Today in class we listened to a Death Cab song and the word brainless came up - a student asked what that meant - when the teacher explained it he says, "Hey Shota! (points at him) brainless! brainless!" to which Shota responds by turning around and saying, "You suck ( Read more... )

so I was Peter Pan for a Halloween dance party, and my friend was Daniel-san from the Karate Kid (dressing up as a walking polka-dot shower as in the movie). It was hilarious to walk down the street of the city and see the looks that we got as not only 2 foreigners, but a foreigner wearing green tights and one who was inside a shower ( Read more... )

Many people have probably heard that Japan has the most suicides in the world - well you may be interested to learn, as I recently did, that in fact Akita is the suicide capital of Japan and in fact Yuri-Honjo city (where I live) is the suicide capital of Akita - so basically I live in the suicide capital of the world. Bring on the winter ( Read more... )

So my students have had tests all this week meaning I have no classes, which unfortunately means that I must come to school and sit out of my desk and be bored. Yesterday was the first day I really felt some sort of homesickness for more than a flash - i think it came from more of a sense of isolation than anything else, because I hadn't talked to ( Read more... )

Soooooooo - I live in Japan now. That's pretty neat. Newsworthy points: 1) Despite having lived here for three weeks, I don't have a phone or internet yet... but soon! 2) I've joined a rowing team and a soccer team 3) I've tried Aikido a couple of times, but it is mad frustrating to be a beginner in a dojo of non-beginners 4) I like Japan 5) ( Read more... )

well i'm writing this from my room on the 14th floor of my hotel in Tokyo - a big big big crazy city. The 13 hour flight wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be - i wasn't even that tired - I managed to pee about 15 times on the flight, so that helped I guess. :-) I went to bed last night at 10:30 local time and woke up at 7am, so I'm ( Read more... )

i leave indy tomorrow... i leave the country the next day... hold my breath... stomach is tight... let the bi-polar times roll...

I'm back in indy now where i'll be for the duration before I leave... it feels really good to be here and I'm glad i decided to come back a couple of days early - it was definitely the right choice. making final preparations and then i'll have to pack and then i'll be leaving on the 16th of august... comin' right up. i'm feeling good about ( Read more... )

this is me afraid of leaving and having my heart hurt at the thought of not seeing so many so dear to me for so long. :o(

feeling so small

more goodbyes... can't say that i'm a big fan, but japan is getting closer and i'm getting excited... last few days in holland then it's back with the parents and brothers for my last week. man... who needs some new shoes?