was getting pressured by his superiors and the price quote kept coming down lower and lower. I felt bad for him. The estimators call their company and I could hear the voice on the other end telling the guy to get me to sign with them. The guy was sweating and being very polite with me, but I just couldn't accept the first proposal. The next company I dealt with was the one recommended to me by a former employee at my school. I felt a lot more comfortable dealing with them. However, their price quote was considerably higher. When I showed them the previous quote, I could tell that I had probably committed a moving faux pas because it made the guy feel a lot more pressure to meet that price. To make a long story short, I just couldn't deal with all the pressure and the bargaining. I fell apart and started crying. I sobbed about how it was not my choice to move and how bitter I was at having to move thanks to decisions made at my workplace, etc. The poor estimator guy probably didn't expect my mini pity party meltdown and HE started crying! We were able to work out a reasonable deal and BOOM! I was set. What an ordeal!

The actual moving day went smoothly although I felt as though I had no time to relax and breathe. I had taken Sinbad to the pet hotel so that he could relax and be away from all the madness. Earlier he said good-bye to his friend Marron and Marron's dad.

These two sisters that live in my building and have been very helpful and supportive to me came to see me off. They were really nice, but they wouldn't leave me alone. They helped me load up my car and they took all my trash bags, but I kind of wanted to spend some time alone before taking off. They kept coming up to see how far the movers had gotten so even when I was signing all the final paperwork, they were right there. I was very touched by their kindness and the overflow of emotions when I left. Neighborhood relationships are very strong here in Japan and I consider myself to be very blessed in the neighbors I have had.

I drove to Gunma that evening and stayed at a hotel near Ota Station that night. The movers arrived the following morning and moved all my stuff. I'll continue the rest of this tomorrow. But I'll close with a few videos:

xox

It's About Time!

2011-08-16T21:27:00.000+09:00

And she's back.... Yes, I know. It's about time, right? Believe me, the last few weeks have been unbelievable.

First of all, I would like to sincerely thank my friends and family for all the love and support you have given me during this time of transition and chaos. Your messages, e-mails, phone calls, prayers and kind thoughts helped me so much and words cannot express how truly grateful I am for all your support and encouragement. A friend of mine posted this quote by an unknown author on her facebook page: "Concern yourself not with what is right and what is wrong but with what is important." That really hit me. I have held in so much hurt and disappointment regarding my previous work situation and how it forced me to move out of what I thought was going to be "my home." The bitterness was tearing me up inside and if it's one lesson in life I've learned from previous experiences, it's to never let negativity or anger dictate your life. I have been and always will be a survivor. Taking that first step in a new direction is scary and I'm not afraid to admit that or to do that. The important thing is that this experience did not break me. I have my health, I have peace within myself and I now have a chance to make a difference in a new place with new people. I have the best family, a wonderful group of friends and a support network that continuously lifts my spirits and understands me. I have my spirituality and my inner strength that guides and protects me. I consider this entire experience to have been a test of sorts, one to help me grow and appreciate what is important as well as one to help me develop more compassion, tolerance and patience. I know it's very cliche to say "Things happen for a reason" but that's exactly how I feel. There is a reason from a higher power and I'm definitely not afraid to embrace the changes and new challenges that lie ahead of me. It may have taken a while, but I do believe I have my groove back!!

Moving was craaaaaaazy!! I'll write more about that tomorrow and post some photos of the move. For now, I'm going to post some video clips prior to the move. Enjoy!

The first clip is actually just a random clip of Sinbad with his favorite buddy "Fur." It's like his security blanket.

xox

My Story

2011-07-27T23:44:00.000+09:00

Before reading this post, if you haven't read my disclaimer , please take the time to read it now. A lot of my friends who also keep blogs or online journals understand that blogs are an outlet for feelings, emotions, events or creative expressions. Readers may or may not agree with what is written and are free to post comments in the comment section (which may or may not be deleted) or simply click the x in the upper right hand corner and stop reading. Seriously, if you can't handle reading about things going on in another person's life or if you're simply not interested, I'd much rather have you exit now rather than be upset, bored, offended or hurt. Out of respect for my friends and family, I often do not post details in regards to whereabouts, names or private information. I may use code words, code names or innuendos which may be confusing at times to my readers, but please remember that this blog is for me to keep my sanity and release my feelings. I am touched if you enjoy reading my blog or if I've stirred some sort of emotions within you, but my purpose for writing is not for entertainment. I guess for me, writing has always been the best form of therapy. I've been doing a lot of cleaning up (more on that later) and found some of my very first journals from when I first came here to Japan. At that time, everything was still written on paper with a pen. Thank goodness modern technology makes it so much easier and quicker to write!

Well, as I mentioned in my last entry, I would be able to share what I've been going through at the end of the month. Names have been omitted to protect the innocent and the guilty. My story may not make sense to you, but it's going to make sense for me when I look back on this time and mark it as a huge turning point in my life here in Japan.

My story actually began last year in November. I was not happy with a lot of things that were happening around me. I was very worried about my parents. I know how difficult it is for my mother to take care of my father. We are fortunate that he is under the care of a very good hospice program and my parents are also getting a lot of support from my brother and his family. But in the grand picture, this is not the way we envisioned our lives to be. I did a lot of thinking about the future which is hard for me because I've always been a "live for the moment" kind of gal. Time is precious. Family is my priority. What was I doing here in Japan being away from my family during a time which they might need me the most?! Perhaps it was time for me to return back to the US and devote my time to my family. It would be a huge change, a scary challenge, but 100% worth it. And so, I decided not to renew my contract and leave my job in July. I began the steps to find employment in the US and see what I needed to do to make the big move. When winter vacation began, I started throwing out stuff and packing up my life....my life....MY　LIFE!!! It hit me like a million bricks falling on top of me. I love my life here in Japan. I love my "mansion" which would be the equivalent of a condominium back in the US. I love the people here. I love my friends here. I love Sinbad's veterinarian, Sinbad's groomers, my hairdresser, my dentist, the grocery store clerks and my neighbors. What the hell was I doing? But then, on the other hand, my family means EVERYTHING to me and it was worth the sacrifice to me to be with them. I thought about how nice it would be to be reunited with my friends back home, especially my girlfriends who understand me and have always been there for me since we were children and teenagers. The tug of war going on in my heart was horrendous. On New Year's Eve, I talked in depth with my mom. I was an emotional wreck. But during our conversation, my mother shared words of wisdom with me, as mothers often do. One of the most special things about my family is that we know how much we love each other, no matter where we are or how long we've been separated. We faced our situation realistically and openly and we BOTH decided that it was in my best interest to live my life happily here in Japan as I have done for the past 23 years. We know we will be reunited at some point whether we live together here in Japan or back in the US, but it just would be at another time. All of a sudden, I felt at peace. My decision was made and right there on New Year's Eve, I was looking forward to a brand new year. 2011 was looking fabulous!! I immediately e-mailed my director right on New Year's Eve to share the news that I was going to stay in Japan!

Unfortunately, my timing was off. My director had been at a recruiting fair over the winter holidays and wrote to me saying that he had just offered someone the position. According to the rules of the recruitment procedures, offers can't be revoked if a contract was offered. It now depended on whether or not this person accepted. Much to my disappointment, the woman accepted. In his e-mail reply, he said that there was a possibility of openings at the kindergarten or high school, but the elementary positions were all filled. I couldn't be upset. My contract didn't end until July 2011 and most of the jobs being advertised were for April 2011 so I decided that I would begin my job search around Golden Week. (April is the beginning of the fiscal year here in Japan and schools usually begin in April. International schools begin in September, but most of the international schools had recruited during the winter recruitment fairs.)

Then came March 11th. After the earthquake, the tsunami and the nuclear reactor disaster, chaos happened in the employment scene among foreigners. Many teachers in the Kanto area fled and many schools were now without teachers. At my school, rumors were flying everywhere. Some teachers contemplated leaving Japan. One teacher went home. Another teacher tried to go home, but didn't have the necessary documents for her child to leave the country. Several teachers left the immediate area and adopted a "wait and see" attitude to determine whether or not it was safe to stay in our city. There was a lot of uncertainty around, but never once did I contemplate leaving. I wanted to reassure my director that I was stable and willing to stay should any teacher not return or decide to leave early. All of a sudden, I had renewed hope that I would be able to remain at my job. Several teachers had been e-mailing the newly hired teachers and there were rumors that one of those teachers was thinking about not coming anymore. The day before the new placements were being announced, I met with my director just to reconfirm my availability and the potentiality of being reinstated. He hadn't heard of any such rumors but reassured me that if there was a cancellation, of course I would be considered. School began in April and throughout April, I continued to pray for a cancellation or a vacancy.

In May, one of the teachers told me that the newly hired teacher did in fact decide to back out. The teacher who shared this with me had also told me that she had decided to leave school as well for personal reasons but was told that breaking a contract early would result in not receiving a good letter of recommendation so she changed her mind. I had thought that maybe something could be worked out to help her stressful situation like for example, I would be able to take on some of her workload. I then got an idea but I wanted to share it with another teacher involved. Since this teacher was losing her teaching partner, we thought it would be a great idea to put me as her replacement teaching partner. One of the hardest things about foreign teacher contracts is that when teachers leave mid year, it is often hard for the students and parents to adjust to the change. We try to make the transition as easy as possible, but it doesn't always go smoothly as was the case two years ago when I lost my teaching partner and the students had a difficult time accepting the new teacher. Since the students, parents and teaching partners already knew who I was, I believe we would have been able to make the transition very easily. One of the classes which continue to have a problem with change and transition would therefore not have to endure another change if I was still there. I had begged to work with this class because we shared a very strong bond during the 2 years I was their homeroom teacher. I really felt as though it was a no-brainer to keep me at the school. I submitted my proposal to my director, fingers crossed and thinking very POSITIVELY. Not only were my hopes high, but my friends and colleagues also had their hopes high as well. I felt as though it were fate for me when this teacher had cancelled.

Three days after I had sent my proposal, my director met with me. I was certainly not prepared to hear what he had to tell me. After beating around the bush a bit, he told me the reason I was not going to be re-hired. As it is confidential, I can't write about it, but I will say that very little was explained to me. I was asked to accept the reason without questioning or over analyzing and move forward. I really felt as though I had been slapped in the face. On one hand I'm being told what an excellent teacher I am and thank you for all your dedication and hard work and on the other hand I'm being told that perhaps I can find work in the Sendai area since they probably need teachers. We're always being told to communicate and keep lines of communication open. Well, how hypocritical is that when you're being told nothing and asked to just accept something without even knowing what it is you've either done wrong or right?! All of a sudden, the workplace became a place of mistrust and secrets. And unfortunately the ones who will suffer are the students and my fellow colleagues. Even up until my very last day, I ALWAYS gave 100% to the students and my work. Some of my colleagues who are also my friends will have to suffer the decisions made as well. I'm not saying that there will be major repercussions, but I do know that I will be missed.

So after dealing with the shock, hurt and frustration of not having a job come August, I now had to put the job search into high gear. What made things even more emotionally stressful is the thought of having to leave the first home I actually purchased and invested in ON　MY　OWN!!! The security I once had was taken from me without so much as the bat of an eyelash. That hurt, that REALLY hurt. It was very hard because I wasn't even given an explanation why!! I still don't understand and I probably never will, but the lack of compassion, understanding and communication just kills me.

Finding a job when you're over 50 in Japan is not easy. The odds were stacked against me in so many areas. I have confidence in my abilities as a teacher and I know my work ethics and experiences are spot on. But all of that means very little when recruiters are looking at ages and/or photographs. My self-esteem began to feel like a punching bag as I took hit after hit after hit. I tried so very hard not to get discouraged and all the time I continued to go to school, give 150% and not one student or parent knew the hell I was going through. I decided to apply for a position that said a certain age limit was preferred even though I was over that preferred age limit. I'm glad I did.

So, two weeks before the end of school, I finally got a new job. I was so warmly welcomed and received and appreciated. I feel very good about this next adventure and as has been the case throughout my time in Japan, I am going to a place I know nothing about, but I go in proudly with my head held up high and my spirit of adventure in tact.

I begin next week and during the past 2 weeks, I have had to make arrangements to move on my own. Packing up has been (and still is) extremely emotional for me. I don't know what will happen with my place. I met with a realtor who was introduced to me by another former worker at my school. At the moment, they are going over all my documents to see whether or not it is in my best interest to sell or rent, if I am even able to rent. Because I am under such a time crunch, I don't know how much I'll be able to get done. For the time being, the most important thing is getting moved. I am worried about how Sinbad is going to adjust to all of this but I know we'll get through this craziness and hopefully be able to enjoy a little bit of summer vacation before I meet my new students.

Saying good-bye and farewell was very tough for me. The people involved in my departure have NO　IDEA how much my students mean/meant to me and how much I care/cared about their education, their well-being and their enjoyment of school. I was so touched by their cards and letters, their tears, their hugs good-bye and their words of kindness, encouragement and gratitude. Some of my graduate students came down to visit and that truly meant so much to me. When it was announced to the staff that I was leaving, I made my speech in Japanese without translation because I wanted my words from my heart to come out with my voice. I needed to speak the truth. Contrary to what some of the teachers had been told or led to believe, I was not leaving to go to another job. I had to find another job to go to. I disagreed with the decisions made and I wanted to make it clear that I didn't understand the reasons behind the decisions made. The love and support I have received from my colleagues has been amazing. As promised, I went to every single teacher at the school and said my farewell one on one, face to face. But the two people who didn't acknowledge my departure on that last day told me a lot. I did not attend the school's farewell party because I do stay true to myself and I could not be phoney and pretend to be happy about the entire situation and the circumstances surrounding it. As I mentioned before, I am leaving with my integrity and many wonderful memories. I can only feel sorry for those who must hide behind an icy mask of phoniness, denial, insensitivity and arrogance and label it as being positive, supportive and flexible. During the past week, I have been out with several of my Japanese colleagues and the time spent has been so relaxing and enjoyable. I have made some everlasting friendships and they have all insured me that my efforts and dedication will not be forgotten.

Well, this has been a long therapeutic post for me and it's now almost midnight. By this time next week, I will be in my new neighborhood. Despite the drama that has went on, I can and will embrace this new challenge and change happily and optimistically. I know I'm not alone. And I know this is just another adventure to enjoy on my life's journey. :-)

xox

Getting Ready for the Summer

2011-07-17T21:28:00.000+09:00

At the end of this week, I will finally be able to write about all the craziness going on in my life right now. Last week was horrendous. I don't mean horrendous in a bad way; I mean horrendous in an intensely busy way. I felt as though I had one meeting after another, one phone call after another and one assignment after another. I am slowly seeing light at the end of the tunnel which is a good sign. I still have a lot of hurdles and mountains to climb, but I'm gaining momentum and things are starting to fall in place.

I've been walking an emotional tightrope lately, but I'm really proud of myself too. Despite the pressures I've been under, I feel good that I've been able to keep things in proper perspective and stick to my guns. I've never been one to give in to peer pressure or be phoney in my feelings. Sometimes being a straight shooter is tough, but I've always preferred honesty over phoniness, reality over lala-land, and telling it like it is over hiding and denying the truth. I was talking with a Japanese friend and former co-worker of mine and was really surprised to listen to some of the things that she had recently experienced. She told me that she wished she had been strong enough to say what she felt and supports everything I am doing. It reminds me of the time I had to speak out in defense of a Japanese friend who was being abused. A lot of people don't want to get involved in controversial situations and yes, it is sometimes easy to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear and simply pretend situations don't exist. However, if I feel strongly enough about a situation or a wrongdoing, I will make a stand even if I'm standing alone. As my parents have taught me, you never have to be ashamed or embarrassed if you are telling the truth and even if you lose everything else around you, at least you still have your integrity.

We are lucky to have a 3 day weekend this weekend in observance of Ocean Day on Monday, July 18th. My weekend began with a delicious dinner out in Tokyo. It conflicted with another engagement, but I am happy with the choice I made. The dinner was supposed to celebrate my friend's upcoming wedding, but she pulled a fast one on me and treated me instead. (Thanks ___(insert hip hop name here)!) Once her fiance/husband gets here, we'll celebrate again then. Yesterday, I had an appointment with the master of pampering, Hide. Afterwards, my friend and I enjoyed a yummy buffet lunch and did a little shopping. Today was Sinbad's turn to have a little hair therapy. Well, actually he had a little no-hair therapy. I decided to give him a short summer cut. Sinbad is famous for his luxurious fluffy coat, but with these hot summer days ahead, I felt it was in his best interest to get a nice haircut to keep cool. I left it up to his groomers as to how they wanted to trim him and we opted for the "Shiba Inu" haircut. The cut makes a Pomeranian look like a little Shiba dog which is a popular breed in Japan. Sinbad looks like a totally different dog! He's a little more plump than I thought he was. I'm hoping that he is happy with his makeover and hopefully he will be a lot cooler. He has quite a summer ahead of him, thanks to me.

Sinbad Before:

Sinbad After:

Well, I must get back to the enormous amount of work I have to do at the moment so I'll be back with all the latest very, very soon.

xox

Letters

2011-07-10T21:41:00.000+09:00

I continue to be overwhelmed by the month of July. I can't even write daily journal entries to keep me from going insane. But I do see light at the end of the tunnel. Since my thoughts and emotions are scattered in a million different directions at the moment, I'm going to just write a couple of letters I'll never send but need to put it out there in the universe:

Dear ____________,

I love how you take the time to speak to me in English. But what exactly did you mean when you said that on my next appointment, I will receive an injection of plastic?!

Dear ______________,

Thanks for reuniting me with my BB twitter friends. Even though we all have to tolerate another season with Brenchel, BB fans and former houseguests are some of the best and most loyal twitterers around! Love you all!

Dear _______________,

We know you're powerful, but could you please give us all a break here in Japan? These earthquakes and tsunami warnings make it hard for us to enjoy the summer. They're like pop-in, unexpected door-to-door sales people who won't go away even when you've done everything to try and protect yourself against them.

Dear ______________,

I wish I could help you all. We spent 2 solid years of bonding, building trust and learning how each other operates. It's a damn shame that others couldn't respect that and now you're spiraling out of control. It's up to you to make the right choices. I care so much, I really do.

Dear _______________,

If you don't know the entire picture, please don't assume that you do and make insensitive remarks behind someone's back. Thank you.

Dear _______________,

Thank you for letting me cry on the phone today. You know I'll get through this, but sometimes just hearing your voice makes me appreciate how much you believe in me and I just burst into tears.

Dear ________________,

Honesty and integrity are two qualities you have yet to understand. But I realize that it is hard to be honest with others when you cannot be honest with yourself. I can walk away with my integrity in tact and intelligent, observant and compassionate people will see and understand the truth. You can continue to try to hide behind your insecurities and fears, but wouldn't it have been better to confront the situation face to face rather than hide it all behind a fake smile or a meaningless greeting?! You may take pleasure in knowing that you had the power to control someone else's fate, but I will take pleasure when karma pays you a visit. Enjoy!

Dear ____________________,

You are the best! You KNOW who I'm talking to~ I'm talking to YOU. Thank you for being there for me and for standing by me during all this drama.
Love you.

And on that last note, it's time for bed. I have a very busy week ahead of me.

xox

Overwhelmed

2011-07-04T21:30:00.000+09:00

Happy Fourth of July/Independence Day to my fellow Americans! Today brings happy memories of family BBQs, firework displays, beach parties and baseball games. I'm so out of touch with Major League Baseball at the moment. Isn't it almost All-Star Game time? *sigh* Yes, I used to be such a die-hard Houston Astros fan. I could tell you the dimensions of the Astrodome and the batting orders, the zodiac signs and the statistics of all the players. I had my authentic official Houston Astros jacket and T-shirt which I courageously remember wearing to a Dodgers vs. Astros play-off game. (What was I thinking?!)

Well, I apologize for the long lapse between updates. If I had to sum my life up in one word, the word would be "overwhelmed." I have been going through the full range of emotions and riding a roller coaster that has been full of twists, turns, loop-de-loops, steep hills and huge drops. The ride is still in progress, but I think I see the finish line ahead. There is so much I want to write about, but can't just yet. I can only write about my emotions and my feelings, not the actual situations...not yet, anyways.

There is one part of me that is feeling excited, relieved, happy, proud and pleased. I always tell my students that one of the most important things you have to do is believe in yourself and believe in the power of love. Love could mean love of family, love of God, love of friends, love of self, love of career, love of life....whatever love means to you. Love is a powerful force and it will see you through the darkest of times. Believing in yourself is sometimes harder to do, especially during those dark times. It's easy to feel defeated and be stuck in your own pity party. Without a strong sense of who you are and a belief in what you are able to accomplish, you won't be able to get over those hurdles. I think in my case, I've never felt defeated, but I feel like I've had to muster up all my determination and inner strength to keep believing in myself and to prove to myself that I can overcome the obstacles that were thrown my way. Those obstacles are still there and I still have many hurdles to conquer, but they are not as high as they once were. Let's just say that I am feeling overwhelmed, but it's not necessarily in a bad way.

The other part of me is still disappointed, confused, hurt and angry. I don't understand how people can be so hypocritical. Why go on and on about how important it is to be honest, open and communicate with others when you don't practice what you preach? Why insist that there are no problems when you know doggone well that there are? I suppose if I know there is a problem, I acknowledge it and then try to figure out a way to solve it. This obviously does not mesh well with those who won't admit there is a problem and then try to hide it all under a rug with a smile. It's like an alcoholic who knows they drink too much, but will never admit to it because that means acknowledging that there is a problem. I am confused because I don't understand the whole picture. It's like being at a magic show and not understanding the illusion or the trick. No matter how much you ponder, you never seem to get how the trick works.

Throughout my life, I have been able to pick up pieces that other people tried to scatter. I have a heart that forgives, but a memory that never forgets. As the classic Helen Reddy song goes, "You can bend, but never break me, 'cause it only serves to make me more determined to achieve my final goal...." I know those responsible for trying to control someone else's life with decisions based on jealousy, insecurity, power-trips or what-have-you will have to live with their own conscience. I can be proud knowing that I have kept my integrity and my compassion so there is no reason to harbor any ill will or negativity towards these people. It's funny because I don't know if they know that I know or if what I know is what they know!! See? I told you it's confusing.

So for now, I will leave things at that and let these next few overwhelming weeks take their course.

xox

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T21:39:00.000+09:00

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there! Hopefully you all were able to enjoy your special day. I sure wish I could have spent my Father's Day with my dad. I was able to talk with him and wish him a happy Father's Day this morning. Our conversation was brief but I was glad because he was able to talk clearly and it made me feel both happy and relieved to be able to share a little chat with him. He has his good days and challenging days, but he is always in good spirits and never complains about the cards he's been dealt. I think that is one of the most amazing things about my dad. No matter what the odds are or what the situation is, he never gives up and he always enjoys life to the fullest. The more I learn about Parkinson's Disease, the more I respect how my parents have both handled everything. It would be so easy to let a disease eat away at the quality of your life and I'm sure many victims become angry and bitter as the disease progresses. It is still hard to see my dad not being able to do a lot of the things he was once able to do.

Of course, he still thinks he can do everything! And the scary part is that if my mom wasn't looking after him, he probably would try to do everything!

In a lot of ways, my personality is probably a lot more like my dad and I think my brother's personality is a lot more like my mom's. I can be outspoken, tough and argumentative just like my Dad was (he isn't that way anymore) whereas my brother will keep a lot more inside and prefers not to make a big fuss. When Dad and I used to argue, things could be pretty explosive as I think we were too similar and often became too emotional when we disagreed. But at the same time, we definitely understood each other and I always knew that if I needed advice or help or an honest opinion, I could always count on my Dad for that. I'm really looking forward to our next visit and I'm hoping that will be soon. My mom and I talked after my dad and I chatted and we're just going to take things a step at a time. At the moment, we're both trying to get some parts of our lives together and get back on track. If it's one thing my dad has taught our whole family is to be strong, stay strong and our determination will keep us afloat. We get over the hurdles and keep our heads held up high with our integrity.

So yeah, I guess Dad's example has been my Rock of Gibraltar as I weather a few rough waters in my personal life. Lately I've been learning a lot about myself and I guess after the past couple of months with everything that has happened up in Tohoku, I know that I have so much to be grateful for. I can definitely take the cards that I've been dealt and turn them into a winning hand. I always tell my students to "Believe in yourself" and those are words I try to live by too. My parents have both been excellent role models for my brother and me by taking a situation, learning as much as they can about it, believing that they can get through it and then proving that they can survive anything. I think sometimes it's very easy for people to not want to accept situations or face a problem head on. I suppose I can be guilty of that because it's hard for me to just take something at face value. For example, if something is broken, I don't just throw it away; I want to take it apart, examine it and then try to fix it. I guess I just want to know what makes it all tick. Then, if I can't fix it, I'm not afraid to either ask for help or admit that I can't fix it. Once again, I attribute that trait to my father.

I had so much more that I wanted to write about, but I think we'll save that for another day.

In closing, I wrote this in my Facebook status:

"Thank you, Dad, for teaching me, helping me, guiding me, believing in me and being the best father to a crazy daughter like me. You continue to show me every day how important it is to enjoy life and never give up when life throws us a few hurdles. I love you ♥ With all our love, kim, sinbad (sundance and smokey, too)♥"

Happy Father's Day, Dad!

xox

"My Puffy, Fluffy, Stuffy Pomeranian Boy"

2011-06-12T19:59:00.001+09:00

If I ever get brave enough, I'll have to sing the original songs I sing to Sinbad. Today's post title is an example of some of the lyrics I sing to him. On second thought, never mind.... I saw those rolling eyeballs!! *heehee*

Sinbad's appointment was later than usual today so we hit all the Sunday traffic. The salon is always busy because it's in a little shopping mall. When we came home, Sinbad ate his dinner, had a few of the complimentary treats the groomers give him and now he's fast asleep.

During the 3 hours he was at the groomers, I squeezed in my usual massive cleaning. I treated myself to a relaxing Sunday and enjoyed eating mangoes and golden kiwi fruit. I think I could OD on summer fruits here!

Tomorrow I have the dreaded female health check. It's my annual pap smear and mammogram which are both not any fun to do, but oh so important to get done, n'est pas?!

It's Parent Conference Week all week so there are only 3 periods of classes every day. Conferences are scheduled in the afternoons. In preparation of a busy week, I think I'll turn in early.

Here's a photo of Sinbad after grooming. Too bad they don't have smellovision because he smells simply divine. By the way, get a load of what was on TV when I took the photo. Can you guess what show I was watching?!

xox

Rainy Day Reflections

2011-06-11T21:45:00.000+09:00

Sinbad and I woke up this morning around 5 am and it was POURING rain. The wind was pretty strong too. I'm kind of surprised that this weather wasn't considered a typhoon. Sometimes we get typhoon warnings and the typhoon sort of pffts out. I think we had a heavy rain alert, but judging from this morning's wind and rain, it felt more like a typhoon. Sinbad and I put on our raincoats and ventured out for our daily morning walk, but we got as far as the driveway before I turned us around and came right back inside. My umbrella did one of those crazy backward inside-out flips and then the spokes of the umbrella broke and bent! We were drenched. I felt bad because Sinbad usually does his business every morning and he doesn't ever poop indoors. (The only time Sinbad has pooped indoors was when my mom had to assist my dad with his enemas to help him to poop! Go figure....) He kept walking to the window and I knew he wanted to go outside.

So I took him out a second time, but he still didn't do his business. It was really windy and wet, but for some reason, Sinbad seemed to love the wind blowing on his face and he didn't seem to mind the rain at all. He was barking at the leaves and debris blowing in the wind. We came back inside and of course he headed right for my bed to roll around in the blankets before plopping himself comfortably.

The wind and rain actually let up around noon so we finally were able to get Sinbad's mission accomplished. I gave him a little towel bath, but thank goodness he has a shampoo appointment at the groomers' tomorrow.

It's hard to believe that today marks the 3rd month anniversary of the tragic Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. In some ways, it seems like that happened only yesterday and in other ways, it seems like it happened long ago. The relief efforts continue to offer hope and assistance, but Japan still has a long way to go. It is truly amazing to see all the volunteers and workers doing everything they can to help. There are many unspoken heroes in this world who truly make a difference and my heart goes out to them.

One of the latest items in the news is Shizuoka prefecture's little cover-up with tea leaves. You can read the Japan Times' article here. It really makes you wonder how much Shizuoka prefecture is hiding so as not to cause a panic. Such actions only create mistrust and more anxiety. In the article, it said,

"The prefecture publicly said Thursday it found excessive amounts of radioactive cesium in tea leaves processed at a plant for shipment to the retailer." That makes me wonder, if excessive amounts were found in tea leaves, how much is still in the air? Have other crops and produce in Shizuoka been affected? Are the levels in Shizuoka higher than we are aware of? Am I going to go run out and move? No, of course not. It just bothers me more that the prefectural officials decided to try and conceal the information fearing public anxiety. What kind of example are they setting and how can we be reassured when our local government decides what they think is best for us to hear? I'm all about the truth and then letting people decide what action they want to take. I think keeping secrets and hiding the truth can actually backfire and create more mistrust once the truth comes out. Was Shizuoka really worried about a panic or were they worried that one of their number one industries might be crippled? You know, I had actually heard about something going on with the tea leaves last Saturday and I mentioned it to two of my friends on our way to our hair appointment. I was a little surprised when one of my friends commented, "Oh, do you still follow all that news?" She confessed that she doesn't like listening or keeping up with the news because it can be too depressing. I agree. It is often depressing and hard to hear. But I think it can also be dangerous to be ignorant of what's going on around you. Many of the people who were so concerned about radiation levels back in March seemed to have forgotten that Japan is still working around the clock to keep things under control and they are hoping to learn how to prevent another disaster of this magnitude from happening again. With the Hamaoka plant in Shizuoka being shut down, there are genuine concerns about the predictions and threats of a big earthquake in the Tokai region. I have nothing against those who choose to live in a fairy tale world, but I guess for me, I feel safer being informed and prepared. Believe me, it can be quite challenging when you're living in a foreign country and can't always understand the language. It is easier to be oblivious because you don't always know what's going on and it takes a little research or translating to get the information.

I had a great phone chat with my mom this morning. I even had a good cry with her as we shared the events of the past week (which we do weekly). Sometimes the crying is more of an emotional release than anything else. I remember when I was younger, my parents used to tell me that I was lucky because I never bottled up anything. As any doctor will tell you, stress can be the worst enemy on any system and keeping stress bottled up inside can lead to a number of health problems. I may have had a lot of crazy things happen to me in my life, but I never hid anything and I've always been able to deal with whatever curve balls or ninja stars were thrown my way. My parents have been the same way. My mom, dad and I like to refer to this as the Scorpio survival deal. (We're all three Scorpios.) My mom continues to remind me that we've always been survivors and we've all got good hearts which will see us through anything and everything. I am indeed proud of that. As individuals and as a family unit, we have had our share of highs and lows, ups and downs, good and bad, love and war, you name it. But we learn from our mistakes and grow stronger with each hurdle. We don't live in denial or fear or in Lala land. One of the things I'm so grateful for is how my family has dealt with my father's Parkinson's disease. We don't pretend that things are easy and we are realistic with what we can and cannot do. But my parents don't let anything get in their way with appreciating life and living it to the fullest. They have set a good example for me. My dad has always been a good role model of integrity, honesty and standing up for what you believe in. Both of my parents have taught me to trust my intuition and strive to do the right thing, even if I'm the only one. *haha* It's a lot easier to do that now because it sure was hard when I was the only kid who had a curfew! No, seriously, I am grateful for the foundation I've been raised with. I don't have to pretend to be someone that I'm not or give people a false impression of who I am. I may have some things on the outside to hide (for example, the few extra pounds, the wrinkles, the white hairs, etc.) but I have nothing to hide on the inside.

Wow~ those are my rainy day reflections for the day, but nobody's going to ever rain on my parade!

xox

The Drama Continues

2011-06-07T20:57:00.000+09:00

It's Tuesday night and you know what that means in my TV world! It's time for another episode of "Namae wo Nakushita Megami." This drama continues to surprise me with its episode twists and suspenseful plot lines. Just when you thought you knew what was coming next, boom! Something happens to take your breath away. That's how I felt with last week's ending which of course, I won't give away here. But it totally surprised me.

What doesn't surprise me though are the actual characters and issues this drama is dealing with. Adult behavior and the examples adults set have such an impact on young children. The drama also touches upon how children know a lot more than they are often given credit for. It's interesting how some people want to give the appearance of everything being perfect. They want people to think they are one big happy family when in reality, members are not happy and dealing with stress, secrets, lies and jealousy. The Akiyama family is the only family who try so hard to work together and support each other. They do this by being honest with each other, communicating and talking things over together as a family and by taking a stand for what they believe in. Tonight's episode should be a good one as Kenta's mom confronts the young mom who seems to take pleasure in manipulating situations to stir trouble and create drama. I'm hoping that karma and justice win, but I don't think they will until a few more episodes! That's one thing about people who try to control the destiny of another person's life by doing things behind their backs: when the truth comes out and this person's actions are exposed, will they be ready to deal with the consequences and reactions? What was so aggravating in last week's episode was that Lala's mom took an innocent situation, interpreted it her way without confronting Ayaka's mom and used this to hurt Ayaka's mom. From the preview, it looks like this act of revenge or jealousy or whatever power trip Lala's mom is on will affect the entire kindergarten. In addition to the group dynamics of the adults, it's interesting to watch the dynamics of the children unfold as well. Kenta emerges as a compassionate leader even though he has had to deal with being bullied at one point. I think there are so many messages within this drama and the parallels I personally am finding are indeed interesting.

Several things have happened these past few days which made me wonder why and how come. For example, why do some people want to focus only on appearances when it is what is within that is important? Do people who only judge a book by its cover understand what goes on inside? If someone is smiling without sincerity, is it really a smile? Why are the people who speak out and express their opinions seen as Team Negative while those who go along with the crowd and then talk trash behind closed doors seen as Team Positive? Why do some people ask the same question every time they see you when they should be sensitive enough to know what the answer is going to be? Why this? Why that? *sigh*

Time to let those questions rest and get ready for the next drama episode. (I'm referring to "Namae wo Nakushita Megami" !)

xox

A New Fashion Trend in the Making and Classic Tunes

2011-06-05T22:27:00.000+09:00

We're in the midst of rainy season and even though it didn't rain today, the clouds were out in full force and humidity was definitely in the air. I can't believe the weekend is already over, but I certainly enjoyed mine to the fullest.

Yesterday I had a very needed hair appointment with my darling Hide. I just love everyone at that salon and I am always treated like a queen when I go there. Something rather funny happened to me though. As I was driving home, I felt something on the back of my neck. Lo and behold, it was a piece of saran wrap left behind from my coloring treatment. (They usually wrap my head in saran wrap. Cute image, huh?!) After the hair appointment, my friends and I went to eat at the buffet and then we did a little shopping. So I walked all around with this piece of saran wrap on the back of my neck and nobody noticed, including myself!! Of course, perhaps everyone DID notice and just never told me. *haha* It's like those school pranks when kids stick notes on the back of someone and the note says something like "Kick me" or "I am stupid." In my case, it was "Yes, I have a piece of saran wrap on my neck~ it's a new fashion trend." Actually, that is one of the great things about Japan. Fashion trends are started by the craziest or simplest of things so if you see someone walking around with saran wrap stuck to them, you can credit that trend to yours truly.

I've spent most of the day today assessing my data for this term's grades. It's not a difficult process, but it does take a lot of time and careful consideration. I much prefer conferencing with parents rather than just letting parents see a written mark. Communication is so important and of course it is an excellent chance for teachers and parents to share information, concerns, advice and encouragement with each other.

These past few weeks have been quite busy and intense so I decided to relax with some of my favorite tunes from the past. Music therapy is wonderful, isn't it? When I first came to Japan back in 1988, I brought a box full of my favorite audio cassettes. Yes, that's right: audio cassettes! Do they even make audio cassettes anymore?! Most of these cassettes were recorded off of records at that! Whoa...now that definitely dates me! My LP collection no longer exists because I think my mom got rid of all my albums when they moved from our family house into my grandparents' house. But at least I have recordings of most of my favorite old school songs. Eventually it'd be nice to transfer everything onto modern technology, but for the time being, I'm still loving my old cassettes! I've found a few choice songs on YouTube and thought I'd assemble a bit of a playlist into this entry. Sometimes when you can't find the words or you're not quite sure what to write, a song can do the trick. I've danced to a lot of these tunes, even performed routines to some of them! They are indeed classics, at least in my world, and I think many of you will get the message these songs bring.

The Playlist:
1.) "Smiling Faces Sometimes" by the Undisputed Truth ("Beware of the handshake that hides the snake...can you dig it?!"
2.) "Backstabbers" by the O'Jays - ("I wish they'd take some of these knives out of my back...") I did a drill team routine to this back in high school!And you gotta love the Soul Train dancers!
3.) "Feeling Blue" by Earth, Wind and Fire ("Do you believe in yourself? Are you good? Are you bad? Are you there?") This is one of my favorite EWF songs and a band I loved seeing in concert! Unfortunately, there's no video to accompany this, but the quality of the song should be enough to enjoy!
4.) "Instant Karma" by John Lennon ("Instant Karma's gonna get you....") Get a load of Yoko in this video!
5.) "Love Will Find a Way" by Pablo Cruise ("Someone, someone's done you wrong....") This is another band I've seen in concert when they opened for the Doobie Brothers' last concert. (love, love Pablo Cruise!)
6.) "Masquerade" by Berlin ("The masquerade's forever....") Berlin's music videos are the best!
7.) "Rumors" by Timex Social Club ("With my business please don't mess....")
8.) "Poison" by Bel Biv DeVoe ("If I were you, I'd take precaution....")
9.) "Word Up" by Cameo ("Wave your hands in the air like you don't care....") another band I saw in concert and I had actually won tickets from a radio station to see them...AWESOME concert
10.) "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor ("As long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive....")
11.) "No More Cry" by D-51 This Japanese song and music video ALWAYS makes me feel good and reminds me of my students and teachers from Nankadai Nishi and Nankadai Higashi elementary schools!! (love you all!)

Enjoy!

xox

What is Disappointment to You?

2011-05-29T21:28:00.000+09:00

This weekend was supposed to be our Sports Day weekend. Sports Day is one of the biggest events at Japanese schools. Students practice weeks in advance and look forward to having their friends and family cheer them on. Most elementary school Sports Days are held on Sundays so that working parents can come. Mothers and grandmothers take great pride in preparing picnic lunches for their family and parents enjoy capturing every moment of their children on video. Our school has been practicing the opening and closing ceremonies with all of the students in order to present a well-organized and impressive ceremony for the parents to be proud of. In particular, the grade 6 students have been preparing like crazy for their final elementary school Sports Day. The 6th graders choose theme songs for their respective Red or White teams and choreograph cheering dances and routines to accompany their song. Each song's lyrics have been rewritten to reflect the spirit of Sports Day. It is an important time for the grade 6 students to learn leadership and practice teamwork. They try their best to set good examples of good sportsmanship, encouragement and friendly rivalry. Emotions often run high and you can feel the tough competitive spirit among all the students, especially during their relays and cheering performances. It is a time when special memories with classmates are made and shared with family. SOoooOooo...I'm sure you can understand how disappointing it must be when rain changes everything.

Every school has a back-up plan or an in-case-of-rain plan, but they are not always the plans that everyone likes. Schools try their best to formulate a plan that is the least disruptive and can still keep everyone happy. Safety is of course number one on the list. Obviously, schools could not have their Sports Days during a rainy day as the track grounds would be too dangerous for relay events to be held. Some of the events involve equipment or props which would be impossible to use during the rain. The broadcasting system which announces each event and plays background music during the festival could not be used in the rain. Although the rain would not dampen anyone's spirits, it would be hard for families to enjoy their picnic lunches in the rain. Unfortunately, not only are we in Japan's rainy season at this time, but we also have Typhoon #2 (which I guess has now been downgraded to a tropical storm) to deal with. When I worked in other cities, those schools had their Sports Days during July and we had to work around hot temperatures. Other schools have their Sports Days during September which is a more likely time to have a typhoon postpone the event. Even though this weekend's rescheduling of Sports Day meant that we teachers got a weekend to ourselves, I felt really bad for the students.

At this moment, the weather for the upcoming week will determine the new date for our Sports Day. But when the announcement was made that the Sports Day would not be able to be held on Sunday, I felt the students' disappointment. One fifth grader told me that his father has not been able to come to a Sports Day yet. He said that his father works in a different prefecture and wouldn't be able to come if it wasn't on a Sunday. Another child said that her grandmother was going to come and watch, but if the Sports Day was on a weekday, it would be difficult for her to travel. I started thinking about the things that children get disappointed by.

I think children often look forward to events and going to places in a different way than we do as adults. Children look forward to parties, field trips, excursions and vacations simply for what they are. I think teenagers look forward to the same events but more for the friends or the people who are going with them. As adults, it is more than likely that we have learned how to handle things like cancellations, rescheduling and postponements so perhaps we are not as disappointed as a child might be.

It will be important for us at work this week to be sensitive to this disappointment. As adults, we are always trying to be flexible and supportive, but children don't always have that ability to switch modes so easily. After weeks of practicing and practicing, students may be tired or they may have lost some of their original motivation and momentum. I hope to continue to encourage them to do their best even though the Sports Day date will have been changed.

I guess I feel sensitive to the whole dealing with disappointment issue because lately I've been thinking about some issues revolving around disappointment myself. Once again, I think adults deal with different types of disappointment than say children do. Adults tend to be disappointed more with themselves or with others rather than with situations in general. We may reflect and self-analyze ourselves and perhaps be disappointed that we didn't do something well or that we didn't get the results we wanted from a project or a lesson. Sometimes I get disappointed in myself for not finishing all the things on my "to do" list, but I blame myself for being distracted or having other priorities. Perhaps one of my biggest disappointments at the moment is having believed in the good of something/someone only to be betrayed and disillusioned. Then I get disappointed in myself for feeling disappointed by people who I thought were looking out for me, but were actually influencing or being influenced by others to hurt me. I remember one of my close friends telling me that my biggest flaw yet my most admirable trait was believing in the good of people and being too compassionate. Hmmm...can you actually be too compassionate?! I still believe that's a good thing! Anyways, if there's one thing I've learned in my dealings with such people, what goes around comes around and karma always has a way of making things right. I've always believed that before you can be honest with others, you have to be honest with yourself. At least I can look in the mirror and not be disappointed with what I see. (Uh...well, maybe I'm a wee bit disappointed that I didn't use a little more moisturizer and sunscreen when I was younger....)

xox

The Survivor Reunion Show, Japanese TV and the Day After Rapture

2011-05-22T21:44:00.000+09:00

First of all, I'm still here and obviously if you're reading this, you're still here too. I guess we can all breathe a big sigh of relief that the predicted rapture came and went. I'm sure for some people, their Judgment Day may have actually happened, but for the rest of us, we continue to play the real-life game of "Survivor." Personally, as superstitious as I am, I really can't waste my time worrying about predictions or apocalypses or even tomorrow! I'd rather spend my time living in the now and making sure that I make each day count. I wake up feeling happy that I have been given another day to enjoy and I go to sleep happy for the life that I lead. It doesn't mean that everything in between those two periods are super-duper, but we always had a rule in my family to never go to bed angry. It's a rule I continue to follow and a rule I credit my good health and peace of mind to. Should the predicted "end of the world" happen or should my number in the game of life be up, at least I know I can cross over happily and peacefully with my integrity, knowing that I am loved, and knowing that those I care about know that I love them. Wow~ pretty heavy opening paragraph, eh?! Let's just put it this way...a lot has happened this past week and I'm still trying to make sense of it all because the stuff that went on this week made absolutely no sense!

I finally watched the "Survivor: Redemption Island" reunion show this past weekend. The reunion shows are always fun to watch because the contestants look so different!!! It just goes to show you what a little hairstyling and make-up can do, let alone some nice threads! You gotta love Jeff Probst and how he really tries to get to the bottom of things. It's also interesting to see who forgives and who confesses their wrongdoings. This is where Boston Rob is the master. He can smile and pretend that nothing is wrong during the game, but all the while he is scheming or manipulating his tribe. However, at these reunion shows, Rob will always take the blame or the responsibility for admitting his lies and schemes to each person face to face. I can imagine how betrayed Grant felt thinking that Rob was his friend. If Rob had simply told Grant that he was going to have to vote for him that night, perhaps Grant wouldn't have been so hurt. The truth may hurt, but it's much more painful being backstabbed or blindsided. I guess that's all a part of the game?!

My Japanese TV drama ("Namae wo Nakushita Megami") on Tuesday nights is really crazy! These characters are so intense! Whoever wrote the script for this drama is sheer genius. It's interesting how the group of characters reflect so many different issues such as how family situations/relationships affect the children, how the adult role models can often influence a child's values or behavior, and how bullying can happen between adults as well as children. I really feel for the main character (Kenta's mama) who becomes the innocent victim and target for some of these other moms simply based on one mom's manipulation of a situation to her advantage and another mom using her power to influence the other moms. With each episode comes a dynamic or social issue like competitiveness, jealousy or pretending to be someone that you're not. It makes me thankful that the group of friends I have here are nothing like the ones in this TV show!! Hmmmm...do you think characters like this really exist?! Obviously the writer took his/her inspiration from somewhere!

I'm looking forward to the finales of a few more shows this week, in particular, "Celebrity Apprentice"! I have a busy week ahead with our annual Sports Day Festival scheduled for sometime this weekend. The exact day is unknown at the moment as it all depends upon our dear friend, Mother Nature and how she intends to distribute the rain during the weekend.

xox

Survivor: Redemption Island

2011-05-16T21:26:00.000+09:00

First of all, if you haven't watched the finale of "Survivor: Redemption Island" yet and you don't want to know what happened, stop reading here and come back after you've watched the show. Secondly, if you're not a fan of the show or could care less about what an avid reality TV fan thinks about an episode, feel free to skip this entry. However, if you enjoy "Survivor" or any other reality TV show and you are interested in hearing one person's opinion of tonight's season finale, by all means, keep reading and feel free to leave your own comments or thoughts in my comments section.

Okay, so...what did you all think?! First of all, I hope CBS will now put the whole Boston Rob vs. Russell Hantz rivalry to rest. I also hope that what Rob and Russell both said during the course of the game is one of the few things that hold some truth. They both said that this would be the last time they would play the game of "Survivor." Both Rob and Russell were not fighting for the million dollars. They were both in it for the, as Jeff Probst calls it, "bragging rights" of the title of "Sole Survivor." Boston Rob and his wife Amber have made a lucrative career being the reality TV world's sweethearts. Remember their televised wedding and all the events leading up to it? Why they even challenged "The Amazing Race" together. What's next? "Big Brother?" "Dancing with the Stars?" Don't laugh. It could easily happen.

Before I go on about my opinions of this finale, let me say this. I LOVED Boston Rob during his season on "Survivor Marquesas." I enjoyed the chemistry between Rob and Sean and I appreciated Rob's sense of humor and commentary. I also cheered for him when he and Amber became a couple and the force to be reckoned with on Survivor All Stars. But then, I think Rob took his desire to win a bit too far. He became a lot more manipulative and power hungry. Winning "Survivor" seemed to be developing into an obsession and he played the game hard. Every contestant will always say, "It's just a game" and use "It was just strategy" to explain whatever questionable moves they make. Rob came into this game with plenty of experience and no fear whatsoever about how to play it. He had already dealt with things like backstabbing, blindsiding, lying, manipulating and breaking promises. With the exception of Russell, the newbies he was playing with had yet to experience what it was like to backstab or be stabbed in the back. To me, this gave Russell and Rob a wee bit of an advantage from the very beginning.

Rob was very lucky in the beginning. Had Rob have drawn the Zapatera buff, he would have been placed with contestants who were actually trying to play the game. Perhaps Zapatera's downfall came from playing the game too hard in trying to take Russell out so early, but I give them so much more credit than some of the Ometepe members who seemed "starstruck" by Rob and followed him like he was a cult leader. It was actually very frustrating to watch this season week by week and seeing Rob literally manipulate his tribe members so easily. I had a glimmer of hope that the games were about to begin once Matt returned back from Redemption Island. I thought he and Andrea might be able to turn the game around a bit. Sadly, that didn't happened as Matt and Andrea both fell under Rob's spell again and it cost them their game. I do give credit where credit is due. Rob fought hard in challenges and he strategized constantly. It was just a shame that some of the other members did not strategize at all. With the final three that were left, of course Rob was the clear winner. Even right up to the very end, the other two played the weakest game ever by giving Rob full credit as to the reason why they were in the final three. The entire final Tribal Council interrogation session was a joke. David said it best by proclaiming Rob as the sole survivor right then and there. It was almost painful to watch Natalie try and defend why she deserved to be the winner, let alone the final three. When Ashley walked in as a jury member, the look that she gave Natalie was priceless! If looks could have killed.... Yet, naive Natalie smiled a huge smile obviously thinking that Ashley would smile and mouth "Love ya!" right back at her. Oh my.... It was even more painful to watch the jury make fun of her "creepy" relationship with Rob and see Natalie looking totally confused as to why what she did was so wrong since it got her into the final three.

I really wished that the game wasn't so predictable and one-sided this season. I'm not sure that I enjoyed the whole Redemption Island twist either. I think it started off as an interesting concept but when Redemption Island became almost another Survivor tribe with three, four, then five members on it, I thought it became a little silly. Of course, you can't blame casting or the way relationships and alliances form. It just seems as though former contestants have more of an advantage knowing how the game can be played and using their experience to their advantage. Former contestants also have an edge in recognizing different strategies and knowing which contestants are easily manipulated. Rob was lucky that he had someone so weak in Natalie. It would have been much more interesting had the little firecracker Stephanie been on Rob's team because I think, annoying as she was, she was playing the game hardcore!

Did the right person win this season? Yes, I think so, especially given the final three left standing. Did the most deserving person win? Yes, I'd have to say in the grand picture, Rob did deserve this title. There is no question about it. Rob played a solid, strategic and competitive game. He outwitted, outplayed and outlasted everyone. As with any reality TV show season, there are other contestants who I feel were equally as deserving for their game play, strategy and "never-give-up" attitudes, but there is a huge amount of luck involved with who your tribe mates are before the merge and with the numbers going into the merge.

I haven't watched the "Reunion Show" yet so I'll be back again with my commentary on that later this week.

By the way, for my friends who know me, the answer is YES. I still would love to be on "Survivor" someday. But it would mean moving back to the US because you must be a resident of the US to apply. So it can't happen yet.

That's all for now.
xox

Which was busier, the past week or my weekend?

2011-05-15T20:46:00.000+09:00

The answer? I'd have to say it's a tie. But for some reason, this past week zooooooooomed by.

It was actually what I would consider the first "normal" week. All of our classes, clubs and supplemental after-school classes are in full swing now. Many classes had their class observations this week. Sadly, I didn't have any observation classes since I'm not a homeroom teacher again this year. I know there are many teachers that would be thrilled not to have parents observing their lessons, but I rather enjoy it. I think it's a great opportunity for parents to actually see what their child is doing in class and how their child interacts in class. It's interesting to see the personalities of children come out when they know their parents are in the classroom. Some children freeze up, become super shy or are too nervous to say anything. Other children want to impress their parents so they become talkative, active and animated. I use these opportunities to study the group dynamics and identify which children have the confidence and can remained focused when there are visitors in the classroom. I also think that it's a good chance for parents to see you, the teacher, in action. I really enjoy that energy boost and sharing my passion in the classroom with others.

Culture club for the 3rd and 4th graders began this past week and this year, I'm doing Budoh Club for the third straight year. However this year I am supervising both the 3rd and 4th graders meaning that I will have two full hours practicing Budoh! Who would have predicted it?! Three years ago, I was really worried about having to do Budoh, but since no other teacher wanted the club, I more or less got stuck with it. I remember asking the Budoh instructor if he thought I would be able to handle the demands being *ahem* older and inexperienced with any martial arts. He reassured me that I would be fine and he's kept his word. I really love what this form of martial arts embodies and teaches. The interesting thing is that three years ago, there was only one female student who participated in the club. Last year, we had two girls in 4th grade and four girls in 3rd grade. This year, we have six girls in 4th grade doing Budoh. Do you think I helped set an example? I hope so. It's definitely great training for both the mind and body. This year, we have quite a rowdy group of 3rd grade boys. They were the same kids I had in PE when they were in grade 1. After the first class, you could see how fidgety and active they all were. Budoh will be THE BEST club for them to learn how to focus and develop some self-discipline and self-control. I can't wait to see this development and growth take place!

On Thursday, we had a bit of unexpected weather news which interrupted our normal schedule. With the first typhoon of the season approaching, our area was hit with a heavy rain alert. Since many of our students use public transportation to get to school and with the possibility of dangerous road conditions due to the heavy rain, our school dismissed the children after 3 class periods and the afternoon lessons were all cancelled. It meant that my grade 2 art lessons for the morning had to be cancelled and all my afternoon lessons would have to be postponed and taught this upcoming week. I'm sure the children were happy to have an afternoon at home while we teachers were all able to have some time to get organized and prepared for the new week.

This week we begin preparing for our annual Sports Day festival. Sports Day festivals are held all over Japan and it's a pretty exciting event for all schools, neighborhoods and companies. A lot of schools have their festivals in Autumn. Some schools have them right before the summer holidays. The school I am at now has their festival in May. I think it's a good time period because the weather is not quite so hot as it would be otherwise. The only thing that could interrupt the schedule (as it has often done in previous years) is the rain. Rainy season in Japan is just around the corner. Since we share our school ground with the connecting high school, we have to schedule practices when the high school is not using the grounds. So this week, we have several practices scheduled to take advantage of the grounds not being used this week by the high school. (They are having their mid-term exams this week.) Our first all-school rehearsal is tomorrow and so we teachers need to be at work at 7:20 am to draw the lines for the practice. The weather should be fine, but hopefully it won't be too hot. The first practice is always the hardest, especially since it is the first time for the little grade one students. We practice the whole opening ceremony for the event. All schools have similar opening ceremonies. I used to love the ones back in Osaka and Tottori where we used to march in with the students and do little salutes to the principal and guests. We would spend HOURS marching around the field, but I loved it. I guess it comes from all those marching practices back in my high school drill team days! The school that I'm at now doesn't have a marching ceremony, but the students all run in their grade levels to their assigned places. It's so much fun to watch how excited the children all are.

This weekend, I had a few things on my agenda which made the weekend quite busy, but all in all, I feel rested and ready to begin the next busy week. I had my appointment with the dentist yesterday. This was yet another cleaning appointment from this dental plan I have where you have pre-scheduled check-ups throughout the year to clean your teeth professionally. As much as I hate and dread these appointments, I know how important they are for my dental health. My dad would be proud of me although no one compares to my dad in my eyes since he was my dentist all the way up until he retired. I got a bit of a scare when the dental hygienist thought I had a cavity! *eeks* But after taking the X-ray, it was merely a shadow and it very well could be the beginnings of a cavity. This was my danger area before so the dentist always puts some sort of "cavity medicine" which I'm assuming is fluoride in between the two back teeth where the shady area is. Sorry, I don't know what the words are in English when they tell me what they are doing in Japanese! While I'm sitting in the dentist's chair, I always think to myself, "Gosh, I'm never going to drink soft drinks anymore and I'm not going to eat anymore gummy candies" etc., but that lasts for about 5 minutes.

After my dental appointment, I went to a birthday party for one of my co-worker's little boy who turned a year old. The little gathering was held at the park next to my school so I brought Sinbad along and we both enjoyed a nice afternoon with friends in the park.

This morning, my neighborhood had its bi-annual community clean up. It was scheduled for 8:00-10:00 but we all finished at 8:30! This is the benefit of living in a neighborhood where everyone regularly takes care of the area. Residents young and old gathered at 8 and did stuff like pulling weeds, shoveling the gutters and drains, picking up trash and sorting out the garbage. It is so admirable how the community all helps out and keeps the entire neighborhood clean. It is also a great chance to bond with your neighbors. It makes me feel good to know that I live in an area where people work as a team yet at the same time respect your privacy and differences. I mean obviously, being a foreigner, they may be judging me or wondering about me, but when I attend these sort of events, it breaks down the barriers and we can all enjoy working together. The only bad thing is that if you don't attend, there is a penalty fee. It's quite expensive when compared to other neighborhoods. Those who don't show up or take part have to pay 2000 yen which is about 20 US dollars. Last year, I had my school's Sports Festival on the day of the cleaning. I figured that I had a valid excuse so I would be exempt from paying the fee, but noooo...I still had to pay. Thank goodness there were no scheduling conflicts this year!

Well, with an early start time tomorrow, I best get to bed early as well. Lots more to write about so hopefully I can get my groove back and update daily again!

xox

Happy Mothers' Day!

2011-05-08T20:46:00.003+09:00

Happy Mothers' Day! It would take forever for me to write an appropriate tribute and thank you to my mom. Actually, the only one who needs to know my feelings is my mom. And she does. *smile* She is indeed my role model, my pillar of strength, my best friend, my teacher and my cheerleader. My mom is not one for wanting any sort of recognition and she's not exactly a big fan of the whole social network online scene. So in respecting her wishes, I'm not going to post any recent photos or go into all the wonderful things she does on a daily basis for everyone, especially my father. BUT, I cannot resist in posting a couple of photos I found from the past when I was only a year old:

I think my mom looks gorgeous and I'm not just saying that because she's my mom!

So this weekend, in addition to being Mothers' Day weekend, was quite a busy one for me. I had a pretty big "to do" list and I'm happy to say that I accomplished all of the things I needed to do. I needed to go to the eye doctor for my 3 month supply of contact lenses, but I was also experiencing some discomfort in my left eye due to allergies. I went immediately after work on Friday, but the waiting room was packed! I had to make a decision as to whether to wait or go back early the next day. Well, I didn't want Sinbad to be waiting in the dark for his dinner so I decided to go home. The next morning, I got to the eye doctor's office at 8:05 am because the sign had said that the office would be open from 8:00 for 2 Saturdays in May. I wasn't sure if they were taking patients from 8:00 or whether they were just getting the waiting order ready for the doctor for 9:00 when they usually opened. Once again, the waiting room was standing room only. I was a little worried because Sinbad's shampoo appointment was at 11:00. The man who came in after me asked the receptionist how long the wait would be and she told him that he was #19 in line. That meant I was #18! The wait turned out to be about 45 minutes, but I used that time effectively and wrote a private journal entry. Someday I may share it. I really wanted to write out a few ideas and observations based upon some of the things that are happening in my life and in Japan at the moment. My contact lens prescription remained unchanged, but unfortunately, they were out of stock. So I'll have to swing by the office sometime this week to pick up my order. The eye doctor confirmed that my left eye was suffering from allergies so he prescribed some medication for me. Luckily, my eye doesn't look irritated. I just felt like there was something in my eye like a piece of fluff or an eyelash. The interesting thing is that I have 3 different drops that I have to put in 4 times a day. Each drop has to be within 3 minute intervals of each other. Yes, it's quite an ordeal, but the drops are definitely working.

After the eye doctor, I had about an hour before Sinbad and I went to the groomers. I love the people who work at that salon! Sinbad loves them too. I wish blogs and videos and smellovision or texturevision because Sinbad smells soooo wonderful when he returns. I also love how puffy and fluffy he feels! These videos do not do him justice!!

By the way, that little brown thing in the video is NOT a piece of poop. That's one of his biscuits that he believes he has hidden away. (He later brings these to eat as a midnight snack.) While Sinbad was at the groomers, I did some massive cleaning!! I put away my Winter clothes and took out my Spring/Summer clothes. I cleaned under the bed and sorted out a few drawers. I scrubbed the bath area and the veranda. *whew* After all the appointments were finished, I had to rush on over to the post office to mail a special care package for my parents. I figured it was a combination belated Mother's Day/early Father's Day present. Then, it was time for some fun! I took Rachel out for her birthday. She's a big sushi lover and I'm always up for sushi. But get a load of this: weenie sushi!!! OMG!

I love going to conveyer belt sushi because you never know what interesting items are going to pass your way! We both passed on the weenie sushi and instead opted for our usual favorites. After sushi, the second part of my gift was a night at karaoke. The last time we went to karaoke, we sang a bunch of Christmas carols. This time, we had quite the repertoire of songs which expressed our emotions and moods. It was hilarious. I think I enjoyed "auditioning" wedding songs for her upcoming wedding. Her fiance is going to be in for a treat (said with sarcasm here) as Rachel made me promise to sing those songs to them when they return as a married couple.

Today, Sinbad and I just relaxed. We went out a couple times for a walk. Next Sunday, my neighborhood has its community clean-up and the neighborhood really needs a good cleaning. There are so many Spring weeds all over the place! I called my mom for Mother's Day and we had a great chat. I also finally got my scanner to work. So I had fun scanning a bunch of photos which I'll start posting every now and then.

I'm going to end this night with a relaxing bubble bath. (I want to smell as nice as Sinbad does!) I'm anticipating a busy week ahead as I do believe this may be the first "regular" type of week now that clubs and supplementary after school lessons are beginning.

In closing, I'd like to wish all the moms, step-moms and moms-to-be out there a very happy Mothers' Day. Love you, Mom!

xox

May 5th

2011-05-05T20:45:00.000+09:00

Today is May 5th. Sadly, it's the last day of my Golden Week holidays. In Japan, May 5th is Children's Day. I grew up with May 5th being "Boys' Day." It's a time when Japanese families display their flying carp with each carp representing each male member of the family. I love seeing the carp "swimming in the sky" as many Japanese refer to them as doing.

Back in Los Angeles and of course in Mexico, people are celebrating Cinco de Mayo. OOOHhhhh how I'm missing some good Mexican food right now. Oh we can get tacos and ingredients to make burritos and enchiladas, but I'm missing tamales and taquitos and anything with cilantro!

May 5th also holds some importance in my family. My brother and his wife were married on this day in 2005 at 5:55 pm. Their wedding was probably the last time I saw a lot of the members from my family all at one time. My dad was still in good control of his actions then and both of my grandparents were still alive.

The most significant memory for me of May 5th is my grandmother's birthday. She passed away in February of 2007 after a stroke in June of 2006. The last time I spoke to her was when I called her on her birthday from a pay phone at the airport. I had went on vacation to Guam that year and I gave her a call as soon as I returned to Japan so that I would catch her before she went to sleep. Little did I know that that would be the last time I would speak to her. I was able to visit her in the hospital/nursing home when I went home that summer. That visit was so emotional and it was so hard for me to see her in that state. She wasn't able to speak and her right side was paralyzed. I actually think it was harder for her to see me because when I was talking with her, she started crying and it was very difficult for me to keep it together. There's so many times I think about my grandma and wish that I could share things with her. I wish she could have met Sinbad. She always loved dogs and her last dog was a poodle named Souffle (Soofie). It's strange how a lot of the Japanese singers and celebrities she used to like are now singers and celebrities that I like, or at least know who they are. Yes, May 5th will always be Grandma's Day for me. I was going to add a photo, but this computer doesn't have any of my family photos stored and I don't want to go rummaging around through my CDs at the moment because it's almost time for bed. So maybe next time.

In closing, I'll share a couple of very, very short videos I took when I went to the car wash and dog run with Sinbad. They're just snippets.

Back to school in the morning. *sigh*

xox