Another quiet night in Iwaki...

Sorry I haven't posted a blog since training but the past three weeks have been exhausting!!! Training in Okayama was a great experience, we all got along great, and our trainers were the coolest. Even though we were only in Okayama city for a week I got really comfortable, and actually started to remember what was where, and how to navigate through east and west Okayama. Just as we started getting comfortable, it was over and we had to pack our bags and say our goodbyes as we headed off to our cities. Even though it's only been two weeks since we were all together I feel like it's been a lot longer. I will miss going to Joypolis with them. Joypolis is like this building where there is a big Sega arcade, Sega karaoke studio, Sega bowling alley, huge 100 yen store, and good restaurants (pizza and crepes yum) all in one!! Here are some pictures from training:












The total commute from Okayama to Iwaki station was about 6.5 hours. Took the shinkansen from Okayama to Tokyo (ueno) 4 hours, then I got on the Super Hitachi from Ueno to Iwaki. I was met by Jessica and Chris (the other Native English teachers)...We went straight to my apartment which is about a 10 minute walk from the station. I was pleasantly surprised to find a pretty big space with everything I needed already provided. All of the Japanese teachers were waiting in my room to meet me, I was all gross and sweaty haha. They are all so nice. Here are some pictures of my apartment:








I spent the first week at work shadowing Jessica because I was taking over all of her classes. I teach 32 classes a week, my youngest student is 1 and a half, and I have a few parents classes so I teach mom's that are in their 30s...quite a range! It was really overwhelming trying to remember names, and remembering where all the materials belonged...Trying to figure out the Japanese computer-clocking in and out, logging student absences, etc. Jessica was awesome in training me. She broke everything down for me and gave me notes on EVERY student, and sent me pictures with their names so I could practice at home. Her last day was sad...a lot of her students were sad, one cried. I was sad because it hit me that I wouldn't have her there the next week. Saturday all of the teachers went to dinner at "Potato House" the food was so good!




Jessica left for tokyo on sunday, and returned to north carolina on wednesday...yet another goodbye. I was looking forward to having a weekend where I didn't have to say farewell. That weekend Chris and I took our bicycles and biked around Iwaki for 3 hours!! I haven't rode a bike in YEARS. I was a bit shaky but at least I didn't get hit :) hahaha...I got membership at this place called Book Ace where you can rent American DVDs and CDs and it's only 100 yen per rental. Pretty awesome!




We also went to Toys R Us and Baskin Robbins. It was a good day, but my butt was sore when I got home haha. Iwaki is very country...a lot of trees and bridges. At night, it's sooooo quiet. A lot like Papaiko actually. It's very relaxing but there isn't a lot to do so Chris said that he tries to travel on the weekends as much as he can. Next weekend is a 3 day weekend for us! Hopefully we are all going to head to Tokyo for the weekend and then on monday I get to go to the Jake Shimabukuro concert! I'm so excited hahahaha.

My first week on my own as a teacher went better than I expected but I feel like I don't have any time to myself. I wake up early to work on lesson plans, then I'm at work for 9 hours, then I come home and work on the next day's plans...the other teachers said that it will get easier and it's normal for the first couple months or so to feel this way. So I guess if this is the worst of it then it's not that bad. Here are a few pictures of my students...I have 32 classes with like almost 90 students altogether so this is just a few of them.




I thought I uploaded more but I guess I didn't...the first one is a couple from my baby class. They are sooo cute!! The second picture is my last class of the week on Saturday nights, they are junior high students. I look forward to this class and it's a good way to end because these girls are so funny! I'll post more pictures of students later...trust me!

Well that's about everything that has been going on. I get to see Jake in a week! I'm looking forward to it not only because it's him, but also because I get to see someone who is from Hawaii and who is a familiar face. I talk to Christine T. at least a couple times a week, but she's all the way in Kyushu... :( if she was any closer I would've gone to visit her already.

Well take care and I miss everyone at home!
Love,
Andie