The gallery has been fixed! Photos from the last post are up, and new ones from this weekend are up as well. Take a look!

This week was a long one - holiday, two days of training seminars (this time I was teaching), and then a good weekend. Saw plenty of films (El Mariachi, Harry Potter (Azkaban), Howl’s Moving Castle (much better when you don’t understand it), and Harry Potter (Goblet)). Also took part in a pub quiz, and helped out some on the science catagory.

Today, one of the teachers at school asked me to write for the school’s yearly publishing: a book of sorts. They want to know my impressions of Japan, hear my memories of high school, and see what I’ve been up to. I think it’s pretty cool - my first Japanese essay assignment. They give writing lengths in dimensions. Whereas an English teacher would ask for 750 words, a Japanese teacher wants a piece 35 characters wide by 70 characters tall. Heh.

The seminar, while mostly a waste of time (for 2nd and 3rd year ALTs and repeating JTEs) did have some highlights. I got a chance to talk with one of the JTEs from my school, and we became a little closer. It’d be nice to get an opportunity to spend a day with each of my teachers.

Somehow Japan seems to be in my way now. I still want to have a rich experience here, and I’m still seeking out new trails, but my mind has definitely made a course change to post-Japan. Not so much in what I’ll do outside of Japan, but what I’m looking forward to: close friends, hugs (Japan is a hands-off society), good conversations, in-wall insulation. Japan has turned into a strange fast, an extended lent. Things were taken away, and I’m excited to be able to choose the ones I want back again (and not choose the others I don’t want). A nice pruning, I suppose.

For being senseis and all, we were certainly taken to school on the soccer field - lost both games 3 - 0. The Gallery is broken again after some host-side server maintanence (you can look, but I can’t add), so I’ll add some photos when things are back up.

A relaxing week, amist the feeling of frantic busy-ness. Ordered some new glasses frames, changed the turtle habitat (she’s now living in a nearly all-water environment, complete with heater for the cold winter ahead), and generally slept.

This week is the mid-year seminar for every ALT in the prefecture. All of us will be gather for 2 days of time wasting. JET is bandaid on something that needs sutures. So many things are set-up props and the rest is making a charade of doing proper training. Japan needs some standards on the foreign teachers it hires to teach in public schools. I should not be here - I don’t have ESL theory or training, and for some reason the Japanese government seems to think that being a native speaker is enough. Even the native teachers here aren’t properly trained - they mostly studied English lit in uni, and we know how we all speak like Brutus now. rant over

Looking forward to the break in routine, tho. A nice chance to catch up with folks who live too far away. A pub quiz (bound to be dominated by the audience’s American sports prowess - uf) this weekend and a live show from one of my favorite local acts: Shin and Misato.

Yesterday, I found that someone had taken my bento lunch and eaten it. I asked the vice principal what was going on, and he suggested that for now I should get some food from the bakery that comes to school. After lunch, he came up to me and explained that the bento company made a mistake and sent too few lunches. No problem, no charge. Well, this morning, a very apologetic teacher comes up to me and gomen-nasais about yesterday and the lunch. He also gave me Y500. Don’t know what to make of that.

The weekend was packed. Saturday was my school’s festival, and I invited close-by ALTs to come and check out the unique school that is Yaizu Fishery High School. I met the group at the train station and we walked to the student run store. They were selling food canned and preserved by the students, some cool t-shirts with the school’s ship’s blueprints on the back, and some excellently chosen spicy foods. I bought some wasabi infused olive oil. mmMMMmmmmmm

When we arrived at the store, the students were really surprised to see a huge group of English speakers walking around. Some pretty big eyes, I’d say. The same happened when we got to the school.

Like last year, the fishing course students set up a fishing simulator, and this year I caught the heaviest fish (13kg). For a prize, I was given a frozen piece of sashimi grade tuna. mmMMMMMMmmmmmm The others got to try kyudo (archery) and food decorating. Finally, we stopped by the engine room (where the school keeps a fully-working ship’s diesel engine for the students to tune, take apart, repair) and they let me start the thing. An engine bigger than a van - very loud indeed. Paul also got a go at making the thing come to life. The engineer primed everything and then told us to ‘throw the lever’ and bang, or BOOM!, it was on.

Sunday I took off to Tokyo for a dance (Monday was a holiday because of the school festival). It was nice to dance again, and some of the songs they played that night were regulars in Denver, so it put me back home for a second. Had strange feelings of wanting to be closer to a dance scene again, and others wanting to be further away. I still enjoy dancing, but I don’t think I’m as social any more.

Slept in an internet cafe in Shibuya Sunday night. A fairly comfortable recliner, but, like a hostel, if there’s a snorer near-by… Luckily, I was sitting in front of a computer with head-phones. Problem solved - tune into a chill-out radio station!

Monday morning, I went to the Chinese embassy to apply for my visa (winter holiday is quickly approaching!). Thru some grave decision in mis-management, the embassy has declared it is best to make travelers go twice to get a visa (you have to drop off your passport, and then you have to pick up). However, that’s no worry - you can go at your convenience, as long as Monday-Friday 9am to noon is good for you.

Not so convenient for a teacher.

Tonight is the teacher soccer tournament (round 1). We play two games tonight to see who will progress. huttah!

Pictures from Daidogei are up.

Went to a play today with the whole school - story was about a high school swimming team coach. He worked at a special needs school, and by helping the kids, he helped himself and his assistant deal with their own pasts. Didn’t really catch any feelings, tho.

heh, used “fuck” in class today. My partner teacher was trying her best to control the unruly fishing students (sailors, you know) during the presentation. For 20 minutes, she was contantly telling them to be quiet and listen to the other students when they were presenting. Eventually, I got fed up and raised my voice:

oooooOOOOOOOIIIIIIIII!!!! <instant silence - Joe never raises his voice> for fuck’s sake

One of the three trespassing students echoed with fear, “fuck”. Never before had he heard it in real life, for one of it’s strongest uses. The class quickly jumped back into line and things went smoothly. After class, they played the blame game for a while before all three started apologizing profusely (complete with bows). I wasn’t satisfied - there was another inconsiderate student who was rudely commenting during presentations (tho, during my outburst, he wasn’t talking). I pulled him over as well, and got straight answers right away.

In other news, the festival’s website is up. Or, more accurately, the student run store’s site is up.

• During long vacations, I like to travel to various places. I started traveling when I went to Kyoto as a school boy. I started because I was interested in travel, but now I am more busy than before. I think that traveling is the best way to get knowledge in an occurrence. Because I learn various histories and cultures. If you want to try traveling, you can feel happy and moved.

  During my free time, I like to write on a bulletin board. I started writing bulletin board when I got a personal computer. I started because I loved computers, and now I like them even more. I think that conference in bulletin boards are the most useful way you can get a lot of information. But, when you use a comptuer, you must observe netiquette. If you want to try writting in a bulletin board, you can type well and fast.

  On weekends, I like to go to the gym. I started going to the gym when my friend recommended the gym to me. I started because I wanted to shape me up, and now I like traning. I think that going to the gym is the best way to train our own bodies. When you go to the gym, you can for certain train your bodies. If you want to try going to the gym, you can go with me. Let’s train strong body!

  Everyday, I like to collect perfume. I started collecting perfume when my friends gave me perfume. I started because it smelled good and now I like it even more. I think that collecting perfume is the best way to relax. I can change my feeling by putting on many kinds of perfume. If you want to try collecting perfume, you should find your own favorite smell.

  On weekends and after schoool, I like to fall into a doze with my pet. I started falling into a doze when my pet loved me very much. I started because my pet is the cutest in the world, and now I like her the same. I think that falling into a doze with my pet is the most relaxing. Because her temperature is very mild. If you want to try falling into a doze with your pet, you can feel very happy and relaxed.

  On weekends, I like to play the bass. I started playing the bass in high school when I watched Yoh play the bass. I started because I longed to play, and now I want to even more. I think that playing the bass is the most important part in the band. Because the bass is said to be the base of the band. If you want to try playing the bass, you can feel a low tone of comfort.

  In winter, I like to cook many things. I started cooking in junior high school when my mother gave me a cooking book. I started because I loved to eat, but now I like to cook more than to eat. I think that cooking is the most fun. Cooking makes me shine. If you want to try cooking, you can loan a cooking book.

  On weekends, I like to clean my room. I started cleaning my room when my friend came to my home recently. I started because my room was too dirty, and now my room is so so clean. I think that cleaning my room makes me the best wife. Because cleaning is for one wife’s work. If you want to try cleaning, you can lead a comfortable life.

  During my free time, I like to play soccer. I started playing soccer when I retired from the soccer club. I started because I wanted to play soccer for a different team and now I enjoy playing soccer. I think that playing soccer is the best sport. Because, in sports teamwork is the most important. If you want to try playing soccer, you can become a very good player.

  Everyday, I like to play electric guitar. I started playing electric guitar when I listened to music from the UK. I started because I was invited with my friend and now I practice electric guitar. I think that playing electric guitar is the best way to get a sense of achievement. Because it is hard to make sounds. If you want to try electric guitar, you can become a musician.

The bass player is a girl, and the perfume collector and pet napper are boys. The others you can prolly guess.

Running has spawned a braggable blister (again, like in high school). Daidogei was good fun - ate some Turkish ice cream (and don’t forget the kebabs!) and watched some of the same acts (くるくるシルク - the stilt-walking fire-breathers) and some new ones as well (an amazing BMX acrobat - complete somersaults?!).

I’ll be posting some of the better compositions the 3rd years are finishing. The current topic is “My Hobby”…

• During my free time, I like to watch the sky on the roof. I started to watch the sky on the roof when I went up on the roof. I started because I liked high places and now I like them even more. I think that watching the sky on the roof is the best way to calm down. I can think many things alone. If you want to try watch the sky on the roof, you can feel nature.

  From five to six every evening I take my dog for a walk. I started dog walking two months ago when my friend gave me my dog. I started because it was dog walk became very good and joyful, and now I like to walk in the morning sometimes. I love dogs and dog walking the most out of the whole world. Many people and our dogs meet and talk with each other. If you want to try dog walking, you can come and go for a dog walk together with me.

There were boys writing about how they liked to clean their rooms and make interiors (they felt relaxed in a clean room), jigsaw enthusiasts, clothes makers, and even an avid napper. More to follow….

Been a while since I’ve had a 14.5 hour day. Up early to get rid of my non-burnable garbage (so the borked fan-heater and rust-eaten grill). But the purging felt good. A long day at school, followed by more silly running - I ran around the field as the soccer team was practicing. Why? Cos in two weeks the teachers’ soccer tournament begins. After practice, a quick change and out to my Japanese lesson. I was so tired, and it was hard to form sentences. It really put me in a ‘dekinai’ mood about Japanese. I feel that after 14 months I should be better than what I am.

Tomorrow is a holiday, tho, and I’ll be going to Daidogei to relax a bit.