Today was so fun! Megan and I met some of our students, Shiho, Sachi, and Ken, at Kishiwada station then walked over to the Bayside Mall. While we were waiting for Hoku, Hiroto, and Ayaka we walked around a little bit. There was this place on the second floor where you could write down your name on a piece of paper then tie it to a bamboo plant. It is a tradition for the Tanabata Festival. It's going to be coming up soon in July. So Sachi, Shiho, Ken, and I all wrote down a wish we had and tied it to a bamboo.
When everyone else arrived we went and ate at Lotteria, one of the few American style burger places in Japan. I got a tandoori chicken sandwich that was super delicious and spicy (you usually don't find spicy food in Japan). After we ate we went back to the station where we met up with Meg then walked to a nearby karaoke place. Before starting karaoke we all took some purikura (purikura is like a photo booth but a hundred times better!). Karaoke is super fun because they have karaoke boxes, or small rooms, that you and your friends can go into so that you don't have to sing in front of strangers. Plus you get to sing a ton of songs that way because it's just you and your friends.
Megan had to leave early because she left her stuff at home, but I was able to stay for a bit longer. Though, I stayed longer than I intended and so did Hiroto (he's in the night class on Fridays). So we both had to hurry to the station. We left with only 10 minutes before our train was supposed to leave, so we jogged all the way there. I was wearing sandals so I couldn't really run that fast. Though we didn't make it in time. We missed our train by one minute! Luckily there was a train in the next five minutes.
After class I got to talk with Naoko and got to know her a little better. She's super cute and fun! Then at Suwanomori station we ran into Haruka, another one of my students. On the train I talked to her and got to know her a little better as well.
When Megan and I were walking home Shiho, Ken, Meg, and Hoku surprised us at the shrine by our house. They had all been hanging out since karaoke. We all walked down to Kishiwada station and hung out for a little bit. There is a group of people that gather there to dance at night, so we watched them for a little bit. Then we went and got some ice cream from a nearby convenience store before heading home. I really just love hanging out with my students. They're all so fun!
Friday, June 25, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Public Baths = Awesome. Expensive Karaoke = Not So Awesome.
It's been awhile since I last updated. Sorry everyone! So two weeks ago on Wednesday we had a review day for the 101 class (the conversation class that I teach) and I wasn't entirely sure what to do mostly because this is my first teaching experience. But after giving it a little thought I decided to divide everyone into groups and have them write their own skits. That way I can kind of tell what grammar they understand and what they are still struggling with. Then I just told them to look over the last two chapters and come to class prepared with questions on grammar they didn't understand. They all did such a great job! Since nobody really had any questions about grammar we played "Do you love your neighbor?" for the rest of the class.
Then after class I had to rush to the station so that I could start heading towards Kyoto. Scott wanted me to show him around. I was able to get there without getting lost. Well, I did get on a train that was going the opposite direction I wanted to go, but I just got off at the next stop and backtracked. So I took him to Heian Jingu then Kiyomizudera. After seeing Kiyomizudera it was already around six. I didn't want to get back to Osaka too late and I wanted to visit my host mom from when I stayed in Kyoto. It takes about two hours to get from Osaka to Kyoto. So hopefully he didn't feel rushed or like I didn't want to hang out with him.
I remembered how to get to my homestay house even after a year! I was pretty excited about that. My host mom, Sister Shibata had dinner prepared. So we ate while we updated each other on what we have been doing. My host dad was working late and my host brother Shingo was at cram school, so I didn't get to see them. Hopefully when I go to Kyoto this Saturday I will be able to.
On Friday, the 11th, I went with Shiho, Sachi, Meg, and Hoku to a public bath/spa. There was a sauna there heated by rocks that was about 70 degrees...Celsius! I don't think I have ever sweated that much in my life. But it felt so good! After sitting in the sauna you go and sit in what's called the snow room that is about 11 degrees Celsius to cool down. Then there are also a variety of baths each with a different temperature. You wash before you get in so that the water is clean for everyone. There is also a salt sauna where you can rub salt on your body while you sit in the sauna. It makes you skin so smooth! We all spent a couple hours just relaxing. Then Meg and Hoku had to leave so that they could get ready to teach the night class. Sachi, Shiho, and I left shortly after that. The public bath/spa only cost around 900 yen! That's not a bad price for pampering yourself, I think.
Sachi went home but Shiho and I went to Namba where we met Scott, Yuko, and Shiho's friend. We went and ate okonomiyaki (so good!) and then sang karaoke. It was fun, but the karaoke cost 2000 yen (around $20) for 2 hours!! I was so surprised because I didn't think it was that expensive. Though, later I found out that the area around Namba is just expensive and you can find karaoke for a lot cheaper.
This post is getting a little long so I will finish updating in the next post!
Then after class I had to rush to the station so that I could start heading towards Kyoto. Scott wanted me to show him around. I was able to get there without getting lost. Well, I did get on a train that was going the opposite direction I wanted to go, but I just got off at the next stop and backtracked. So I took him to Heian Jingu then Kiyomizudera. After seeing Kiyomizudera it was already around six. I didn't want to get back to Osaka too late and I wanted to visit my host mom from when I stayed in Kyoto. It takes about two hours to get from Osaka to Kyoto. So hopefully he didn't feel rushed or like I didn't want to hang out with him.
I remembered how to get to my homestay house even after a year! I was pretty excited about that. My host mom, Sister Shibata had dinner prepared. So we ate while we updated each other on what we have been doing. My host dad was working late and my host brother Shingo was at cram school, so I didn't get to see them. Hopefully when I go to Kyoto this Saturday I will be able to.
On Friday, the 11th, I went with Shiho, Sachi, Meg, and Hoku to a public bath/spa. There was a sauna there heated by rocks that was about 70 degrees...Celsius! I don't think I have ever sweated that much in my life. But it felt so good! After sitting in the sauna you go and sit in what's called the snow room that is about 11 degrees Celsius to cool down. Then there are also a variety of baths each with a different temperature. You wash before you get in so that the water is clean for everyone. There is also a salt sauna where you can rub salt on your body while you sit in the sauna. It makes you skin so smooth! We all spent a couple hours just relaxing. Then Meg and Hoku had to leave so that they could get ready to teach the night class. Sachi, Shiho, and I left shortly after that. The public bath/spa only cost around 900 yen! That's not a bad price for pampering yourself, I think.
Sachi went home but Shiho and I went to Namba where we met Scott, Yuko, and Shiho's friend. We went and ate okonomiyaki (so good!) and then sang karaoke. It was fun, but the karaoke cost 2000 yen (around $20) for 2 hours!! I was so surprised because I didn't think it was that expensive. Though, later I found out that the area around Namba is just expensive and you can find karaoke for a lot cheaper.
This post is getting a little long so I will finish updating in the next post!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Everybody likes parfaits!
Sunday evening when I was working on my homework and making preparations for my class, I left the "computer" room (since we can't catch internet upstairs in our room we use the playroom in between the bathroom and the kitchen when we need to use the internet) to get the cord for my laptop. When I walked through the kitchen I noticed that Takeshi, Sister Sato’s son, was making something. I decided to ask what he was making. He said that he was making scones for his wife. Then he explained that today was her birthday (maybe he forgot) so he was making them to take to her tomorrow. He was saying that he wasn’t really sure what he was doing because he had never made anything like scones before, but that he wanted to try. I just thought it was so sweet!
Yesterday during class, Mari let me know that Scott (his actual name is Myungho Kim), my friend from Korea, was coming on a later plane than planned. But Mari and I still left after class to go meet Yuko at Tennoji Station. Mari wasn’t planning to come to Kobe with us, she just needed to pick up her passport in Tennoji. After she did that, all three of us went to a café and had all-you-can-eat desserts. This was a first for me. It was all really good, though, only after two parfaits and some purin (or flan) I couldn’t eat anymore. Maybe if we had some time to sit and talk longer I maybe could have eaten more. It was still really fun.
Anyway, after stuffing ourselves with ice cream, Mari went home and Yuko and I went to pick Scott up from the airport. Yuko had me buy a ticket for the station right next to Tennoji, where we were going to go after we picked Scott up so that I didn’t have to pay the fare to get to the airport. So I rode with her all the way to the airport, I just didn’t leave the station. So I just waited while Yuko went into the airport to get him.
It wasn’t weird for me seeing him for the first time in 2 years. For me it’s sometimes hard to keep in touch with people. But it’s also really easy for me to pick up from where we left off, even if it’s been awhile. Just something that I’ve noticed.
Well, anyhow, Yuko’s friend Kentaro met us at Namba Station then from there we helped Scott find his hotel. Scott doesn’t speak any Japanese so I was wondering if someone helped him make a reservation at a hotel. It turns out that in Namba there is a Korean owned hotel called Osaka House. So the owner speaks Korean. So Scott dropped his things off in his hotel room, then we all left for Kobe.
Kentaro lives in Kobe I think, so he drove his car to Namba so that we could all go in his car. It was around 8 when we got to Kobe so a lot of things were already closed. We first went to a shrine and took pictures outside, since it was closed. Then we went to China town. We found a restaurant that was still open then ate there. Actually, Yuko and I were still too full from lunch so we sampled some of the food. Scott and Kentaro ate most of it.
After they were finished eating we went to the area around the Kobe Radio Tower (I think that's what it's called) and walked around the harbor for a bit. I took a few pictures, but since it was already late we couldn't stay long. Maybe I'll have a chance to come back again or at least see more of Kobe.
I got home around midnight and didn't get to bed until 1:30, but I wasn't too tired today. In class I had everyone prepare their skits for the review day tomorrow. I'm really excited to see what they have put together. I haven't had a chance to talk to Meg about what she is doing for the review day, so hopefully this is what she had in mind. I'm going to record them so that I have a record of their progress. Also, tomorrow I am going to Kyoto to show Scott around since I've been there before. I invited everyone else to come, but the didn't really seem interested so it looks like I am going alone. But it looks like I will have a chance to see my host mom from when I did home stay in Kyoto! My host sister is on her mission and my two host brothers and host dad aren't coming home until late, so I won't get to see them, but maybe I can see them another time. Hopefully I can remember how to get to their house!
Yesterday during class, Mari let me know that Scott (his actual name is Myungho Kim), my friend from Korea, was coming on a later plane than planned. But Mari and I still left after class to go meet Yuko at Tennoji Station. Mari wasn’t planning to come to Kobe with us, she just needed to pick up her passport in Tennoji. After she did that, all three of us went to a café and had all-you-can-eat desserts. This was a first for me. It was all really good, though, only after two parfaits and some purin (or flan) I couldn’t eat anymore. Maybe if we had some time to sit and talk longer I maybe could have eaten more. It was still really fun.
Anyway, after stuffing ourselves with ice cream, Mari went home and Yuko and I went to pick Scott up from the airport. Yuko had me buy a ticket for the station right next to Tennoji, where we were going to go after we picked Scott up so that I didn’t have to pay the fare to get to the airport. So I rode with her all the way to the airport, I just didn’t leave the station. So I just waited while Yuko went into the airport to get him.
It wasn’t weird for me seeing him for the first time in 2 years. For me it’s sometimes hard to keep in touch with people. But it’s also really easy for me to pick up from where we left off, even if it’s been awhile. Just something that I’ve noticed.
Well, anyhow, Yuko’s friend Kentaro met us at Namba Station then from there we helped Scott find his hotel. Scott doesn’t speak any Japanese so I was wondering if someone helped him make a reservation at a hotel. It turns out that in Namba there is a Korean owned hotel called Osaka House. So the owner speaks Korean. So Scott dropped his things off in his hotel room, then we all left for Kobe.
Kentaro lives in Kobe I think, so he drove his car to Namba so that we could all go in his car. It was around 8 when we got to Kobe so a lot of things were already closed. We first went to a shrine and took pictures outside, since it was closed. Then we went to China town. We found a restaurant that was still open then ate there. Actually, Yuko and I were still too full from lunch so we sampled some of the food. Scott and Kentaro ate most of it.
After they were finished eating we went to the area around the Kobe Radio Tower (I think that's what it's called) and walked around the harbor for a bit. I took a few pictures, but since it was already late we couldn't stay long. Maybe I'll have a chance to come back again or at least see more of Kobe.
I got home around midnight and didn't get to bed until 1:30, but I wasn't too tired today. In class I had everyone prepare their skits for the review day tomorrow. I'm really excited to see what they have put together. I haven't had a chance to talk to Meg about what she is doing for the review day, so hopefully this is what she had in mind. I'm going to record them so that I have a record of their progress. Also, tomorrow I am going to Kyoto to show Scott around since I've been there before. I invited everyone else to come, but the didn't really seem interested so it looks like I am going alone. But it looks like I will have a chance to see my host mom from when I did home stay in Kyoto! My host sister is on her mission and my two host brothers and host dad aren't coming home until late, so I won't get to see them, but maybe I can see them another time. Hopefully I can remember how to get to their house!
Sunday, June 6, 2010
Bike Riding, Getting Lost, and USJ
On Monday the missionaries brought Taku, an investigator, to observe my class. It was really fun and I even had Elder Drake participate in class. He spoke Japanese during class so he had to do the hokey pokey with everyone else that broke the rule too. It was a lot of fun. I feel bad because Taku wants to come more but since he's not registered for the class he can't. I just really hope he didn't get offended.
Tuesday Sister Suzuoki from the evening class took us to a kaitenzushi place called Sushiro. She was really nice and paid for all of us. Though, it wasn't expensive so I didn't feel bad about letting her pay. Kaitenzushi is a sushi restaurant where sushi on plates rotates around on a conveyor belt, and you can just pick whatever you want to eat from there. In addition to sushi they also have different juice and desserts rotating around on plates as well. It's probably one of my favorite type of restaurants. Too bad they don't have them in the United States.
After class on Thursday Megan and I ended up staying at the church after class to practice a song we are going to sing for the Sakai Stake Young Single Adult Sunday, where it will be all the YSA doing their own church service. Kind of like single wards at BYU. Anyway, after we practiced Meg went to the park with Hiroharu and his sister, both students from my class, and Megan, Hoku, and I ended up hanging out with Ken, Shiho, Ayaka, Tomoe, Naoko, Hiroto, and Sachi (I hope I didn't forget anyone!). Ken usually works, but he had Thursday off for some reason, so we wanted to go and do something. We decided to go and get crepes at a "nearby" mall. It took us about a half hour to get there, so it wasn't too far, but it definitely wasn't close. The shoes I chose to wear that day weren't getting along with my feet(wearing high heels all day is hard!). Shiho was nice and let me ride on the back of her bike. Though, she made Ken be a gentleman and ride the bike. It was a little scary at first because I have never ridden on the back of a bicycle before, but after I got used to it it was really fun!
When we got to the mall I decided not to get a crepe (I was still really full from the McDonalds I had for lunch and dinner was going to be soon) and instead shared shaved ice and ice cream. We were short on time so we couldn't stay long. Ken and Hiroto showed us the way to the JR station (we usually take the Nankai line) and then Ken went with us most of the way home. Hoku, Megan, and I ate a hurried, but delicious dinner of chirashizushi. Then Hoku left to teach the night class and Megan and I left for institute.
We usually meet with the girls from our class and walk to institute together, but this time Megan and I went by ourselves. We were able to get to the station okay, but for some reason we couldn't find our way to that familiar street that takes us to the church where institute is at. So Megan and I ended up walking around for an hour and a half before we figured out that we had to walk through this subway station and go out the other side. We got to institute with only a half hour left. It was a little embarrassing because everyone looked at us when we came in and Shiho, Sachi, Ayaka, and a few others asked us if we were alright. We explained to them that we got lost but were completely fine. Then we found out that the teacher arranged a translator for us. I felt really bad coming in late, even though there was nothing we could do about it. I'm just glad that we were to go for that last half hour. Megan and I weren't scared when we were lost because we knew where the station was, just not where the church was. It was fun.
I was sad when I got home because I wanted to watch Himitsu no Arashi chan, a weekly television program that has the band members of Arashi as hosts. I thought I had found it last week, but maybe they were just starring on another show. I hope I can find the right channel next week!
Saturday was really fun. We went to Universal Studios Japan with Sister Sugimoto and Sister Sato. I've never been to Universal Studios in the U.S. before, so I have nothing to compare it with, but it was still awesome! It was cool having all of these characters from American movies speaking Japanese. Everyone's favorite ride was the new attraction Space Fantasy. It's kind of like Space Mountain. We stayed from open till close and got to see the light parade. After we left we went and ate at an Italian restaurant. I got a bacon and cream pizza with a poached egg on top. It was so yummy! I forgot to take a picture though. I think I still need to try actual Japanese pizza, because I think the one I ate was Italian.
I really hope that I am doing a good job teaching and that my students are having fun learning. It's just that I am not as outgoing as Meg and I can't bring myself to do all the crazy stuff she does in her classes. It's just not my personality. I'm having fun teaching, I just hope I'm not a boring teacher, haha.
So I found out on Thursday that my friend Yuko from institute knows one of my friends from BYU. He's been in the army for the past two years, all men in Korea have to serve in the army for two years, and now he has a little break before he leaves on his mission. So he's coming to spend part of it in Japan. Talk about a small world! Yuko was just telling me if Megan and I could show her friend around since he doesn't speak Japanese and it turns out that it's someone I know. It's really late right now and I am going to hang out with him, Yuko, and Mari, and probably some other people, in Kobe tomorrow. I'll see if I have time to update my blog more than once a week so you guys don't have to read a novel!
Tuesday Sister Suzuoki from the evening class took us to a kaitenzushi place called Sushiro. She was really nice and paid for all of us. Though, it wasn't expensive so I didn't feel bad about letting her pay. Kaitenzushi is a sushi restaurant where sushi on plates rotates around on a conveyor belt, and you can just pick whatever you want to eat from there. In addition to sushi they also have different juice and desserts rotating around on plates as well. It's probably one of my favorite type of restaurants. Too bad they don't have them in the United States.
After class on Thursday Megan and I ended up staying at the church after class to practice a song we are going to sing for the Sakai Stake Young Single Adult Sunday, where it will be all the YSA doing their own church service. Kind of like single wards at BYU. Anyway, after we practiced Meg went to the park with Hiroharu and his sister, both students from my class, and Megan, Hoku, and I ended up hanging out with Ken, Shiho, Ayaka, Tomoe, Naoko, Hiroto, and Sachi (I hope I didn't forget anyone!). Ken usually works, but he had Thursday off for some reason, so we wanted to go and do something. We decided to go and get crepes at a "nearby" mall. It took us about a half hour to get there, so it wasn't too far, but it definitely wasn't close. The shoes I chose to wear that day weren't getting along with my feet(wearing high heels all day is hard!). Shiho was nice and let me ride on the back of her bike. Though, she made Ken be a gentleman and ride the bike. It was a little scary at first because I have never ridden on the back of a bicycle before, but after I got used to it it was really fun!
When we got to the mall I decided not to get a crepe (I was still really full from the McDonalds I had for lunch and dinner was going to be soon) and instead shared shaved ice and ice cream. We were short on time so we couldn't stay long. Ken and Hiroto showed us the way to the JR station (we usually take the Nankai line) and then Ken went with us most of the way home. Hoku, Megan, and I ate a hurried, but delicious dinner of chirashizushi. Then Hoku left to teach the night class and Megan and I left for institute.
We usually meet with the girls from our class and walk to institute together, but this time Megan and I went by ourselves. We were able to get to the station okay, but for some reason we couldn't find our way to that familiar street that takes us to the church where institute is at. So Megan and I ended up walking around for an hour and a half before we figured out that we had to walk through this subway station and go out the other side. We got to institute with only a half hour left. It was a little embarrassing because everyone looked at us when we came in and Shiho, Sachi, Ayaka, and a few others asked us if we were alright. We explained to them that we got lost but were completely fine. Then we found out that the teacher arranged a translator for us. I felt really bad coming in late, even though there was nothing we could do about it. I'm just glad that we were to go for that last half hour. Megan and I weren't scared when we were lost because we knew where the station was, just not where the church was. It was fun.
I was sad when I got home because I wanted to watch Himitsu no Arashi chan, a weekly television program that has the band members of Arashi as hosts. I thought I had found it last week, but maybe they were just starring on another show. I hope I can find the right channel next week!
Saturday was really fun. We went to Universal Studios Japan with Sister Sugimoto and Sister Sato. I've never been to Universal Studios in the U.S. before, so I have nothing to compare it with, but it was still awesome! It was cool having all of these characters from American movies speaking Japanese. Everyone's favorite ride was the new attraction Space Fantasy. It's kind of like Space Mountain. We stayed from open till close and got to see the light parade. After we left we went and ate at an Italian restaurant. I got a bacon and cream pizza with a poached egg on top. It was so yummy! I forgot to take a picture though. I think I still need to try actual Japanese pizza, because I think the one I ate was Italian.
I really hope that I am doing a good job teaching and that my students are having fun learning. It's just that I am not as outgoing as Meg and I can't bring myself to do all the crazy stuff she does in her classes. It's just not my personality. I'm having fun teaching, I just hope I'm not a boring teacher, haha.
So I found out on Thursday that my friend Yuko from institute knows one of my friends from BYU. He's been in the army for the past two years, all men in Korea have to serve in the army for two years, and now he has a little break before he leaves on his mission. So he's coming to spend part of it in Japan. Talk about a small world! Yuko was just telling me if Megan and I could show her friend around since he doesn't speak Japanese and it turns out that it's someone I know. It's really late right now and I am going to hang out with him, Yuko, and Mari, and probably some other people, in Kobe tomorrow. I'll see if I have time to update my blog more than once a week so you guys don't have to read a novel!
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