And sometimes, one needs rest

So amidst teaching and my activities and hanging out with my Iki folks, I’ve found myself with perhaps only one or two days of total “down time” with just myself.  After nearly six months of lethargy, I figured this would be a good thing.  Well, I guess after a summer of doing nearly nothing, I’d forgotten what “busy” meant.  

Here’s my current schedule, monday through sunday:

Monday: 8-5 school (Muchuu, three classes), 5-7 check e-mail, eat dinner, write if possible, (on some Mondays, though, like today, I help with Etsuko’s adult English class, so then from 7:30-8:30 I’m there, and from 8:30-10 I practice Fan Dancing), 7-9 Fan Dancing, 9-11 plan lessons for the next day if I haven’t done so, if I have, rest after Fan Dancing

Tuesday: 8-5 school (Hatsuyama, 1-3 classes), 5-7 check e-mail, 7-8 Flamenco Dancing, 8-11 write, plan lessons, hang out with the friends

Wednesday: 8-5 school (Muchuu, 5 classes), 5-7 at onsen with Christine, 8-9 dinner with Christine, 9-11 plan lessons, check e-mail, all that jazz

Thursday 8-5 school (Naka, 3 classes), 5-7 check e-mail and write..  maybe, 7-9 Fan Dancing practice for an hour, followed by Taiko drumming, 9-10 eat Ramen with the Iki ALTs, 10-11 play around on the computer

Friday 8-1:30 school (Elementary, 3-4 classes), 1:30-7 play around on the computer, make cookies, clean my house (on some Fridays, though, like the one coming up, I have the adult English Club from 2:30-4), 7-12 Curry and fun time with the Iki ALTs

Saturday and Sunday are usually my K@-does-nothing days, but lately I’ve 1) gone to snack bars (like bars… but with girls who serve you and charge you exorbitant prices for the privilege, but really, it’s fun), 2) made dinner or lunch for my friends, 3) made lots and lots of cookies, 3) eaten dinner or lunch with my friends, 4) cleaned my house very thoroughly, 5) gone to Fukuoka for shopping and the like.

Really, it’s much busier than it seems.  Especially because I spend at least an hour planning my lessons usually.  

But today I’ve had a pretty poor stomachache the whole day.  It feels a bit better now, but I think I’m going to use it as an excuse to not practice Fan Dancing (though I should).  I’ve forgotten a lot–it’s so difficult, and I get nothing of the second half… well, OK, I maybe remember a third of the second half, but really, overall it’s still a disaster.  

I will have to go to the adult English class, though, as on Saturday a class of Canadian High Schoolers are coming to Iki to… be on Iki? and a few of the ladies in the English class are hosting them.  Their English isn’t too good, so I need to help them practice things to say and the like.

I want to share some of the most excellent lessons that I’ve planned for my third years, but I’ve been feeling too lazy to edit the photos.  Suffice to say that I’m a genius.  

What sort of things have you felt you need rest from lately?

 

Dansu-dansu!

How about an update on the fun-good-times in my life?

Well, as you may or may not realize, I’m learning both Taiko Drumming and Flamenco Dancing.  I do Taiko on Thursdays and Flamenco on Tuesdays.  They’re both wonderful, tons of  fun, a good workout, and really interesting and challenging.

This last Thursday, one of the Japanese ladies in my Taiko group approached me and said, “You want to learn Japanese Fan Dancing?” I responded, “Oh, sure, why not?  Could be interesting.”  I figured she’d tell me where to take the classes, I’d start several weeks later.

Oh no.

We rushed to the other side of Bunka Hall–the place where we practice Taiko–to the tatami room.  Shuffled past the surprised students (who are also my English students, I gave them a sheepish wave and grin), bowed to Graceful-sensei, and like magic I had agreed to meet her the following Monday (also known as today).

Well, okay.

A little shocked by the suddenness but not particularly concerned, I have excessive amounts of free time, I found my way to Graceful-sensei’s family restaurant and practiced for an hour and a half.  I figured it’d be like Flamenco, learn a teensy tiny bit at a time, still be overwhelmed, and have to work my butt off to catch up.  Well, the latter two were definitely true.

Turns out Graceful-sensei wants me to perform with the rest of her students at the High School Graduation.  In the middle of March.  Two weeks away.

Graceful-sensei say WHAT?!

Not sure how that’s going to turn out but… anyway, she taught me the “number one” movements, perhaps the first two minutes of the dance.  It whirled around me with so much feet adjustment and hand hiding and general confusion.  I honestly barely remember what I was doing, but I can follow pretty easily so I think she believed I understood more than I really did.  She also speaks no English, so sometimes she gave me instructions in Japanese and I just crossed my fingers that I did it right.  I also have a number of problems:

1. In Flamenco, your elbows are supposed to just away from your body.
   

   Flamenco--bold and bodacious.

   This is because the silhouette is incredibly important.  Movements are big and dramatic.  

2. Yeah, it’s the complete opposite in Fan Dancing.
3. Elbows in, keep your knees bent so you look more demure.
4. I also discovered why Tomoko always walked like a duck.  It’s because, traditionally, that’s just how Japanese women walk!  Tiny, slow steps, toes facing inward, apparently very beautiful.  And it does look great, when Graceful-sensei does it.
5. I look like a lumbering rhino.
6. Though, if you remember from my time at the Kumamoto zoo, rhinos can dance, too. 
7. And I’m too tall.  Did I mention that?  That whole knees bent thing…
   

   Fan Dancing - Soft and Serene.

    who boy, I have to bend my knees twice as much as Graceful-sensei.

8. But it’s a good workout, and I might get the hang of it.  It’s beautiful, really, so I want to keep trying. 
9. I will ganbarimasu.
10. But I don’t think I’ll get it by High School graduation.

So we practiced this “number one” about a dozen times.  I have a rough idea of what’s supposed to be happening in my head.  I’ll practice some more before Taiko–maybe record the whole business on my camera so I can try at home, too.  And then once more on Sunday I go back.

When we finished, I walked back down to the family restaurant, accepted a cup of tea and was preparing to go when…

…when Graceful-sensei introduced me to the men of the family.  (Please note, the entire conversation below was actually conducted in Japanese.  Whatever I’m writing could be very wrong to what was actually said.  And also, my Japanese grammar is terrible when I speak.)

“Oh, please join us!  Sit!” says a friendly looking old man, pointing at the cushion next to him.

“Yes, have some sake!” says another gentleman, this one with glasses, happily throwing back straight Shochu–Japanese whiskey.

I shake my head emphatically.  Graceful-sensei agrees, “She has to drive!”

Lots of “Oh, right, no problem” round the table, and then they invite me to tea.  I feel like it would be churlish to say no–they’re so nice, and Graceful-sensei is teaching me (as far as I know) for free, so I sit, figuring it won’t take more than fifteen minutes for me to drink my tea, make my excuses, and go home to work.

Hah, right.

Hilarity ensues as we try to communicate between their (slightly) drunken Japanese and my (very terrible) Japanese.  I get invited to karaoke.  Refuse (that whole lesson thing… work thing… you know).  They ask me what kinds of foods and drinks I like.  I explain.  We somehow get on the topic of swimming in bath tubs.  I eventually learn all their names.  Insert moment where they mispronounce “Kat” several times and the youngest child, an adorable third-year student at one of my elementary schools, says “Kat-to!!!”

In the end, I’m glad I stayed, even if I do smell like smoke (did I mention Japanese men smoke like chimneys?) and I have yet to plan my lessons for tomorrow and it’s almost 10:00.  I’ll be seeing them again next week, so I might as well try to be friendly.  And they’re really funny.  It’s nice to get to know more Japanese folks–even if, being as I live on Iki, none of them are my age.

I’m not sure if this rambling makes any sense, but here’s the bottom line: I have a lot less free time, but some silly Old Japanese friends to keep me company.

Anything unexpected happen in your lives lately?

 

Computer Down!

Well, you may have wondered what kept me from updating the past two weeks… or maybe not.  But in any case, I no longer have a working computer at home.  (In fact, I’m currently writing this as steathily as possible while at work.)  That is going to keep me from updating as consistently, and will also prevent me from finishing Kat’s (not-so) Epic Christmas/New Years 2008 (and technically 2009) Trip (of Wonderfulness).  Well, until I get my new computer next month, that is.

A quick update on my life, then:

• The flu has hit Iki.  We’ve got teachers down, students down, probably even cows down.  This is not helped by the poor insulation and heating inside of buildings, nor continued exercise outside.
• Felt like I was going to freeze to death on Friday.  I actually left my heater on all night–a first time this winter.  The temperature inside my house hit 8 degrees celcius–outside, it was below freezing with wind. 
• Am celebrating Obama’s upcoming inauguration by mentioning it in every single one of my classes.  I’m also considering teaching a class on it, too, but we’ll see how that one goes.  It seems strange that it hasn’t happened yet, there’s been so much hype.  And hey, he’s already used his political capital to get the remaining TARP funds, so it’s almost like he’s President already, anyway.
• I attempted to teach my Second Years at Naka the Fifty Nifty United States song.  Failed, but it was an entertaining 30 minutes.  The main problem was not actually pronunciation, but instead getting them to understand the melody.  I wonder if I can find the sheet music online?
• Also taught my Third Years at Naka the game Mafia.  This went much better than anticipated, but really, it needs a full class period in order to work.  Even with an extensive translation explaining the game, it still took an extra 10 minutes of How-To before the students got what was going on.  Still, I loves it.  Will possibly try again.
• Hahaha, just read a bit of inauguration coverage: “two majestic American bald eagles were brought on stage to flap their wings and look … well, majestic.” (Good job USA Today.)
• Will be spending the longest amount of time exclusively on Iki yet… and I’m kind of loving it.  I’ll love it even more after we get paid on Wednesday and I can take to exploring with a bit more pizazz.

Ok, well, I think that’s good for now.  Any updates on your life?  How are you liking/feeling about the inauguration ceremonies?

 

“A Breath of Mountain’s Sunset”: Day Four of Kat’s (not quite) Epic Christmas/New Years 2008 (and technically 2009) Trip (of wonderfulness)

I set off on December 27th only slightly disconcerted, being as I wasn’t actually sure how to get to Aso.  (It’s actually quite easy: take the train from Kumamoto Station on the Hohi line.  You have to get off at the end of the local run and switch to the one about five feet from the other.  Took about two hours total (I waited around for a bit) but only cost me 900 yen.  Which was nice.)  I’d seen pictures of Aso all green and gorgeous in guidebooks and decided it was a place I’d like to go.  (Future information on the formation of Aso in the next blog.) 

Fun fact for the day: the size of Aso’s caldera is approximately the same size of Iki–which means you could pick it up and stick it inside of this former volcano.  That is, if you were big enough.  And/or strong enough.  Or had magical powers.

In any case, I arrived in Aso Town around noon-ish.  Like the hostel in Kumamoto-shi, the accomodations were a bit bare (and very, very cold!), but the Obaa-chan’s who run it were the nicest old ladies ever.  They handed me a map (in English) and sat me down to a long discourse about how to hike around the mountain, get the best pictures, get the best time for my money, etc.  And, due to extensive pointing and body language as well as the occasional use of an English word, I actually understood everything.  Sadly, I encountered (next-to) no snow, which was part of what I’d hoped for in coming during the winter.  Still, like the gorgeousness of the Arizona desert, it was beautiful in its barrenness. 

Also learned that the last time the most active of the four (?) volcanoes exploded was in 1989.  The Obaa-chan was nice enough to show me some ash she collected from it.

A trail surrounded by volcanic soil. It got all over my crocs. It came off like magic, though.

So after my How-to-Hike chat with the Obaa-chan, I took the bus up to the top of the mountain.  Being the anti-exertion type of person, I decided that while hiking down wouldn’t be the biggest deal, hiking up would not treat me very well (a very good assumption, I learned later).  The bus was very obliging and stopped at a nice picture taking spot–good for Kusasenri, near two volcanic lakes and one of the volcanos, as well as offering a place to buy some sulfur.  I know I always need some extra sulfur.  Then, once at the last stop, I grabbed some takoyaki (less on the tako–octopus–more on the breading) and a very nice broiled sweet potato and then made my way by cable car to the “Mouth of Fire” (this is what it’s called in Japanese), otherwise known as the actual active part of the volcano. 

LOTS of sulfur.

Had excellent clouds that day, too. This is the view of Kusasenri.

A South Korean man was nice enough to offer to take my picture for me, the only one which does not look like one of those MySpace one where you can either see the camera in the mirror or it is obvious that I used my own hand to take it...

At the top of the mountain, one is instantly bombarded with warnings.  Being as it is active, that means that sulfuric gases and other goodness is constantly billowing from the top.  As such, it’s not very good for folks with asthma, heart conditions, and other respiratory diseases, as a calm voice consistently reminded me in Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and English.  They also had highly entertaining Engrish signs and several more serious ones.  Depending on the whether, they might judge it too dangerous to ascend closer to the volcano and so shut down the cable car and the toll booth leading up.  I was lucky that on the day I arrived, not only were the clouds excellent, but little wind meant I was free to go where I would.

Just in case...

The above are cement “houses” at the top of the volcano.  They were built in case the volcano randomly decided to go off while either researchers (of which there were several) and tourists (of which there were over 100, even in the middle of winter) were enjoying the view.  I assume they’re not too concerned about molten hot lava, since the cement would let in lava very easily and probably do some meltage.  Instead, they probably wished to protect people from the ash until rescue services could come in.  But then, what do I know about volcanoes?

Before I post the money shot, I just want to emphasize how totally, utterly cool and beyond expectations the sight of the volcano was.  I’d seen some images online and was like, “Huh, that’s interesting,” but it’s so different in person.  First of all, you get a real idea of the size of the thing (four kilometer circumference) and the color is just so phenomenal.  If you ever get the chance, even if just for a few hours, I would really recommend you go.  Though I’ve decided two to three days is the best amount of time to enjoy all the goodness that Aso has to offer.  Keep in mind that I’m going back, too, it was that good.

But yeah. spectacular.

The Mouth of Fire.

I *think* this is Buddhist... but do not quote me on that. Or maybe it is to honor people who were affected by previous eruptions? I dunno...

At the top, I also noticed an interesting bit of Japanese Culture, for anyone who was wondering.  It has long been lamented by the straight female foreigners that while Living in Japan it is very difficult to find a Japanese Boyfriend.  The mythical Japanese Boyfriend is such because, as a whole (though there are certainly exceptions), Japanese people are prone to shyness and humbleness.  Most also don’t speak English.  And they tend to be short.  All of these supposed deficiencies make it very unlikely for a Foreign Girl to be approached–even if she speaks fluent Japanese.  If she approaches him, things may turn out fine, but then again, they find the Foreign Girls intimidating and so it may also come to nothing.  And I also hear that they’re not very, uh, considerate, which may not help the relationship last.

HOWEVER, on the other side of the coin, you always hear of the Foreign Man having no problem finding himself a Japanese Girlfriend of Infinite Sweet/Cuteness.  They may or may not be able to speak English (as a whole, Japanese women will be much more likely to speak English than their male counterparts).  However, often this does not matter as either a) the Foreign Man can speak Japanese or, b) they don’t do much talking.  I understand the preference for Foreign Men, I guess, because they look so different and are generally taller and more considerate, but the Foreign Men preference for Japanese Women is quite intriguing. 

Since I’m usually on a pretty secluded island, I haven’t seen much of the Japanese/Foreigner relationships, but at Aso this usual pattern was all too obvious.  Every time you saw an Asian (usually Japanese, though not always) with a Foreigner, the Japanese person was always a woman, while the Foreigner always a man.  NEVER the other way around. 

I perhaps found this more entertaining than I should.

And also a little depressing.

Anyway…

My next step in the journey was to travel up the trail seen above, just for general curiosity purposes. 

Note the sulfur. I bet they are making a big profit on those bags.

You can almost make out Aso Town in the misty distance.

Some clever person had put together this handmade volcano in the perfect angle.

I turned around before going too far–the volcanic soil kept eating at my crocs and getting them dirty, and really, I wanted to get more hiking done elsewhere, which didn’t end up happening–and made my way by foot back down this particular volcano.  After much wandering and confusion, I ended up back on the road heading toward Kusasenri (about a two kilometer walk) and along the way spotted something that made my heart beat with delight.

That is my ride. Oh yeah.

I’d been hearing the sounds of the chopper going on and off while I was up there and remembered a brief description in my guidebook back in America, “And, if you have the money and the inclination, you can view Aso from above.”  Well, I didn’t exactly have the money to spare but I did have the money and really, how can one pass up such an opportunity? 

Being as it’d gotten near the end of the day, I was the only one waiting, but they were nice enough to let me go by myself even though usually they only take two passengers!  It was 5000 yen (a little over 50 dollars) for only about three minutes, but seriously, it was exhilirating.  I would do it again in a heartbeat.  And I heard that somewhere else you can learn how to paraglide!  I will be doing that when I go again…

What you cannot see is my claps of excitement and happiness.

Aso by Air.

Didn’t get any good pictures of it, but the mouth of the volcano as well as misty mountains (you can see Shimabara from Aso!) in the distance from overhead was really far more breathtaking than I’d imagined.

Well, after my Helicopter Adventure, I walked back to Kusasenri, decided I didn’t have the time to go on the extra hike before the next bus arrived (in an hour–this was a very good decision on my part), hung out, and went back to the hostel for some Haruki Murakami reading and chatting with the other nice folks staying (a pair of Australians and a girl who lives in Amsterdam.  Later that night, a set of very nice Malaysian graduate students also joined us, but you’ll hear more about them in the next entry.)

So that is all–of Day Four.  Still have another day in Aso followed by my account of New Years in Fukuoka. 

I hope I gave you even a sliver of the true extent of Aso’s amazingness (random conjecturing on relationships aside).  When I go again, I think it’ll be even better.

Oh, and because I don’t think I’ve posted enough pictures of this portion of my adventure:

Kiss kiss!

 

What I do at work…

So, because my schools are so small, most of the time I have at least three hours to sit around and twiddle my thumbs.  Yesterday, Tomato-sensei told me that our Kocho-sensei (Principal) wanted me to make some visuals for an “English Board.”  I’ve done similar things for Halloween and Thanksgiving, but not for this school yet.  And when I do it… I kind of go all out.  I think it’s the combination of me being able to be creative and having lots of time on my hands.

This is the result:

I'm particularly happy with my KAWAIIIIII Santa.

Sorry about the quality.  I didn’t have my smaller camera with me, so I took it with my cell phone.

Please note the sweet hand-made wreath (idea came from mom, and then I had the students write in Japanese their “Christmas wishes” slash New Years Resolutions) and my attempt to explain to the kids that American people do not just celebrate Christmas.  I asked Tomato-sensei whether she’d ever heard of Kwanzaa or Hanukkah and her face went all blank-like.  Then I told my first year class that we don’t eat Christmas Cake in America, and they all fainted.  (Or rather, they did in the manga version of my time in Japan that I have in my head.)

If you can make out the red underline-squiggly things, that’s my attempt to translate some words so the students have a better chance of understanding the boards.

Sometimes I do actually teach at work.  I had an excellent lesson teaching “When” to my first years.  I made up a Harry Potter class schedule for first years, then a blank one.  Because this was at one of my small schools, four students were prefects–they had a copy of the actual schedule.  But the First Years had all lost theirs, and if they didn’t fill the whole thing out in 15 minutes, then they would all get detention from Professor Snape (me).  So the students had to ask, “When is Transfiguration?” or “When is Potions?”  Then the prefects would respond “Transfigurations is on Monday Morning,” etc.

However, I messed with their minds by adding two caveats: 1) the Slytherin Prefect would always lie about when the classes were.  The Ravenclaw prefect didn’t have to answer if he or she won Rock/Paper/Scissors because he/she had to “study.”  And 2) The students didn’t know which prefect was which.

Well, I found it really entertaining.

And then, when I’m not teaching, planning, or creating really involved English Boards, I write.  It actually goes pretty well. 

Excited for Thursday because I’ll be putting together a gingerbread house with my Naka kids. 

I only have four days of classes left before I go on Winter Break!  Which is really odd… And all of them will be about Christmas… I am so gonna be Christmas’d out by the time the Emperor’s Birthday rolls around.