Sad Day, Happy Day

So, this is still day 4, but not the graduation part. After graduation Porschla (my replacement who is SUPER COOL), Andy (the private ALT that works at Hofu Shogyo) and I went out for lunch. We ended up at Ramen, so I thought I'd just have to eat rice and have a beer...but this ramen shop was able to substitute the soup base for a dashi-base (fish base--I don't eat pork and stay away from land based animals...)

I was so excited, and it was so yummy!!

Then we had to meet Christina at the station (Hofu Station) at 12:30 because she was off to New York!!!!! You guys don't understand how terrible this is! I am staying at her place now, and it's so lonely without her. She's my bestie in Japan and I only got a few days with her! She is in New York now for medical school interviews. I hope you get your top choice Christina!!! You are wonderful!

After seeing Christina off, Porschla and I went back to Hofu Shogyo to talk to as many students as we could. It was great. :) Everyone was so interested in my new boyfriend. :) It has been demanded that I bring him back to Japan with me soon. Okay! Done!

In the evening, I went to Hofu Shogyo's Graduation Enkai. I felt so honored to be invited. It's only for teachers, but they invited this former teacher and I had the most amazing time ever! It was honestly the most fun enkai I've ever attended. The food was still strange (see below) but it was different somehow. Maybe because I'm not a teacher anymore, I didn't mind being more personal with the teachers. Asking questions I never would have asked before. Finding out all the gossip. It was great. :)

Everyone had a great time. The game of the night was a mini-laughing championship. Because I am the 2009 laughing champion (See here for information) they asked me to demonstrate the way of the laugh in front of all the teachers. No warning. Just show them. haha. I am always game. Besides that I just had a great time eating, drinking and being merry. With a lot of Japanese people. :D

I was also happy to be invited to the nijikai (the second party) which sometimes is secretive. Secretive because often the men break off into a seedy location and the women go home. This time it was a non-seedy (mostly) location that 15 of us went to. :) One of the many Lupan's of the city, where you can karaoke and have light snacks and drinks.

It was a crazy night. I won at darts (yeah!!). I Karaoke'd but more importantly watched my old co-workers go at it CRAZY style! They are so fun! Shigemoto sensei seemed like he was on crack with his tambourine hitting, and there was even a little throwing up from he who shall not be named. :) I love my school. My old school. Waaaaaa! I'm applying for JET when I become eligible again in 2 years! Hofu, I'm requesting you! :)

Lastly, here is the video of when I was asked to say a few words without warning. Hehe. I didn't know what to do, so I put the phone down and so most of the video is looking at the ceiling. But you can hear me. When the crowd goes crazy at the end, it's because I made a heart shaped gesture. Happy Hofu days! Bye bye!

そつぎょうしき見に来た Graduation Time!!

HOFU STUDENTS, YOU ARE THE BEST!!! I miss being your teacher! I love you!

HOFU TEACHERS, YOU ARE SOOO WONDERFUL! Thank you so much for making me feel so welcome to come back, and inviting me to your graduation parties even though technically I shouldn't be invited. :)

Day 4 here was graduation. Graduation for my old high school students was to be the highlight of my trip. I hadn't forgotten how extremely boring Japanese graduations are, but I had forgotten how COLD the room is. I didn't have the luxury of being bored because I was too freezing!

Even though I talk like this, I'm not saying I'm unhappy I came. I'm just like this girl and boy below... Like, let's get to the good stuff!

The good stuff came before and after the actual ceremony because I got to see the kids. Some of the classes screamed with excitement when I popped my head in. I brought all the third years American candy, and just wanted to wish them all a happy future. (btw, the 3rd years are the ones that graduated...high school in Japan is only 3 years). I got to talk to many students, and found out where they are going to college and what their future plans are. Also, on graduation day I had to friend at least 20 students on Facebook....They are just SUCH GREAT PEOPLE. I really really love them.

One class that knew I was coming had another scrapbook gift ready for me. It had pictures and letters from each of them. It's no wonder I love my old students. Wouldn't you want to come back for such thoughtful people too?

This day was really really quite wonderful for me. It made my whole trip worth it. The ceremony itself may be boring, but to see the students cry after, and be able to talk to them again made the whole trans-pacific flight sans reclining chair ability worth it.

Here's me and my old supervisor, who I partied with into the night at our graduation enkai, but more on that later. :) She is one of many amazing teachers at Hofu Shogyo. Une sensei is like a mother to me, and Iwamoto sensei is so nice. Akimoto sensei is Ikemen and Katsunoi is my type of crazy! Even the non-English teachers really took me in, on graduation day and back when I was employed here. Being cool doesn't know a language barrier, and everyone at Hofu Shogyo is just so cool.

The video above shows my school song. I hope I don't ever forget it! Nostalgia ですね...

Now, I do have one more graduation ceremony to attend this Friday the 9th (my old special needs school does it later all regular high schools which have a set graduation time of 10:00am on March 1st). I think my Friday will be just as good if not better, because this school has NO idea I'm coming, and they loved me there, maybe even more than this school. I just didn't go as often, but still has a big piece of my heart. I'm excited! Yay! Cheers :)

Homebody

My third day here was a beautiful Wednesday. I mention that because after Wednesday the weather changed and it is rainy and cold and gross now. I mean, it was still cold on Wednesday, but it was bright and cheery. Anyways...the cold.... I mean anyways, day 3. :)

I did a lot of homework. Or tried to. It's hard when there is Facebook to peruse and pictures to upload etc etc. But got some work done. I decided to get out of the house because it was such a beautiful day. I did some shopping. I was going to bring my computer over to Cafe Glebe to do homework on their wi-fi and drink some delicious coffee. But I found out that Glebe is closed on Wednesdays, so I stopped at the conbini on the way home. I love conbini's. The picture to the right just warms my soul. I miss onigiri (the triangle things that is rice filled with various things like tuna, or seaweed, or whatever).

I also got Oden. Oden is something that I never thought I would try, and then when I did try it, I hated it. But it, like many things in Japan, grew on me. One thing that turned me off is that it is a soup that is just served from these big vats. I felt like people could come cough on it or something. I guess they could, but this is Japan...I think people respect the zone of the Oden vat. :) It was very good to chop on a cold winter day. Read more about Oden here: click.

In the evening I accompanied Christina to her adult English conversation class. I used to teach this class, and I wanted to surprise them. They were surprised and excited. I gave them all American candy, and updated them on my life. They were suppose to update me on theirs, but they were maybe too shocked to see me back in Hofu, and couldn't think of what to tell me. I miss this class. My good friends Gretchen and Anna used to teach the same class. They always mention how much they miss this class, years later. Must mean that these are some cool people. :)

When I left UNESCO, I went straight to Jennie's place for some natsukashii time (...like...nostalgia time)!!! Jennie made a beautiful dinner, and we watched the newest Christmas episode of Doctor Who together. I liked it a lot. I think I was suppose to wait, to watch it with them, so I kind of kept it on the down low that I already watched it with my boyfriend. :) I cried just as much the second time. The Christmas episodes are always super corny, but it was good. All of you who know me well know that I don't like Christmas episodes of ANYTHING, but I can at least handle the doctor.
It was a really great day. It feels so good to be back in Hofu. I will be fine going home again as long as I can take Jennie and Yoko with me! Okay guys? And Christina. And Steph. Uh-oh, this list could get long. :) Bye bye!

"It's 2 in the morning, eeerybodys getting freaky"

Okay, no one is getting freaky. Catchy song though. LOL. It was playing in a restaurant I ate in today...

Day 2....

I had a great great great 2nd day on my trip. Did a lot of homework. Not nearly enough. I'm going to be hurtin' for certain when it is all due this Sunday. But I do love the credentialing program I'm in....CalStateTEACH through Cal State Fullerton. If you are interested in teaching, you should check it out. Anyways, boring homework aside, I had lunch with Porschla and Christina at Karubi Yakiniku. 懐かしい！

In the evening, I went with Sarah, Christina and Noriko to the onsen. The Onsen at Aio beach is very nice. I think I've been there four times now. Onsen's are like hot springs baths. You have to scrub off very well before going in, and even the scrubbing part is in a wide open shower area. I've always wanted to sit naked on a bucket in front of a half a dozen old Japanese ladies... heheh. It took me a long while to get used to the concept of Onsens, but going to the onsen is one of the things I miss most about Japan. It's so relaxing, and there is something special about it that I can't put my finger on.

Read more about onsens here: click

Yoko, Christina and I did a little karaoking on Tuesday evening. Where in America can you pay fifteen dollars for unlimited karaoke time in a private room with all-you-can-drink included??? Sometimes Japan is just marvelous. Although I don't really believe in 飲み放題 anymore...too dangerous. All you can drink should only be like a once in a lifetime thing.... ;O

It was a lot of fun, even though Christina didn't want to hear me sing Mandy Moore (lolol) and I heard enough Funky Monkey Babies to last me 5 lifetimes. :D

I love you guys!

See you for updates on my day 3!