I realise I haven't posted on here for a year and a day, and I just wanted to let you know that I am not in fact dead. I'm simply having a kind of detox from the internet at the moment. Also I've just been busy getting on with everything and trying to settle back into life in England. So far it hasn't been going too badly. I've gone through lots of ( Read more... )

Yesterday and today have been really great. I had my last day at Kawahara junior high yesterday and my last day at Saji today. Both days have been really great ( Read more... )

I realise I haven't written an entry for a while, but it was basically because I didn't have anything especially interesting to say, and because I've been so crazily busy with getting ready for leaving and saying goodbye to everyone that I just haven't had time ( Read more... )

I just remembered two amusing things from Kawahara Elementary the other day. The first actually made me do a big HAHAHAHA out loud in the middle of class because it was so random ( Read more... )

I had my last class with the 6th grade at Kawahara Elementary yesterday and as well as not needing to be in work until 10 o'clock and being invited to eat lunch with them, they'd also made me a ton of presents to take home. It was really sweet. One girl got a tin and completely filled it with origami cranes of various colours ( Read more... )

This morning I finally feel that my time here has been worth it. Anyone who has taught English in Japan (or even just been here for a while) knows that when you ask a Japanese kid "How are you?" the only response almost any student will give is "I'm fine thank you, and you?". A few minutes ago, I said hello to one of my students at Chizu and she ( Read more... )

It's 35C outside today and 33 in the mother fucking staffroom and STILL they haven't turned the fucking air conditioning on! I'm too bloody hot to do anything! I'm seriously considering refusing to come into work until they start turning it on. Do you think I can get away with it ( Read more... )

I have just successfully missed the fire safety demonstration at school! I went out to get my lunch at 12 (usual time) and because they don't EVER use the fucking air conditioning in the staffroom, I've taken to driving 5 mins down the road in my car and leaving it running so I can sit in the cool to eat my lunch. I came back about five minutes ago ( Read more... )

I have now officially climbed to (and farted at) the top of the talles mountain in Japan. I went down to Shizuoka, to Mt. Fuji on Saturday afternoon with my friend Eri, her boyfriend and two of his friends. We started climbing at about 10pm, and reached the top at about 4am. It was a long climb, but not actually as difficult as I expected (as long ( Read more... )

I had a great day this morning at the shogakko (4th years this week) with only one not so nice part. The lessons were really good but on the way back down the stairs after the first lesson I saw two kids (probably 3rd years) walking wrapped in towels, since they'd either just finished swimming or were just going. One of them was looking rather ( Read more... )