Hey everyone, this post may be a bit overdue, but here it is anyway. I am officially moving out of my place in Iizuka on Monday, March 31st, and moving to a bigger city, Kitakyushu, about an hour and 15 minutes from here by train. I am still working for the same company, One World Language Services (OWLS Co., Ltd), just relocating. The contract I signed last week says I will be working in Japan from April 1st 2009 for a full year. I am excited about my new position and moving to a new place. I should be able to post my new, correct address shortly. If you are kind enough to send me mail please don't send it to my old address and wait for me to post the new one. I should have it posted in the next week or so.
Overall, it was a bit stressful securing a job for this upcoming school year (which begins in April). Since January, I was telling my bosses that I would prefer to move to a high school position, but that the bottom line for me was to simply have a job. I wasn't actually given a job guarantee until a couple weeks ago. So, having had no job guarantee for a few months in between, with a heavy understanding that without a job I would be sent packing, I started looking for work elsewhere. I applied for other ALT jobs in and around Tokyo, hoping to land closer to my relatives. However, I didn't get a position up there and was left with whatever my company had to offer. Lucky for me, what they offered was something relatively good.
This new job will be at two junior high schools in Kitakyushu. I just finished up 7 months of work at 4 different junior high schools in a greatly smaller, more rural place. I am happy to be working at only two schools, and from what I've heard, they are decent places to work with nice teachers and not so bad students. I am also happy to be living in a bigger city, with more nightlife and an easier time connecting with other people my age. One of the hardest things about living in Iizuka for me was not necessarily having a lack of things to do, but rather the lack of a network of young people to meet and get to know. I was lucky to be living in an apartment complex with two other ALT's. Without that, having had no other prior connection to this area I am positive my life here for the past 7 months would have been a lot more difficult.
In Kitakyushu it should be easier to connect with other ALT's, and there will be plenty of things to do in a city of about a million people. I will be able to enjoy live music and movies, a wide food selection and less staredowns from the locals. I'm not too excited about all the ugly smokestacks in the city, and I'm certain I'll miss the quietness of Iizuka before long. In any case, I hope my next transition goes smoothly and rest of the particulars of my new life in Kitakyushu turn out ok. I'll be having to deal with them for a year...
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
A Few Pictures of Winter
The day after tomorrow, March 20th, is Vernal Equinox Day, a national holiday in Japan. I have to mention that the weather has been very 'springlike' and unbelievably great the past few days. It's been warm but not hot nor humid, with no mosquitoes buzzing around, and plenty of light outside lasting well into the evening. The trees are budding and we should be able to see the famous cherry blossoms (sakura) in full bloom shortly. I am excited to experience spring over here, especially if the weather continues to be how it's been lately.
Having grown up in Oregon I consider myself more or less acclimatized to what many Japanese people around here consider 'cold weather.' Though the students tend to be better (not having a heated teachers' room to hang out in all day) , I've seen quite a few Japanese teachers shuffling around in the non-heated school hallways, rubbing their arms and saying 'samui' (I'm cold) when I thought it was merely 'a cool temp.' But, I also remember quite a few times waking up chilly in the early mornings and having a few cold bike rides to school. I think the first couple of pictures will speak to the coldness of the mornings during the past couple months.
These are just a few random pictures I took this past winter.
On the way to Ni-Chuu in the morning.
The other side of the road.
Last month I saw Elizabeth in Seoul, and she took me to a Shamanist temple on the outskirts of the city. This picture is from halfway up the path to the temple. It was a very clear day.
From the top of the climb, above the Shamanist ritual grounds, looking into Seoul.
[Myeong-dong], a huge shopping area in Seoul.
A sign near my place in Iizuka.
Having grown up in Oregon I consider myself more or less acclimatized to what many Japanese people around here consider 'cold weather.' Though the students tend to be better (not having a heated teachers' room to hang out in all day) , I've seen quite a few Japanese teachers shuffling around in the non-heated school hallways, rubbing their arms and saying 'samui' (I'm cold) when I thought it was merely 'a cool temp.' But, I also remember quite a few times waking up chilly in the early mornings and having a few cold bike rides to school. I think the first couple of pictures will speak to the coldness of the mornings during the past couple months.
These are just a few random pictures I took this past winter.
On the way to Ni-Chuu in the morning.
The other side of the road.
Last month I saw Elizabeth in Seoul, and she took me to a Shamanist temple on the outskirts of the city. This picture is from halfway up the path to the temple. It was a very clear day.
From the top of the climb, above the Shamanist ritual grounds, looking into Seoul.
[Myeong-dong], a huge shopping area in Seoul.
A sign near my place in Iizuka.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Sea Turtles
These are pictures I drew for ichi nensei (7th graders) for my last week at Shonai Chuu. This is an appendage to a lesson the students are learning in their textbooks. One class, known for their enthusiasm, or genki-ness, would ask 'Really?' after I read each card. 'Yes,' I said every time.
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