The first day

Yesterday was my first day of class. I had 4 classes of first graders. Before yesterday, I really thought I was going to lose it teaching and want to quit as I’m not a real teacher and have no idea what I’m doing. I threw a couple of mini posters together in the morning, and whipped up a quick lesson plan over breakfast (more details on that below). As it turns out, I didn’t even need half of my plan! So now that the little children have identified me as a non-threat, they are very excited to see me. I am greeted with yells of “Hello!” “See you!” “Jenni-sensei!” and “Sensei!” from the shorties down the hall. I have been giving out a lot of high-fives in the hallway and in the classroom, so I started teaching the words “high-five”. So yes, today went very very well, I’m quite happy with the job now and hopefully everything will keep running as smooth.
It’s kinda funny, because I view “Japanese Jenni” as this genki (energetic/spirited), driven, professional humble girl... where as regular Jhenn is just in beserker mode. Y’know, me normally. Split personalities almost.

So the reason I didn’t have a lesson plans or any clean laundry is because I decided to go surfing Sunday at a far away beach. (I ironed wrinkled dirty clothes on Monday morning). This involved getting up at 4:15am, making sure I had a high protein and carb-tastic breakfast and lunch packed (to keep me goin’!) and getting out to the local train that left at 5:51am. I knew I had a lot to do, I even doubted going, but it was going to be great weather and I had a ride to the beach and I didn’t know when that may happen again. PLUS this great no-budget zombie movie was on TV when I got up. It had some cheap jump scares, but when its 4am and you’re in the dark half-awake, it makes you jump! Ha-ha.

So after a few train transfers and waiting and getting lost, we (my friend and his friend with a car) made it! The waves weren’t so big, maybe 4-6ft... but at times maybe around 10ft. A typhoon is coming, so the waves are better. The current was pretty strong though, so after fighting with that, we went a bit farther down the beach where it was pretty much current free. We didn’t rent any boards, so we borrowed Takeshi’s short board for all of us. I’m a long board gal, so it’s a little more difficult for me. Eventually I got on top of a 5-6footer, but my inexperience with short boards causes me to wipeout and do some cartwheels underwater and strain a muscle in my back. It’s only a little sore now, but my shoulders are the worst from all the paddling. I just noticed a bruise on my elbow, and my sternum hurts from the wooden piece on my swimsuit top. But other than that, a nice sunny day on the beach was great! I even got part of my tan back!

On the way back we stopped in Nagoya for some food. I went to an international food store (that I also went to in Kyoto... but smaller. Oh I miss Kyoto!!) and picked up some blueberry tea as well as some Australian oatmeal (mainly because it had a koala on the front. I’m a marketer’s dream). So I will be having oatmeal for breakfast! I found some real maple syrup on “sale” at my local store, add that with some frozen blueberries, you got some good oatmeal there buddy! I felt very weird buying syrup as I have been spoiled by Dad’s trips to Vermont and the gallons of fresh syrup he brings back. Did I mention I found pancake mix at another international store that I could eat? That in conjunction with the generic syrup I bought… made a pancake breakfast that tasted suspiciously like McDonalds. Being that I haven’t eaten at McDonalds for AT LEAST 6 years, it was a bit disturbing. I only use McDonalds as a rest stop. I went in one last week and I could not believe the normal smell in there is so… fake and dead. It was hard to breathe! Nothing fresh. Ick. Moving on!

So in general, girls tend to gain weight in Japan. I read a decent theory to explain this. Girls, in general, tend to eat better than guys and include more whole grains and fruits and veggies in their diets. In Japan, there’ aren’t really any whole grain products like breads or cereals. And fruit is really expensive (remember the $3 apple?), and veggies can only be bought in small quantities because the fridge is so small. I recently bit the bullet and hunted down brown rice, which I’ve only seen once, and paid the extra for it. I don’t really like brown rice by itself, but I know it’s healthier. Well, brown rice in Japan is way better than in the States! That coupled with my upped intake of protein and fiber to keep me full until lunch time, I can see the 3 kilos I’ve gained starting to come off. Hopefully with all my biking and walking, I can get back to normal and take a couple more off too. Did I mention Japan LOVES fried food? I don’t know how they stay so skinny (for the most part)!

There isn’t a lot of canned food in here, even though they recommend stocking up on it for earthquake emergencies. That, and ramen. So I’m kinda at a lost what to put in my emergency bag, other than maybe garbanzo beans. Right now I only have a flashlight and a big bottle of water. I also need a bag. I’m not very prepared.

Arrested Development season 3 is out on DVD. I’m very mad I cannot rent it (although with the internet coming soon…) . The only American series I have seen for rent (thus far) is Desperate Housewives and 24. I am afraid to watch 24 as the people who watch it are addicted and possibly obsessed. Plus, that’s a lot of videos to rent = lots of money. On a related note that may be of interest to my mom and Sarcoa, “Jack Bauer” has been starring in commercials for “Calorie Mate” (like a power bar?). He is in 24-type scenes, trying to do important things like disarm a bomb or such, and this Japanese guy in a suit comes up and starts talking to him about he must eat Calorie Mate in the yellow box! Jack hears “yellow”, cuts the yellow wire, and next thing you know they’re running away from a building exploding. There’s also another one where he pushes him out of a van for being annoying... but he takes his Calorie Mate before hand.

And of course, on my first working day away from Town Hall, they go to the Paramita Museum which I have wanted to go to for a few weeks now. It’s down the street a bit and mainly deals in ceramics and local artists, and has a noted garden. But on the other hand, I’m glad I’m still going to go by myself because I want to look at everything at my own pace.

Because I never got to at Kansai Gaidai University (because their class system was stupid) I have started to teach myself sumi-e, a type of traditional painting. I basically only know what Andy (SuiGeneris1) has told me and I try to access that 4 year old information in my head somewhere. So I went to the library armed only with the kanji for “sumi”. The library ladies seemed really busy, and I managed to hunt down sumi-e books by myself. The main mode of learning in life is by imitation, so I got a book on fish paintings so I could copy the techniques on how to paint goldfish until I can do it on my own. I accidentally bought orange ink at the store instead of black. But that’s ok! They ARE goldfish. I did a couple good ones, which I will post later. I picked up some black ink and long paper so I could make them look fancy. I have yet to try!

Biscuit and Wally are still doing well! Hopefully I will have the internet tomorrow night and I can put some more pictures and videos up!　Oh, and my hair is back to brown!