Guess who I was last Sunday...

This was NOT in the contract...

Hey folks -

Last Sunday I was, indeed, Santa Claus for an afternoon. A private English tutoring company (with locations throughout Japan) was holding their annual Christmas party and listed me as a special guest. It is traditional for the local public schools to introduce their ALTs to the owners of these tutoring centers; much like the Junior High Schools, having an ALT in the classroom does a lot to beef up their lessons. So I met and had lunch with the owner of one of the tutoring centers in October. It was then that she asked me to attend the Christmas party. It was only recently that I learned I would do more than sip soda and sing 'Frosty the Snowman.'


(Please take a moment to look at the photo above once more for effect.)


(Thank you.)


The persona I adopted did not resemble my Uncles Bill, Bob, or Jack whose portrayal of St. Nicholas rivaled the real deal -- it was more in tune with Billy Bob Thornton's version.

After a few rounds of "Hey there, little fella! Merry Christmas!" and having not one, but all of the wonderful tykes attempt to remove my "beard," I was brought immediately to the checkers scene in 'Bad Santa.' Enough said...

But truthfully, it was a fun day; especially during 'Santa Says!' This was a marginally sadistic rendition of 'Simon Says' where Santa (that's me, if you recall) gets to spend about 25 minutes inside an extremely warm suit and beard trying to outwit 5 year olds. A real confidence booster, let me tell you.

After I dropped the 14th pound and finally got the last kid out, I looked over at the host, Y sensei -- my eyes projecting, "Mercy?" It's possible there was a slight miscommunication because for some reason I heard, "Let's play again!"

Mommmmmmmmm!!!!!

The amount of weight I lost was testimony to how smart those kids were...

But that was the worst of it (^-^)b

The actual party and activities were great. There were snowball fights (crumbled up paper) and sing-a-longs to name a couple. I was so impressed by how well the kids were speaking and the confidence they showed while introducing themselves. The teachers did a great job -- it's no wonder their classes are so popular.

My only moment of true panic was when I noted (in very small print, mind you) that Brendan sensei would be singing 'Last Christmas' for everyone! You all know this tune, right? George Michael's 1980s ditty? Well, as soon as I saw that, my voice started to go mysteriously out of tune during 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,' ala Peter Brady. What was even stranger is that (as a life long musician) I was somehow unable to find the right key for the rest of the songs featured that afternoon. Y sensei, as eloquently as possible (and perhaps mercifully so) ended the party without forcing the audience to endure what would have undoubtedly been a 'memorable' experience.

Now Mr. Michael won't have to sue!

I will take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and a safe and kickin' New Year!

Keep surfing!

Brendan

Ode to the Heater

Dear little heater, won't you be my
True friend...
Please keep me from freezing until the
Night's end!

For Maki's winds are The Wolf
Who might blow this house down,
As I scour the closet for a warm
Sleeping gown.

A blustery November ushers in this new trend
Of icicles forming on noses' end.

For moments repose I squint my eyes
Wishing...
"It's best for this new cold to leave, yes!" that's what
I was thinking.

Old Jack Frost has headed east and brought with
Him tidings. No, not of 'joy' but of coughing and of
Sniffling.

"You've stayed long enough," though winter's months
Are still pending. They're lingering, hovering,
Cavorting, and planning...

So beneath this blanket I sit, against a chill
I can hardly fight.
Please little heater, won't you keep me warm
Through the Night?



Keep surfing (but wear a winter wetsuit)
Brendan

These are the Daze of Our Lives

Hi folks –

Just in case you were wondering about ways in which to make your day embarrassing, appear longer than it actually is, or just down right awful, here’s the first installment of:

Brendan’s Wacky Classroom Mishaps!

A Reader's Guide to Getting the Least Out of Your Day

(Author's note: While I can’t guarantee truly awful results, I will tell you that, by following each step to the end for this particular exercise, you’ll definitely develop a sense of woe that’ll carry well into the next morning. Fear not if you don’t plan on standing in front of a class full of 8th graders any time soon. It is my belief that the lessons to be learned in this post are universally friendly therefore adaptable to anyone's life! Let’s get started, shall we?)

Part one -

Screw Up Reading Comprehension Exercises

(So far in this episode, our hero has been given a task in which he is to create a reading comprehension worksheet based on an extremely short passage in the 8th grade reading textbook.)

First off, make sure to under-emphasize the importance of the assignment. I cannot stress enough the importance of not getting a head start – especially if you have an entire week to prepare; it just takes you away from the fun stuff, like browsing new SKYPE icons or checking out incomprehensible telecasts on NHK (which appeared to be devoted to fish…I thought. It could have been about blue jeans; like I said…it was pretty incomprehensible).

While this approach may seem a bit risky, professionally speaking, it is (in my experience) the best way to achieve a quality amount of embarrassment upon the day of reckoning. You can’t make an omelet without skinning a cat…yeah. Something like that.

Let’s assume that the students’ responsibility is to carefully review the content of the passage and be able to answer simple questions as provided by the teacher. As the teacher, preparing for such a task can be quite simple if you have all the necessary tools within reach.

Well, forget that!

Here’s my philosophy: It is very important that you not – I repeat: NOT, have a copy of the textbook at home. Who wants such a cake walk? Booooooorrrinnng! Leave it at work, I say! This is to insure that ‘thrill-factor’ rush when putting the worksheet together the morning of the class. Remember: Nurturing the burn of responsibility breeds feelings that might convince you to get off of the couch.

My recommendation is to not read the assigned passage in its entirety. Doing so will only cause confusion if you find that, upon completion of your worksheet at the 11th hour, what you have written conflicts with the content in the textbook. It’s better to assume that everything matches up nicely. It’ll be more like a surprise birthday party when you realize your wacky mistakes! Oh, there’s just so much to write!

Now that you've gotten everything down on paper, let's head to the copy room!

Make a master copy of your worksheet, then (prior to making SEVERAL copies for your classes and to tease yourself) contemplate seeking approval from the teacher with whom you will be working in class. Don’t devote too much time to this, though; it’s just a mood-setter. There’ll be plenty of time for consultations AFTER you finish making copies. Do ya see where I'm going with this?!

I recommend about 70 to 80 copies of your document just to make the trees cry in protest a little bit louder when your mistakes are revealed.

*For those of you seeking an elevated sense of dread, I suggest the following copying options: Wait until there is an extensive line at the copier to achieve maximum giggles – it’s a hoot, I tell you, and well worth the sweats! Even more, choose the line for the copier that will run out of ink when it’s your turn! Ah, me…

OK – with 5 minutes to class time, you’ve waited long enough…

Show the finished product, along with the copies you were somehow able to make, to the teacher. For extreme satisfaction, when he or she questions you about the worksheet, throw in a few babbling sounds and gasps for air prior to offering lame excuses for your mistakes – remember: you worked really hard to not do this thing right. Milk the experience for what it’s worth!

Finally, EMBRACE THE IRONY! You just made a READING COMPREHENSION review sheet...with content mistakes! I believe this specific type of irony falls under the, “specially placed mood candle burning down your home,” variety. (Thanks to SM for inspiring that one...)

So what have we learned about messing with your day?

Feel free to jot down your own ideas -- I'd be happy to mull them over with you on the unemployment line.

Notes section:
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________

In truth, I made a typo on an exercise for one of today’s classes…but what is life if you’re not able to dramatize trivial matters for the entertainment of others? At the very least you develop your skills of embellishment.

"NEVER TRUST SPELL-CHECK!" he cried from up on high.

And THAT’S today’s lesson.

Keep surfing!

Brendan

Uneasy Rider

Greetings folks -

I am now the (reluctant) driver of (drum roll)

A BRAND NEW SUBARU PLEO!

It's sleek! It's stylish! It's the size of a rice cooker!

HELP ME! EVERYONE DRIVES ON THE LEFT! I really shouldn't be typing this while I'm driving -- note to self...

Anyway, here's a picture of daddy's little trooper (actual size):

It's pretty much sink or swim when it comes to learning how to drive in Japan -- this concepts undertones come dangerously close to reality given the near miss I had with a bog the other day... Watch out for those farmers! I had no idea that the inhabitants of rural Japan were so well-versed in the ancient art of New York style obscene finger gestures... I was pretty sure I caught a, "Go back to 'Jersey, ya moron!" too.

Aside from roadside detractors and the occasional street sign that, through no fault of my own, ends up in my grill, things have been marginally, somewhat, OK, sort of, behind the wheel. But my skills were hard earned, with hours of work, determination, and sweat put into just getting inside the darn thing...

Imagine my surprise when I hopped in the car the first time and saw this: Seriously? I was whisked away to Seinfeld's 'Bizzaro World' episode.

"Boy! This driver's side sure is roomy for such a little car!"

"You're in the passenger side, sir," the attendant offered meekly, his cohorts stifling their guffaws in the background.

"Right, right... Of course. I just wanted to make sure that...never mind," I blurted out lifelessly.

This is the scenario I played out in my head in anticipation of a nightmarish first experience. But reality's writers could have worked for the original Saturday Night Live line up.

I turned every single feature on and off twice before getting the thing into drive. I'm pretty sure they didn't laugh and point at me at the same time until I ran over the curb exiting the place; but I can't vouch for the time I spent trying to unjam the window-spritzer thing.

Conveniently, the car rental place was 45 minutes away from Maki, so getting home alive was VERY interesting.

What amazes me (and my Japanese friends will get a chuckle about this) is the utter disregard the obaachans (grandmother/older ladies) have for the rules of the road. It's sort of that, "I'm backing up and I don't care what people say!" mentality. I can't tell you how many times one of those geriatric hellions has come tearing out of a side street, not once looking to see if anyone is coming. Like I don't have enough problems behind the wheel?! I'm already freaking out enough about backing into a parking space. Now I have to worry about Old Mother Hubbard and her jidenshya (bike) missle heading for me at 100 MPH? See! I can't even handle the mph/kilometer conversion yet!

Picture a Japanese version of the "Where's the Beef?" lady atop one of those bikes from the Wizard of Oz, and you've just purchased front row seats and service for two in my brain.

I'm ready to start riding my bike again, thank you.

More to follow...hopefully.

Keep surfing!
(with a seatbelt and a helmet!)

Brendan

"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood..."

Keep surfing!
Brendan
P.S. - Sorry Dad...you know I love you.

"Sho" me the way...

Hi everyone -

Long time no blog! I really wish we were allowed to post pictures of teachers and students, because today was wonderful...

I visited Maki Kita Shogakko, which is one of the local elementary schools. My mission: have fun.

The kids there were completely energized which was a welcomed reprieve from some of the sleepy classes I've endured at the JHSs. Of course, relative pronouns with a dab of present participles on the side are not always a guarantee of yuks. No, I got a break from the rough stuff and had fun with greetings, Simon says, and SpongeBob stickers.

The morning started with me pedaling, once again, through Maki's back streets, only this time through a torrential downpour that Noah might have been impressed by -- and that dude saw some rain! I made it to the school, two-stepped the steps, and was greeted by a cherubic-faced teacher, Mr. A (because of the new blog limitations I will refer to him from an alphabetical perspective). He guided me to the teacher's entrance and showed me my shoe locker for the morning. Impressed by the fact that I had brought by my own shoes, Mr. A smiled and called the vice principal over to say hello. Mr. VP graciously took my sopping wet coat and led me up the stairs where I was to meet my new teaching colleagues.

But the room was empty. It was then that I noted a thundering barrage of cheers and stamping feet coming from the belly of the building. But a moment was all I was afforded as the VP ushered me in to meet the principal.

The aisatsu went as tradition dictated; Mr. P offered me his business card, I offered a poor excuse in Japanese for not having one, all involved break down in laughter. But he was great. An Aikido enthusiast in college, Mr. P asked me several questions about my past and what types of interests I had in Japan. I did my best to answer coherently, but he got the gist of what I was saying.

In the room seated already were three folks, sipping on sencha. They were part of a camera crew that was filming for a Niigata television program -- specifically the Maki Kita Undokai. They chatted with Mr. P for a few more moments and then left the room. As I watched them leave, I noticed a beautifully crafted 'Hannya' mask on the wall above the door. This mask in particular was one that scared me to near death as a child -- a representation of it hung in a similar position in my Uncle Dave's old room. That Hannya mask has since gone missing; I have since conquered my fears and intend on getting one for him in the near future -- keep it a secret, will ya?

Anyway, I simply said, 'Hannya,' and Mr. P's face lit up with amazement at my recognition -- we then chatted away like old school chums, all the while me wishing there was a warm cup of sencha in hand to wisk away the slight chill I had brought along with my travels. But time would not allow this luxury...

Enter Ms. I. She was to be my contact at the school, as per the staff at one of the JHSs... She took a moment to talk about some of the ideas for the classes, but I noticed a lack of English being used.

Uh oh.

It was then that I reached down in to the depths of my soul and extracted the will to teach SOLO!!! I nodded my approval of her ideas and immediately began to think of ways to change her mind.

As we headed out, I began crafting ideas all the way to the gymnasium -- the location of the thundering yells and stamp. Wait. Why wasn't I going towards a classroom?

It became quite obvious that I was being led into the Colloseum of sorts, except all of the lions and tigers where small children dressed in matching athletic clothing. As soon as I reached the door, 300 faces stopped in unison and turned my way -- they had been in the middle of what appeared to be a jazzercise routine which the TV folks were filming. But the MC got them back in to rhythm and the stamping continued.

"I'm sorry, what was that you said?"

Ms. I had been yelling something into my ear.

"Garble garble garble SPEECH IN FRONT OF EVERY ONE garble garble rrrrreeerrrererrrr..."

Can I curse on this thing?

She led me up along the wall ask the kids began missing beats in order to catch a glimpse of this new sacrifice. Before I knew it, I was standing in from of all the kids with a microphone in hand. I decided to ad-lib this time around...

While the other ones were painful, this speech was actually A.O.K. and set the tone for the rest of the day. I was charismatic, smooth, and I didn't even trip walking up this time!! Stupid in door shoes! Sorry...

I proclaimed my love for Doraemon, all things washoku, and kaki choko, to booming applause. At least, I'm pretty sure it was applause, but it might have been laughter.

I spent my few free 'thought' moments walking out of the gym getting back to the lesson plan issue; but once we reached the classrooms it was obvious that out of all four classes I was to teach, all of the teachers were more than happy to hand me the microphone. So I ran with it.

Never before have I acted out adjectives with such passion...such drive...such a disregard for my own pride. But the kids were great. They bellowed 'happy!' when I bellowed 'happy!', wimpered 'sad' and wiped a tear when I did, and most importantly shouted, "LET'S GO METS!"

(I had to offer SpongeBob stickers at first, but they got the idea quickly.)

There was no way I could have brought enough pencils, stickers, or whatever for the day. They seriously went nuts for the stuff. But the kids ended up having fun despite the final 'lack of supplies' I experienced during my final class.

As a parting gift they peeled a sticker off of one of the crayon cans in class and presented it to me proudly -- I bowed my thanks and then signed several autographs -- this is teaching, right?

The best part of the day was as I was leaving one of the students ran up and gave me an acorn after which my heart was an ice cream cone in the sun.

SEND PENCILS!

(^ ^)

Keep surfing!

Brendan

Red Tape...

Hi everyone -

I hope all is well with you and yours...

A bit of annoyiong news from Maki, but it has been decreed by the higher-ups that all blogs must not contain pictures of students/teachers. This means that I will be removing pictures with these types o' folks very shortly. I'm very sorry about this, but it's a safety/privacy issue that (although annoying and labor intensive) makes sense.

I will do my best to provide some decent pictures and will follow the old, "All names have been changed to protect the innocent," school of thought in future posts.

It's too bad, because I was just about to post about a Kendo tournament I attended last week -- great action shots!!

As a concession, here's a picture of me getting ready to surf! (Getting permission to post this shot was a pain in the neck.)

Keep surfing!
Brendan

'Nuff Said...

Looking for that Stride to Hit...

Hi all -

Once again, I apologize for the lapse in posting recently. School is really kicking into gear right now and I am finally being exposed to last minute lesson plans, test preparation, and printers in my apartment breaking down during the wee hours of the morning. As a result, things have pretty much been a blur; I am hoping life will settle down a bit so I can observe and report with some regularity.

Outside of school, I have been fortunate enough to take in some cultural events recently. A coworker at the BOE is a member of a local dance team that participated in a festival in Niigata over the weekend:

The festival lasted for three days, featuring dancers, crafts, and many delicious foods such as okonomiyaki and takoyaki.

People of all ages participated which added a lot of viewing enjoyment for onlookers. Granny strutted her stuff along with some younger folks: All in all a great experience. This website provides infomation about all of the groups (sorry folks -- It's all in Japanese). I'll try to dig something up in English...

Gotta run right now, but I'll post something more substantial soon.





In the meantime, some of the Nishi kids wanted to say "hi!"
Keep surfing!

Brendan

Let the Games Begin

Greetings all -

All apologies for the recent neglect.

I have just completed my first full week at the JHSs; one that was filled with self introductions and undokai (Sports Day) preparation. Both Maki Nishi and Higashi have scheduled their day-long competitions for September 10th as I have mentioned in earlier posts. I will be splitting my time between the two schools in an effort to support all 900 of my students.

Here is a shot of Maki Higashi's prep:

These folks are members of Higashi's red team, which is quite the force to be reckoned with. A large portion of the day's events is dedicated to team cheering, where students choreograph a 3-4 minute long dance / singing numbers. Their efforts are all the more impressive due to the conditions in which they must perform. Practices are held for hours on end outside on the fields under Maki's blistering sun and amidst it's unforgiving humidity. Heavy rains and thunder offer no reprieve as, under these circumstances, the students are corralled into the gymnasiums which feature little or no ventilation.

Here, Maki Higashi's blue team drills their dance number for, what seemed to be, the 20th time:


But torrential downpours and humidity with the consistency of pea soup have nothing on the tongue-lashings that come from up on high; referring to the teachers whose personalities seem to flip with almost Sybil-like "swiftness." The colleagues of mine who appear to be the most docile and kind-hearted have proven at times to be the most ferocious and unrelenting with students whose minds seem to drift from the task at hand.

Exhibit A:
Great blokes, but wouldn't want to show up late to one of THEIR meetings...

That being said, these kids have earned my respect.

Sunday will feature not only the much anticipated undokai, but an endokai (drinking party) which will be held during the evening hours at an onsen on Mt. Kakuda, just 10 minutes by bus from Maki station. If my understanding is correct, these types of parties are an opportunity for the Japanese to let their hair down and -- during this one in particular -- pepper the new guy with a WIDE array of questions; some of which are probably best not mentioned on this website (^^).

More later...

Keep surfing!

Brendan

Welcome to the Jungle

Hi everyone -

Summer is over here in Maki!

Yes, it's true. The kid is back in school. Only this time I'm the one GIVING detention as opposed to the one getti...you get the idea.

Today was quite a thrill, as I was caught up in a whirlwind of last minute lesson plans and Japanese lunchroom etiquette. Plus there was the minor setback of having to give a speech in front of the entire school in both English and Japanese.

Here's my impression of how THAT went (I would be the gent on the left):

(^ ^)

Actually, aside from the speech, today went very nicely...

I hopped on my bike at 7:45 AM and pedaled off towards Maki Higashi JHS amidst a drizzle which kept the daily heat mercifully at bay; the nearby mountain range was quite picturesque, dusted with a light cloud coating and delicate pin holes of morning sunlight. But the drizzle became a bit more steady, causing me to focus on the here and now (or at this point in the evening, the 'there and then'). "How to keep dry?" I pondered. But dealing with such situations is not always cut and dry (heh heh heh)...

To avoid an international incident I had to think of some alternatives to using an umbrella in keeping my books and extra shoes dry during the ride to school; using an umbrella while riding a bicycle is frowned on in Japan. The mere mention that I had an umbrella in my bag for emergency use brought out the 'sucked in air' response from normally docile and unexpressive faces -- a mental note was made.

So my Uoroku bags did the trick and books and shoes were saved!

A few girls I normally see on the road were not in their normal blue shorts and white t-shirts, rather more formal long skirts and blouses. Around the bend some boys from the other direction rolled up in dark pants and buttoned down shirts. Before I knew it, I was engulfed in what seemed like a giant school of fish in formal wear accompanied by bicycles and a sea of white helmets, if you can picture THAT one. Note the nautical theme...it WAS raining.

I had long since learned that iPods should not be used while being in these types of situations given the frequency of 'Hi!' and 'Good morning! How are you?'s I attract. But these greetings are far more enjoyable than listening to tunes repeated on some playlist, albeit a tad more dangerous when I'm trying to maneuver around tricky terrain on my bike -- like a pebble or something. Hey! I'm still getting used to the roads here!

Anyway, once we reached the school, the kids ditched their rides and scrambled up into the student's entrance, most of them running to change into less formal clothing. Even though it was the first day, they were still responsible for working as a group to clean the hallways, classrooms, and bathrooms after homeroom. And I complain about cleaning the drain in the sink...

I continued acknowledging (and encouraging in some cases) 'Good morning!'s as I put on my indoor shoes and headed up to the teacher's room. On my way I noticed that a few students had filled in some questionnaires I had pinned to the English Corner wall. "He shoots, he scores!" cried the announcer. One day and I've already got them developing prose! Ok, I just asked them to fill out their names, grades, and favorite hobbies. Gotta start somewhere.

The air in the office was even more energized with teachers running about, making last minute copies in between hurried sips of green tea. So as to not cause a fright, I whispered a slight 'good morning' to Kuwabara sensei (oh Lady of Limitless Patience -- it's a bit of a lengthy nickname, but I'm working on it), one of MH's English teachers. She and I had an 1 nensei class (1st grade in Japanese JHS, 7th grade in the States) together, where I presented a 'Brendan Bingo' game I had crafted the night before. She replied in the like but assured me that she was not that busy. Something in her step suggested otherwise.

It was at that point where I started wondering why I didn't look as if I was being chased by some monster like the other folks in the room. "Ah," inner me felt, "there we go." The nerves took their cue and settled in nicely.

I mentioned above that the speech was slightly...awkward. You get a bit stressed when all foreign language ability flies out of the window the second the mic gets tested -- the peak came when I looked up and noticed that the school of fish with whom I had traveled not 30 minutes before were staring up at me...and they brought friends. Thankfully I recovered mid-gasp and started speaking V_E_R_Y S_L_O_W_L_Y in English. This approach, however, even had some of the 1 nenseis looking like there was something seriously wrong with me. The rest was a blur... But since no one asked for my letter of resignation after the fact, I went on determined to make up for it during class.

My very first 3 nensei (9th grade) class at Maki Higashi included several of the girls who have welcomed me every morning as I ride up to the front entrance and struggle to get my indoor shoes on -- remember the band members from an earlier post? Right!

So we were old friends...

Unlike Maki Nishi (who want me to come up with my own self introduction), MHJHS had their 3 nenseis prepare questions geared towards my life in the US, as well as statements which would fill me in on some of Maki's local traditions. It was a very welcomed format given all the energy I had expensed up until that point of the day. I brought out some photos of the folks at home, did a little bit of drawing, and gave them a quick memory test at the end of class (3 questions in all) based on some of the information I had shared. All three who gave it a shot (and answered correctly) received Big Apple key chains for their efforts -- it was obvious after the dispensing of the goods that the others in the class made up their minds to take a shot at the bonus round during the next class.

One girl, Rie, who remembered my favorite team and won one of the key chains came running up to me at lunch, thanking me profusely for the gift. I said she should be proud because she earned it by having a good memory. She shook my hand firmly, promising to do her best, and with that gave me one last big smile and disappeared into the jungle of kids heading off to various rooms throughout the school.

Gotta get more of those key chains (^ ^).

Keep surfing!

Brendan

P.S. Here's a shot of some of the kids at this morning's assembly. They were receiving awards for excellence in summer sports -- sorry for the quality of the picture!

Additional 'Sports Day' prep pics as promised...

Hey everyone -

I thought I'd send a few more pictures from yesterday's Sports Day preparations as well as one of the new English Corner board at Maki Higashi Chu (I tried to use Met colors for the EC sign, but they look a little off -- oh well): And here we have members of the yellow team, doing prep on their 'Fighting Eagle" motif (these kids are seriously talented): Finally we have the red team whose artistic intensity matched the ferocity of their mascot: I've heard that the competitions can get pretty serious in these parts, so hopefully I can get a seat in the bleachers. In honor of my Nishi squad, I went out and -- amazingly enough -- found and purchased a 5oo yen mustard yellow shirt at uoroku (one of the competing grocery stores in the area). Who knew?
Anyway, a happy weekend to all!

Keep surfing!
Brendan

It's Official, Folks...I'm an Alien

Hi all -

I was planning on posting a picture of my new Alien Registration (Gaijin Card) Card for all to marvel at, but unfortunately can't get my new scanner to work (> <). Oh, well...

And so it begins! After one month of adjusting to my new life here in Maki, I've finally started to see students. Most recently I've been visiting Maki Higashi (East) Chu where the kids are preparing for the annual Sports Day. The anticipation for the competitions can be felt throughout the town as school kids prepare large banners in support of their team's colors. Each school has a blue, red, and yellow team; I have been assigned to Maki Nishi's yellow team and Maki Higashi's blue team -- what this actually entails concerning my participation is news to me at the moment.

Here is a picture of some of the kids working on the red team's banner:

I decided to split the day in half so I can visit both schools during the competition -- can't play favorites, of course...

JET's lure, depending on how you look at it, is a kind of 'rock star' status for the successful candidate. Up until this week, the benefits of this have been up to interpretation. On several occasions folks have stared at me with jaws agape (yeah, I wrote 'agape'), crossed to the other side of the street to avoid me, and walked/ran away if I ask for help at the train station -- all before 9 this morning!! Just kidding...

But many of these experiences (if not all) have been with older folks who may have never seen a pasty fellow such as myself roaming their chartered streets. At first I decided to buy a lot of food all at once and hibernate, but eventually realized that the stares would continue if I took the weenie route. It was all the more easy to forget those feelings of social awkwardness as soon as I received my first wave and group 'Hi!' from the kids at school, and will no doubt sustain me at least through my next Shimizu experience -- although the folks at Challenger have seriously low prices and a very accommodating staff...but I digress.

This brings me to MHC and the smiling kids who usher music and youthful exuberance through its halls. During my first full (half) day at MHC, I was actually able to do a bit of spot teaching/editing. While many of the kids were at school doing prep for Sports Day, two 3nensei English Club members were taking time out to write thank-you letters to some ALTs whom they had met while attending a recent English Language Camp. It is customary for students to visit the office (which is -- thank God -- ACd!) to seek out advice/extra help from teachers when necessary. Students come to the door, sign their names, write the time, and wait for the next available slot. When appropriate, they would enter the room, announcing their presence with a big 'shitsurei shimasu!' (pardon the interruption) and approach the teacher they wanted to see.

Ms. Kuwabara, whose conversational English skills were the Tylenol for the Japanese language headache I've been stricken with, was there to help the kids out. However, as soon as they produced the letters for editing, she defaulted to my curiosity and pointed the way to my desk. I felt so official! If only Paul Sheehey could see me now...(BG, did I get the spelling right on that one?)

Mere mention of the camp the kids had visited sends tingles through the spines of ALTs who have been "asked" to attend as soon as they reach their host prefectures after Tokyo Orientation -- never seeing their apartments. But the smiles on the kids' faces would surely act as the handkerchief to wipe away sleep dust from jetlagged eyes. The girls took a few moments to describe the camp, sounding very satisfied with the experience.

It had been quite a while since I had done any actual teaching, so I was glad for the opportunity. Do you think Barry Bonds would have been able to hit so many homeruns without hours and hours of hard wo... Wait, scratch that...

So after a few suggestions and words of encouragement they walked away smiling, bowing their thanks, while I was completely happy in finally getting a chance to do some work.

In an effort to continue the 'teaching high' I took to the halls and decided to "Share" a bit of myself (pun intended, chortle, chortle) on the English language board which was set up by my predecessor, Melissa. She had posted a picture of me and one of my students from JALC up on the wall opposite the auditorium. Thankfully I had thrown a few photos into my back pack which ended up coming in quite handy (pictures to follow).

All in all it has been a fun week, especially since I was able to sneak out of the office and mingle in the halls. When it was time to go, I was approached at the teachers exit by a group of giggling students who gave me another big, "Hello!" After the delivery, one of the girls stepped up to the front and, in her best speech contest English exclaimed, "You are handsome!"

The immediate blush that had lost me several games of poker in the past provided the kids with a big laugh. As I waved off the sentiment and proclaimed my obvious dopey looks in Japanese, they laughed again and began informing me of there status as members of the school band. My immediate interest caused more giggles, so I interviewed each, asking for their grade and what instrument they had mastered, then listened intently to their answers. They all seemed to be as happy answering my questions as I was asking them. THIS was the type of interaction that I had been greatly anticipating before arriving in Japan. Chalk up another success.

Before riding off on my bike, I applauded their abilities in English and promised to cheer very loudly during Sports Day. In turn, they promised to do their best -- I thought to myself that it was time to do some shopping.

Keep surfing!
Brendan

P.S. All the kids are great, but gotta support the team! Let's go BLUE!:

ooooops

Edit to yesterday's post:

On 8/17, Teikyo was defeated in the 9th by Wakayama -- NOT Waseda. Waseda played today, and I am not sure of the outcome of that game...

I could blame the heat or, more accurately, my attention span.

All apologies!



The lightning storm I mentioned yesterday knocked out my Internet service until about 10 minutes ago, otherwise I would have made the edit sooner...

Keep surfing!
Brendan

The Boys of Summer

Hi everyone,

Throughout Japan there is an excitement in the air stirred up by the National High School Baseball Championship (or zenkoku koutou gakkou yakyuu senshuken taikai -- Ok, Americans! Say that 10 times fast!). This annual event captures the nation's attention, offering a brief reprieve from the infamous summer heat and humidity which normally has folks clamouring for shade or a spot directly under their ACs.

Fortunately, my TV is located in said spot so I have been able to enjoy the games in a nice cool room. I've been lending my support to Waseda Jitsugyo as one of its former players provided me with a very special autograph; Sadaharu Oh (thanks, Dad).

As I write this, another game which featured Teikyo and Waseda high schools has just ended. Teikyo high school's squad is standing behind the lines with mud on their uniforms and tears in their eyes. They are bravely watching their competition, Wakayama, run wildly across the field towards the home fans, sceaming jubilantly because of an almost insurmountable run deficit they were somehow able to make up.

I feel like I can relate to the pain these Teikyo kids are feeling only because the Mets have gotten smacked around a heck of a lot recently... The orange and blue are not exactly in the basement, but any true fan has to be a bit concerned with Petey going on the DL and bench guys in the outfield.

So let's focus on what's here and now (^ ^)

At school today, where most teachers are on vacation because of Obon, I met a few of Maki Nishi's fly shaggers; three kids, bronze because of long hours in the sun, were lounging in the genkan (entrance) of the school after a rigorous 3 hour practice. They pepped up immediately as I walked down the stairs, blushing because of what was, potentially, an on the spot 'English conversation' quiz. I noted their angst and tried not to throw them any curveballs (ha ha ha....sorry).

To my pleasant surprise, the blushes turned to beaming smiles as they were somehow able to converse with this immensely pale foreigner, with minimal mistakes. The absolute best was when the pitcher introduced himself and his catcher as, "The Battery!" Big smiles and laughter ensued.

So I will visit a shrine soon with best wishes in my heart for those young chaps and their dreams of one day entering the tournament, representing Niigata.

But as my Mets are struggling (and I'm not there to cheer them on), I'll lend my support to the other gents who don the orange and blue: Niigata's J League (soccer) representatives, The Niigata Albirex!

Here's a shot of their stadium, which is nicknamed, "The Swan":



The two folks in the shot are Naomi and Tsuyoshi from the B.O.E. who were kind (and patient) enough to act as tour guides in my adoptive home. We visited Niigata on Sunday and strolled around the shop-filled streets of the Furumachi district and traversed Bandai Bridge over the Shinano River. This city reminds me so much of Boston and the Charles River.

Sorry for the limited amount of pics recently. For some reason they don't want to upload as much as in the past. I'll try to figure it out and add some city shots soon.

Unfortunately there's a pretty big lightning storm at the moment, so I'll have to finish this at another time.

Keep surfing!
Brendan

There and Back Again

Greetings all -

I just got back from my first trip to Niigata shi, the Big City. My guides were Tsuyoshi Watanabe and Naomi Tanabe -- two fellow office workers at Maki's Educational Board Office, who happen to have a lot of patience for a fellow with a very limited grasp of the local language. I spent last evening gathering some potentially useful phrases in hopes that they might save the day if I was in trouble. But my ability to see the future device ran out of batteries early on and I was cast into the abyss...

Anyway, we met across the street from my apartment at Old Faithful, a.k.a. '7-11.' Tsuyoshi drives a peppy little Mini Cooper -- it had a navigational system equipped with a television signal and DVD capabilities -- RIGHT NEXT TO THE STEERING WHEEL. I'll give him a large amount of credit for being able to handle that thing very well. Being able to drive in this country aside, if the Mets were on TV, I would be in a heap of trouble -- but I digress...

We headed off to Niigata promptly at 10 AM. It's pretty much a straight shoot from Maki on the 116 -- remember that if you're ever driving locally, OK? (^ ^).

After 30 minutes or so, I looked up from my trusty electric dictionary and noticed we had left the seemingly endless rice fields of Maki and entered Niigata, with its high rises and golf ranges. Moments later we had parked the car and ventured towards the train station -- I should have no problems navigating the schedule...
Well... Maybe just a few...

Thankfully, Naomi secured a schedule for me which was pretty detail-oriented. So after a few more beads of sweat, we ventured onward in search of an acoustic guitar -- a much needed tool for the classroom.

But first we had to traverse Bandai Bridge, the site of many summer festivals filled with dancers and bearers of lanterns. My two guides were kind enough to pose for the following shot:

Ok, so we're back on the roads...

I spent a hot Maki morning on my bike, touring the back streets with my surpervisor, Mr. Tanabe. Thankfully, the actual riding experience is getting a bit better. Except for an obaachan (little old lady) I almost ran over...

Our task was tri-fold; the first being a trip to Maki Higashi (East) JHS:













Pretty good action shot of my guide, right? I didn't even fall off the bike while taking the shot! The ride to Maki Higashi is completely flat, unlike Maki Nishi which boasts some of the steepest climbs in Maki (extreme exaggeration), not exactly the same as the Rocky Mountains, but some that may prove challenging during the colder months when the ice settles.

We were at the school for about 20 minutes or so where I was introduced to the vice-principal (Kyoutou sensei), some random staff, and Suzuki sensei, an English teacher I will be working with in September. At first I was quite shocked to be addressed by her in English, but my abilities to use the language came back like flood water -- thank the Heavens... Almost fit myself in a limbo suit for a moment there.

Maki Higashi differs from Maki Nishi layout-wise in that it boasts a giant cathedral ceiling auditorium in the front of the school with large windows that provide a huge amount of natural light in the early morning hours. From the second floor, I was able to see the field outside where a group of boys were practicing field hockey (or 'Hokkeh Guroundo' as Mr. Tanabe put it) while the brass band provided mood music on the inside. I was pleasantly surprised at their abilities to bring such energy and skill to the instruments at such young ages -- kudos to the lot!

Back in the teacher's area I sipped tea with Mr. Tanabe and Kyoutou sensei (which was not the man's name, but his title of 'vice-principal' as mentioned above). In many office-type settings such as these, people are referred to by title rather than name. I suppose it makes things easier for an ALT who is charged with remembering huge amounts of names when they first reach the host prefectures. If it's possible to identify the principal, vice-principal, etc. then remember the appropriate titles, you should be golden.

We spent some time discussing the high levels of humidity in the region; both men suggesting that the summer torture had reached it's peak, destined to break soon. I was then asked how NY faired in comparison to which I mentioned the recent heat wave that you folks have been experiencing (as per AOL weather). They immediately dispensed with the pleasantries and got down to business -- will this new foreigner be allowed to drive to school when the weather does a 180 later on in the year...

This drew the traditional 'sucked in air' response, which did not bode well for my cause. I sat there, smiled, and contemplated complimenting Kyoutou sensei on the tea -- a very refreshing genmai cha but thought better of it... There was no actual resolution to the question, but I did get the opportunity to see my future desk, adorned with welcome notes and files from my predecessor. It felt like a treasure hunt, actually, as I found a note from Melissa detailing the contents of the folders I would find within the desk. Apparently, this signified the end of our meeting.

We said our thanks and headed off to leg #2 of the mornings' journey -- the Panya (bakery). There is not one local to my area of Maki, so this was going to be a treat. And after another trek through rice paddies, we reached a small bakery with some truly wonderful goodies, such as anpan, kareepan, melon pan, and even some in the shape of Doraemon! As we left the sweet smelling shop, I made a mental note to come back and pick up a few things. I didn't want to embarrass my self by buying the store on my first visit.

The final leg involved more of a cultural tour of Maki -- earlier on I had asked Mr. Tanabe if there was a local shrine that I might visit some day. He quickly announced that he would take me to see one of the oldest shrines in Maki after the visit to MH. True to his word, we went straight from the panya to Maki Jinja (pictures coming later), a beautiful old three story structure smack dab in the middle of some bland looking buildings. After a few moments of opened mouth staring, we crossed over from concrete to perfectly manicured gravel pathways which led up to the classic looking structure. At the top of the steps we offered 10 yen, bowed twice, clapped twice, then repeated...

It was very special for me to share in this ritual with Mr. Tanabe -- during my first visit I was left to my own devices on most occasions, so I felt quite fortunate to have had this type of experience with someone leading the way this time around rather than using a guidebook.

No offense to those at Lonely Planet, of course...

And all of this before 10 AM. I've got tomorrow off but plans on Sunday to go into Niigata for an acoustic guitar search. Two folks from the B.O.E. have been nice enough to offer to take me on my first tour of the city. It'll be a nice precursor to the Prefectural Orientation which will also be held in Niigata on the following morning -- lights out at 11 PM! Ah, dorm life...

Keep surfing!
Brendan

"Roads? Where we're going, we don't NEED roads..."

Hello all -

(For those who might have been wondering, there is additional information connected to all text that's highlighted. Feel free to check 'em out!)

I mentioned that Maki Nishi JHS was smack dab in the middle of a rice paddy...

The lad lieth not, me thinks.

The challenge of getting to the school was nothing in comparison to getting this beast to work:

Yes, there was rice in a previously posted picture, and, yes, it came from this rice cooker. But, I confess, it was the result of some seriously random button pushing. I have since consulted several outside sources who, to their credit, did not laugh directly AT me, but I could sense some muffled guffaws. So I dedicate the following pictured food items to them -- because without their help, I would still be buying lunch at 7-11 (not that there's anything wrong with that):

Ok. I realize it's strange to take pictures of food. But you have no idea what you might end up doing, working half days, and having finished all of the reading materials brought into the country. So rather than going Jack Nicholson during his 'swooning' all over Shelly Duvall phase, I put all energy in reserve into creating my own version of bento. Results may vary.

After getting a tip from a coworker at the B.O.E., I made my way over to a place called 'Challenger,' a Hyaku-en (dollar store) shop a short way down the street from my digs. I ended up getting supplies for school, MUCH NEEDED undershirts, and the bento box you see pictured above. This box is a modified version where the food is stacked on two levels and small chopsticks are set in a compartment on the top. Way cool.

So why not throw in a little product placement, right?

Honestly, the name might throw you, but Pocari Sweat is a really good drink that I found out about during my first trip to Japan. Take Fresca and thicken it up JUUUUUUUUUST a little bit...

I like it...

Anyway, after several hours of organizing important papers/documents that I can barely comprehend, I'm ready for bed. Good grief! I've been burning the 3 hours before before midnight oil!

It's official. I have become my parents...

Good night, all.

Keep surfinzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (-_-)
Brendan

P.S. Sorry for the recycling, BG... But you follow...

Repose

Another afternoon at the B.O.E.

The morning started off with a radio announcement, one I did not completely understand at first. As I looked up from my textbook, I began noticing that some folks were standing, heads lowered, and eyes closed in what seemed to be a group prayer. Then it dawned on me that this was in remembrance of the nearly 70,000 people who died in Nagasaki on August 9th, 1945.

I was offered no directives during this silent period, so I decided to rise in support of my peers. As we stood in silence, I began putting myself through the ringer, imagining that it might not be wise to join the group in the same manner during this time. Perhaps there were ill feelings about my presence given my nationality… Would people be offended? Should I leave them in peace as Japanese people remembering a Japanese tragedy?

As I debated over the most politically correct way to proceed, it became obvious that no one was concentrating on me or how I was presenting myself. I decided to forget what separates us as westerners and Japanese and embrace our commonalities as human beings.

The silence, which seemed at first to last for an excruciatingly long period of time, developed into a meaningful moment of reflection and ultimate repose. At its conclusion, a simple group nod was enough to signify that life is a precious gift, one to be cherished.

The Tour Continues

Hey all -

Thanks to everyone who made picture requests. I was able to take care of a couple of them today, but was too chicken to stay out in the humidity for too long -- better luck next time, right?

Anyway, here's the outside of the apartment (mine is the one on the top left hand corner -- the blue shirt is my flag):













The apartment shot is nice, but without a doubt, this next one was the most important discovery I have made to date. Not 50 yards from my apartment...the ultimate in fast food...

Yes. It's true!

MOS BURGER!!. Anyone who has ever been here before knows how much the food rocks (^ ^).

Sniff...(happy tears).

And there's ice cold beer in the joint on the other side of the street.

It's like...fate.

I can only imagine what the locals were thinking when they saw me take this one:

Well, it's nice for me to know where I am (^ ^).

I visited Maki Nishi JHS for the first time today via bicycle, following my supervisor, Mr. Tanabe, along the back streets of Maki. His ability to sense oncoming vehicular dangers is not limited to the motorized vehicles in which he drives -- me? I was thrown back, for some reason, to a time when I was comforted by the presence of my helmet and trusty training wheels; a happy place, indeed. (It was difficult for me to resist the temptation to start yelling, "Auntie Em! Auntie Em! We're not in Kansas anymore!" This would be funny if you, dear reader, were able to see the bike I've been issued -- it would be charitable to refer to it as a 'classic.'

In an attempt to bolster my confidence, I was about to refer to, "That which doesn't kill me...," but I'm not interested in dabbling in irony. Give me a few weeks.

So...back to Maki Nishi. Nishi, as mentioned in earlier posts, means 'west.' From what I've been told, this is the school where I will spend most of my time. The geography of the school is very interesting, as it is located in the middle of a rice paddy field; it's protectors being two large mountains a stones throw away. I enjoyed the opportunity to gaze at the postcard-esque view -- that was until I almost got side-swiped by an over anxious Toyota pick up. I could have taken 'im.

It was not until we pulled into the parking area when I realized I had made an error of biblical proportions -- I mean, the kind that would incur real Wrath of God type stuff: I forgot my indoor shoes.

Folks, cover the kids' ears...

5,4,3,2,1...

Ok...let 'em go.

Mr. Tanabe assured me that it was no problem and that the school had slippers that I could use for the morning. I would just need to bring a pair for tomorrow.

After I realized the crisis had been averted, Mr. Tanabe ushered me into the building and up to the teacher’s room where I met 37 staff members. Ah yes, simple -- just like the B.O.E. The head dude will ramble off a few lines about me, I bow a few times, and then we move on. Aces.

Then I heard the principal utter that one sucker-punching word to me, “Hai, shoukai….” To the lay-person, you would say, 'introduction.'

Ok...what's 37 x 2?

So I've got 74 (not including Mr. Tanabe's) inquisitive eyes with matching ears waiting for the brilliant recitation of the speech I had no doubt been preparing for for oh so many months. Now, where was that helmet? How about those training wheels?

From what I remember, the gem boiled down to me being from NY and very happy to be working in Japan; I love Japanese food, culture, etc. The school should be confident (I'm pretty sure I said, "confident") that I will do my best to help the students achieve their goals. Oh, and if I happen to make mistakes while speaking Japanese, please correct me.

I must not have uttered any curse words or anything bad like that because they all cheered at the end. Could have been a mercy killing, though.

Anyway, they plopped me down at my new desk, ironically, next to where the school nurse sits. She greeted me with a warm smile and, yet again, I fought the temptation to make a crack and ask her what round it was.

I spoke with Ms. Shida -- who speaks no English so I muddled along with my limited Japanese -- for about 20 minutes or so. She was pleasant and accommodated my efforts with smiles and encouragement. Her most effective piece of advice was I should take it slow. She was not the first to recommend this, so I took it to heart. It's a bit tough to live with a NY schedule on Maki time...

Misters Satoh and Sugita, two of Maki Nishi's English teachers, took me on a tour of the school, letting me pop into classrooms and observe some student gatherings. I was shown classrooms for special ed., science, music, cooking, shop (metal and wood), and gyms – where girls were practicing volleyball on one side, and the boys were doing basketball exercises on the other.

On the upper level of the gym, there were students practicing ping pong (two floors, pretty swank). Every now and then a group would stop, marvel at me, then say ‘Hello,’ or ‘Good morning,’ collectively – as was the case with the volleyball girls. They rushed over as a group after an impromptu meeting and saluted me with a big, ‘Good morning!’

This made me very happy.

Team based exercises might be the way to go in the beginning. Build them up to monologues...

Afterwards, we went to another gym where it looked like the students had just finished Judo practice. Mr. Sugita (head of the English department) asked if I played sports. I mentioned some of my athletic past, emphasizing an interest in baseball and the martial arts. Mr. Sugita doubles as the baseball coach of the school -- his hard earned tan being proof of his dedication. He was pleasant to speak with and I look forward to working with him in September.

Mr. Sato struggled a bit more with English but was no less accommodating. I put any questions I had for him on the back burner and let him recite some of the ones he had no doubt been preparing for quite some time.

The next stop was the swimming area where students were practicing laps and various dives. I was introduced to the captain, a small girl who looked much younger than her peers. She exclaimed in Japanese that she couldn’t speak English. I tried my best to ask her simple questions. We were able to work out a few words, which was encouraging. Day one: marginal success.

So my first tour of duty took me through the jungles of a public JHS; something I had yet to see from a teacher's perspective. I chuckled about this one on the way back to the faculty office; if these people could have seen ME in JHS...those in the know, keep it to yourselves...

I finished the morning off at my desk, perusing lesson plans left by my predecessor. They were very thorough and informative, and while I scanned the many pages and pictures, I began imagining the classroom and what type of confidence and preparedness I might bring to my students. The mask of concentration I wore did well to cover the inquisitiveness that was growing within; a desire to get in there and start making a difference.

At that point, I remembered Ms. Shida's advice and focused my eyes, soaking it all in -- I'll change the world tomorrow... Tonight, I'm hitting Mos Burger (^ ^)

Keep surfing!
Brendan

The Kid is OK...

Hey all -

Here's the first meal I just whipped up in my new digs. It's nothing close to what I've had in Maki, but not too bad for a maiden voyage!



Keep surfing!

Brendan

Picture this...

Hi folks -

Here's a shot of my living room (can you see Sora Iro?)











The bedroom...


The hallway...


View from the kitchen...





Does anyone have any specific picture requests? Please send me an e-mail or leave a comment...

Keep surfing!
Brendan

Hajimemashite...

Hi everyone -

Well, the Tokyo Orientation finished up on Tuesday night, and we shipped off to our Host Prefectures the following morning, bright and early. Here's a pic of some other folks that are heading to Niigata along with yours truly:



$20 for the best caption to replace the sign over my head (hint: I HATE suits)

The folks at the T.O. were all very friendly, each one eager to establish a supportive alliance in the hopes that strangers might become long awaited friends. (much thanks to Neil Peart).

I spent a lot of time over the past few days by myself just watching the people around me, observing their reactions to speeches, wondering how they were going to approach this new stage of life. It was nice to take a step back and let the experience sink in a bit deeper.

You might have called me an elder statesman at the Orientation as 98% of those attending were between the ages of 21 and 24. But truthfully, I didn't see it as a disadvantage -- for me, it has worked out perfectly (so far). I am so thankful for the working experience I had in New York and all the people who answered questions and told stories along the way. I've really drawn on a lot of those experiences to help navigate through my first days in Maki with my new coworkers and superiors.

Who cares if I can't handle all night drinking binges anymore like the whelps in Tokyo who then had to wake up for days filled with lectures...

Natsukashii.... (^ ^)

But once the T.O. wrapped up, the shift in energy was glaringly apparent. It was interesting to see how everone's body language changed as soon as we left the lush life offered in Tokyo and entered less densely populated areas. After almost a year of preparing for such a monumental change, one never quite knows how they might react right before the doors finally open. When the train stops and your station name is called, it’s like another birth, because you are the newborn preparing to be thrust into a brand new world; in most cases, something far beyond the limits of the imagination.

Me? I was amazingly fortunate...

I was greeted by four smiling people with a giant sign bearing my name. The first was an English teacher from Maki Nishi (west), Mr. Onozuka, with whom I will be working (he was a very important person for the people at the B.O.E. that day). Then there was Ms. Maruyama, a kindly lady in charge of the basics like utilities in my apartment and various paperwork. Next was Mr. Tanabe, my supervisor, who drove me around Maki many times throughout the day in several different cars. He was quite helpful, pointing out supermarkets and other local stores. Finally, there was Mr. Hiroki, the big boss at the B.O.E., who presented me with my working certificate later on that day.

The look of glee on their faces when I complemented the artistry it must have taken to create such a sign was intoxicating. It was at that moment that I became truly excited about this adventure.

We weaved in and out of the tiny streets of Maki on the way to my introductory meeting -- I marveled at Mr. Tanabe's catlike reflexes as obstacles seemed to fly out of nowhere, leaving little room for error. The beads of sweat on my forehead may or may not have been caused by the foreshadowing of my maiden voyage behind the wheel. But Japan's infamous humidity may have had something to do with it as well.

Note to self: Find a good dry cleaner.

Did I already say that I hate suits?

After a pleasant bento lunch, I went through some formalities with the folks who then took me to my new apartment to inspect the utilities. I was pleasantly surprised at the great condition and size of the place -- there were several horror stories told about former JETs who lived in shoebox style apartments. Everything checked out, but I still can't read the directions on the washing machine. I will also be visiting the local convenience store a great deal. This is because the gas company worker who was at the apartment informed us of several precautions I needed to follow before using the range. I had no clue... At least the people around me will know WHY I blew up if I try to boil some water. Not to worry though. I will be consulting an outside source prior to using the stuff.

After a return trip to the B.O.E., Mr. Tanabe dropped me off and I spent the better part of the evening trying to sort through all of the $*#) I brought from the States. It was obvious from the get go that I would need to send stuff back... But rather than worry about it too much, I settled down with an ice pack on my chest and fell soundly asleep. I woke up two hours before my alarm was to go off and messed around with the computer, trying to find a hotspot for my wireless connection -- thankfully, I succeeded... Since I had no idea how long my 'poaching' priveledges would last, I churned out a few quick e-mails and then got ready for work. Summer vacation has me going from 8:30 to 12 everyday. I could get used to such a schedule (^ ^).

So I just finished my first full (half) day at Maki's Board of Education office where I was introduced to about 150 people. This is the first English I have used in the past 2 days, so please excuse any grammatical or speeellling errors.

The apartment has really turned out to be great, and big from a Japanese perspective with three rooms, measuring about the same size (approximately 6 Jo).

Here's the bedroom:


I've been having some issues uploading multiple pictures to a single post, so the next one will have more shots of the apartment. Something to look forward to, right?

Anyway, the B.O.E. is hosting a welcome party for me tonight so I better carb up. I believe the question my supervisor Mr. Tanabe posed to me was, "Can you drink Sake?"

I replied pleasantly, "Yes, in small amounts."


Keep surfing!

Brendan

Hey! It's the hotel lobby!!

Hey all -
I was too beat last night to take any pictures of what proved to be quite an eventful traveling experience. Delays, crabby 'flight attendants,' microwaved beans/eggs, and travelmates with hyperactive elbows were among the top ten.

Amazingly enough, I woke up at 6:30, showered, passed on the JET sponsered breakfast, and hit a 'konbini' for a tsunamayo onigiri (natsukashii!!!!). I was immediately brought back 10 years to my first visit. (10 years, man!)

My roommates enjoyed a night of Karaoke, 950 yen for all you can sing, while I reviewed the paperwork given to us by the brass. Yep...gettin' a bit older. Truth be told, I've yet to run into anyone who comes close to my age, but everyone says I look like I'm 25. Ha ha! My plan to infiltrate their ranks has worked... Still need a cane, though, which might blow my cover. (^ ^)

Language-wise, I've done OK! I was acutally able to help a few people as well as speak to the shipping company who did not have a handle on English. I'll know how successful that conversation was if I get my box on time...

Ready for another amazing shot?? Not bad through the window, right?

I'm pretty much booked solid today with seminars and whatnot. Thankfully, I'll be meeting my Prefectural Advisors who will give me the details about the trip to Niigata on Wednesday morning.

But for now, things are great. I'm meeting a lot of cool people and enjoying brief moments of 'quiet' time while walking around town.

Now the bad part:

I have to put on a suit...

Keep surfing!
Brendan

Take 'er easy...

Well, that's it...

I said good-bye to Japan America Learning Center today as well as to some of the wonderful students who have filled it's classrooms for so many years. Because of their generous gifts, life in Japan will be much easier. For instance, I will be shielded from rain drops, able to wake up on time to enjoy my favorite tea before class (^ ^)\/, and have unfamiliar surroundings set a glow late at night. After many pictures and well-wishes, I stood up straight and set off determined to focus on something other than the move -- my New York Mets.

You know, it's going to be really tough to leave them behind, seeing as though the gap in the National League East seems to be growing more and more every day. Anyone remember the division lead the Mets had in '86?

I know, I know... Believe me, I'm knocking on wood. Such musings can only tempt ill fate as per folks in my circle. But wouldn't it be cool?


My life-long friend Joe has made it a point to order me out of the room, or to the concession stands any time the Mets have the chance to put runs on the board; most notably when the former Met great, Mike Piazza, covered the plate with his mighty shadow. I will admit that his record number of homeruns as a catcher may not have been possible had I not felt the need to spend 25 minutes in line for a Mets' cap sundae. But the one time I didn't get up to grab a dog, I was able to catch Cliff Floyd greeting the yankees during his first at-bat with the following...

You can even see the ball flying off his bat, on its way out of the park! But the homerun isn't as priceless as the look on the guy's face who's sitting a few rows down from us. With all of this in mind, you might assume that the Mets have benefited from me staying or going...

So perhaps my time in Japan will produce something, dare I say, Amazin'?

Only time will tell...

But now the game is over, and the air that escapes me echoes throughout this empty room. Staring at this glowing box while hammering on the keys beneath, I start the countdown to lift off. With only a few more things to shove into M&D's attic, I smile, realizing that it is rather poetic that the sun I will be riding off into is rising...

I'm not sure if I'll get the chance to post before the plane leaves, but if not, my best to all for safe travels and happy vacations.

Keep surfing!
Brendan

Group hug

I should leave the country more often! I spent Friday evening with the family (including the much traveled Aunt Rene and Pop -- thanks so much for making the trip!) who had been planning the soiree for quite some time. We had some grilled burgers featuring Uncle Ed's salsa -- quite good -- Jersey tomatoes, and the cake pictured above. Check out the Kanji, folks!



Here's a picture of my buddy, Pop, sporting a new hat and looking dapper to say the least.



Saturday featured a party at Japan America Learning Center where I've been teaching for the past three years. There was great food and a rousing game of "Duck, Duck, Goose," (I knew I should have gotten the extended warranty on my knees). The kids presented me with a Build-A-Bear that everyone had signed, including very encouraging sentiments -- the little fellow has already been packed for my trip, serving as major inspiration when I'm freaking out on the first day of class.

But for now I'm putting the finishing touches on the box that's being sent to Niigata tomorrow. I suppose I won't know how successful this whole shipping ordeal has been until I'm unpacking the box in my new apartment...

Anyway, thanks to everyone who took the time to prepare and attend such great parties for me over the weekend! I really did enjoy spending time with all of you.

Keep surfing!
Brendan

P.S. Much obliged also to all who suggested AAA for the IDL! Took about 15 minutes in total...

Saying 'good-bye'

Greetings everyone -

Today was filled (yet again) with saying good bye to some students and friends. This picture is of me and Hide Takada. Hide and his wife Hiroko (always smiling (^ ^) ) are owners of Oishimbo, a Japanese gourmet grocery store in Harrison, NY. I taught their two kids at the local Kumon school over the past two years. We would all chat from time to time when I visited Oishimbo to practice my food shopping. I'm definitely going to miss the bento and dorayaki from the shop! If anyone local is in Harrison, please make the trip. The food is great!

So, in a little over two weeks I'll be on my way, getting to know new store owners who may have different reactions to me perusing the aisles of their stores.

But in the meantime, welcome to the new members/readers of my blog! (Eiko-san, Murakami-san...Thank you for reading!)

Keep surfing,
Brendan

Hide-san...thanks for the box!

Opening My Own Store...

Hey all -

At this point, I'd be able to open my own souvenir shop. However, it might be a good idea to actually pass these things on! There are about 50 pencils (I have a feeling that they might run out quickly), about 20 books of stickers, and some random toys (including this totally cool Mets Matchbox car that has a...Ok, that one's going to be hard to give up).

Teacher / co-workerwise, I have Mets bottle openers, Old Navy beer huggies, picture frame refrigerator magnets shaped like flowers, a whole bunch of NY-style keychains, and some postcards featuring towns here in Westchester.

I might be bringing a few of the Mets things back in case I find myself surrounded by Yankee fans... *shudder* (I'll hold a few of them aside for you, BG, if that turns out to be the case.)

The MOMA store had some great stuff, especially some NY coffee mugs, which might be popular. I still have to get some things for the brass. At this point, I'm getting a bit rushed for time and find the whole shipping task a bit daunting. Tonight will feature a packing dry run... I will try to control my excitement.

It's time for Brendan's AWSOMEST PERSON(s) OF THE WEEK award:

Congratulations to Ken 'The Dad' and Mari 'The Mom' Share.

Not only did they give me the green light to leave my car at their crib while I'm gone, but they even dusted off a couple of old suitcases that fit Northwest's 'linear dimension total' requirements!

Here's your prize:

"Thanks!"

Ok, now I gotta start the packing process...

And now for our random question portion in which the winner qualifies to get a cool prize:

Does anyone know of any reputable companies that do international driver licenses? I'm expecting some interesting posts from THOSE road experiences...

Keep surfing!
Brendan