Flight Confirmed

Well I confirmed AND paid for my flight yesterday! So I will be leaving here on March 25th at 16:40 and arriving in Toronto (after a brief stop in Atlanta) at 19:21! I decided on the Delta flight (they do after all have personal TV's), and hope they will accept Neko...it has to be around 10 degrees here for her to accept her, and forecasted to be the same in Toronto...so hopefully it will be! I will also be getting an acclimation certificate from the vet which says she will be fine in colder temperatures for a short period of time. But this is no guarantee either I was told by the airline staff, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed...

As well I also confirmed and paid for the trip to Seoul. And Kedist will be coming with me YAY!!! Will certainly make the trip more enjoyable!

Afraid that's all my news at the moment though...so will end with a countdown summary!!!

11 NOVA days remaining...
so that means 88 just more lessons!

Tracey's the biggest loser at NOVA

Not a whole lot of news to report, but I thought I'd pass on another stupid Tracey story.

So we get to work this morning (this btw is AFTER she walks past Jason and I on the train, only to sit by herself at the opposite end of the carriage) and we are looking at the schedule, the conversation goes as follows:
V - Sorry Tracey this will have to change. I am not teaching Masaki twice in a row, no one should have to do that.
T - Masaki's not that bad.

So I assume she doesn't really mind trading classes and when Kanae, one of the Japanese staff, comes into the staffroom several minutes later, I show her the schedule to ask her if it's ok to change because I already have Masaki earlier in the morning (which if the schedule is made correctly you shouldn't have a student more than once). She says of course, asks if the classroom numbers can stay the same, and I say yeah no problem and write the changes on the schedule.

Then, just a few minutes later I go out front to copy some stuff for one of my kids classes and Tracey is out there talking to Kanae and I hear something about her wanting the classrooms changed. And as I finish my copying she says to me something along the lines of how in the future I should ask her if she wants to trade classes, blah blah blah...she had the opportunity to object and all she said was "Masaki's not that bad." Sure, its not a right out YES, but its certainly not a NO either. AND the only reason she went out front to talk to Kanae was to try and make me look bad, as there was absolutely NO point changing the rooms as it only makes more work for the staff as they have to remember to tell the students.

I'm telling you, all people in Japan (with VERY few exceptions), fit into one of those three categories as mentioned in a previous post. Tracey is flat out stupid and just weird! Then on the bus on the way home from work, she is standing right behind Billy in line and when we get on the bus Billy sits behind the seat Jason and I are sitting on and Tracey is no where to be seen, she decided to sit somewhere totally different then us. Did I mention that her new roommate told us that Tracey has her futon in her closet and that's where she sleeps?? Yeah...whatever...one person I'm not sad to be leaving in the least.

But my TOEIC (special lessons to prepare for a specific English exam) student Reiko asked me if I would go over to her house before I leave Japan. Well actually she asked me if I would like her house. I made a joke about taking it back to Canada with me but I don't think she got it. So anyways we made plans for March 20th.

I also heard about this website today: www.Engrish.com

It's pretty funny it has a bunch of postings about Japanese English in advertising and consumer products, if you're looking for something to do online sometime and want a bit of a chuckle, it's worth it to check it out.

No more news about Delta or Air Canada, turns out their costumer services lines close at 5:30pm in Japan. What sense does that make???

Air Canada vs. Delta

Well, I went to the travel agency again today with the intentions of confirming and paying for my flight home.

Before heading back to the agency I had called both Air Canada and Delta to find out about traveling with Neko. Well, both had the same procedures, but where Air Canada charges 44,000YEN (about $520CAD) for a pet, Delta only charges half of that. So seeing as the Delta flight was already several hundred dollars cheaper, I had decided on it.

And then I got to the agency where Tomoko (my agent) told me that Delta told her that if it was below 7 degree Celsius in either Narita or Toronto, they would not allow the cat to travel with me. So shit, what are the chances that it's going to be below 7degrees in Toronto at the end of March. Probably pretty high I figure. She told me to think it over and that I could come back on Monday to confirm which flight I want to take.

So when I got back home I called Delta again, only to receive a mean representative who wasn't very helpful. But did mention something about a certificate I can get from the vet saying that the cat will be fine in colder temperatures, but even then the coldest they allow is -7 degrees. So I've written emails to both AC and Delta and hopefully I will get some helpful responses as all three airline representatives I talked to on the phone today couldn't speak English all that well and didn't really understand my questions completely.

The Korea trip is still reserved but not confirmed as we are waiting to hear from our AM (area manager) if Kedist can have those days off. That too will be confirmed by Monday morning.

My exciting news of the day though, Ked and I got a package in the mail today from our old roommate Lucy who moved to a different prefecture in Japan. She went to China last month and sent us some souvenirs. I got 2 beautiful red bangles made of glass. I was wearing them early and they make this amazing musical clinking sound...they are great!

We are supposed to be meeting Gavin for dinner tonight, but well he hasn't contacted us since this morning about it...so who knows...in the meantime I'll do some searching on the net for further pet travel info and hopefully get a start on those cover letters which were supposed to be done yesterday...Sorry Tanja will get them to you soon I hope!!!

Flight Booked & A Trip to S. Korea

Well the first news...I booked my flight home today. Well so far actually I've just reserved the flight. Or well two flights and depending on what the travel agent finds out about Neko, I will select which flight I'll take tomorrow. Either way I will leave Japan on March 25th and arrive in Toronto that same day (crazy how the time difference works, I arrive 3 hours later than I departed).

I also booked a trip to South Korea for the week before that from March 16 to 19th. A really short trip, just two full days spent there, but I'm looking forward to seeing another Asian country before coming home, even if its just a glimpse of what the country has to offer. Kedist might be coming with me (if she can get the time off work, which we will also find out tomorrow), or I'll be going alone. I wouldn't mind going by myself as the hotel and travel to and from the airport is arranged for you, but of course it'd be much nicer to have the company!!

Before going to the travel agency we went to the Tochigi International Center to check out our friend, Chris Nash's art exhibition: a solo show called "104381". He had quite a few amazing pieces. I took photos of some of them and have posted a few below. I really like the ones called "Waiting for the morning" (looks exactly like our tatami mat room) and the "NHK Tower" (which you can see from our apartment window). Well really they were all great!!

That's all my exciting news for today. My lunch plans are cancelled for tomorrow because my Japanese friend was worried about the snow that apparently is supposed to come tonight/tomorrow. So now my only plans for tomorrow are to go to the travel agent again and iron my work clothes. Oh yes, and to write the cover letters I was supposed to do today...

NHK Tower - oil on canvas, 2004 

Nikko - oil on canvas, 2004 

Waiting for the morning - oil on canvas, 2005 

Untitled (blue and black) - stones, wire, oil on canvas, 2004 

Crying Boys & Other Miscellaneous Things

Well first...I nearly made a 12 year old boy cry today!!!

Yasuaki is a returnee (meaning he's lived in another country for several years and studied there so is pretty much fluent) and he was my fourth class of the day. Well the lesson was going fine and our topic for the day was space travel. So we get through the warm-up, discussion and reading stages and then I ask him to get out his journal. He complained that he didn't want to write because it's too hard. I try to compromise saying we are only going to write 5 sentences and if he finished he won't have any to do for homework. Well he throws himself on the floor saying that's easy for me to say because I'm Canadian and it's easy for me, but he's Japanese so it's too difficult for him!! So I say, ok we'll only do 3 sentences!

By now his eyes are all red, and he's pouting and won't talk to me anymore but he does start writing. Now his mom has returned to pick him up and is looking in the door. He's sighing and grumbling and using his dictionary because he won't ask me for help. Well his mother is just laughing at the door because of the way he's carrying on. So now I can also say that I've pretty much made a 12 year old boy cry.

I know his mother quite well because she also is a student, so I just told her that he was good up until the writing part when he got quite upset, of course she just apologized and then started asking him stuff in Japanese...well he probably won't like me much anymore!

Hmm...in other happenings of the day, a student, Masanori, who is always in Voice (a general discussion room) asked me if he could organize a goodbye party for me with a few of the other frequent Voice students. I told him that would be alright and he also offered to drive me anywhere in Japan that I still wanted to go to before I went home. The Japanese are indeed very thoughtful.

I was also told I have a very clear reading voice by a student I had yesterday. This isn't the first time I've heard that by students, so maybe I should consider a job in audio books for Japanese people. Or well, maybe not.

I hear pretty much everyday now from different students that they have heard I am leaving. They always say how sad they will be. What am I supposed to say to that? I just say, "yeah, I'll miss Japan too!"...but is that true? I don't know...maybe, I think I will in many ways, but I am certainly happy to be going home!

Now I need some help. I am completely OUT of Voice (the general discussion room mentioned above) topics!! I am out of original ideas and am sick of the general travel, food, movies, Canada topics. Please give me some ideas...any topics for discussion or debates or any good games you know of or have tried with groups...I'm also tired of the NOVA Voice games...

Well am finally on a weekend again. Have no real plans. Maybe checking out a friend's art exhibition at the Tochigi International Center, having a nice breakfast with Kedist, booking my flight and meeting Rie and Kaori for lunch (on Friday)....

I'm sure I'll post again at some point this weekend....

Countdown Summary:

14 days left of NOVA...
which means 112 lessons left to teach!!!

A Rittre Raugh

Werr I thought that this would be an intelesting way to wlite a post. Ret's see if you can catch onto what I've done...

I haven't learry any news, just been wolking and watching some movies in the flee time I have. Lecentry Kedist and I have watched: Open Watel, Pulsued, Ml. 3000 and Fright of the Phoenix. Arr of them wele ok, nothing spectacular, but nothing learry bad eithel.

The othel day in a TOEIC crass I was teaching, my student gave me a learry nice souvenil flom Asakusa (one of my favoulite places in Tokyo), so I thought that was learry nice of hel. And today one of my Seniol Kids (who must have a falm ol a big galden) blought me a big bag of giant chelly tomatoes! So that was supel nice too!

This molning I woke up at 9:08 and jumped out of bed as was supposed to be on the 9:25 tlain, lan and woke Ked up, onlr to learize that it wasn't Sunday and wasn't wolking untir rate. Damn that learry sucked, but I went back to bed! Ret's hope I don't do that in the morling thinking I'm supposed to be at Honda!!

Haha, well I don't think I can keep that up anymore, that's quite challenging actually. The students can't distinguish between "l" and "r", so they are always getting them mixed up. So, I've switched all of the l's to r's and r's to l's! Of course I exaggerated a little because it's not as bad as I made it sound.

Thought I'd leave you with some quotes from our crazy old kook, Hayako:

Montreal is the daughter of my car.
Canada is going to go the Canada.

Will try to get some more for the next blog!!

And a countdown summary:

16 more days of NOVA,
which means 128 more lessons!

Snowy Day in Nikko

Went to Nikko today with Kedist, Matt (roommate and another teacher at my school) and Aya (Japanese staff at my school). Nikko's just a 40 minute train ride northwest of Utsunomiya and is quite popular for its World Heritage Sites and Lake Chuzenji. I've been there several times before (to visit Seamus, and with Melissa and then with Lisa) but this was my first time in the winter season.

You can check out the photos I took today at:

Nikko Trip (Feb.17)

I realized two things while there: first, that I miss the snow and winter scenery more than I expected (though I will probably never again admit this) and second, that I will actually miss Japan more than I thought.

I enjoy the history and seeing so many new things. The sights are so different and interesting.

Japan is beautiful. That I will never deny. But I also will not forget the discrimination or ignorance that Japan is too. I guess there is always the good and the bad. But sometimes I just feel that it is so much more peaceful here. Of course, that probably has something to do with the fact that I can not speak the language so next to no one bothers trying to talk to me!

At any rate, it's getting quite late for me seeing as I have Honda tomorrow morning so I have to wake up at 5:30am, but it's the last class. I will miss the students but I certainly WON'T miss the early wake-ups. Already looking forward to the extra sleep. And, this is the second time typing this (the first was better, as always is the case), so I apologize if I'm a little less enthusiastic.

Will end with a countdown summary:

19 NOVA days left, which means 152 more lessons to teach!!
and just 1 more Honda day!

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!!

Hope you had a great day filled with happiness and smiles!

My day was good, and my work day started nicely. I got to work to find a present waiting for me on my desk. It was a piece of home-made cheesecake from Miyuki (new NOVA staff). Attached was a cute little card which you can find a picture of below.

I should do some Japanese-English to English translation for you. By "room" she means apartment, not my bedroom. Just wanted to clear that up.

Well tomorrow the countdown officially begins....ONE MONTH to my LAST day at NOVA!!! Woo Hoo!!!

Neko-Chan sends her V-Day wishes as well!! =^._.^=

My Valentine's card from Miyuki. I love the expressions and the cuteness found in the writings of the Japanese!! 

Why Kedist is my friend...

At work today we were all talking about my approaching departure and Kedist says:

"My new roommate's a bitch."

Do we know who the new person is? No. Do we even know when a new person is coming? No.

After living in Japan for over a year, one gains the right to pre-judge people. Why you might ask. Well...there are only several types of people who come to Japan.

I'm sure there are more, but these are the ones I have encountered: foremost 1) the Western men who have realized that they will never get anything good in the real world and therefore come here and think they are all that and more (when it's so far from the truth), 2) the ones who are socially inept and really do have many issues (i.e. Tracey, maybe she really was home schooled), and 3) the anime freaks who are interested in the perverse side of Japan.

The normal people are few and far between. Namely, Kedist and I. Maybe a few select others, but that it is. I am NOT exaggerating on this one. Ask anyone who has been here for a longer period of time and does not fall under one of the three categories listed above.

So how did I get started on this mini Japan rant. Ah that's right, why I like Kedist. Well she doesn't belong to any of the three groups listed above and we can bitch together about the people who do. That's real friendship. Thanks Ked!!!

Oh and Happy Valentine's Day!

=^._.^=

Quick Post

This one'll have to be quick as, A) I'm supposed to be writing my final Honda reports and B) Kedist will be home in about 10 minutes and I'm am supposed to be setting up for our Saturday night movie.

My kids classes today were the best! In the first one Mayuko drew her ever-so-cute name art (featured below), which usually the students take home at the end of class, but I asked if I could keep this one. And Shiori gave me three separate green envelopes. The paper inside was folded up so much that there was a huge bump in each of the envelopes, and the pictures are just so cute!! I posted pictures of two of them. And in my second kids class, half of them were missing and the ones that were there were perfect little angels. I wish I could teach ONLY kids classes! (Well don't ask me this on a bad kids day!!!)

The other classes were fine too.

Really that's all I have to share today.

Ty, Jackson and Andy, I can't wait to get home and spend some time with you!!!! (And everyone else too!)

Another of the drawings Shiori gave me. I love this one! I like to think I'm either the red flying guy, or the blue angel in the middle. 

One of the pictures given to me by Shiori in today's class.

Mayuko's Name Art from today's class. In order from left to right: Me, Shuuya, Shiori and Shunki. She left herself out of the picture. Don't I look cute as an anime character? 

Neko in the tub (or well the sink)!!! 

Uneventful Day

Well no real news to share, but thought I should let you know that as of right now, we have yet to receive the earthquake which was predicted to happen yesterday, that I mentioned in a previous post. Which is great of course!

But I don't know how they do it, day in, day out, knowing and just waiting for something like this to happen. They've been expecting another huge earthquake here for years now, but of course there is no way of scientifically predicting when it will happen.

Though after the Tsunami at the end of last year, there were reports about how if something like that happened off the coast of Japan, Tokyo's entire subway system would be flooded and how all the passengers on the Metro would drown. So, I've decided that when I do return to Tokyo (just one final trip), I will NOT take the Metro. Though it is so convenient, cheaper and less crowded.

After I heard the news about the Feb. 10th prediction I was searching the Internet and came across this site. There are some predictions for 2005, some of them are pretty interesting. For those who would like to take a look, the site can be found at:

http://www.sayahda.com/prophecy.html

Also, I finally put up some more photos in my Yahoo Photo Album. If you'd like to take a look, you can find the album at:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/vziebell/album?.dir=/48b4&.src=ph&.tok=phtYygCBOYm7YmdL

I added photos from our work Welcome Party for Miyuki (new Japanese staff member), my haircut (before and afters) and our Okonomiyaki Party we had at our apartment last Sunday night. Nothing really exciting though...

That's it for today, I'm off to bathe the cat...wanna picture? I'll see what I can do!

Russian

I promise this'll be the last post of the day, but this is a story worth telling.

So, I'm on the train, on the way home from work the other night with Ked and Matt. It's only a 7 minute ride. This old Japanese man walks by staring at me and pauses at the other end of the carriage. I can feel him still staring and look in the opposite direction and figure, maybe he isn't actually staring at me, but at the Japanese girl sitting close by. He kind of walks back and hesitates.

Then when the train arrives in Utsunomiya he stands in front of me before I even have the chance to get up and says, "Are you Russian?" I didn't hear what he said so just kind of stared at him, so he repeated the question and I then replied, "No." "Oh," he says, "You really look Russian." Then gets off the train and walks quickly away.

I'd be completely confused if I didn't know that pretty much all of the Russian women over here are prostitutes or work in the hostess bars. So chances are he was looking for some company for the evening. Either that, or a bride. (This could be the one Mom!)

We do however have one student at my school who has a Russian mail-order bride and isn't at all ashamed about it. One day I had this man in a lesson and he said his wife was taking a demo lesson on the multi-media television. So as soon as the bell rang, I ran out of the room to try and catch a glimpse of her...and well, she was certainly dressed like a call girl. That however, was an entirely different story from what I started out telling.

Update

Well, the news of the impending earthquake aside, and since I've been so bad at keeping in touch with group emails, I suppose I should update on recent happenings.

This'll be short seeing as there pretty much isn't any news!

Though for those who don't know, I've put in my NOVA resignation and I will be finished work as of March 15th! Just another 5 weeks (well a little less) away! And I will be finishing up my part-time job at Honda, next week. Sadly though, I will miss the engineers. They are the best students (next to the kids) that I've encountered in Japan. They are so enthusiastic and interesting compared to the majority of NOVA students. I wish I was finish NOVA next week, and Honda next month. But the time will go by quickly!!

So I'm not sure what my plans are entirely after NOVA. I might travel a little bit before I return to Canada. There's just one or two more places I'd like to see in Japan and also, seeing as it's so close and cheap, South Korea too. I'll decide for sure in the next couple of weeks, and then book my flight home. Then of course, I hope to get a job sometime shortly there after. We'll see how that goes.

Other than that, the most exciting thing I've been up to since the New Years break has been Ked's and mine Thursday morning breakfasts, followed by a day of movies. It's so great just laying there, not having to do anything all day! I hope to keep this tradition up until the end of my days in Japan.

Still no additional roommate since Tracey left. That's quite alright. I'd be very happy if the third room remained empty until I've returned home. I don't need to meet, and live with anymore freaks. I see enough of them at work (the other teachers, not the students).

I told you there wasn't much going on here!

Predictions

So, I just heard this morning that there has been another prediction for a major earthquake in Japan. This coming from the same person who predicted the massive Kobe earthquake. It is suppose to happen today and destroy a city, though he couldn't determine the city, or prefecture in Japan. Last time, with the Kobe quake, he was one day off...so I guess we will have to wait and see.

Certainly gets you thinking though...I've been here almost 18 months, and I don't actually know what to do in such a situation...the only thing I do know is that if I'm at work, our emergancy shelter is about 10km away! Now that's useful!