Just a twenty-something Socal gal living on a lil island in Japan.

Friday, April 5, 2013

On with the Show!

Yeah forget to mention that I directed/did a theatre workshop from end of January to mid-march. 


Around December I met an English teacher from Brazil and she told me she puts on an English show every other year and I volunteered to help! The performance was a showcase of what the students do in their classes as well as some extra stuff like theatre and singing. So I guess this was my first directing gig. However, some days it felt more like a theatre workshop. It was timely too! I've been looking at Educational Theatre Grad programs and this fell on my lap. A sign? 



  My little stars put on a great a show! 




Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Bittersweet Sayonara

One day, I was just working at my desk grading a seemingly endless amount of worksheets. There's a tap at the staff room door. It's one of the third years. For the sake of privacy we'll call him Sho. In Japanese schools, students must state their name, class and purpose before entering the staff room. Once a teacher says it's okay to enter, they proceed.

Iwanga Sho of 3-3. I've come to see Nakamura-sensei. May I please come in?

Nakamura responds with a stern and short, "hai"

He walks to her desk and she tells him that the letter from the highschool he applied to has arrived. Sho gets tense and reponds with a "hai" "okay."

The sound of his voice worries me and I look up from my desk and the dear boy is nervous beyond belief. His life would either change or stay the same and I could tell he was trying to prepare himself for whatever answer. He and the homeroom teacher walk into the principal's office. Everyone continues working. I look towards the room wondering what the will be the outcome.

I go back to grading. My eyes get droopy and my mind grows tired from writing, "Great job" for the millionth time. I go up and get some tea. As I coming back to my desk, Sho, the homeroom teacher and the principal come out. The principal asks for everyone's attention; Sho has an annoucement.

We all stand and face him.

Nervous, and trying to downplay his happiness, Sho says,

"I've been accepted into the Omura High School."

"Omedetou Gozaimasu! Congratulations," we all say with great excitement!  I'm smiling from ear to ear, but then suddenly I feel a sting of oncoming tears. In that moment, I realized that my student would be leaving the school. The third-years were leaving, moving on to the next step of their life. It was bittersweet moment. Happy that they've achieved this step, but sad that I'd have to say goodbye a magnificent group of students.


Tuesday, February 19, 2013

The Doves on a Tuesday Night.

It's a Tuesday night.

Not yet time for bed.

But I have drunken a cup of chamomile mistakenly,

And the Prince has invaded my mind with crying doves.


Saturday, January 19, 2013

2012 Highlights....in GIFS

In no particular order, here are the highlights of 2012!!!!
When I went home for my cousins wedding and my relatives asked if I'd be the next one to get married....
                      But the wedding was fabulous. 
                                                 
My birthday party in May and 
Iki beach party in July were like....


When my guy friends did Movemeber....


When I went to Korea with Rose and Shonda
                                                        
And then we saw the men....

Whenever a vacation ended.....
                                       
 When my friends told me they were gonna visit, I was like...

 When the summer ended...

                                 
                                                

My friends and I when we go to Fukuoka

                       
 Fabreeze Four Motto
                                       
 Nicole and I when she visited Iki

   August I was all like.....

                                        
And then I was like....

Fuji Rock was like
In the daytime....
                                      

When I ate Oden for the first time
Mid-year Conference in November
                                                              
 Trying to make my students smile after they took their speaking test
                              
When I passed the Japanese Driver's Test on the first try




And those are some of the highlights from 2012! <3 
                                                                      


Friday, January 18, 2013

Happy 2013!

A lil late, but Happy New Year everyone! I hope your holidays were joyful and your New Years celebrations full of kisses!

I don't have any solid New Years resolutions. I'm continuing what I always do, exercising daily, eating healthy, working hard, the same ol stuff. I've spoken about various things I'd like to work on personally with some friends, but other than that nothing special. However, there are things in 2013 that I'd like to accomplish:

-GRE

-TEFL certification

-Graduate school applications


Serious stuff, huh? Yeah, well 2012 was just all around fun and then one day it hit me, "Oh, I gotta figure out what I wanna do!" I love Japan, but I don't want to live here forever.

And I'm in the middle of changing the blog!! Notice the new background? New pages? I'm still tinkering with pages and I welcome your suggestions!!



Well, Happy 2013!


<3


Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Winter is Here. -___-






My friends. Winter is here. Now it's time to do all the ridiculous things to keep warm in Japan. For those who don't know, the kotatsu is a heated table. A blanket is put over a special plate thing( to keep from burning, I suppose), then a tabletop goes over the blanket, and the best part...you snuggle up with the blanket and put your feet under the table. It's a Christmas miracle! Now it's time eat all the mikans and drink all the tea!!!!   Happy Winter, everyone!! Stay warm!