Here comes work...

Wow...I've been here for 3 weeks! My apartment is still sort of a mess...I've been spending like crazy on little stufff.....enjoying the AC, shopping around in the city, eating lots of carb......... Finally the realization that I'm actually here to work! Yes...time to work. Wooo finally did my little 1-minute speech in front of the 800 students and all the teachers.........in Japanese. It was quite a short speech, but it was still kinda nerveracking. It's cute to see students wearing uniforms and sitting on the floor. I just haven't seen that for a loooooooong time!



After the start of term assembly, it's time to teach!!! Yup...I'm here to teach. Something I found a bit different between Japanese school and Canadian school is that the classroom and class are more like the "students'" space than the teacher's space. Students would get AV system ready for the teacher...the teacher will only show up to the classroom about a minute prior to the lesson. In Canada, teachers have to prepare all the stuff...teachers are usually in the classroom earlier to prepare. Wait, I guess that was sort of what it was like in Hong Kong too? Well, it was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay toooooo long ago...... Yes, and like Taiwan, students clean the school. It is their daily routine. That's why we only wear indoor shoes.

So my first few lessons.......the first one with the 3rd graders (grade 9) was more...boring than I anticipated. I guess I spoke too much... Well, it was my first lesson anyway! Things shall change...hopefully. 2nd lesson with the 1st graders was a bit better because my JTE kept on getting the students to ask me questions. 3rd class was quite interesting. It was with the special Ed. students. There were 7 students in total. The minute I step into the class, the students started to ask me questions. Yes, my JTE did A LOT of translation. I didn't really end up talking much about Canada and myself. We spent probably about 3/4 of class time writing their names on a piece of paper. I was glad that they enjoyed what they were doing tho! =) I like small classes. =) Then, we basically gathered around the teacher's desk, and we were looking through my food magazine. They seemed quite interested about the food! We didn't even finish seeing what I brought. It was definitely a wise idea not bringing my laptop to show them pictures on ppt....

Man.....I suck at remembering names.... I've been working with a girl who will be entering a Sendai English speech contest. Hmmm, I can't remember her name though. =S Well, ganbette ne!! English is a hard language and it's sometimes hard to be expressive...

Haaaa, some of the students are sooo cute!! I saw the girl who I saw a few times at school. Again, I can't remember her name, but she is sooooo cute!!! so genki!! =) just like those cute, sporty girl in manga...XD When she was cleaning w/ her friends today, we chatted a bit again. Then the girls started to get excited about some comedians who I don't know....They got quite excited and told me that I HAVE to watch their shows!! One person is called はんにゃ, and the other one is ロッチ. They also HIGH RECOMMENDED me to watch a show (?) called "The read theatre" (レッドシアター） Just to give you some idea of who they are, enjoy the clips. I just randomly found them on youtube...not like I understand what they were talking about....XD



Ohhh!! it's cool to hear music that I've heard back home!! (well...Japanese music that I've heard back home from some interesting individuals.... =P ) I was just walking along the hallway during lunch time, and I heard this song was played in one of the classrooms. Haaaa...too bad I just don't know these stuff well enough...or else I might be able to connect w/ the kids better. Oh well, it's just the beginning... =)



Haaaa, and I think the fact that I'm Chinese can lead to some misunderstanding, such as I should know a good deal of Chinese history. Sigh......sad enough, I don't. My supervisor was asking me something about 三國演義 today. She would like some help in pronouncing the people involved. Luckily she had the names in pinyin; or else I totally wouldn't be able to name those people for her. Sigh........that's... saddddd..... When she wanted to ask more about that piece of history, I only said "I don't know" sigh...sad...

Ohoh, can't miss the free cooking class at ABC cooking studio w/ my kiwi friend, Winsy!


It was fun learning how to cook w/ limited Japanese! We seriously thought of taking a few cooking lessons, since it's like cooking + Japanese lesson...but it's pretty expensive. It's about $70/lesson....AND we might be grouped w/ other native Japanese speakers. No thanks. It was good to have a free lesson tho! =P



Hmmm..for my one (and maybe only? haha) reader, I WILL do a little video of my lovely apartment soooon! =) Stay tune!! Thanks for following...=) You make this blurb worthwhile..haha Take care ar you, Ms. Ant!! Ant is supposed to be strong!

K, that's it for now. I guess I should really think through my lessons for tomorrow..and prepare to go to sleep! 6-lesson day, here I come!!!

Ciao~ Take care friends, for those who see this~ =)

This Experience Must Come

August 11, 2010--This Experience Must Come
(From "My Daily Card")

Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha...saw him no more --2 Kings 2:11-12

It is not wrong for you to depend on you "Elijah" for as long as God gives him to you. But remember that the time will come when he must leave and will no longer be your guide and your leader, because God does not intend for him to stay. Even the thought of that causes you to say, "I cannot continue without my 'Elijah'." Yet God says you must continue.

Alone at you "Jordan" (Kings 2:14). The Jordan River represents the type of separation where you have no fellowship with anyone else, and where no one else can take your responsibility from you. You now have to put to the test what you learnt when you were with your "Elijah." You have been to the Jordan over and over again with Elijah, but now you are facing it alone. There is no use in saying that you cannot go-- the experience is here, and you must go. If you truly want to know whether or not God is the God your faith believes Him to be, then go through your "Jordan" alone.

Alone at Your "Jericho" (2 Kings 2:15). Jericho represents the place where you have seen your "Elijah" do great things. Yet when you come alone to your "Jericho," you have a strong reluctance to take the initiative and trust in God, wanting, instead, for someone else to take it for you. But if you remain true to what you learnt while with your "Elijah," you will receive a sign, as Elisha did, that God is with you.

Alone at Your "Bethel" (2 Kings 2:23). At your "Bethel" you will find yourself at your wits' end but at the beginning of God's wisdom. When you come to your wits' end and feel inclined to panic-- don't! Stand true to God and He will bring out His truth in a way that will make your life and expression of worship. Put into practice what you learnt while with your "Elijah"--use his mantle and pray. Make a determination to trust in God, and do not even look for Elijah anymore.

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Thanks....the "bestest". I guess I should have read this earlier...to save some tears... =P I miss you.

Thanks my weird lovely brother. Great to see you & love to see ur smile. Hope to see you again. Remember to SMILE! =D hehe...

Yup, gotta rely on God and experience life without my "Elijah"'s in my life. Well, I always know that I can live without my "Elijah"s, but it's just comforting to have them in my life. Yeah....let the adventure begin....and continue! 強くなってね！がんばろう！

Yes, I am here...

Wow...so I've been in Japan for a week now. It seems as if it has been a looong time. I guess a lot had happened...? In Tokyo, it was seminar after seminar... On the 2nd day in Tokyo, I felt sooooo exhausted...and I actually missed home...XD At the back of my mind, I was like.."what? it's only the 2nd day, and I'm homesick??? nooooo way......" After seeing & chatting with people back home, I was goooood to go again! Good. I'm back at my "honeymoon" stage. Good good.





Well, going out of the hotel building to get some snack kept me going too~ =)
After 2 full days of orientation at the Keio Plaza hotel in Shinjuku, time to go to my home away from home, Sendai! We're just in time for Sendai's biggest festival, Tanabata festival 七夕祭り. There's lanterns and decorated bamboos everywhere!! sooo festive! =) I almost forgot I'm here to work! My apartment is great too! I'm lucky to live in a relatively new apartment. Although it's somewhat small (my living room/dining room/bedroom/kitchen are all in a square), but I'm loving it! It's still a big mess right now. There are sooooooo many stuff for me to organize! My predecessor gave me a lot of things, especially plates, cutlery, cups! I think I have enough utensils for a party of 20 of more..haha.

hmmm, a few discoveries so far...
1. Everyday Japanese food in Canada is usually double the price of the ones in Japan. Eg. a standard lunch box is around $3-5
2. You actually have to pay extra for your phone charger... It kind of shocked me since phone charger is pretty essential, but why is it optional to get a charger...? interesting.....
3. It is still difficult to find store associates who can speak English in a Japanese city such as Sendai.
4. You need to purchase special garbage bags for the different kinds of garbage.
5. Yeah, get a bike. People bike everywhere...
6. Well, this is not new...but yup, my Japanese sucks... =(

Hmmm...to iphone or not to iphone....that's a question...

Well, I guess I should be cleaning my house, unpacking everything, perhaps preparing for my upcoming classes , or hanging out with the other JETs instead of sitting on my sofa/bed and embracing my laptop... Oh well, I'll give myself a chill weekend. Well, at least I have a phone, a place to live, and internet. Life should be good.

I guess that's it for now. cheers~ Enjoy Sendai.