Nope, No Internet!

My modem was delivered this week, but after hooking it up, and attempting to translate all kinds of directions with a dictionary, I came to the conclusion that there was a problem. One of my neighbors confirmed my "discovery" today. My telephone line isn't working and the phone people won't be able to come for the next 2-4 weeks. So, in the meantime, I guess I will eat soft serve ice cream out of a squeeze bag! I miss you guys.

The Earthquake!!! (Practice)

On the first day of school, the Earthquake detectives ( I don't know what they are really called, but they sure looked like Ghostbusters to me!) showed up to check the school's warning equipment.

Then there was the mass running of the students.

And finally waiting for instructions before we teacher walked them home.

This face can't be trusted

I hope this posting doesn't negatively influence this gentleman's political campaign, but I must inform my readers that his face can't be trusted. Let me explain: When I first moved into town, I attempted to find landmarks to help me decipher between the many new roads (reading signs just isn't effective right now :-) Anyway, this poster was at the end of my apartment's street, so I assumed it would be a wonderful guide. Umm.... let's just say I was wrong! Like any political campaign in the States, there are posters everywhere and soon I found myself wandering up and down all kinds of new roads with absolutely no clue where I was. Of course, the opportunity allowed me to explore new parts of my neighborhood that I otherwise might have never seen!

So What's Really Going On....

Hello dear Readers,
I thought I would give you an update. As seen from the above picture, I am acclimating to Japanese life a little bit more everyday :-) Actually, though, I thought I would give you a summary of some of the things that have been happening to me this past month in Japan. Currently, I still have no Internet (hence the very tardy response time I have had in responding back to your emails.... I am sorry, I will get to them, but whenever I find a connection, I figure I should post so that I can reach more of you. Thank you though for all of your notes and letters, each and everyone is appreciated and hearing from home is such a wonderful thing! I still get homesick often). Tomorrow is the first day of school, though I technically will not be teaching until Thursday (too complicated to explain why). I have been told that most of Monday will be spent in earthquake drills. My instructions from my vice-principal: Grab helmet. Run.

When I actually do begin classes, I will be responsible for teaching English conversation to both 2nd and 3rd year Junior High School students (approx. 330) as well as the entire six grades of my elementary school (too many students to count). I am really looking forward to meeting my students and getting back into the classroom especially since much of the past few weeks has been spent in training.

Other than that, I have had oh, so many adventures including three different crash (or should I say splash) courses in Japanese plumbing. I have gotten lost more times than I can count. I have eaten all kinds of unidentifiable things, and learned that it is perfectly appropriate to pick ones teeth and trim ones toenails in public. However, it is completely rude to put someone else's business card in your pocket. Additionally, my Japanese is getting a little bit better every day (of course, I did tell my neighbor "Marine, Marine" instead of "I'm sorry I don't understand"). In fact, I have had to give several introductory speeches in Japanese (i.e. to the mayor, head of the school board, my principal, my vice-principal, my fellow teachers). However, do not be impressed, they basically have gone as follows: "It's nice to meet you. My name is...... I am from the United States. I have been in Japan since August. My hobby is playing the harp. Please take care of me."

Well, my Internet time is up. I miss you all.
Lots of Love,
The Tentmaker

I Love English in Japan! (Part 2)

Found on the back of a glass picture frame.

Operation Keki

Basu Blues

Trip 1: Can't find the bus stop, ask the neighbors.
Trip 2: Find the bus stop, get to school.
Trip 3: Get on the wrong bus from school (don't know its the wrong bus), get kicked off, walk 2 miles home.
Trip 4: Repeat Trip 2.
Trip 5: Repeat Trip 3.
Trip 6: Repeat Trip 2.
Trip 7: Get on the right bus, don't know how to stop bus, walk 2 miles home.
Trip 8/9: Successfully make it to and from school.
Trip 10: New bus, successfully make it to the city.
Trip 11: Miss last bus of the night, have to take a taxi home (note to self, buses are cheaper).
Trip 12: Forget which stop is for the school, walk 2 blocks back.
Trip 13: Stop at the store on the way home from school, find out that there are no buses from store to home, walk 2 miles with groceries.
Trip 14: New bus to mall. Old man pokes me to get off at right stop, bus driver has to help with the currency, old man points me in the right direction (think "it takes a city to raise a bus rider").
Trip 15: Try to go from mall to home (not far!) end up in the city, have to take a train home (plan 1 would have been cheaper).
Trip 16: hmmm.... what new adventure is waiting?

I Love English in Japan!

What's a Code Holder and a Bath Fook?

On a drink vending machine.

Hmm....

Priorities

Need I say more???

Scenes from My Neighborhood

I actually don't live in downtown Hamamatsu, but in a little fishing town 15 minutes west by train. It is known for its clamming and these tiny little fish (I don't know what they are called) that look mysteriously like the wormy things from The Little Mermaid. The first time I ate the fish I thought that they were fried onions (think French's Fried Onions) until I saw there silvery eyes staring back at me. Let's just say that I lost my appetite. Of course, the next day I was served them raw.... Life does that sometimes!

Bet you didn't know I lived on Rodeo Drive!!!

Sushi hasn't killed me yet!

Dear Readers,

I apologize for the extremely lengthy delay in posting. Internet access has been quite difficult to locate and when I finally have found it I am frequently blocked from this website. I still am waiting for my own connection (for some reason foreigners need a special permit to register for Internet -- don't ask why as we can buy cell phones just fine :-) In the meantime, I will relish this spotty connection for as long as I can....

Anyway, obviously, I have made it. These past few weeks have been quite a whirlwind of adjusting and sitting in hours and hours of training. It has been extremely helpful, but sometimes there is only so much the brain can take. I feel as though I am finally adjusting to this new adventure -- and an adventure it has been!

The Next Phase

Just to let you know I am leaving for Hamamatsu today.... The training has gone well and has been very informative, but there has been little time for communication. Thank you, though, for all of your notes and emails. They have been so encouraging and I really appreciate them. I am sorry I have not had a chance to respond back to each yet, but don't worry as soon as I have my own Internet access I will :-) Until then, take care, be well and do good work! I will let you know when I actually get Internet -- it could be up to a month.

I made it!

Hi Everyone,
I made it... Thanks to a choice of 352 movies, multiple books, and the wonders of Tylenol PM, the 12 hour flight really wasn't too bad (oh, and the "midnight" snack of ice cream definitely helped!) Once arriving into the Narita airport, us 27 Miami JETS were met by an incredible staff of yellow-shirted people spaced literally several feet apart throughout the entire airport... There was no way we could get lost! On the way to our hotel, we passed Tokyo Disney (a must-see sometime) but alas, I didn't get pictures of the castle poking through the high-rises. Speaking of pictures, due to some strategic packing (notice the sarcasm) I have managed to not bring my camera cord with me to Tokyo to download pictures. So, they will appear later once I am reacquainted with my baggage in Hamamatsu. Well, dear friends, I should close... though there is so much more I would like to tell you it will have to come later. My time on the computer is up. Take care.

A travel update

Posted by Erin

Continental Flight 7

DEPARTS ARRIVES City: Houston, TX (IAH) Gate: E7 Check-in Terminal: Terminal E Scheduled Time: 10:50 a.m. Actual Time: 10:52 a.m. Scheduled Date: Sat., Aug. 2, 2008 City: Tokyo, Japan (Narita) Gate: 17 Terminal: Passenger Terminal 1 Scheduled Time: 2:20 p.m. Actual Time: 1:42 p.m. Scheduled Date: Sun., Aug. 3, 2008 Status: Arrived Gate 38 Minutes Early

We give thanks that Emily made it to Tokyo. We haven't heard from her yet, but her plane has arrived.

I am sure that Emily will fill in the details when she gets more settled, but I did hear that each of her bags weighed in at exactly 70 lbs, which is the weight limit. Her brother-in-law Nathan (my husband) works for Continental and checked on her flight and it was completely booked. She did, however, manage to get a window seat so that she could nod off against the window, rather than a fellow passenger.

The Adventure Begins

An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered. G. K. Chesterton



Just for a basic itinerary: Tomorrow the adventure begins starting with a five o'clock ETA at the Miami International Airport. Once I arrive in Tokyo (approximately 1 am Florida time on Sunday) there will be three days of training and then I will take a bullet train to Hamamatsu on Wednesday.


In the meantime, I have to go to bed. Goodbye dear friends. I don't know when I will have Internet access again, but keep checking the blog (and send me a note :-) I am praying for you all and look forward to sharing all the adventures God has in store for me.

To Pack or Not to Pack....

How do you pack your entire life in 2 suitcases and a carry on? This past week has been definitely a challenge as I have had to once again determine what is truly important. Goodbye to the matching hot pink shoes and purses; goodbye to the ice cream maker and parfait dishes; hello to down-sizing and the wonders of vacuum cleaner bags (and fabulous sister who know how to use them)!

In all actuality, I have been blessed. Japan is hardly a third-world country. Most things that we as Americans are used to (minus toothpaste and deodorant for some unknown reason) can be purchased there. Of course, I also have been told that people of "unusual sizes" (like this long-legged, big-footed author) have difficulty finding clothes that fit.... All in all, packing really hasn't been too difficult, just a learning experience. It has forced me to consider what is important, necessary, and remind me most of home.

However, one of my most prized possessions, Madame Eglantine has been forced to stay behind. Being over six-feet tall, she is just a little too big to squeeze into my suitcase. Please pray that I can locate a harp once I get there. I have several leads, but it is a bit challenging to do long distance communication (in a foreign language no less!)

The Plan....So Far

Since many have asked me what I am actually going to be doing in Japan, I thought I would go ahead and answer this question again on the blog. I applied for an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) position through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, and have been assigned to Hamamatsu, Japan. Here I will be teaching both elementary and middle school English as a foreign language for at least the next year.


For those of you who have never heard of Hamamatsu (it's okay, I hadn't either before I received my placement), it is in Central Honshu about two hours (by bullet train) southwest of Tokyo (see the little red dot on the map). Located on the Pacific Ocean and bordered by Lake Hama and the Akashi Mountain Range, Hamamatsu is known for both its eel and mandarin oranges. Additionally, the city is the home of Yamaha, Suzuki, and Honda manufacturing plants for both motorcycles and musical instruments.

Why Japan?

The above question is one that I have been frequently asked and ponder quite a bit. Humanly speaking, Japan doesn't really sound like my "perfect match" for a country -- it is so far from home, I don't speak the language, the culture is so different from America, I hate seafood etc. However, I know without a doubt it is exactly where I am supposed to go. For what reason? I don't know, but then again, who of us actually writes our own life stories?

Japan has always been a part of my life. I grew up knowing that my grandfather was there as an ex-prisoner of war during World War II. Then when I was seven or eight, one of my closest friend's family had a Japanese exchange student for the summer. I was fascinated by all that she said regarding her country and was determined to visit someday. At age sixteen, I did just that while on a mission's trip. During the trip not only was I given the great privilege to be the featured soloist in a concert for the community, but I was given the opportunity to visit several elementary schools to perform and teach English. The experiences were truly one of the greatest things that I have ever had the opportunity to do and I knew that one day I would return...

That day is right around the corner. As I look at the last picture in my 1000 photo album of my previous trip (copied above), I see the realization in eyes..."I will be back for this is where God has called me!"