[EDIT: don't have internet yet but cool business trips with hotels and free internet.. BWHAHAH - pictures added]
Oct 8 - I went to Kyoto with Michelle... we only saw the rock garden but went nuts seeing nature in a very building oriented country...
We got a chance to talk more about spirituality, and she was asking me about how I pray... I thought that was really cool...
Also I saw one of the campuses to the sister school of UBC - Ritsumeikan (sp??) university.
Oct 9 to 10 - continued training... will add more when I remember
Oct 11 to 12 - more placements to schools - taught an awesome 7 year, 11 old class.... so genki
Oct 13 - we learn the curriculum for this month - Halloween! Which actually got me on the spot when the trainer brought up how some people religiously refuse to teach it... `why is that?' and 'why are you okay with it?' which made me think... should I be okay with it...
Oct 14 - Office/test day... long long test but easy, we could double check with our peers - got 102%
Oct 15 - We went to Osaka to a club for the night missing the trains... this is probably where I accumulated the most brown phlegm ever... which i will discover later...
I had fun though... good night of dancing, which I would never do....
arghhh some of the guys got this horrible picture of me... and they use it as their desktops... the reign of teasing crystal continues... HAHAH.... `everyone blinks crystal` they would say... then laugh.... one of them calls me little pink baby because I get so red after 1 drink... I`m glad to be getting along with them...
Oct 16 - Moving day - Said my goodbyes and felt a bit sad because I was building bonds... or what I think as bonds with some of the other trainees... I didn`t get to meet my supervisor but his girlfriend met me and showed me to my apartment after some coworkers showed me around a bit... good guys, they were very nice.... and still are nice
I had to buy some things to eat and when I was heading back it was dark and of course I got lost.... tried to ask someone where to go and luckily!! I was just behind it!!! I was then God blessed me to meet my landlord and his wife!... very nice ppl... told me why I wouldn`t have hot water yet (well tried... as they spoke mainly japanese only) and gave me some food and a light bulb to replace one that was out.... I was told it was good to meet them soon too... I was thinking maybe 2 weeks in... but yeah... very good I met them earlier...
My place is huge, Julian says its bigger than his place.. hahaha...
but very old and dusty... I`d be brushing my teeth and tilt my head and be like is that mold???
Oct 17 - My day off. I didnt get anything done - bank, cell phone... but I managed to get toliet paper the day before... so I did everything this day... luckily... or God working... one of my coworkers had jap lessons cancelled and was able to show me around and help me get everything.. I managed to buy lots of stuff at this place called Seria - 100 yen shop
(not as pretty as everyone elses, or as heavy but it has my needs met...)Oct 18 - My first day teaching.... it was pretty good actually... not too bad... the children were energy full but learning... this halloween curriculum is so easy.. hahah 20 mins out of 60 is for the craft... bwahahha... Coworker showed me to a kind of community center where I can get japanese lessons for 2 dollars!!! sweet...
Oct 19 - more teaching... not too eventful... I think my coworkers stopped by at night... my place is big enough for many visitors...I`m glad someone to talk to that can understand me...
Oct 20 - my first incident with the children... they were supposed to be older - like the older classes (which are usually quiet, tired, and studious) but they were acting like they were 7 years old (supposed to be 10-12). Kicking, hitting, pulling limbs, private areas and calling each other names in japanese like baka... very bad.. and they wouldn`t listen to me when I said stop.... I just force played/played lots of games to distract them and so happy to bring out the craft....
One of the kids ran into my head too... head to head... I had a headache.. but later I realized it was because I was getting sick and loosing my voice!!!
Oct 21 - Teaching with another teacher today... more laxed day... hmmmm but woke up early to spit out.. yum brown phlegm...... and then.. more phlegm later.... gahhhhh I`m sick already!!! croaking voice and everything.... errr...
Oct 22 - My first day off.... slept in till 11am... needed the sleep.. more phlegm.... cleaning... aghh realized that the smoking I was smelling wasn`t because I left my balcony open but it was coming through the walls!!! Went to the library and read a book (managed to only burn 2.5 hours... I read slowly too).... shopped at the 99 yen.... felt kinda lonely.... then went home to cook... then remembered passing a church down the block from me (of course getting slightly lost again from the supermarket) and stopped by at 6:45 during a service.... sat in... wierd.. all in japanese but very nice! I tried to recognize some hymns and the pastor`s wife had a english/jap bible she let me use to kind of know what the pastor was talking about... Solomon and the building of the temple. I could recognize which passages he was refering to, unfortunately I couldn`t figure out his message.
I hope to go next week again for the morning service... the pastor told me about 200 ppl go there on sundays with 2 services... that is very exciting.....
Oct 23 - there`s a cafe that if I buy a drink I can sit here for a long time to use the internet... but I have my cell phone too now so that people can email me if they like... hopefully I`ll have something to do tonight...
In my head..
- strangely calm and at peace... God willing...
- sick... want to have my voice tm for the children!!
- want to meet more ppl to have something to do around here..
- need to make my apartment more home-ish... so I can actually sleep better, I keep waking up at night....
- really thankful for all the emails keeping me alive through the week from home...
- I really do miss everyone... my eyes are tearing up just thinking about everyone... I really miss the fellowship... doing things by myself, no matter how cool/new it is simply isn`t as fun as doing it with ppl...
Things to note...
- Happy birthday to everyone in October!!! (Steph, Van, Wyns, Sarah.... whoa is there anyone else? hehehe...)
- I will not get internet till about mid nov... after I recieve my ID card.. boo boo.....
- My dad is visiting Oct 30... sweet.
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