Wow, what?

After several weeks of non-stop working I finally have a moment to myself. I'm sorry to anyone I havent called but holy heck i've been busy. Lets start out the explanation with monday the 9th. Pictures will eventually be added. My co-workers asked if I wanted to go to a cooking class. Me, not being able to cook anything agreed and went with Muqing. I showed up to find that they were cooking for us(all of my co-workers wearing aprons and bandanas on their heads) and that we actually didnt have to do anything but eat. Tuesday was Juku and that was smooth sailing with the shapes lesson. Apparently rubber band animals are popular here to. Wednesday I went out to eat with tomoyo, Muqing, me, and. Had great food, including fried cheese. This weekend I dragged my butt up and went to some shrines. I wanted to go swimming but everyone warned me that you should not swim during obon. I went to Udo shrine and loved it. Beautiful cliffs, caves and the shrine are neatly tucked in a large mountain side directly on the coast line mountain. Sunday I biked with Muqing to Obi castle. We had some trouble with knowing where we are going and what people were saying to us but it was awesome none the less. We also did archery I managed to hit the target several times but got a wicked bruise from the feathered end. I need to bike more and the hills were wicked after sweating to death earlier at Udo. Monday thru wednesday I was in Miyazaki city for an orientation for all Jets in this prefecture. Monday we arrived at the station and went shopping at book-off a huge used book store and then a small thrifty store next door. that night I got to play some ddr and tekken. I definately got whopped at tekken. Then we ended the night with purikura! Tuesday was brutal, after dealing with orientaion we headed to the hotel got ready and made our way to the restaurant for the welcome party. 30 bucks got you all you could eat AND drink. Lets just say shochu is delicious. After lots of drinking(you can be drunk anywhere in public in Japan) we headed over to karoke for 2 hours of all you can sing AND all you can drink again. I then crawled back to the super hotel and had to wake up to the final day which had a japanese lesson and then we shopped. I have three weekends already filled with activities and hope to fill more. I might sleep in tomorrow before I get to see 5000 fireworks and a river swimming party!

shopping and swimming

So had a great weekend that consisted of swimming and shopping. First of all I was unprepared for the level of sunburn I received. I neglected to realize that I have not left my house in America for longer than 30minutes to go swimming. I stayed at oodotsu beach for 4 1/2 hours swimming for almost all of it. The water was warm and it was super nice out so I ended up swimming with lots of little kids who stayed near shore. One thing to note was that the announcement system was kind enough to tell us when to get out of the water and rest. It would announce, 'Please get out of the water and rest you may go back in, in 20minutes.' As time went on lots of high school students kept trying to say hello to us in english, it was good for a laugh. Then a group of small students asked us to break watermelons with them and so we helped out. After melon icee's I swam out to a large rock in the middle of the ocean and climbed up. I have a nice collection of scratches but am happy I made it there. The little kids kept jumping off the rocks so I would count down for them to jump off of the rocks. We then all dragged our sunburnt selves down to abaratsu for some karaoke. 3 hours later we had sang through the 80's and early 90's and had plenty of drinks and food from an amazing restaurant upstairs. Then Sunday. I got to shop my ass off. I need some essential items to make my apt way more comfortable. Finally got a shower shelf to hold the shampoo, a rug for washroom, and finally a towel big enough to actually dry with. Now for the work week. Monday cooking, tuesday juku, enki wednesday, and thursday and friday to myself!

turtle neck sweaters* yes people wear them

Ｔｈｉｓ　ｗｅｅｋ　ｈａｓ　ｂｅｅｎ　ａ　ｗｈｉｒｌｗｉｎｄ　ｏｆ　ｅｍｏｔｉｏｎ　ａｎｄ　ｍｕｓｔ　Ｉ ｓａｙ　ｓｕｐｅｒ　ＨＯＴ　ｗｅａｔｈｅｒ．　Ｉ ｈａｖｅ　ｎｅｖｅｒ　ｂｅｅｎ　ｓｏｍｅｗｈｅｒｅ　ｓｏ　ｓｔｉｆｌｉｎｇｌｙ　ｈｏｔ．　Ｔｈｅｒｅ　ｉｓ　ａｂｓｏｌｕｔｅｌｙ　ＮＯ　ａｉｒｆｌｏｗ．Lock yourself in a steamy bathroom for 8 hours and you will endure similar conditions. Ｏｎｌｙ　ｔｈｅ　￥１００　ｓｈｏｐ　ａｎｄ　ｇｒｏceｒｙ　ｓｔｏｒｅ　ｈａｖｅ　ｅｖｅｎ　ｔｒｉｅｄ　ｔｏ　ａｉｒ ｃｏｎｄｉｔｉｏｎ　ｔｈｅir　ｓｔｏｒｅｓ．　Ｉ ｗａｎｔ　ｔｏ　ｋｎｏｗ　ｗｈｙ　ｔｈｉｓ　ｉｓ？　Ｍｏｎｅｙ，　ｃｕｌｔｕｒａｌ　ｅｌｅｍｅｎｔｓ，　ｗａｎｔ　ｔｏ　ｓａｖｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｅｎｖｉｒｏｍｅｎｔ? Ｉ　want ｔｏ　ｋｎｏｗ　ｗｈｙ　ｉｓ　ｉｔ　ｓｏ　ｈａｒｄ　ｔｏ　ａｔ　ｌｅａｓｔ　ｃｒｅａｔｅ　ｔｈｅ ｉｌｌｕｓｉｏｎ　ｏｆ　ａｉｒ　ｆｌｏｗ　ｉｎ　ａ　ｇｏｖｅｒｍｅｎｔ　ｗｏｒｋ　ｐｌａｃｅ．　Ｉ ｏｆ　ｃｏｕｒｓｅ　ｗｏｒｋ　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｃｉｔｙ　ａｎｄ　ｔｈｅｒｅｆｏｒｅ　ａｒｅ　ｐａｉｄ　ｉｎ　ｐａｒｔ　ｂｙ　ｔｈｅ　ｌｏｃａｌ　ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ　ｔａｘｅｓ．　Ｓｏ　Ｉ ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔ　ＨＥＹ　ｔｈｅｙ　ｐｒｏｂａｂｌｙ　ｄｏｎ'ｔ　ａｉｒ　ｃｏｎｄｉｔｉｏｎ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ　ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ　ｉｔ　ｗｏｕｌｄ　ｂｅ　ｔｏ　ｅｘｐｅｎｓｉｖｅ　ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｐｅｏｐｌｅ　ｓｏ　ｗｅ　ｍａｋｅ　ｄｕｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　３　ｆａｎｓ　ｆｏｒ　ａｎ　ｅｎｔｉｒｅ　ｔｈｉｒｄ　ｆｌｏｏｒ．　Ａｓ　Ｉ ｗａｌｋｅｄ　ａｒｏｕｎｄ　ｔｈｅ　ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ　ｍｏｒｅ　Ｉｒｅａｌｉｚｅｄ　ｏｎｌｙ　ｔｈｅ　ｆｉｒｓｔ　ｆｌｏｏｒ　ｌｏｂｂｙ　ｗａｓ　ａｉｒｃｏｎｄｉｔｉｏｎｅｄ　．　Ｗｈａｔ！！　Ｉ ｗａｎｔ　ｔｏ　ｗｏｒｋ　ｄｏｗｎ　ｔｈｅｒｅ．　Ｉ still　ｄｏ　ｎｏｔ　ｋｎｏｗ　ｗｈｙ　Ｉ cａｎｔ　ｈａｖｅ　ａ　ｌｉｔｔｌｅ　ａｉｒ　ｂｕｔ　ｆｏｒ　ｋｎｏｗ　Ｉｌｌ　ｋｅｅｐ　ＷＥＡＲＩＮＧ　ｌｏｎｇ　ｐａｎｔｓ，　Ｓｈｏｒｔ　ｓｌｅｅｖｅｓ，　Ｏｆ　ｃｏｕｒｓｅ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｌａｃｅ　ｃｏｖｅｒｉｎｇ ｆｏｒ　ｔｈｅ　ｓｈｏｕｌｄｅｒｓ（ｗｈａｔ？！？）　ａｎｄ　ｃｏｍｐｌｅｔｅｌｙ　ｃｏｖerd　ｓｈｏｅｓ．　Ｉ ｈａｖｅ　ｅｖｅｎ　ｓｅｅｎ　ｗｏｍｅｎ　ｗｅａｒｉｎｇ　ｓｋｉｒｔｓ　ｗｉｔｈ　ｔｉｇｈｔｓ（ｔｈｅ　ｒｅａｌｌｙ　ｐａｌｅ　ｏｎｅｓ　ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ　ｗｏｒｅ　ｆｏｒ　ｂａｌｌｅｔ　ｒｅｃｉｔａｌｓ　ｔｈａｔ　ｍａｋｅ　ＹＯＵＲ　ｌｅｇｓ　ｌｏｏｋ　ｓｕｐｅｒ　ｗｈｉｔｅ　ｗｈｉｌｅ　ｔｈｅ　ｒｅｓｔ　ｏｆ　ｙｏｕｒ　ｂｏｄｙ　ｉｓ　ｔａｎｎｅｒ）　Ｗｉｔｈ　ａｖｏｎ　ｌａｄｙ　ｐｉｎｋ　ｈｅａｌｓ，　ａｎｄ　ａ　ｓｗｅａｔｅｒ　Ｉ　ｗｏｕｌｄｎｔ　weaｒ　ｅｖｅｎ　ｉｆ　ｉｔ　ｗａｓ　ｂｅｌｏｗ　ｚｅｒｏ．　Ｇｏｏｄ　ｔｉｍｅｓ　ｉｎ　Ｊａｐａｎ！　Ａｓ　ｍｕｃｈ　ａｓ　Ｉ　Ｑｕｅｓｔｉｏｎ　ｉｔ　Ｉ do　ｆｉｎｄ　ｉｔ　ｉｎｔｅｒｅｓｔｉｎｇ　ａｎｄ　ｅｎｔｅｒｔａｉｎｉｎｇ．　

Housing and bad exchange rates!

Well saw my housing and I'm happy tatami floors and a sweet looking couch. I exchanged only a small portion of my money because exchange is 80yen to $1. SOOoooo sad. I'll get the rest in Tokyo by dragging my butt up and finding a bank. A little worried about getting access to my money but super excited nonetheless. I will be using my magic jack for a bit so give me a call I'll be posting the number soon. .

Miyazaki-Ken!

Just found out where I will reside for the next year and it's definately tropical. Miyazaki prefecture in nichinan-shi(town) on Kyushu island it is and its climate is an average 65degrees!! It is known for it's beaches, paragliding, and scuba. Luckily it's only 9 hours from tokyo(boo hoo) but I could fly into Japan core in about an hour. It's definately going to be different than anything I could imagine so I'm going to keep an open mind.

Being an Alternative on the List of doom

So you have interviewed and hope that you didn't make a complete fool of your self and then the waiting begins (again). I interviewed in February and didn't hear anything until april 1st. The news came in the form of email, not snail mail. It said to the effect that I am not a shortlist candidate(got the job), but I was not rejected either. I was on the alt list.Woooooo!! Insert more waiting and then on may 21st I was upgraded after an email was sent saying, "We have a position open do you want to take it?" Of course the answer was yes. After all of that work and preparing I made it onto an exclusive list of people destined for Japan. A week later I still have no idea of my placement but I'm not expecting any answers for a while. For know I am content making giant list of packing information.

Interview

So to remember what this whole trip began with I will start this blog to keep my memory fresh. So it all began in November when I discovered JET a japanese english teaching program. As a substitute teacher who has ALWAYS loved Japan and who has already traveled there this was perfect. So after buggin everyone I know for letters and help double checking my grammar The giant 3 packet, packet I sent it off only to be told it did not arrive on time for the final deadline ^_^ needless to say after many phone calls all was well.
On a seperate note here is some quick info on my interview. I was first notified of my interview via online. Once I found out my consulte and time I dress up and drove into chicago. I wore black dress pants, high heels, nice shirt, and black cover up. I was immediately greeted by people at a desk who asked for my passport photos and asked to take a seat. I sat quietly and watched a video about JET's who already live in Japan. Then everyone in the room was lined up and sent into there interview areas. I then met 3 people, two of them were Japanese men and one a women who was a former JET. The women proceded to ask me very quickly why did I choose JET? The rest of the interview went smoothly until they asked me, " In a Japanese classroom you represent America how would you describe America in 5 WORDS. Let me repeat this 5 WORDS, not phrases or sentences. Me being stupid, I said Diverse(true), educated, and I cant even remember the rest I was so embarassed. Well this is all for now I will update as the date to leave approaches!!