Many of you have been asking about my first day experience, and it's sort of funny--because I'm teaching at four schools, I sort of get four first day experiences. My contract officially started Tuesday, but most schools have been having opening ceremony stuff this past week so Tuesday and Wednesday were both half-days. Today (Thursday) was my first "full" day (meaning I ate lunch at school and stayed on after that) but we'll get to that in a bit.
I'll start by breaking things down a little. While my address technically says "Niigata City," I'm not really in the city at all. I'd like to think of myself as in the suburbs but after speaking with a Japanese person about this, apparently I'm kind of out of the city a bit more than that. It doesn't feel like the country, though. I'll have to put up some more pictures when I get some more batteries for my camera. Anyway, I live in a part of Niigata called Niitsu, and the schools I teach at are Niitsu #1 Elementary, Niitsu #2 Elementary, Niitsu #3 Elementary, and Musubu Elementary. Yeah, I get confused too.
Niitsu #3 is where I'll start though; it's literally right down the street from me and I hadn't even visited it for preliminary greetings before I had to just show up for work there. I'd visited all three of the other schools I'd beforehand to meet the principal (kind of a big deal) and ask any questions I might have and take a tour of the school. I was also asked to introduce myself to the teachers, which was nerve-racking the first time and not so bad subsequently. Well, I knew WHERE Niitsu #3 was, but having never been there, I ended up having to follow some kids into the school to find out where the entrance was. I'm fairly sure the vice-principal greeted me at the door but I'm still really not sure (having met quite a few people by now). I switched shoes and headed down the hall to the teachers' room, as directed.
Regarding the shoes: you might know that Japanese culture mandates that you take off your shoes inside homes, some traditional restaurants, schools, etc. At schools, however, you can wear shoes inside, but they have to be shoes that haven't been worn outside. So I was asked to bring a new, clean pair of sneakers with me from the States to wear, which is kind of funny when you think about walking to work in nice, business dress shoes and then swapping them for tennis shoes at the door. Everyone does this, however, and it's perfectly normal to see all of the teachers in nice suits and such with athletic shoes to complete the ensemble. A lot of teachers also come to work in track suits, though, so sometimes it doesn't look so odd for them as it does for me.
Anyway, upon arriving in the teachers' room, I was met by the teacher who is going to be coordinating my classes and such. She's really kind and helpful and she showed me to my desk, made me some coffee, and explained what was going on for the day. I'm not sure about Junior High or High Schools, but at the start of term for Elementary Schools in Japan, there are two ceremonies, typically held on consecutive days. One is shigyoushiki (始業式), which is a ceremony moving all existing students up to the next grade level and welcoming all (if any) new students and teachers. The other is nyuugakushiki (入学式), where all of the incoming first graders are paraded (I use causative for a reason) in and given encouraging speeches, and the school year officially begins the day after. My first day at Niitsu #3 ES fell on their shigyoushiki, so my helpful teacher friend led me into the gym ahead of time and explained to me what would be happening. Basically, I would be lining up as a part of the new teachers' parade and the other eight incoming teachers and myself would march in and sit up on stage, be introduced by the principal, and give a short welcome speech to the entire school. Yes. The Entire School. And I have a sneaking suspicion that those ladies in the front off to the side were members of the PTA. Fortunately, after copious school presentations in both Japanese and English, as well as working at Jaws, I don't really have many issues with stage fright. They also placed me last in the lineup, which let me watch the other teachers to see how they were doing things. Because they were all elementary level kids, I gave my speech in simple English, following each line with a translation in Japanese. It was short; I said good morning, gave my name, hometown, and hobbies, told them I was very glad to meet all of them, and sat back down. In this case, an uneventful speech is a good one, I think.
The rest of the ceremony was honestly fantastic. As various people got up to speak, most of them opened with "ohayou gozaimasu! (おはようございます！)" which means "good morning!" to which the students dutifully chorused back the same. Well, the first time that happened, everyone chorused back alright, except for a small second grader sitting by the side. Apparently he was a bit slow to respond and compensated with his loudest voice after everyone else had finished. This was immediately followed by his clapping his hands over his mouth. Classic. Also, a second-grader, fourth-grader, and sixth-grader were chosen to come up and give speeches. The second-grader was going first, so they gave him a microphone. He proceeded to march up to the stage with the other two students and begin his speech with the mic held at his side, completely forgetting about it. Except, he remembered halfway through the speech--in fact, it was halfway through a sentence--so it came out "...ganbaru koTO DESU." Adorable. Half the teachers were chuckling. And the best part was, he wasn't embarrassed at all! He looked like the happiest kid in the world to be up on stage doing Important Things.
After the ceremony, we headed back to the teachers' room, where I was given some textbooks to peruse called English Note (英語ノート) while Helpful, Friendly Teacher had to attend to one of her classes. My IC was scheduled to arrive about an hour before the school closed to help translate if I needed and work out some details for Interac. Since the school had a half day due to the ceremony, I only ended up waiting about an hour or so. While I was waiting, I also started making a chart of the teachers' room to learn everyone's names, and a nice teacher informed me that there was already a chart in existence, and made me a copy!
By the time my IC showed up, I'd already pretty much had all of my questions answered already without a need for translation, since my helpful class coordinating teacher spoke slowly and clearly enough that I could understand. We took a tour of the school, and apparently they were the first Elementary School in Niitsu to offer English, so they're used to having ALTs come in and help teach. That explains why everyone's so friendly and nice--after I first walked into the teachers' room, I had so many teachers come up to me and introduce themselves, doing their best to speak English with me and becoming even friendlier when they found out I speak Japanese. Tuesdays are going to be good days.
Well, I know it's been a long post so far, but so much has happened in the past few days! This seems to be a good breaking point though, so feel free to take a brief intermission before continuing. :)
I'm not going to go into my second first day, mostly due to the fact that it was almost a complete reverse of my experience at Niitsu #3 the day before. The one thing I'll mention is that there was a nyuugakushiki and it's such a formal occasion that the principal wore a tux. With tails.
Thursday was my third first day, and I really had no idea what to expect. I was at Niitsu #2, which had been the first school I visited. But because I had had no idea what to expect for school visitations, I was super nervous during the tour and preliminary meeting and ended up not really getting a good read on the school. Well, I showed up Thursday morning early and headed into the teachers' room. Only a few teachers were there at that point, and they made sure to greet me and make me feel welcome. I had no idea what I'd be doing all day, since it was my first full day of work. This meant I'd be staying for school lunch, as well.
The English teacher at this school is incredibly nice and came right over as soon as she got in. In Elementary School, each class period is 45 minutes long, and for first period, she asked me to take a walk around the school on my own to try and learn my way around a little bit. When the bell rang, I headed out to explore. Ten steps outside of the teachers' room, I met the school nurse. I explained what I had been asked to do and she offered to show me the infirmary. Thrilled to have someone friendly to talk to, I accepted. This was also a good move because it was a bit chilly that day and the infirmary, as it turns out, is also heated, so I got to stand and chat for a bit in the warmth rather than wandering around on my own in the cold hallways. After making my way around the school and trying to remember what classrooms were on which floors, I headed back to the teachers' room to wait for the English teacher. When she got back, she came over and asked how much I remembered from my self-guided tour because she was going to ask me some questions.
"Is this a quiz?" I asked.
"Yes! It's a quiz!" she replied, with entirely too much enthusiasm for my liking. Fortunately, she only asked a few simple questions. I'm in the midst of learning four schools and after seeing a certain number of classrooms, they all tend to blur together. She then proceeded to brief me on what I'd be teaching the following Thursday and what the teachers had asked me to prepare for those classes. As it turns out, I'll be teaching the alphabet, so I spent the rest of the morning coloring ABC flashcards.
When lunchtime came, my school nurse friend beckoned me over to a table in the corner where many of the teachers were gathering to eat. Most teachers eat school lunch in Japan because it's good food and reasonably priced, especially considering how much food they give you. I ended up sitting next to the librarian, who proceeded to ask me so many questions that the other teachers told her to be quiet and let me eat! I'm just happy to have people to talk to at work though, so I didn't mind at all. It was also kind of fun because we ended up having one of my favorite Japanese foods for lunch: 肉じゃが(nikujaga), a meat and potato stew. After lunch, the teachers generally have a short break while the students clean the school. There aren't any janitors at schools in Japan--the students do the cleaning, which is a fantastic idea since it teaches responsibility and respect for surroundings, as well as saving money. The students come in to clean the teachers' room, too, which of course meant I got lots of curious looks.
After that, I finished the last of the flashcards and met with a few of the teachers about classes for next week. Somewhere during that time I was introduced to another teacher (I think because he's known for being friendly) and he came right over and introduced himself in English. Then he paused, thought for a moment, and said,"I am Japanese nice guy!" Good to know. He was really nice though, so the shameless self-promotion was not at all unwelcome. About then they ran out of work to keep me busy, so they sent me home a bit early, which was nice. All in all, a fantastic day--everyone was so nice and helpful and made me feel so welcome. I know I probably sound like a broken record with the "nice" and "friendly" and so on, but I've just been so thrilled that so many people have gone out of their way to bring me into their community, especially since I'm so far away from home and very obviously not a part of their culture.
Well, I know this was massive but hopefully I'll have something else up soon anyway. I know I have a folding table picture to post, so I'll get to that as soon as I can.
Next post: more pictures, an attempt at cherry blossom viewing, and my first day teaching! See you soon!
08 April, 2010
04 April, 2010
Finally, Photos!
Well, for the past two weeks I've thought that I wouldn't be able to upload photos, as I left my camera cable back in the States. A few days ago I realized that my laptop has an SD card slot so I don't need a cable at all! I really didn't take any pictures of Narita (Tokyo), but I've been snapping quite a few since my arrival in Niigata, so I'll go ahead and post a few here of the area as well as my apartment.
The first glimpse of mountains was from the train heading north, about 45 minutes in. After emerging from one of the tunnels, it was soon apparent that we were in the midst of the Japan Alps.
This is the outside of my apartment building. My door is just to the right, almost in the shot.
On my third day in Niigata, it snowed quite a bit. It alternated between rain and snow for most of the day until the sun went down, and then there were just flakes.
Tuesday morning, I woke up, stuck my head out my window, and took this shot.
Despite the frigidity of the first few days, spring has been quite eager to break through and it's warmed considerably since.
Of course, being the Floridian that I am, I felt obligated to build a little friend for my doorstep. Plus, it's nice not to come home to an empty apartment even if only for a day or two. :)
So, for those of you who've been wondering about the inside of my apartment, this is what it looks like if you're standing at my front door. Just past the fridge on the left is a small hallway as well, if you could call it that.
This is the area just to the left of the fridge. The toilet is straight ahead, the washing machine is to the left, and the shower and sink are to the right.
The toilet, in its own little room, true to Japanese custom. Note the lack of heated toilet seat. I can't even express how dismayed I am about this, especially considering how cold it was when I arrived.
The shower room. This is also typically Japanese--the shower/tub has its own room, and you shut the door while showering to keep the water from getting all over the apartment/house. It's also not uncommon to sit while showering, and to only keep the water on when you need it (i.e. not while shampooing, soaping up, etc.) as it saves water. The nice thing about the shower being in a small room with the door closed is that the heat stays in as well and the room warms up very quickly, which is a good thing on cold days.
This is my kitchen. Note the expansive counter space. I can't really complain though; at least I've got shelving!
This was taken squeezed into the corner of my room facing the door to the front hallway to give you an idea of how big my room is. My closet is to the right, the window is behind me, and other than that, that's pretty much my whole apartment. To be honest though, it's a lot bigger than I thought it would be, and I really don't need it any bigger than this since I don't have very much stuff. There's lots of storage space (under the bed, inside the steps, above the bed and above the TV) and I'm not even using most of it yet. And if friends come visit and stay the night, the table folds down to create more floor space for futon.
So there you have it! This is what I wake up to every morning and go to sleep to every night and it's starting to feel like home already.
I also wanted to let you all know that if there's anything in particular you're curious about or want more pictures of or want me to explain further, please feel free to leave me comments here or email me! I love being here in Japan and I'm more than happy to talk about it but I'm sure it's more interesting for all of you if you're hearing about things that interest you as well!
As always, thanks for reading! See you soon!
The first glimpse of mountains was from the train heading north, about 45 minutes in. After emerging from one of the tunnels, it was soon apparent that we were in the midst of the Japan Alps.
This is the outside of my apartment building. My door is just to the right, almost in the shot.
On my third day in Niigata, it snowed quite a bit. It alternated between rain and snow for most of the day until the sun went down, and then there were just flakes.
Tuesday morning, I woke up, stuck my head out my window, and took this shot.
Despite the frigidity of the first few days, spring has been quite eager to break through and it's warmed considerably since.
Of course, being the Floridian that I am, I felt obligated to build a little friend for my doorstep. Plus, it's nice not to come home to an empty apartment even if only for a day or two. :)
So, for those of you who've been wondering about the inside of my apartment, this is what it looks like if you're standing at my front door. Just past the fridge on the left is a small hallway as well, if you could call it that.
This is the area just to the left of the fridge. The toilet is straight ahead, the washing machine is to the left, and the shower and sink are to the right.
The toilet, in its own little room, true to Japanese custom. Note the lack of heated toilet seat. I can't even express how dismayed I am about this, especially considering how cold it was when I arrived.
The shower room. This is also typically Japanese--the shower/tub has its own room, and you shut the door while showering to keep the water from getting all over the apartment/house. It's also not uncommon to sit while showering, and to only keep the water on when you need it (i.e. not while shampooing, soaping up, etc.) as it saves water. The nice thing about the shower being in a small room with the door closed is that the heat stays in as well and the room warms up very quickly, which is a good thing on cold days.
This is my kitchen. Note the expansive counter space. I can't really complain though; at least I've got shelving!
This was taken squeezed into the corner of my room facing the door to the front hallway to give you an idea of how big my room is. My closet is to the right, the window is behind me, and other than that, that's pretty much my whole apartment. To be honest though, it's a lot bigger than I thought it would be, and I really don't need it any bigger than this since I don't have very much stuff. There's lots of storage space (under the bed, inside the steps, above the bed and above the TV) and I'm not even using most of it yet. And if friends come visit and stay the night, the table folds down to create more floor space for futon.
So there you have it! This is what I wake up to every morning and go to sleep to every night and it's starting to feel like home already.
I also wanted to let you all know that if there's anything in particular you're curious about or want more pictures of or want me to explain further, please feel free to leave me comments here or email me! I love being here in Japan and I'm more than happy to talk about it but I'm sure it's more interesting for all of you if you're hearing about things that interest you as well!
As always, thanks for reading! See you soon!
29 March, 2010
Becoming a Teacher.
Well, it's been a really long week but here I am, all moved into my new apartment in Niigata. It's been a bit crazy so I'll try and hit the main points of the past week or so.
Tuesday through Friday we had training from 8am to about 5 or 6pm, with an hour break for lunch in the restaurants at the hotel. The lessons and the games and ideas they gave us were fantastic and the trainers are all extremely helpful. We also had a health check on Thursday afternoon, which was interesting. I had to submit a urine test, and then there was a vision test, blood test, chest X-ray, and EKG. A bit random, but we've only got to have it done every two years, so that's over with for now. All of the Japanese doctors were incredibly nice and friendly, which is also encouraging, should I become sick while I'm here. (And I'm sure I will at some point--I'm working with kids, after all!) The X-ray was taken in a van that had pulled up in front of the hotel. It had a sealable room at the back and we went in one at a time, they took the X-ray, and that was it. Very efficient.
On Friday, I found out my school schedule for the year (what schools I'll be at on which days, as well as vacation times) and maps of the area around my apartment. I'll be teaching at four schools and they're all elementary, which I find fantastic! I had rather wanted to teach younger kids anyway, and apparently I'm not allowed to write on the board because they don't start learning to read English until Junior High so I'll be drawing pictures only, and mostly playing lots of games, from the sound of it. Where Junior High is oftentimes team teaching with both the ALT and the Japanese Teacher of English in the classroom cooperating (of course, level of cooperation depends on the teacher), Elementary seems to be mostly on my shoulders, and to be honest that works just fine for me.
I also found out that I won't be driving after all, which I think is good, as it's just one extra expense. And all four of my schools are within walking/biking/train distance of my apartment, which is fantastic. Speaking of trains, I'm about four blocks away from the closest station! Very convenient. I'm also within VERY manageable walking distance of the closest supermarket, which is enormous! I've been twice now and still haven't seen all of it, but I did get stocked up with the basics for cooking, including some rice that was grown in my prefecture: we're supposed to have some of the best rice in Japan, so I'm anxious to try it.
But I'm getting ahead of myself! On Saturday, all of the Interac ALTs in my area got up, had breakfast, and met in the lobby at 6:30am. Our luggage had been shipped out the day before. Because Japanese use public transit, and even when they don't, because their cars are so small, oftentimes when traveling or moving they will use domestic shipping companies to move suitcases and the like to their apartment or the airport or wherever. It's very safe, inexpensive, convenient, and reliable, as well as fast--my suitcase was sent Friday evening and I received it yesterday (Sunday) morning.
Anyway, after everyone gathered at the hotel, we hopped on a shuttle to the airport, which was only about 20 minutes away. From there we caught a train into Tokyo (Ueno), and then those of us going to Niigata (I traveled with four others) hopped on a bullet train and headed north. Most of the train ride was in tunnels, because shortly outside of Tokyo, the Japan Alps start making an appearance. There's one tunnel that is quite fantastic to ride through, as when you enter, everything on the Tokyo side is still a bit green and brown because Tokyo's winters typically aren't that harsh. On the other side of the tunnel, however, immediately everything is suddenly white with snow. It's sort of like going into a tunnel in Huntsville and emerging in the midst of the Rockies. The mountains are enormous and so close and just beautiful. The trees are all dusted with snow and you wonder if the little towns and villages off in the distance on the base of these incredible peaks are ski towns. It's certainly possible, since Niigata is said to have some of the best skiing in Japan. It's because of the powder, apparently--people travel from all over the world to ski here.
When we got to Niigata station, it was snowing. We headed off the platform and went downstairs into the station and met our contacts from Interac. The company has hired independent contractors (ICs) who speak English to help us get settled and set up cell phones, bank accounts, and get our alien registration cards (think green card). My IC is Yamaga-san, and she's 25 and teaches English at a local cram school. She's been fantastic! She took me all around and got my apartment key, and apparently had already had the water and electric turned on, and the guy who turned on the gas got there shortly after we did, so she definitely hooked me up. Then we got my list and went out shopping. My apartment is furnished (washing machine, loft bed, lots of shelving, and so on) but I needed a futon, and blankets and a pillow, as well as preliminary food. Yamaga-san took me to what seems to be the Japanese equivalent of Ikea, as well as a hundred yen store (like a dollar store but with quality). I was able to get kitchen supplies and all the stuff I needed for my bedroom (which, amusingly, is also my dining room and living room). By the time we got to the grocery store it was rather late, so I was able to get the things I needed for breakfast and then we headed home.
Home. Sounds odd to associate it with a place in Japan but it also feels like I've been living here for years. All that's left now is to get my official documents sorted and meet the principals of my schools while it's still spring break, and figure out lesson plans for the first week. I know teaching is going to be a bit daunting until I get into the swing of things, but if my past jobs are any indicator, hopefully I'll have relaxed a bit more after the first few weeks. I kept seeing kids in the grocery store last night and wondering, "maybe I'll be teaching you next week!" It's an exciting thought. I want so badly to make English as fun and exciting for them as Japanese has been for me. I've been really fortunate throughout my life to have understanding and inspiring teachers and I can only hope that I can do the same for these kids, whether English becomes their favorite subject or not.
Anyway, as scattered as I'm sure this seems, I think I'm going to leave it here and finish getting ready. Yamaga-san is picking me up in a bit for more errands! If any of you have skype, feel free to add me and chat me up if I'm on! You can search for me by my email ( thestacymiller@gmail.com ). Thinking of you all often!
P.S. IT JUST STARTED SNOWING AGAIN!! The flakes are HUGE!!!!
Tuesday through Friday we had training from 8am to about 5 or 6pm, with an hour break for lunch in the restaurants at the hotel. The lessons and the games and ideas they gave us were fantastic and the trainers are all extremely helpful. We also had a health check on Thursday afternoon, which was interesting. I had to submit a urine test, and then there was a vision test, blood test, chest X-ray, and EKG. A bit random, but we've only got to have it done every two years, so that's over with for now. All of the Japanese doctors were incredibly nice and friendly, which is also encouraging, should I become sick while I'm here. (And I'm sure I will at some point--I'm working with kids, after all!) The X-ray was taken in a van that had pulled up in front of the hotel. It had a sealable room at the back and we went in one at a time, they took the X-ray, and that was it. Very efficient.
On Friday, I found out my school schedule for the year (what schools I'll be at on which days, as well as vacation times) and maps of the area around my apartment. I'll be teaching at four schools and they're all elementary, which I find fantastic! I had rather wanted to teach younger kids anyway, and apparently I'm not allowed to write on the board because they don't start learning to read English until Junior High so I'll be drawing pictures only, and mostly playing lots of games, from the sound of it. Where Junior High is oftentimes team teaching with both the ALT and the Japanese Teacher of English in the classroom cooperating (of course, level of cooperation depends on the teacher), Elementary seems to be mostly on my shoulders, and to be honest that works just fine for me.
I also found out that I won't be driving after all, which I think is good, as it's just one extra expense. And all four of my schools are within walking/biking/train distance of my apartment, which is fantastic. Speaking of trains, I'm about four blocks away from the closest station! Very convenient. I'm also within VERY manageable walking distance of the closest supermarket, which is enormous! I've been twice now and still haven't seen all of it, but I did get stocked up with the basics for cooking, including some rice that was grown in my prefecture: we're supposed to have some of the best rice in Japan, so I'm anxious to try it.
But I'm getting ahead of myself! On Saturday, all of the Interac ALTs in my area got up, had breakfast, and met in the lobby at 6:30am. Our luggage had been shipped out the day before. Because Japanese use public transit, and even when they don't, because their cars are so small, oftentimes when traveling or moving they will use domestic shipping companies to move suitcases and the like to their apartment or the airport or wherever. It's very safe, inexpensive, convenient, and reliable, as well as fast--my suitcase was sent Friday evening and I received it yesterday (Sunday) morning.
Anyway, after everyone gathered at the hotel, we hopped on a shuttle to the airport, which was only about 20 minutes away. From there we caught a train into Tokyo (Ueno), and then those of us going to Niigata (I traveled with four others) hopped on a bullet train and headed north. Most of the train ride was in tunnels, because shortly outside of Tokyo, the Japan Alps start making an appearance. There's one tunnel that is quite fantastic to ride through, as when you enter, everything on the Tokyo side is still a bit green and brown because Tokyo's winters typically aren't that harsh. On the other side of the tunnel, however, immediately everything is suddenly white with snow. It's sort of like going into a tunnel in Huntsville and emerging in the midst of the Rockies. The mountains are enormous and so close and just beautiful. The trees are all dusted with snow and you wonder if the little towns and villages off in the distance on the base of these incredible peaks are ski towns. It's certainly possible, since Niigata is said to have some of the best skiing in Japan. It's because of the powder, apparently--people travel from all over the world to ski here.
When we got to Niigata station, it was snowing. We headed off the platform and went downstairs into the station and met our contacts from Interac. The company has hired independent contractors (ICs) who speak English to help us get settled and set up cell phones, bank accounts, and get our alien registration cards (think green card). My IC is Yamaga-san, and she's 25 and teaches English at a local cram school. She's been fantastic! She took me all around and got my apartment key, and apparently had already had the water and electric turned on, and the guy who turned on the gas got there shortly after we did, so she definitely hooked me up. Then we got my list and went out shopping. My apartment is furnished (washing machine, loft bed, lots of shelving, and so on) but I needed a futon, and blankets and a pillow, as well as preliminary food. Yamaga-san took me to what seems to be the Japanese equivalent of Ikea, as well as a hundred yen store (like a dollar store but with quality). I was able to get kitchen supplies and all the stuff I needed for my bedroom (which, amusingly, is also my dining room and living room). By the time we got to the grocery store it was rather late, so I was able to get the things I needed for breakfast and then we headed home.
Home. Sounds odd to associate it with a place in Japan but it also feels like I've been living here for years. All that's left now is to get my official documents sorted and meet the principals of my schools while it's still spring break, and figure out lesson plans for the first week. I know teaching is going to be a bit daunting until I get into the swing of things, but if my past jobs are any indicator, hopefully I'll have relaxed a bit more after the first few weeks. I kept seeing kids in the grocery store last night and wondering, "maybe I'll be teaching you next week!" It's an exciting thought. I want so badly to make English as fun and exciting for them as Japanese has been for me. I've been really fortunate throughout my life to have understanding and inspiring teachers and I can only hope that I can do the same for these kids, whether English becomes their favorite subject or not.
Anyway, as scattered as I'm sure this seems, I think I'm going to leave it here and finish getting ready. Yamaga-san is picking me up in a bit for more errands! If any of you have skype, feel free to add me and chat me up if I'm on! You can search for me by my email ( thestacymiller@gmail.com ). Thinking of you all often!
P.S. IT JUST STARTED SNOWING AGAIN!! The flakes are HUGE!!!!
23 March, 2010
Tokyo (Narita!)
Hey all!
Well, I`ve made it to Japan and gotten to my hotel and gotten my baggage and everything squared away! Despite the initial itinerary confusion, the flights went very well and I managed to sleep a good bit on the plane from Washington/Dulles to Tokyo, so that was good. I chatted up a nice Japanese guy on the way to the gate and got a chance to practice before I actually got into the country, which was good. And the guy I sat next to on the plane was Palauan! Apparently there are only 20,000 or so Palauans left in the world, and he speaks a bit of the language so he taught me some words and phrases. He is an American though, and works for the US Department of Defense with the Army Corps of Engineers, and works very closely with the State Department so we chatted for a long time about his work, and being employed with the government, and that sort of thing. Probably one of the most interesting people I`ve ever met.
When I got into Tokyo, I got through customs very smoothly and found the group with Interac fairly quickly as well. They have us all in this nice hotel not far from the airport, and we`re doing all of our training here as well. My roommate is fantastic--she`s from New Zealand and she`ll be in the same prefecture I will, and I`ve met about 5 or 6 others who will also be in Niigata-ken with me, though not in my city. She showed me pictures of NZ tonight also, and it is just as beautiful as you can imagine. I`ve been thrilled to meet lots of others here from all over the world: I had dinner tonight with three guys from the UK and we discussed plans to go skiing and snowboarding, and there are a couple of girls in my prefecture from the UK and Ireland who might be interested in some winter sports as well.
The hotel is nice, and the food they`ve had for us is very good. It`s been fantastic to get back to eating nikujaga, tonkatsu, Japanese curry, and the like. Also, I`ve been reminded as to why Japanese crepes are amazing. I also had a bit of an adventure in that I got over here with my watch and pulled it out this morning and realized that it wasn`t running. So after dinner at the local mall tonight, I found a camera shop and got the battery replaced, and they`d reset the time and date on it for me and everything. Great people, here!
We had training all day today, and went over some general company guidelines as well as a crash course in Japanese culture, which was a nice refresher. Then we were given some teaching samples in the form of full length actual classes for elementary, junior high, and high school, and it`s been incredibly helpful and encouraging. Also, I signed my contract and got set up with insurance, so things are moving right along.
Anyway, I should probably get to bed as I`m still rather tired from the flight and the training today, but as far as my schedule goes, I have training the rest of this week and then apparently I leave for Niigata-ken on Saturday. Also, I`ve heard that since our contract doesn`t start until the 6th of April that we`ll have all of next week to get settled, meet the principal of our school, and find our way around a bit, so that`s definitely a bit of a nice breather to get acclimated to where I`ll be living.
Hope all of you are doing well! And for those of you that I`m sure are wondering, yes, my hotel room has a heated toilet seat. And since it`s still a bit chilly in Tokyo right now, it is pretty nice.
Good night all! Thinking of you from tomorrow :)
Well, I`ve made it to Japan and gotten to my hotel and gotten my baggage and everything squared away! Despite the initial itinerary confusion, the flights went very well and I managed to sleep a good bit on the plane from Washington/Dulles to Tokyo, so that was good. I chatted up a nice Japanese guy on the way to the gate and got a chance to practice before I actually got into the country, which was good. And the guy I sat next to on the plane was Palauan! Apparently there are only 20,000 or so Palauans left in the world, and he speaks a bit of the language so he taught me some words and phrases. He is an American though, and works for the US Department of Defense with the Army Corps of Engineers, and works very closely with the State Department so we chatted for a long time about his work, and being employed with the government, and that sort of thing. Probably one of the most interesting people I`ve ever met.
When I got into Tokyo, I got through customs very smoothly and found the group with Interac fairly quickly as well. They have us all in this nice hotel not far from the airport, and we`re doing all of our training here as well. My roommate is fantastic--she`s from New Zealand and she`ll be in the same prefecture I will, and I`ve met about 5 or 6 others who will also be in Niigata-ken with me, though not in my city. She showed me pictures of NZ tonight also, and it is just as beautiful as you can imagine. I`ve been thrilled to meet lots of others here from all over the world: I had dinner tonight with three guys from the UK and we discussed plans to go skiing and snowboarding, and there are a couple of girls in my prefecture from the UK and Ireland who might be interested in some winter sports as well.
The hotel is nice, and the food they`ve had for us is very good. It`s been fantastic to get back to eating nikujaga, tonkatsu, Japanese curry, and the like. Also, I`ve been reminded as to why Japanese crepes are amazing. I also had a bit of an adventure in that I got over here with my watch and pulled it out this morning and realized that it wasn`t running. So after dinner at the local mall tonight, I found a camera shop and got the battery replaced, and they`d reset the time and date on it for me and everything. Great people, here!
We had training all day today, and went over some general company guidelines as well as a crash course in Japanese culture, which was a nice refresher. Then we were given some teaching samples in the form of full length actual classes for elementary, junior high, and high school, and it`s been incredibly helpful and encouraging. Also, I signed my contract and got set up with insurance, so things are moving right along.
Anyway, I should probably get to bed as I`m still rather tired from the flight and the training today, but as far as my schedule goes, I have training the rest of this week and then apparently I leave for Niigata-ken on Saturday. Also, I`ve heard that since our contract doesn`t start until the 6th of April that we`ll have all of next week to get settled, meet the principal of our school, and find our way around a bit, so that`s definitely a bit of a nice breather to get acclimated to where I`ll be living.
Hope all of you are doing well! And for those of you that I`m sure are wondering, yes, my hotel room has a heated toilet seat. And since it`s still a bit chilly in Tokyo right now, it is pretty nice.
Good night all! Thinking of you from tomorrow :)
21 March, 2010
At the Airport! (And How Travel Never Goes Quite the Way You Expect)
Hey all!
I'm sitting at my gate in Nashville waiting to board, though it's been a bit of an interesting journey thus far. Pam and I left Huntsville around 1:30am to arrive at the airport at 4:00am as planned, with plenty of time left for my 6:30am flight to Chicago. We parked, and got out of the car, and I happened to glance up at one of the screens outside and saw that my flight was not on time, not delayed, but canceled. Since I've always had fairly good luck with flights being on time and scheduled and going as planned, it threw me for a loop until I was reassured that I wouldn't be charged for any re-routing.
After waiting about half an hour for the United Airlines staff to show up for the morning shift, I was informed that since I had checked in early online and the second leg of my trip was with All Nippon Airways, United was not able to re-rout me because ANA will not release a booked seat to another airline. The extremely helpful staff at United gave me the phone number to call but ANA's US offices don't open until 5:30am PST, which is 7:30am Central. By this time I had been waiting at the counter for about two hours, so I only had about another hour to kill. So I bought some internet time and some caffeine, and proceeded to update Interac with the developments. When 7:30 rolled around, I called ANA and they were more than happy to help me out, as were the patient staff at United, who also were kind enough to wave the overweight baggage fee that I would've incurred (whoops!).
I just finished updating Interac with the new itinerary and I'll still be arriving in Tokyo just in time to meet up with my new co-workers. So now that I know how I'll be traveling, here is the updated information:
United Airlines
Flight: UA7994
Depart: Nashville, US (BNA)
21-Mar-10 (Sun) 08:57a
Arrive: Wash/Dulles
21-Mar-10 (Sun) 11:52a
United Airlines
Flight: UA897
Depart: Wash/Dulles
21-Mar-10 (Sun) 01:28p
Arrive: Narita/Tokyo
22-Mar-10 (Mon) 04:30p
So there you go! Thanks to the incredibly helpful airport staff at United as well as ANA, and not to mention the support and encouragement of my partner in crime, I'm all set to go off on the next great adventure. Here's hoping my bags follow me to Japan and that I haven't forgotten anything critical (especially since I finished packing about half an hour before we left Huntsville, so you can probably guess how much sleep I got)! My next update will be from the opposite side of the Pacific, so look out for it!
I also just wanted to make a brief mention of how incredibly grateful I am to all of my friends and family. Everyone has just been so supportive and loving and understanding and while leaving my home country is the hardest thing I've ever done, it's also been made so much more effortless because I know I get to come back to you all. Much love to everyone and I will be thinking of you guys!
More soon!
I'm sitting at my gate in Nashville waiting to board, though it's been a bit of an interesting journey thus far. Pam and I left Huntsville around 1:30am to arrive at the airport at 4:00am as planned, with plenty of time left for my 6:30am flight to Chicago. We parked, and got out of the car, and I happened to glance up at one of the screens outside and saw that my flight was not on time, not delayed, but canceled. Since I've always had fairly good luck with flights being on time and scheduled and going as planned, it threw me for a loop until I was reassured that I wouldn't be charged for any re-routing.
After waiting about half an hour for the United Airlines staff to show up for the morning shift, I was informed that since I had checked in early online and the second leg of my trip was with All Nippon Airways, United was not able to re-rout me because ANA will not release a booked seat to another airline. The extremely helpful staff at United gave me the phone number to call but ANA's US offices don't open until 5:30am PST, which is 7:30am Central. By this time I had been waiting at the counter for about two hours, so I only had about another hour to kill. So I bought some internet time and some caffeine, and proceeded to update Interac with the developments. When 7:30 rolled around, I called ANA and they were more than happy to help me out, as were the patient staff at United, who also were kind enough to wave the overweight baggage fee that I would've incurred (whoops!).
I just finished updating Interac with the new itinerary and I'll still be arriving in Tokyo just in time to meet up with my new co-workers. So now that I know how I'll be traveling, here is the updated information:
United Airlines
Flight: UA7994
Depart: Nashville, US (BNA)
21-Mar-10 (Sun) 08:57a
Arrive: Wash/Dulles
21-Mar-10 (Sun) 11:52a
United Airlines
Flight: UA897
Depart: Wash/Dulles
21-Mar-10 (Sun) 01:28p
Arrive: Narita/Tokyo
22-Mar-10 (Mon) 04:30p
So there you go! Thanks to the incredibly helpful airport staff at United as well as ANA, and not to mention the support and encouragement of my partner in crime, I'm all set to go off on the next great adventure. Here's hoping my bags follow me to Japan and that I haven't forgotten anything critical (especially since I finished packing about half an hour before we left Huntsville, so you can probably guess how much sleep I got)! My next update will be from the opposite side of the Pacific, so look out for it!
I also just wanted to make a brief mention of how incredibly grateful I am to all of my friends and family. Everyone has just been so supportive and loving and understanding and while leaving my home country is the hardest thing I've ever done, it's also been made so much more effortless because I know I get to come back to you all. Much love to everyone and I will be thinking of you guys!
More soon!
10 March, 2010
Countdown
Hey all!
Well it's been a little while since the last update so I thought I'd let you know where things stand now. It is Wednesday morning and there are 11 days left until I leave.
I've been working on things here and there to get ready. Since I'll be driving over there, I had to get my driver's license transferred to an Alabama license and get an international driving permit. I've also been filling out health forms and other documentation for Interac that I'll need once I'm over there.
I got the contact information for my predecessor over in Niigata last night too, so I sent him an email to see if he had any information about where I'll be and the schools I'll be in and that sort of thing.
Other than that, I'm just trying to stock up on clothes and other things that I'll need once I'm over there. My friends and family both here and overseas have been invaluable with helping me acquire the essentials I'll need to pack. It's quite a lot to think about: Imagine moving somewhere for several years and only being able to take a suitcase and a carryon. I know I'll be able to get some things in Japan--but trying to keep straight everything that I'll need to bring with me and keep track of what I need to pick up when I get there is a bit mind-boggling.
Also, for those of you who'd like to keep in touch while I'm overseas, there are a few ways to do this. One of the easiest ways will be email (those of you who know me well know that I love to write!). This is the best address at which to reach me: thestacymiller@gmail.com
If you have a hankering to hear my dulcet tones, Skype is also an option. Skype is a fantastic free program available for download from Skype.com. It's fairly simple to install and set up an username and password, and then you can add me by searching for my email (above). You can use Skype to chat with me as a regular instant messaging program, or, if you have a microphone for the computer, you can voice chat, like a phone call.
Well, I think that's about it for news for now... I'll probably have another update or two before I leave, and then I'll have to wait until I can find internet access over there. As always, thanks for reading!
Well it's been a little while since the last update so I thought I'd let you know where things stand now. It is Wednesday morning and there are 11 days left until I leave.
I've been working on things here and there to get ready. Since I'll be driving over there, I had to get my driver's license transferred to an Alabama license and get an international driving permit. I've also been filling out health forms and other documentation for Interac that I'll need once I'm over there.
I got the contact information for my predecessor over in Niigata last night too, so I sent him an email to see if he had any information about where I'll be and the schools I'll be in and that sort of thing.
Other than that, I'm just trying to stock up on clothes and other things that I'll need once I'm over there. My friends and family both here and overseas have been invaluable with helping me acquire the essentials I'll need to pack. It's quite a lot to think about: Imagine moving somewhere for several years and only being able to take a suitcase and a carryon. I know I'll be able to get some things in Japan--but trying to keep straight everything that I'll need to bring with me and keep track of what I need to pick up when I get there is a bit mind-boggling.
Also, for those of you who'd like to keep in touch while I'm overseas, there are a few ways to do this. One of the easiest ways will be email (those of you who know me well know that I love to write!). This is the best address at which to reach me: thestacymiller@gmail.com
If you have a hankering to hear my dulcet tones, Skype is also an option. Skype is a fantastic free program available for download from Skype.com. It's fairly simple to install and set up an username and password, and then you can add me by searching for my email (above). You can use Skype to chat with me as a regular instant messaging program, or, if you have a microphone for the computer, you can voice chat, like a phone call.
Well, I think that's about it for news for now... I'll probably have another update or two before I leave, and then I'll have to wait until I can find internet access over there. As always, thanks for reading!
24 February, 2010
Flight Itinerary
I bought my plane tickets today also, so I thought I would put them up so you'll know where I'll be.
United Airlines
Flight: UA7776
Depart: Nashville, US (BNA)
21-Mar-10 (Sun) 06:29a
Arrive: Chicago OHare International Apt, US (ORD)
21-Mar-10 (Sun) 08:14a
Flight Time: 01hr 45min
All Nippon Airways
Flight: NH11 overnight flight
Depart: Chicago OHare International Apt, US (ORD)
21-Mar-10 (Sun) 10:45a
Arrive: Tokyo Narita Apt, JP (NRT)
22-Mar-10 (Mon) 02:00p arrives next day
Flight Time: 12hr 15min
I've been looking around the websites for United Airlines and All Nippon Airways and it looks like both of them have some sort of flight tracker, though it won't be relevant until it starts updating a day or so before I leave. But you might be able to check throughout the day once I'm up in the air and track the plane as it makes its way across the arctic.
Alright, I think that's it for now.
See you soon!
United Airlines
Flight: UA7776
Depart: Nashville, US (BNA)
21-Mar-10 (Sun) 06:29a
Arrive: Chicago OHare International Apt, US (ORD)
21-Mar-10 (Sun) 08:14a
Flight Time: 01hr 45min
All Nippon Airways
Flight: NH11 overnight flight
Depart: Chicago OHare International Apt, US (ORD)
21-Mar-10 (Sun) 10:45a
Arrive: Tokyo Narita Apt, JP (NRT)
22-Mar-10 (Mon) 02:00p arrives next day
Flight Time: 12hr 15min
I've been looking around the websites for United Airlines and All Nippon Airways and it looks like both of them have some sort of flight tracker, though it won't be relevant until it starts updating a day or so before I leave. But you might be able to check throughout the day once I'm up in the air and track the plane as it makes its way across the arctic.
Alright, I think that's it for now.
See you soon!
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