Nihongo ga dekimasu ka?

Myself and Tim collecting our certificates for Japanese course.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

My Christmas Tree!

クリスマス　おめでとございます

As I will not be around from Christmas Eve (I am heading to Malaysia and Singapore) I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Thanks for all your help and support this year.

Enjoy the Christmas break

マーク

Some pictures of my schools bonenkai party...

I cant believe they got me doing this!!

But it was a lot of fun... I seemed to be the centre piece

With a great meal of sushi, nabe, crab etc etc

Dopey foreigner in Japan..

At the weekend I went to Hiroshima. I decided to get Shinkansen (bullet train) there and back because despite the cost, it's so much quicker and a lot more comfortable. From my house it would normally take around 4 hours on the slow train with 2 or 3 changes. Compare this to 1 hour on Shinkansen and it's easy to justify the extra expense. The experience of taking shinkansen is also worth paying extra for now and again.

Having had a great weekend I was on my way home when I got a message on my phone to say that I'd left the keys to my apartment in Hiroshima. I was half way home on the train. I jumped off at the next station (Tokuyama) at 11pm. Having spent 10 mins pleading with the station guard to give me a refund for the half of my ticket I hadn't used (to no avail) I consequently missed the last train back to Hiroshima and was stranded in Tokuyama for the night until the first train out in the morning. My initial intention was to sit at the station and wait, but firstly the station closed and I was ushered out and secondly it was so cold my hands were turning blue. I weighed up my options... I asked a taxi driver how much to Hiroshima. I was expecting it to b a lot, but not quite ￡150! That wasnt an option. The nearest hotel was a 10 minute walk. So to cut the story short, I stayed in the hotel, got shinkansen back to Hiroshima, picked up the keys and got shinkansen back home. The whole experience cost me around around ￡100.

Today, not a happy bunny as I arrive back to school 30mins late having apologised profusely to my sympathetic boss, who then says I have no lessons all day because it's exam week.

Visit to Nagasaki 長崎

It's been a while since I last got round to posting on here.... SORRY Oka san!!

Some pictures of a recent visit to Nagasaki with my friends Teresa san and Fukuii san.

At the peace park...

We then went to the city museum and watched a traditional Japanese play... even with the English translation via Niaomi it was pretty emotional... those are real tears!!

I'm sure I saw the guy to my right on TV last week...

Apologies - not very interesting pictures. It was a cold and wet day!

If you think students and teachers have a tough time in England...

Since lots of people have asked me what school life is like in Japan, I thought I'd add a section on the things I have found most interesting so far. If you thought life as a student or teacher in the UK was tough, then read on...

1. Students clean their own schools - everyday they have cleaning time. They even have to clean the staffroom. (This is not allowed during test time though!) This accounts for why most schools aren't particularly clean - despite the best efforts of the students and teachers. Whilst some students are surprisingly willing, others wipe the same spot on the window for as long as they can get away with before being told to move on!
2. Most students attend after school clubs 5 days a week and at weekends - activities are hardcore and competitive with many competitions and tournaments. The level of commitment and dedication by Japanese students is impressive. On a very rare occasion after an all night party last weekend I saw a group of students at 6am on a Sunday morning at my local station in school uniform. This is not an uncommon sight.
3. It's not uncommon for students to travel an hour + to school. One of my students travels 3 hours each way AND stays for after school club. Whilst officially clubs are not compulsory, it generally isnt the done thing not to attend at least one activity or club. I'm led to believe that at least 90% of students attend clubs. The most popular clubs are baseball, tennis, table tennis, kendo, judo and English club.
4. It's normal for students to sleep in class at their desks. Some teachers allow this, others have a more hard line approach of poking and prodding anyone who dares to slump on the desk. After my initial shock at this, I now understand and appreciate why. I even found one girl knitting under the desk today - she was paying attention so I just smiled and carried on! An ALT friend caught a girl shaving her arms in class!
5. One of the schools I attend has an Asahi Beer and Cigarette vending machine about 2 mins walk from the school gates!! (You have to be 21 to drink and 18 to smoke in Japan)
6. School uniform is strictly enforced at most schools up until the age of 18. It's fashionable right now for the boys to wear their trousers ten sizes too big half way down their boxer shorts and a thick heavy silver studded belt. The mini skirt or just a belt seems to be back in fashion for the girls!
7. It's not uncommon for students to pass out in assembly - myself and my ALT friends have witnessed this on several occassions.
8. Students bow in front of teachers before beginning and ending every lesson. Teachers bow in front of the principal every day before the daily staff meeting. Teachers also bow with students. I just bow to everyone now!
9. It's not uncommon to find teachers asleep at their desks! Some schools even have rest rooms with futons. I've yet to try this, despite being told that I was welcome to this morning!
10. You rarely see students in casual clothes, since even at the weekends they still attend school. 11. I have been told that elementary school children as young as 2 and 3 are taught to bow using a set square to get the perfect 90 degree angle! I'm not entirely sure I believe this, but nothing surprises me!
12. An ALT friend who teaches at elementary also told me children as young as 2 are expected to participate in school sports day despite the fact they were still crawling!!!
13. School teachers work incredibly long hours not only planning and delivering lessons, but also running after school clubs, homeroom and activies - even on weekends. Whilst officially teachers have 30-40 days a year holiday, it's not uncommon for them to take just a few days. I have even heard of teachers sleeping overnight at school! I have been at school after 6pm and many of the teachers are still at their desks. Overtime rate doesnt exist in Japan and there is a genuine word in Japanese which means death by overworking - it's not a joke.
14. If teachers are ill - it is generally expected that any days off school will be taken as 'nenkyu' (annual holiday). Unless you are on your deathbed you are fit to work!!!
15. It is generally expected that if teachers go on holiday or have a business trip they will bring back 'omiage' (normally gifts of sweets, biscuits or food items) for their colleagues. This is generally regarded as a way of saying 'I'm sorry I had a day off'!! I have not had a day yet where I have not been given omiage - sometimes 4 or 5 times a day from teachers that I have never spoken to.
16. Students and teachers change their regular shoes for slippers at the entrance to the school. Some schools also have different toilet slippers which you are expected to wear on entering the bathroom.... have I ever forgotten or not bothered when there is noone around?? ... errrr course not!!! I havent worn the toilet slippers to class yet though!!
17. There are no hand driers at school - or in most public places come to that. You are expected to carry around a hand cloth with you. I always forget this, much to my annoyance! It's also not uncommon to find no soap which makes me really mad!
18. Apart from some of the newer schools, most schools have squat toilets for students... I will refrain from commenting on the experience!!
19. I was surprised to learn that most schools dont have showers. When students finish sports they quickly change and go to the next lesson, hence why some classrooms humm a bit! I only found this out because one day I decided to join the sports teacher in his free period for a game of tennis. After the game in the hot summer heat I asked where the shower was as I was sweaty. The teacher took me to a room where the cleaner was. I waited for about 15 minutes before he came back. I was told that in the cleaning room there used to be a shower, but it didnt have hot water so no students used it. They called it a shower, but it was a bucket and a pipe in the corner! My teacher was very apologetic. I thought to myself maybe this is just a one off, but when I relayed the story to ALT friends I found out that this is the norm.

Ube Festival

The Ube Festival is massive and is a lot of fun. The street parades were great with fantastic costumes and dancing from many local groups.

Teresa and Oka san didnt think I'd get up in time, but I made it out of bed!
Speidel san and Oka san (now suffering from blisters!)

I'm not sure if this guy was meant to be in the festival or if he was just hungover from the night before, but I liked his style.... Maybe his inspiration came from a Friday night out in a university town in the UK?

The dragon parade was also cool...

This is just one group of dancers - there were literally 100's...

Kirara Beach きらら浜

This beach is beautiful and is just 20 minutes drive from my house. There is onsen (hot springs) on the beach where you can sit in the hot natural spring baths and watch the sunset!

The beach is lined with palm trees. It's hard to believe it's November. The water was really warm.

I cant go anywhere without bumping into people I know.... Normally it's students!

When I can afford it I will eat this restaurant that looks amazing..

For now I have to make do with the small coffee shop next door. The atmosphere is great. The coffee beans are ground in front of you and the selection of cakes and ice deserts is impressive.

Friendly staff too!

Best Karaoke Moments

Hugh and Enzo in Tokyo... This was my best night of karaoke in Japan - these guys are great fun. I love the impromptu look at each other in the middle... Class!!



Baggins sings from his heart..... After this song he knocked over the beer that had just been served! I love the way he bops to the beat!

Onoda Festival 小野田

This was really good fun and the weather was perfect.

The mochi* throwing ceremony at the end. I havent a clue why this is done, but it's very amusing and a lot of fun. Basically a ton of these small sweets are thrown at the crowd and the idea is to bag as many as you can. I couldnt believe how competive this was. Old ladies push and fight their way to the front and snatch any mochi you had out of your hands!! I managed to catch just one before giving up. At this festival there was over 800 kilos of mochi thrown into the crowd. This is a dangerous sport... trust me - if you get hit on the head by a flying mochi it hurts!! Its like throwing small rocks... Crazy Japanese people!!!

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* Mochi are small rice cake sweets - usually filled with bean paste. They are normally soft and doughy but taste really good.

さんねんねたろう

There is a great story behind this character. His name is Sannen Netarou. The story goes something like this:

Sannen Netarou is said to have slept for 3 years and many people considered him to be very lazy. When he awoke from his sleep he travelled to Nagato northern Japan to buy straw sandals for all the workers in the gold mines. On his return he gave the sandals to all the workers in exchange for their old shoes. From these old shoes Sannen Netarou extracted gold particles and suddenly became very rich. With his new found wealth Sannen Netarou invested in the local area and became a legendary character. He is now the official mascot of Sanyo Onoda City.

Special thanks to Koezuka Sensei for relaying the story to me.

Ejio Park 公園

This beautiful park is 30 minutes bike ride from my apartment. Unfortunately buses are infrequent... roll on getting a car! These pictures were taken at dusk. The water was so still. Occasionally you could see big fish jumping out of the water.

This is my favourite place to relax locally. In the summer you can hire boats and row on the lake. There is also free bike hire.

It's so peaceful to sit by the river with a book.

This huge suspension bridge is in the middle of the park.

Like most public parks in Japan, the lake is teeming with koi carp....

The People's Page...

Mr Hori Sensei... Mine's another sake!

Heeeeyyyyyy Marrrrk! She makes the best pancakes and invented flushtones... (we all love her)

Bretto dude...

She's more Japanese than your average Japanese person... in fact in her previous life she was Japanese...

Crazy Brit girl Jen...

And sensible Brit guy Matt Baggins II

He can sing a great version of Seasame Street with a French accent.... Christoph


Closet Coldplay fan... Tokyo Tim

My great friends at Onoda Kougyou (Matsuda Sensei and Hiromi Sensei)

Vorsprung durch teknik...

My new car...

That's one sexy mean machine!! Unfortunately I have to wait until the end of November to collect it as the current owner is moving to China.... Damm :(

Nerdy facts:

0 to 60 mph: 4 minutes
Top speed: Not quick enough to outrun the Japanese Police
Model: Sabaru Impretza scaled down roadworthy version called the 'Vivivio' (something like that - even Japanese people havent heard of it)
Gaijin pulling power: 6/10 (this is no ordinary box shaped compact Japanese car - look at that sleek sexiness!)
Gaijin bargaining power to buy the car: 9.5/10 (£250 discount through my good looks and British cheekiness)
Primary concerns: Why was it so cheap? and why is the owner fleeing the country?
Things you might find on the back seat: A screwed up Chinese restaurant menu, another Chinese person trying to get back to China!
Fluffy dice or nodding dog: Nodding dog

Live Fish Meal...

To the untrained eye this looks like a nicely presented fish on a plate in a restaurant. Well, you'd almost be right, except this fish (we'll call him Berty for the sake of this entry) came to a short end just before ending up on my plate. Well, that isn't strictly true because Berty was still alive and kicking on my plate! Unfortunately I lost the movie file that I took on my phone, but trust me, his head was still flipping... Having done my best to eat what I could, picking with my chopsticks, I looked down and noticed a tiny heart beating in the soy sauce. I guess this was like an acid bath ending for the poor guy (SORRY!). It was still warm too ... RIP Bert. Do I like sashimi? The fresher the better :)



Not content with eating live fish, crazy Japanese people then enjoy the carcass remains deep fried which is quickly bought back to you... Time to leave said restaurant methinks. The acquarium sized fish tanks on the way in should have started alarm bells ringing! I kid you not this really happened.

I will add this to my list of crazy food to try in Japan including: raw horse meat (expensive and overated), whole deep fried miniture crabs (yes shells and all - very tasty), nattou (small globulous brown sticky beans that smell like pooh and taste like earwax), fish guts (rank smell, rank taste), Whale (sorry if this is controversial, but man it tastes good if not highly priced).

Yamaguchi Kencho

It's so hard being an ALT. You have to visit kencho in Yamaguchi every so often.

As long as they are willing to keep paying me to go to conferences, I will attend.

A Day Out in Shimonoseki

Followed by a visit to the awesome Kaikyo Yume Tower...

Unfortunately it was difficult to get pictures from the top, but the views were stunning, looking across to Kyushu and back across at Yamaguchi. The windows badly need a clean!

Nerdy facts:

The spherical glass-covered observatory at the apex is the first of its kind in the world.

The diameter of the tower's sphere is 21m

8,700 sheets of glass were used in the construction of the tower (I wonder how many of those got broken in the process?)

The tower has 611 lights

The transparent elevator travels at 120m/min

And a lost in translation moment on the way back... We think this was supposed to read 'food halls' judging by what was inside.

Akiyoshidai Caves 秋吉台

After just 5 hours sleep (another late night karaoke session!) I was picked up by my fellow teachers Junko sensei and Yukie sensei. We drove across town to Kaoru sensei's house. Kaoru sensei teaches history at one of my schools, her English is very good. There I met her 2 children Daichi and Mau. Daichi is a hyperactive 5 year old boy who was very excited to see me. He was eager to show me his pet beetle and some other insects that he collects in boxes left by the front door. By the time he'd finished chasing them around the floor and picking them up, they appeared to be dead or missing several limbs!

Mau (7) was also excited to see me. As soon as I arrived she practiced her perfect English.... It was far better than my level of Japanese and this kid teaches herself??!! I was amazed at her perfect pronouciation. They couldnt wait to show me around their house and play with me.

After coffee and cakes we left for Akiyoshidai - a mountain town famous for it's limestone caves - (the biggest in Japan). An hour later we arrived..

My new friends Daichi and Mau...

My fellow English teachers Junko sensei and Yukie sensei