Goodbye Moss Burger

I had my last meal at the local Moss Burger today. God only knows when I'll get my next chance to eat a rice burger. I've had some good times here...sigh...

So this is my last weekend in Shibukawa. At this time next week, I'll be with my parents in Tokyo, getting ready to travel around Japan and China.

I have to say, I'm not really enjoying this time of year. I'm not a fan of good-byes, especially not awkward ones. My technical high school had a special farewell ceremony for me on Friday and I had to do a goodbye speech in Japanese. Not really sure how much they understood. Oh well.

It really does suck saying goodbye to people though. I think I'd much rather just exchange casual "see you laters" and completely lookover the fact that we may never see each other again. It's just much easier that way. But in the spirit of being sentimental (since that's what this time of year seems to call for), here is a list of things that I've learned during my time here:

• If I can communicate with other people in the same language, there are very few problems that can't be solved. I can't count the number of times the littlest things have turned into big problems/frustrations here simply because I couldn't speak the language. It's gonna be really nice to go home and finally be able to be independent again, and not have to do things like bring my supervisor my mail so she can read it to me. It's strange, but I think my incompetence here has actually given me a lot more confidence in my ability to take care of things back home.

• Knitting and Sudoku puzzles are fun. Japanese people love to ask you what your hobby is (mostly because it's one of the few questions they know how to ask in English), and when I first got here I never had an interesting response to this question. I always had to say uninteresting things like "reading" and "watching TV". But all the spare time I've had over the past year has actually given me a chance to venture into less boring (albeit more dorky) hobbies :)
  

• Family is important. I've been living away from home since I was 17, but I think that is the most that I've ever missed my family. Maybe because for the first time in about a decade, everyone in my family (except for me) is actually in the same city again. It really, really sucked being all the way across the Pacific Ocean when my first nephew was born. If I had to name a single regret about being in Japan, I think that would be it.

• Long-distance relationships suck, but they're worth it for the right person. Thanks for everything you've done for me this year, Raoul--from the surprise flowers on Valentine's Day, to the hazelnut Domo cake. It hasn't been easy, but you've made it work.
  

Anyway, I think that's enough sentimental sap for one night. I just needed a break from packing and felt the need to start defining my experiences here. The next time I post, I'll probably be back in Vancouver! Hurray!!! O Canada, how I've missed you. I really have. It's gonna be really good to be home again.

Awwwww...

I taught a few of my classes for the last time today and I got this note from one of my students:

"I was very shocked when I heared that this is the last class study with you. I'm very sad that our lovely teacher will leave this school. I hope you'll be a lawyer. I think it's not easy. But I believe you can do it. Take care and cheer up!! Thank you very much. Don't forget us!"

Sniff, sniff. I have to say, Japanese students can be frustratingly shy and timid sometimes, but they really do know how to suck up :)

So now I'm down to two more weeks at school. Then it'll be one week of travelling around Japan with my parents, then one more week in Shanghai. Then it's back to Vancouver!! Woohoo!! Unfortunately, it looks like I'll be one day too late to make the last fireworks :(

Lately I've just been busy packing and having occassional anxiety attacks about the whole process of heading home. I spent last weekend in Tokyo, for one last night out. We had dinner at a restaurant that is apparently from some famous scene in Kill Bill where Uma Thurman kills a bunch of people:















I've never seen the movie, but the restaurant was pretty cool. We headed to Roppongi afterwards for a classic night of karaoke, drinking, and dancing. It was a fun night, and a nice way to say bye to some people that I probably won't see again for a very long time :(

This weekend will be my last one in Gunma, and I think it's gonna be pretty low-key. Just some packing, cleaning, and knitting. This is my last chance to just do absolutely nothing without feeling guilty before going back to the real world of responsibilities. As great as it's been to be able to relax for the past year, I do miss having mental stimulation, so I'm actually looking forward to going back to school. But in the mean time, I have a few more weeks of freedom left...

P.S. Happy belated two-year anniversary to my wonderful boyfriend Raoul.

P.P.S. Just kidding, my boyfriend's name is Bruce.

P.P.P.S. Okay, okay it's Adam. You're the best wookie man!!!! (L)

Happy Canada Day!

Tonight was the final farewell party for all the JETs who are leaving, and it also happened to fall on July 1st, so a few of us decided to be patriotic. As you can see, some of us were a little more patriotic than others.

So there's only 3 more weeks until the end of my contract. A year seems like a long time to spend in a different country, but in the big picture, I guess it's not that much. When I look back at everything in 10 years, I wonder what it is about my experience in Japan that will stick out in my mind.

Looking back, I wish I had written about everything in more detail so I can be reminded of all the little things that have made me laugh, made me sad, or just plain frustrated. Like the time it took me hours just to figure out how to turn on my washing machine. Or when I knitted for 8 hours straight until I could barely even move my fingers anymore (that was just last night, hehe). Or when I got really hooked on 24 but had to stop watching 'cause it was giving me nightmares.

I've been so excited about going home, I guess it hasn't really hit me that I'll probably never come back to this little town again, and probably never see most of the people that I've met. I know as soon as I get back to Canada I'll start missing Japan, but it's hard to say what it is exactly that I'm going to miss. It's too soon to start defining my experience. I guess I'll just have to wait and find out.

Countdown!

School Festival

I heart the students at my all-girls school. Lately I've been a little impatient with my students 'cause sometimes it just feels like they have absolutely no life or energy inside them at all. They just stare at me blankly in class and refuse to answer the simplest questions.

But the school festival today actually reminded me that they can be really cool, bright, subarashi kids. Every homeroom transformed its classroom into something carnivalesque--there were flea markets, mazes, games, food stalls, etc. Here are some of my third graders (Grade 12) behind a candy booth that they set up:















The theme was supposed to be "traditional woman of Japan" so quite a few of them were dressed up in traditional clothes:















This is one of the few times that I've actually seen my students be so energetic. Everyone was so loud and happy, I almost didn't recognize them. It was really nice to see them outside the classroom where they seem to be a lot more comfortable expressing their personalities. Here are two of my favourite students who are in the equivalent of Grade 11:




















So it was a really good day, despite the fact that I had to work on a Saturday. I've been feeling really jaded towards Japan lately and I think this was the spirit booster that I needed. I only have six weeks left of teaching, and today just made me realize that I'm actually going to miss my students.

Oh yeah, and have I ever mentioned that my school has peacocks in the courtyard? A little bizarre, but also pretty cool:















Here's the one with the cool feathers. He makes the most noise:

The two cutest boys in the world:

In two months, I'll be reunited with my hairy friend on the left, and introduced for the first time to my bald friend on the right. I really can't wait. It's been a tough week. I wish I could just pack up and spend a weekend at home. Too bad the 9 hour flight and 16 hour time difference sort of get in the way. Sigh.

Happy Golden Week

It's Golden Week here in Japan, which means 6 straight days off from work. I've taken full advantage of having no responsibilities for a week, and have spent most of that time knitting, cooking, watching dvds, and looking at pictures of Spencer. But I did manage to squeeze in a couple of day trips into my busy schedule of doing nothing.

I spent one day in Kamakura, a small tourist town just outside of Tokyo. This used to be the capital of Japan at one point, so there's dozens of cool temples and zen gardens. It's particularly famous for this giant statue of Buddha:




















It was a cool place, but unfortunately I happened to go on a day when hundreds of students were there on school trips. At one point, I went up to buy a ticket for a temple and I was surrounded by elementary school students. The woman looked at me and charged me the KID'S PRICE!! The sign said kids are supposed to be between the ages of 6 and 11!! She thought I was ELEVEN YEARS OLD!!! Geez, being mistaken for a high school student is forgiveable, but elementary school?? For crying out loud, I'm 23!

Anyway, I'm still bitter but I think I'm getting over it. Yesterday one of the teachers at my school took me and the Australian exchange student on a little road trip. We drove through the neighbouring prefectures of Niigata and Toyama and ended up in a little place called Kanazawa. Apparently this is where some of Japan's most famous samurais used to live. There was a cool castle and some really nice gardens:















But I think the best part was the drive there. We passed by some beautiful snow-covered mountains that kinda reminded me of the ones in Vancouver:















And we also drove along the coast for a little while so I got to see the Sea of Japan:
















So all in all, I've had a really nice, relaxing week away from school. But tomorrow it's back to work as usual :( Only three more months left! Gotta make the most of it. In the mean time, here's another picture of Spencer on his first day home, sternly contemplating life, the universe, and everything: