The keyboard is my friend

Yesterday night, I lost something very important. Which usually is not such a big deal because if you lose something in Tokyo, you have a 95% chance of getting back. And, I seriously didn't just make that up... it's statistically true! But, what I lost, no one can give me back. I lost my voice! Ahhhhh! For those of you who know me, you know I'm quite the talker, so it looks like I overstepped my bounds this weekend recovering from a slight cold. I completely have no voice. Boo. So, at least I have this blog to be my voice.... not that I really have much of importance to say. ;)

Any news in my world you ask?! Well, I went on my first date with a Japanese boy, so that was exciting. However, he speaks fluent English and lived overseas, so maybe I really can't count him as a "Japanese" date, whatever that means. Nonetheless, it was very fun and maybe we'll hang out again, although I think we both just have friendship in mind. Maybe it's better that way. I'm not too sure I can allow myself to get too attached to this place... then however will I find my way back home?!

Strike it Rich

Yeah- Melissa, Grant and I tried our hand at pachinko, Japan's favorite "legal" gambling game. Men often vie for the best machines in a pachinko place so they show up at 10 in the morning and go until late at night. We, however, decided to play only 1,000 yen, about 10 bucks. And sad to say, but we lost it all. In about 3 minutes.... maybe less. The game starts by of course, inserting your money into one of the themed pachinko machines (ours was Indiana Jones). Then you push start and little bb sized metal balls come streaming from the top of the machine, the object of the game being to get the balls into a small hole in the center. For all you "The Price is Right" fans, it's just like Plinko, but with teeny lil balls. Anyway, needless to say, we did not strike it rich, but it was a cultural experience nonetheless. I think I still prefer Vegas. At least you get free alcohol while you blow your cash!

Reunited and It Feels So Good....

Best friends are great. And to have mine in Tokyo was a de-lite. Here's the update...

DAY 1

Wednesday night we went to see a local baseball game. The Lions game was sweet- we won the game AND we got cool balloons to release during the Japanese version of the 7th inning stretch. They sing their team's anthem and then at the end of the song let the balloons go which creates the most deafening, horrificly amusing sound. It was fun.



Here's Melissa and Grant at the game, loving their first full day in Japan.



Then you got me and Aiko, my Japanese counterpart and translator/interpreter of all weird Japanese things.



Put all of us together and what do you get? Internationalization at it's finest. Well done, JET progam, well done.

DAY 2

I surprised Melissa and Grant and took them to Tokyo Disneyland. I was already going with my school's students on their day trip so I figured I'd bring the two gaijin around to have some fun. Turned out the weather was not so agreeable but it actually worked in our best interest... NO ONE was at the park. In only half the day we had ridden on every single ride and some we went on twice. It had rained that morning but an hour into our trip the rain had stopped and we had the park to ourselves. It was all the best of Disneyland without the insanity of waiting in hours and hours of lines to see Mickey for 0.2 seconds.



So here are Lis and I with one of the Tweedle Brothers... I'm not sure if it's Dee or Dum, but more importantly does anyone else think that Melissa's hand is a little too low?!? ;)



And, here are Grant, Melissa and I posing with some of my students at Disneyland. My students met Melissa and Grant the previous day when they observed my class and the kids FREAKED to see the massively tall foreigners with crazy hair. They were total superstars in Nihon. Darn my half-blood, I just blend in.

Anway.... there's so much more to tell. Tomorrow Melissa and Grant leave and I will be so very sad but I will post more blogs so I can remember all the bizarreness of this week.

Back in the Game

It's been a while since I've updated. I haven't been at school enough to be bored to write.... funny I have to be at work to update my blog. Recently I have quite a few adventures. For right now, my best friend Melissa and her boyfriend Grant are visiting Tokyo. It has been SO much fun visiting the sights and seeing everything although I never realized how exhausting sight seeing can be! And, there are tons and tons of places I haven't even seen yet in Tokyo so it's been a challenge trying to show these two around. Plus, factor in my Japanese incapabilities and it can be a rough day. But, so much fun, nonetheless. I will for sure post up some pics soon... just sit tight and when I get a quick second I will drop my loyal readers (all what, five of you?!?) a new update.