Sasebo Living Feb 21-27

Feb 21: No internet. Not being able to communicate with those I care about before making news friends can induce a bit of loneliness. So it was time to find family and friends to rescue me. Internet cafe adventure was the game. Japan is notorious for having internet cafes. The customer is provided with a cubicle and a computer or they can use their own laptop. Some customers like to pretend that this cubicle is their own bedroom, but headphones can remedy any unwanted sounds from the guy next door. They can be a little pricey. For example, mine was a $4 sign up fee, and $11 for 3 hours. Doesn't seem like too much, but it can certainly add up if it's done continuously. It was amazing to skype the family and chat with friends online. I miss my family terribly, but I miss them in a good way, not a homesick kind of way. I know they're all doing well and thinking of me for the best, so it just adds fire to my motivation. Not to mention one of my best buds made an amazing mix that I can't stop listening to every time I sit down at the computer. 

This is my day off and it's time for more Adventure! There are two decent size mountains on either side of my house. So what was the psychology behind this adventure? Choose a peak and hike up any road and path that goes upwards. I followed such a thought (with an ipod and camera in hand) and sooner than later (about 1.5 hours) I ended at my destination. The trees were flourishing at the higher elevations so it was difficult to take a nice picture. As the elevation increased, the houses appeared more farm-like. Some houses were literally built out of what appeared to be tin sheets, and others were actually quite beautiful with a dormant garden for the winter. It was a little strange not to see anyone while I hiked through the woods and walked past so many houses. 

Feb 22: Tuesdays are normally the slower days at Eikaiwa schools, whereas Saturdays are normally the busiest. Tuesdays at my school on the other hand, are probably the most difficult days. I won't go into details, but all I will say is that I have the utmost respect for elementary school teachers, specifically KINDERGARTEN teachers (Mom that's you!). It is truly a gift to be able to control an entire class of 20-30 6 year old students. My class was only 6 children, and I'm already strapped for ideas on controlling them. Until I understand the mindset and traits it takes to be a quality elementary school teacher, I will just have to try my best to get there. Other than that, adult classes are amazing and I feel so comfortable talking with the students. I saw some students from the party on Saturday night and it was great to see them back in the class excited to learn. The key to teaching adults English is to keep instructions simple, don't think outloud or connect thoughts by speaking (a common habit to us native speakers), and assure them of their reason for spending their time and money with you. 

The 12PM-9PM schedule on the wall is more of a penciled schedule. If you have worked in Japan, it's understood that being "on time" is in fact being late. In other words, the schedule says work starts at 12PM, make sure to be there at least 15min earlier, depending on the job. As a new teacher who needs to learn the ropes and understand the fluidity of the day, it's best to come in 45min early, definitely 30min early. At an adult school gathering the materials is relatively easy, but at a school with adults and children there simply is not enough time between classes to think of creative games for the students to play. Of course the lesson plan provides suggestions for games, but what if you have a class of 2 students and the suggested game is for 6 students? Planning and staying a week ahead of schedule is the best way to prevent major setbacks and late nights. The last class ends at 9, sometimes 9:10. Unless there is major planning to do, 9:20 is a typical time to clock out. The wise elder teachers provided wonderful advice for the young teacher. One said, " Don't expect that hour in the timetable that you don't have a class to be lesson prep time. You may come in thinking, 'I'll use this hour slot to think of my games', but next thing you know you have to interview a prospective student and greet current students entering the building and now your class starts in 5 minutes." As for me, being a teacher will indeed teach me effective time management, how to communicate my ideas more clearly, and how to be a strong leader. The first full day is over, thank you for reading. I really, really appreciate everyone taking the time to read my thoughts. 

Feb 23: Good day today. Gradually getting better with the kids lessons. The private lesson with the 3 year old wasn't too bad considering she didn't like to stay in one spot during the whole lesson. The 4th grade student in the private lesson was easy to please because I just made up some games involving soccer and basketball. One adult in the evening class actually asked me a question I didn't have an answer for. "Why don't you use 'foods' when you say ' I have a lot of food to make'?" It's obvious to a native speaker who would never use "foods" in that situation, but to put it into words immediately was a little difficult. After a dragged out poor response, I said, " You know what, that's an excellent question! I'll have the perfect answer next week. It's not the best way to answer a question, but it's better than gasping for air. The can students smell blood when the teacher doesn't have a good answer, especially from a young teacher. Overall the day went very well and this whole organization thing is working out pretty well. 

Oh, please try this snack if you have the chance. I cooked up some bacon and mushrooms, seasoned them, and drained as much fat as possible. Then I mixed them in a bowl with white rice and sprinkled in some salt. It's quite good! G'nite everyone, time for xbox and kanji. 

Feb 24: Progression, progression, progression. Perhaps the first day of kids lessons was a fluke, perhaps the students were the issue, but kids lessons were really great today. Yes there was plenty of singing and dancing involved, but for some reason I don't care how silly I look when the kids get really into the lesson. 

Organization has once again come through big for the new teacher. Having all phonemic cards, letter cards, and games preplanned made the lessons flow so smoothly. More importantly, keeping organization at work keeps my mind from clouding itself with worried thoughts at home. 

Feb 25: Woke up, went to work, came home, made some food, went to sleep. 

There appears to be a very popular sport amongst the elder folks in the park behind my apartment. Each player has a club sort of shaped like a putter. They also have a ball that is perhaps lighter than a crochet ball. At a short distance, about 50ft away, is a small pentagon shaped "goal" with a flag sticking out of the middle. Try to imagine the U.S. Pentagon building miniature sized and hollowed out. One of my students said it was called cage golf or something like that. Also flags for out of bounds are set up around this 9 hole course.

The retired folks also partake in a lot of community service activities. I don't think they are paid for it, but most mornings they are out in groups of 5 or 6 raking the leaves and cleaning the dirt off some sidewalks. It's nice to see older folks staying active and staying positive with their health. A group of them was watching me workout the other day which made me feel kind of cool I guess. Maybe someday I will gather the courage to converse with them. Tomorrow is payday so maybe a nice, but cheap restaurant this weekend. It's oyster season here in Sasebo! Might be worth the try. G'nite everyone. 

Feb 26: Typical Saturday at the school. Lots of kids and lots of lessons. After work was fun because two of my coworkers asked me to have dinner with them. We went to an izakaya type place and sat at the bar because the other seating area was occupied. It actually turned out for the better because we were able to spend a lot of time chatting with the chef. We ordered and shared numerous dishes like sashimi, fried chicken pieces, personal sized pizza, crab and rice, fried cheese balls. The chef even let me sample some of his sake and gave us a free bowl of korean-style miso soup. This guy's sake was unique from most places because he actually travels to the breweries himself to see if it is machine made or handmade sake. There is a huge difference in taste with the handmade sake; its much purer and smoother. It was great talking with my coworkers and enjoying each other's company out of the workplace. They're really nice girls and I'm glad we all work together. Now I have a place to go to on Saturday or Sunday nights to socialize and eat great food. 

Feb 27: It's Sunday, aka Adventure Day. After food shopping and dropping some suits off at the cleaners, I decided to hike the other peak of Sasebo. I started walking towards the mountain direction until I spotted what appeared to be a good road to follow up to the top. I meandered through some tight residential areas and somehow came out close to the road I spotted. Unlike last week's hike, this hike was mostly street oriented. This mountain is on the port-side of the city, so it's more inhabited than the other mountain. However, this didn't mean the hike would be easier, because it turned out to be almost twice as long last week's hike. 

As I went off the road path and started to hike through the woods, it started to rain. Since the woods was so quiet, it made the trip very relaxing. Eventually I made it to the peak, which turned out to be Saikai National Park. The view was incredible (pictures posted on FB) and I really can't wait to come back in the Spring. 

Friday I receive my Alien Registration card, which means by the weekend I will have a cell phone, bank account and a gym membership. I will also sign up for internet, but in Japan depending on the area, it may take a week or two for them to come and set it up in the house. Hopefully I will be online sooner than later. I will post again next weekend and I will make sure to explore some more! Thank you for reading!

Sasebo Arrival Feb 16-20

Feb 16: Sasebo-bound. Finally got out of the hotel and into my real apartment. The bus ride was about 2 hrs, but it went by pretty quick. Sasebo has a bit of unique history to it. It was one of the first settling points for Westerners when Japan opened their doors to the world in the late 1800s. At that time contact was mostly limited to Dutch and Portugeuse travelers/missionaries. There is actually a Dutch "amusement park" here in Sasebo. It's more of a mini Dutch town with Windmills, flowers, and old fashioned houses. I haven't been there yet, but I will definitely make a visit in the Spring. Sasebo is also home to an American naval base that I believe takes port every 6 months. The naval base was established in the 1950s, so there are more hints of American culture than the average Japanese town. For example, there are some burger shops and American looking pubs. But since the war, the American influence has dwindled off. In other words, whereas in Fukuoka I maybe saw 1 American guy every 2 weekdays, in Sasebo I see 4 Americans every 2 weekdays. 

Sasebo also has a funny geography to it. Houses flow through the valley between two mountains then once you reach the ocean, the houses start to curl back around one of the mountains. Just off the coast are the kyujukyu islands, or 99 islands. Only about 4 islands are actually inhabited by people, which is one reason people love to sea kayak to them and camp out. If one has the opportunity to hike up one of the mountains surrounding Sasebo, I'm sure it's a wonderful view. Not to mention there are a few volcanoes near Sasebo that give rise to many hot springs as well.

Feb 17: The past two days of training have been crazy. Between meeting new students, parents of students, new staff, getting alien registration done, searching the town for stores, unpacking, going food shopping, etc… it's been pretty hectic. But I suppose that's how it is when anyone makes a transition into a new location and job. I managed to steal my neighbor's internet connection tonight just so I can try to contact some people. Unfortunately, I am not able to buy internet, a cell phone, or sign up to the gym until I receive my alien registration card. When I originally came to Japan I was issued a work visa which allowed me to work in Japan for 3 years. The visa gets me into the country legally, and now that I have an actual address, I am required to sign up for a "permit" to live in Sasebo. In other words, the work visa made me eligible for federal tax on my checks and the alien registration card makes me eligible for local tax on my checks. Pretty standard for any country with an organized government, but it's not exactly convenient because you are restricted to do anything that requires a contract until the actual card arrives, which in some areas can take up to 2 months. Since Sasebo isn't a large city my card will be ready on March 4th.

As mentioned I officially checked in to Sasebo school. The hierarchy of the school goes as follows: 

The school is run by the manager (let's say King). The King delegates land (classroom time) to the peasants (students) for a small sum of rupees (contract). The Duke (head teacher) works under the law of the King, but may create her own local laws (lesson plans) which are to be enforced by the Barons (myself, and three other teachers). We are to control the peasants in an orderly manner and instruct them how to properly function in our society of English speakers. 

We each teach about 5-6 lessons a day and in the extra time we have business meetings, lesson prep, student counseling, prospective student interviews, and student review sheets. It's a pretty busy job, but like any teaching job the big payment is the twinkle in the students' eyes when they learn something new (wow that was cheesy). Today I taught one class under observation and observed the other classes. I've already been reprimanded by my manager for talking in Japanese with the mothers and some students. It was all in good nature to make them feel comfortable with me, but then again it lets the students know they can always fall back on Japanese if they struggle with their English. The rest of the week should be full of unwanted stress, but after that everything should look up. I'll check back tomorrow if I have internet again, and I hope everyone is doing well.

Feb18: Yet another training day. Today was a 12-9 schedule and I taught 2 lessons under observation. My trainer has been an amazing help and has really put in his time to help me become a good teacher. I have my utmost respect for this guy. You never know the kind of people you will meet on the other side of the world. For example, the teacher who I am replacing is a 35 year old Australian fellow who is a qualified math, science and english teacher who made his way to Japan after teaching in Tibet for a year. My trainer is a 43 year old Filipino man who worked as a pizza boy, casino dealer and IT Tech manager before coming to Japan 9 years ago. Everyone has their own story, and everyone understands how you are perceiving things as a newcomer. Chris, the teacher I'm replacing, provided me with notes on Sasebo, games he designed for the kids, insightful input on the students, and introduced me to some locals he is familiar with. 

Having supportive coworkers is one important thing that can really keep a foreign teacher mentally in their job even if they don't like the work they're doing (and a functioning xbox, of course). The staff at Sasebo are indeed five lovely young ladies and myself. They are extremely kind and the Duke (head teacher) has already expressed her intent to work with me on anything I need. At any AEON school, the foreign teacher is the face of the school. There are fliers, little posters, and other advertisements with my picture and the staff's picture. A great responsibility comes along with the face. Japanese society is very conservative, which means if someone does something out of line, the news will make appoint to tell you who they are, how old they are, what school they go to, and probably what they ate for breakfast. It's very much a society that believes in conformity. May not be something I agree with on some levels, but that's their culture and I respect it. 

One quick anecdote to end the night. A foreign teacher went to a "high priced" bar and decided to have an enjoyable time. However, at the end of the night he ran out of money. So he dropped off his business card (with his school's phone number on it) and said to call him for the money. What do you think happened next? 

Feb 19: Last day of training! The kid's head trainer came all the way from Fukuoka just to observe two of my lessons today. Fridays and Saturdays are normally the most busy days a week at an Eikaiwa (English Conversation) school. The obvious explanation for that is because everyone works or has school during the week. Friday evening usually consist of adults and Saturdays usually consist of kids classes. Today I taught 3 lessons, two adult and one kids and I observed 3 classes. Teaching kids is much more strenuous than teaching adults and I'm sure if you ask any kindergarten teacher they will agree. Adults come to Eikaiwa for many reasons.  Most older folks say they are studying English to exercise their brains or for travel purposes. Most younger adults says they are studying English for high school, job opportunities, travel purposes, or perhaps studying abroad. The kids are at the school because their parents are making them go. What does that mean? That means the Eikaiwai teacher better make their valuable playtime with friends entertaining. The foreign teacher I'm replacing had a talent for that. He was the master of creative games. I was fortunate enough to inherit his game list, paper money, and Hyaku En store goodies. Once again as an empathetic person who knows how it feels to be a newcomer, he did everything he could facilitate my accommodations. 

After a successful day of teaching, it was time to celebrate my arrival, but more importantly Chris's departure. The staff organized a little party to take place at a local Izakaya (popular place for Japanese people to go with friends to eat, drink and enjoy). Roughly 30 students attended. If you've ever been to an authentic Japanese restaurant, it's common to take your shoes off before entering your "dining area". Depending on the amount of people, the table can be anywhere up to 15 people long per side. The table is only about 2-3ft elevated from the floor, but below the table is sort of like a bunker cut out for your feet. So you sit down on the pillow and slide your feet under the table into the nice open space below. 

Japan is in fact a drinking culture. It's very common for businessmen to go out with buddies twice a week to drink and socialize. It is believed to help create a bond between coworkers which will carry over into the success of the team in the workplace. Housewives will actually worry about their husband's jobs at times if he is coming home on time every night. This party was no different from other businesses. Many drinks and types of food were served. It was an amazing opportunity to meet my students on a personal level and laugh and talk about common interests. All of my students are extremely kind people, and are more than willing to bring me into their circle. They understand as an English teacher, you are here to help them better their lives. I noticed this most significantly when the students were around Chris. Some students made him gifts by hand or bought him gifts. The look in their eyes was genuine and they were truly touched by his kindness. I have big shoes to fill and not just because Chris is a tall guy. At the end of the night Chris and I made a little thank you speech. Spending time with the students outside of the classroom made me even more motivated to help them. 

Afterwards we stopped by a bar that is normally inhabited by American sailors. Since the naval base is in Sasebo, sailors will either stay local or go to Fukuoka on the weekends.

Feb 20: The first real weekend is upon me. Japan is in the process of digitalizing their TV's so the cable guy stopped by my apartment today to install the system. Sasebo is a relatively large place and in the center of town (where my work is located) there is a really long mall-like strip with tons of shops and restaurants. 

I spent most of the day going food shopping, doing laundry, and making food. I managed to find some time to climb halfway up on of the mountains near my house, but it was getting late. The winter in Sasebo is nice because it's around 55 degrees and dry during the day. The summer on the other hand should be a nightmare 85 with humidity stronger than New York's. Japan does exhibit all 4 seasons. In general it has a very humid summer, dry winter, and a beautiful spring and fall.

Still no internet in the house which appears to be not for at least another 3 weeks. I really miss everyone and it's going to be a pain not contacting anyone as often as I'd like. I am posting this from the local internet cafe and I will definitely check my messages every weekend, if not once during the week. Until then thank you for reading and I hope everyone is working hard! 

Last 2 Days Training! 14-15

Feb 14: Today may have been the most difficult day so far. Today I learned how to teach pre-school lessons. There are at LEAST 6 songs to sing each lesson. Mind you I'm the kid who dropped out of 5th grade chorus because even at a young age I realized my "talents" should be taken elsewhere. We sing the Hello Song, the Weather Song, the Alphabet Song, the Letter Song, the Unit Song, and none other than the Goodbye Song. Besides the singing part, the storytelling and other games involved seem pretty fun. It's interesting because the Japanese students are reading the same storybooks as American kids at the same age. Due to all that brain plasticity they soak up everything that is taught to them. I sincerely feel Japan's society has a very bright future with many kids growing up already fluent in English and Japanese, the language of the world and one of the most artistic languages. Starting next year I believe, English will be required in 5th and 6th grade of all public elementary schools.

Today was a crazy day so I just returned back to the hotel and laid low for the night. No adventures tonight...


Feb15: Training in Fukuoka is officially OVER! After grinding out 10 trains of training, I am now ready to sing alphabet songs and dance around with pre-school kids, play games like monster ball with elementary school kids, read stories to little babies, chill with junior high kids, have open forum discussions with adults and teach 3 types of adult lessons. My bosses congratulated me for surviving hell week and handed me my official name badge.

Tonight I went for a run to Nishi Park (Samurai park) for some meditating. When I arrived at the entrance, there were 3 junior high kids at the bottom of the hill (picture of the hill is featured on FB) doing sprints halfway up. My ego got the best of me so I pounded my chest and did a full sprint to the top. Little did the know when I was out of sight I laid down gasping for air. After some recovery time, I went back down and figured I would chat with the kids a little bit. In Japan, junior high students and high school students follow a similar schedule. Here's a little timeline of a typical day:
730AM-830AM: Commute to school
830AM-330PM: Class in session
330PM-630PM: Clubs/Sports
630PM-930PM: Karate class, Self Study and/or English lessons
1100PM: Fall asleep watching Naruto or some other anime

These kids are normally quite busy during the school year up until they reach college. It's quite different from American schools. In Japan, students study very hard in junior high so they can get into a good high school then they study even harder to get into a good university. It's extremely competitive to get into certain schools and due to so much stress some kids don't even make it until college, if you know what I mean. However, once you get into a good university, it's smooth sailing. The classes are not nearly as demanding as many American universities, and traveling is highly encouraged during this time. Around the end of the 3rd year of college to beginning of 4th year, students start applying for jobs. These days, it's just as difficult to get a job in Japan as it is in the U.S. But those who are successful have a job lined up once they graduate.

Ah so anyway, I had a nice talk with the kids, made them do pushups with me, and told them if they want girls to like them they better start working out everyday before school. Hopefully they received some inspiration and not discouragement to ever travel to New York. So tonight is my last night in Fukuoka, then tomorrow I will take the bus down to Sasebo. I will check in to my school as well as my new apartment and I will be posting back here hopefully this weekend!

Thank you again for reading, I hope you enjoy the new post.

Training week (Feb 11-13)

Feb 11: Heyy everyone. Today was my last day of adult lessons. I finalized all three techniques and I taught a practice lesson with advanced students. Working in the Japanese business world is pretty fun. I get to dress nice, act professional and at times on the street pretend I'm a big entrepreneur. Being a Japanese businessman also requires quite a bit of bowing. I read the average businessman bows at least 100 times a day. For me it's not necessarily expected and my office does not have that many employees, but they always smile when I do it anyway. I'm not up to the 100 bows mark, but I probably reached about 50 at some point. As a noobie to the company every morning I have to announce to everyone what I will be doing for the day and wish them good spirits. Later that evening I return and tell them about my day, thank whomever helped me, tell them what my plans are for the next day, and bid them a good night.

My thrill for the day came when I went to Biggu Kamera aka Big Camera electronics store to buy a hair buzzer and socket adapters. What a fool to think Japan wouldn't have the electronics I was looking for. I actually went to the wrong 5 story Biggu Kamera and had to go down the street to Biggu Kamera No. 2 to find my goods. I didn't know the word for hair buzzer so I tried my best to explain to the employee I needed an electric thing that cuts the hair on top of my head not my facial hair and not too short but still strong enough to give a good buzz and yet for a good price with maybe a wireless feature that doesn't have to charge too much.... ok ok you get the picture. Anyway, all went well and I got a real nice buzzer for the equivalent of about $45 and celebrated with a huge bowl of ramen and pork for dinner.

Feb 12:  Before work I went for a run at Ohori Park (same playground/lake). It was raining pretty hard but as you've read I have been eating deliciously not-so-healthy foods. (I'm going to go off on a little tangent) I figure while I'm in Japan it would be a good idea to learn some martial arts. I love and respect all sports, so I'm trying this combination workout of bodybuilding, boxing, martial arts, and soccer training. It all goes useless without a good diet, so that will have to work its way in too. So once I arrive in Fukuoka, the plan is to sign up at a gym and lift 4 days a week, do martial arts at a local dojo at least once a week, do "road work" and freestyle boxing training 3 times a week, and if I can't find a soccer field, I will mimic the goalkeeper training I did in college. Between that, work and of course the XBox once it's up and running, I should be kept pretty busy. 

I hate to say but then it started to snow.  Just when I thought 6700 miles from New York was far enough to escape snow, it found me. Today was only a half day at work and the trainer introduced children's lessons and taught me about open forum classes. My lessons that will be taught at Sasebo are:
1. Adult lessons which consist of: 
A. Round Up: Focuses on particular grammar points.
B. Group: Focuses only on phrases and situations.
C. Private: Can range from teaching our books or anything that the student chooses.
D. Forum: The teacher does minimal correction, rather encourages as students learn how to create presentations and/or reach consensuses.
2. Children lessons that vary in structure based on whether students are babies, in preschool, in elementary school or in junior high school.
3. Children's private lessons 

Most classes taught are 50min total with the extra 10min in that hour used to meet and chat with incoming students for the next class. It's a 12-9 schedule from Tuesday to Friday and a 10-7 Saturday.

Not too many adventures today outside of work besides a trip to the Hyaku En store and food shopping.

Oh, and I had some Japanese MacDonald's. Burgers taste exactly the same but the ketchup tastes different (better). There's also a Starbucks and a Subway in Fukuoka.

Feb 13: Today was my last free day in Fukuoka, so I had to take full advantage of it. I started my day with a run to the same park/playground to work out. However, this time I was battling the little kids for possession of the swing-set. Although we wanted to use it for different reasons, there was still much hostility. I sieged an attack and regained my pull-up swing set once again. Afterwards, I stopped by a few stores then treated myself to some yakiniku for lunch. 

As you all read, I walked to eastern, western,  and southern Fukuoka last weekend. This left me with only one more spot to cover: northern Fukuoka. Fukuoka is in fact a port city, which means when I travel to Korea later this year I have to leave from the International Port of Fukuoka to do so. More importantly, since it is a major gateway to China and Korea, this area was home to many Samurai during the Shogunate. 

What is now known as Fukuoka city is the area where Samurai defended their turf against the invading Mongolians around 1200AD. Last week I saw the shrine where kamikaze god originated to ward off enemies. Today I got to see where the Samurai resided and kept watch for invading forces. This park, known as Nishikooen (West Park), seemed to be a museum oriented park. There were many statues for famous Samurai, excavated and rebuilt Samurai homes, Shrines, and other memoriam monuments. I was also able to get an awesome view of Hakata Bay (photos are featured on Facebook). Unfortunately since it's Winter the flowers and trees aren't blooming. I will take note to return to this park in the Spring.

After the walk I returned to the hotel and studied some Japanese and took it easy. I was unaware of how much I DON'T know about Japanese until I actually started to live here. One goal I have for the year is be able to flip the switch and turn on only Japanese when outside of the classroom. Tomorrow and Tuesday start my kids lessons, then I'm finally off to Sasebo! I can't wait to see what's in store at my school and new home. The schedule is getting a little crazy, so updates might only come on the weekends. Thank you again for reading : D and until then, じゃまた.

Training week (Feb 7-10)

Feb 7: Monday was the first full training day. I learned about the curriculum of my company and I learned one of three major types of lessons I will teach at my school in Sasebo. My trainer (American) has lived in Fukuoka for a few years, so he knows the really good spots to eat lunch. We had okonomiyaki for lunch. Okonomiyaki is kind of like a Japanese pancake. There are two types: one made with mostly cabbage, and one made with mostly noodles; both are amazing in their own way. For example, the chef puts a bowl of noodles on the grill and mixes it with various things such as eggs, onions, meat, cheese, squid or shrimp. It tastes even better when you put a little bbq sauce and mayo on top........ TRUST ME, it's delicious.

After lunch I learned more about my new teaching technique and I observed my trainer do a model lesson for me. This was my first time meeting my company's English students. In Japan's world of English teaching, students can range from 1 year old babies to 70 year old grandpas. It was really interesting chatting with the students before class. Each student has their own reason for studying English. They need your help as an English native to motivate them to achieve their goals.

After work I was in the mood for a little adventure so I decided to eat at a yatai, or food stall. I will take pictures of them this weekend, but in the meantime to save explanation, here's a link of what it looks like:
I apologize for the long link.

http://www.google.co.jp/imglandingq=yatai%20fukuoka&imgurl=http://www.rameniac.com/images/features/hakata_yatai//27.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.rameniac.com/index/comments/hakata_yatai/&usg=__P5BximrHoqwJbKnbT--F2CwXY3E=&h=480&w=640&sz=145&hl=ja&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=4BhRrRENmYA4OM:&tbnh=103&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dyatai%2Bfukuoka%26um%3D1%26hl%3Dja%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=IdZTTeXWKpDwvwOF2eXyCA&um=1&tbs=isch:1&start=4

These are notorious only to Fukuoka, so you won't find them in other cities. It was pretty funny because they didn't expect to see a white American guy walk in, and I didn't expect them to see someone like me walk in. Regardless, the chef was really friendly and cooked me some amazing food. I ate, had a drink and wandered back to my hotel for the night.

Feb 8: Today before work I went back one of the parks I visited last weekend. There are not many gyms in Fukuoka city so if you want to work out, you have to be a little creative. I remembered there was a children's playground at this park so I used the swing set as a pull-up bar, a balance bar to put my feet on for push-ups, a bench for dips, and some rocks to jump on. Yes, as you could imagine, people looked at me really weird, but they looked at me in a way that's like "Hm, I respect that."

Anyway, today I presented my first lesson to the same students as yesterday. It went really well, and my trainer was happy with the classroom environment. As an English teacher (just like any teacher I suppose) the key is to be really encouraging, energetic, clear, and professional. So far I'm very happy with my job and it feels really good to show my students that concepts that may seem so difficult are not that hard if they are learned in a positive setting. One of my students (an older woman) made me an origami crane for Chinese New Year that I can store my money in. According to her, all Japanese people know origami to an extent. Interesting.

I watched some Japanese TV tonight at the hotel. One show I watched was out of control. At first it appeared to typical game of BINGO with a bunch of guys wearing yukata, or casual kimono. Once three winners were announced, they were presented with a grand prize, in this case a PS3! BUT that was just the qualifying round. In order to actually win the prize these three guys had to complete the challenge. The challenge for the PS3 was (now please try to imagine): the PS3 was presented on a pedestal with two industrial-size fans behind it. The contestant started about 30ft away from the PS3 with a mini parachute (~10ft circumference) attached to him. How was the parachute attached to the contestant you say? Well, the string was attached to a hook which was lodged into the contestant's nostrils. So after the gong sounded, the contestant had to make his way towards the PS3 with the fans blowing into his face and parachute. As you could imagine, the force of the air into the parachute was strong enough to yank on the hooks and furiously pull this guy backwards by his nostrils! Besides that, the shows are pretty similar to ours; mostly dramas, cooking shows, and talk shows. The commercials are pretty creative and visual. Also at times they are pretty weird, but after seeing the Doritos' "Finger Linking Good" Super Bowl commercial, I don't know what to think about American commercials anymore either. When I come home from work every night I leave the TV on in the background to internalize the pace of the language while I'm surfing my Apple.

Feb 9: Today before work I skyped my parents for the first time since I left. It was really great to see their faces and chat about how things are going for everyone. I feel it's important to do these kind of things when living so far from home because as westernized as Japan is, the signs are still in Japanese, the people still look different, the food is different, and it's easy to feel Culture Shocked and isolated. Those who love you the most can always provide medicine to any ailments. With that medicine, stay cool and know that once you make friends and settle in, you will become a true Nihonjin at heart with unique American attributes. That's why I can't wait to get to my hometown and meet my students, go to my convenience stores, and hang out with my new friends.

The day finally came: I got to eat yakiniku for lunch! Yakiniku is grilled meat. Each table is equipped with a little charcoal grill in the middle. You order a plate of whatever meat you'd like and at your own pace, cook the meat and enjoy it with your choice of seasonings and rice. GENIUS!!!

After work I stopped by the Hyaku En Store, or Dollar Store. It's a great store for picking up everyday supplies like kitchenware, stationeries, laundry supplies, toilet trees etc. Japan is in fact one of the world's fashion capitals. I'd say 90% of shopping in Japan is aimed for women. There is a store for EVERYTHING. If you want a hair scrunchy, just go to the scrunchy store. If you want a cute scarf to go with your heels, just stop by the scarf store after you leave the heels store, but not before you stop at the cute bracelet store! Japan also has a ton of convenience stores; it seems to be pretty competitive here. Some examples are AMPM, Lawson, Discount CVS, Family Mart, and of course 7-11. These stores are truly amazing though. Besides various drinks and snacks, there are mini "TV Dinners" available and the employees heat it up in the store for you. I usually grab a little 6 piece sushi roll or the breaded chicken with rice meal.

Feb 10: After learning about the second major lesson type yesterday, I taught my first lesson with this new technique today. I received positive feedback, and also some pointers to make my teaching more effective. My trainer and boss took me out for lunch. I had some grilled yellowtail with rice, miso soup, and green tea. It's standard protocol when the boss pays for lunch, those who are being paid for must leave and take the "long way" out and meet the boss halfway on the walk back to work.

After work I tried another yatai. The first thing the guy said to me before I even sat down was, "日本語が分かる？” (Do you understand Japanese?). I told him I spoke a little and he smiled and said "Tell me words if you need, I know words." - that's a cool guy right there. Just as I sat down, an older Japanese couple sat down on the bench next to me. I figured it was a good time to practice a little bit, so I started to ask the husband how to read some of the kanji (symbols) on the menu. They were vacationing from Tokyo and we shared some thoughts with each other. It wasn't much, but it's still something to appreciate while living in Japan. I ordered yakiramen which was fried ramen noodles with some meat and vegetables mixed in. I also ordered gyouza which are kind of like Japanese perogies with meat or cheese. Amazing food once again; I have not been let down yet. After the meal I came back to hotel and here I am typing up my blog for the week.

Thank you for reading, and if you have any questions or you would like me to go check something out for you while I'm here, let me know : D
Have a great weekend I'll check back on Sunday. Remember every Thursday and Sunday!

Training week (Feb 4-6)

Hey guys,

Feb 4: I just arrived in Fukuoka city (6th largest city in Japan) for my training. I am working as an English teacher and I will be trained in Fukuoka for about 10 days. Fukuoka is very lively city, with many things to do at night. The pictures of Fukuoka are posted on my Facebook "Mike Fiore" account. Fukuoka is on the island of Kyushu and tends to have relatively moderate winters and very hot summers. It is a little more than an hour away from the town I will be working and living in, named Sasebo.

Teaching English in Japan is a growing business, especially now that Japan made a new law requiring English language teaching in all public schools at a younger age. There are tons of ways to get into the English teaching community. Some examples are working for Japanese gov't programs, going to Japan and advertising yourself as a private tutor, and working for an English Tutor Company like I did. My approach came with a guaranteed contract and I was able to request the location I preferred to live in. Not all companies work the same, but I'd say finding a job under a contract before you actually go to Japan is probably the most cost efficient and the safest approach. Regardless, all that matters is that you're 6700 miles away in Japan and you're happy!

Feb 5: My first day of training was pretty basic. We walked around Fukuoka, grabbed some lunch, and then sat and discussed mine and the company's goals for the next year. Everyone is really friendly and it's nice to know that although you're on the other side of the world, you share a common goal with the people you work with. We all came here for personal fulfillments, but we also came here because we want to help people learn English. So far, I'm very happy with my decision to come and work in Japan.

Now the living part: Independence and adventurous are required. Just like any place you go to, the more knowledge you have about it, the easier it will be to assimilate. I was fortunate enough to come to Japan 2 years ago, so there was not much culture shock coming back a second time. Knowing the language is not a must, but makes everyday tasks (buying food, asking for directions, etc) incredibly easier. However, I'd say having a pretty good knowledge of Japanese culture is a must if you plan to live here. Japanese people don't expect you to know any Japanese, so when they do hear it from you its bonus points. To be honest, I could have went the entire day not saying a word of Japanese and I still would have done everything I needed to, but that's no fun now is it? Asking for directions even though you know the answer, or asking the employee in the supermarket where the chopsticks are although you already know where they are located is the fun part about living in a foreign society! However, there is a little more expectation of how to act in public. Politeness is key, and the more humble you are, the better off you will be. Just relax, go with the flow, and know everyone is willing to help you if you really need it.

Feb 6: Today I had the day off, so I decided to do some exploring. With a map and camera in hand, I was prepared for a new adventure. I walked east of my hotel because I heard there were some really nice shrines and temples on that part of the city. Shrines are really common in Japan because they're an essential part of the Shinto beliefs in Japanese culture. Within each shrine is usually kept the spirit of the Shinto kami, or god(s). Shrines are relatively small structures (compared to buildings) and they're not places of worship like churches. A really cool shrine in Fukuoka is the kamikaze shrine, which is the origin of the kamikaze god, or god of wind, who warded off the invading Mongolians in about 1200AD. It's nice to stop by a shrine, make a quick prayer for the good will of something, and continue on your way.

Temples on the other hand, are Buddhist. They are sacred places of worship, and they are home to most of the cemeteries in Japan. I found two special temples today: the temple that held the largest statue of Buddha sitting tall at 16.1m, and the temple where green tea originated from.

As I made my way westward through the city I tried to stay off the main roads and meander through the side streets because I wanted to get a feel for real life in Japan as a city dweller. The houses we'll call them are all connected on each street and appear small (to American standards), but comfortable. It also seems that most people own a car as well as a bicycle. I found many city-type parks on my westward journey. Of course since it was a Sunday, the only day most people have off from work, the parks were packed with families. Fukuoka is an interesting place compared to Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto (3 largest cities in Japan) that I went to on my first trip to Japan 2 years ago. Whereas Tokyo seems like a city for single young adults, Fukuoka seems like a city for raising a family. It's very safe, quiet and a little more spread out than the other cities mentioned. Back in New York it's not exactly common to see a 7 year old riding her bike around the city alone (at least not without her mom worried sick). In Fukuoka it's of the norm to see something like this.

As I reached as far west as necessary, I began to work my way into the southern part of the city. I found a really interesting park that was completely different from the others I had been to so far. The terrain in the southern part of Fukuoka becomes much more vertical than the other three parts. This park (Minami Park) I found was filled with trees, dirt paths, hidden trails, and secret shrines. It was much less crowded than the other parks; I probably saw only 3 people the entire time. Also some interesting places just outside Minami Park were a zoo, mini amusement park, and a botanic garden.

The best part of the entire day came when I found the Yamanoue lookout tower, or the tower on top of the mountain. I had walked for about 6 hours straight at that point so it was quite the reward to climb the flights of stairs and gaze out onto the city I had voyaged by foot. It is indeed a beautiful city. One filled with natural water ways, tricky terrain, unique looking parks, and mountains in the background.

Monday Starts my serious training, so I'd better get some sleep. I'll check back in on Thursday evening. Remember, updates will come every Sunday and Thursday of each week!