Merry Christmas!

Kelly and I had an amazing Christmas, without snow. In fact, we each got a nice sunburn to bring back. This morning we went to Karon beach and had a blast. It was cheap, beautiful, and warm. After sufficient swimming time, we ventured Phuket Town to look at the architecture (famous) and trek up Rang Hill to watch the sun set over the city. We also ate Thai food (finally)! And I didn't even get sick (yet). We didn't succumb to tourist traps at all (except splurging on a pedicure - a whole $5), we got amazing pictures, and we encountered several gorgeous babies.

Tomorrow we will be kayaking off an island north of Phuket all afternoon and ending the day with a sunset cruise and a Thai seafood dinner on the water. I expect more sunburn and sore feet, but it will definitely be worth it. I would post pictures, but I signed on to the computer without a drive for my camera :( Do check out Kelly's blog, and I will try to post some soon.

As much fun as we are having NOT in NY, I do miss you all. There is something to be said about getting away on a vacation, but there is also a lot of worth in tradition and normalcy. Merry Christmas everyone :)

1 city down, 3 to go...

Kelly and I survived Bangkok, but just barely. To quote an expert (aka Traci), it is "overcrowded and over polluted." Given it was extremely exciting and "omoshiroi," we were severely taken advantage of by tuk tuk drivers galore, treated to mattresses fit for a king who likes to sleep on pavement, and forced to feed pigeons who didn't know they were exploiting tourists.

On the bright side, we got to see a giant Buddha, an amazing park, and National Treasure in English (after we all paid homage to the youthful king). We visited on election weekend, so no alcohol. We found some great food and shopping, but it took forever to get around. We also witnessed a man get hit by a car, and we still aren't sure whether or not he is okay.

Overall, yesterday was extremely stressful and tiring, but today we spent all morning in an oasis of green - riding in a paddle boat and spying on Thai lovebirds - and then relaxed in the airport playing Dutch Blitz. Now we are in Phuket, and successfully checked in to our MUCH nicer hostel (we have mattresses AND pillow cases). Tomorrow, we will spend Christmas exploring beaches and fine food. We are both homesick and feeling very short on holiday cheer, but Phuket will make up for it in sunshine.

Merry Christmas everyone!

less than an hour to go!!

2 days to go????

I have no idea how it is already Thursday night. Where did the week go?

Monday: I did a heck of a lot of shopping and teaching.

Tuesday: Annual Christmas chapel. Dan warned me that despite the beautiful candlelit atmosphere, it would be boring. He was half right. I couldn't understand a word of the long sermon, but the Christmas music, candles, tree, and carols was definitely not boring. I needed that quick dose of Christmas to get me through the week. That night I had dinner with Tomoko san (who got me slippers for Christmas....men's, because she couldn't find any women's big enough for me...). Then we headed off to my Japanese class entrance interview. I passed ;)...which everyone does, it is just a matter of getting a spot in the class. Our text is all in hirigana/katakana, which means I will be the slowest reader there, but also that I will leave being a ton faster at grocery shopping.

Wednesday: I don't really want to revisit this day - it is naturally chaotic because I teach all day long, but this was especially bad because I had to make at least 100 sugar cookies and frosting and buy a secret santa gift. However, it was all well worth it. A few of the girls visited throughout the day to help me bake, and our English Christmas party was a blast. I got a bag of toys, so my Christmas is already merry.

Thursday: We had two Christmas parties for Dan's English students and finally got my package from Brian. He sent me an anniversary gift along with 48 candy canes I requested. Unfortunately, they didn't arrive in time for the party, and only 28 arrived in tact. However, I had just enough time to glue on red pom-poms and googly eyes and pipe-cleaner antlers like it was my job. I took those with me to ESS and the girls were thrilled. Then I took a ridiculously long nap before Dan and I went to investigate another Japanese class down the road. It was fruitless, but I was able to find and buy a snickers bar on the way home, so overall it was a successful day.

Forecast for next week: I predict I will be living it up in Thailand, but I could be wrong. Have fun with the blizzards ;)...

I ate octopus. and I liked it.

mmm...

The biggest tree in the world

This is for JJ :)

It has been an insane week.

Monday-Wednesday were business as usual (bonus: Wednesday I got to see the Kindergarten Christmas concert :D), but Thursday I got to go to Universal Studios Japan with 4 other American high school students. It was great, given it was a rainy day and that kept most of the crowds away. There is nothing more amusing than seeing the Terminator 3-D with Japanese voice overs. I felt like a kid again, blowing money on caramel corn and roller coasters. And it was neat to be surrounded by a merged American-Japanese world. Sites that I recognize, but with the obvious Japanese flare. Like Hello Kitty walking around instead of Mickey Mouse. We fortunately came during the Christmas season, so I was treated to English carols, dancing snowmen, and even an Elvis-impersonating Rudolph.

On Friday I hosted a Takoyaki party in my apartment. FINALLY I got to have the girls over to just hang out. It was great. I dreaded the whole eating deep fried octopus tentacles...but I will admit that I loved it. It might even be my favorite Japanese food so far. Erika, Sayaka, Keiko, Miki, and Yuchi took care of everything and tried teaching me how to fry and roll the balls. I failed miserably, but had fun doing it. They also had the chance to talk to Brian (and JJ) via Skype for a little bit. It was great seeing the girls as friends rather than students, and I hope they felt the same way.

This upcoming week is going to be insane. I will be attending who knows how many Christmas parties, finishing up classes for the year, finishing Thailand plans with Kelly, and then flying to toasty Bangkok on Saturday. We will be back in time to spend New Year's Eve here in Osaka and hopefully take part in some local celebrations. I am homesick, yes. What I wouldn't do for some Hooker/Nobles baked goods, putting thousands of Christmas cards in students' mailboxes, and helping decorate the Christmas tree. But since I can't be there, I wouldn't rather be anywhere else but here. I am kept busy and I am having a great time teaching my students and friends about my traditions for a change. It's not half bad.

I'm watching Japanese TV

These are the ladies who are "shy and serious," the ones I spent weeks dreading teaching!



...because Dan said it would help me begin picking up more of the language. He said to just have it on in the background all day so I am exposed to it and slowly absorb it. Clearly not vocabulary, but maybe intonation and all that. But I am really good at tuning it out. Right now a young girl is talking to a puppet who is apparently an old man with a bowl haircut. I think they are talking about animals, but they seem so sad. It's hard to tell with puppets.

I've had an eventful week. I had my last 2 adult classes on Friday. It was surprisingly depressing, but one class even gave me a present (a really cute pair of half-gloves. I'm not sure why...). But with the end of those 2 classes came the start of my new tutoring group: the two girls who will be attending Roberts next year. I have been looking forward to this for a while. They are both Kindergarten Education majors, so neither are fluent in English. In fact, I have to back track quite a bit in my thinking because I found myself teaching and speaking the same way I do with my other students (who are English majors and have been in tutoring all year). It's difficult, but fun. They are going to be coming to my apartment every Friday night for some crash courses in everyday English conversations. These lessons will be more fun for me, though, knowing that the students will actually be using them. I can fashion my lessons easier, too, knowing what types of situations they will be in at RWC. And I will get to see them once I am back in the states, so I know these will be lasting relationships. Hence, I have been looking forward to this class.

I went Christmas shopping today. Actually, I went hunting for candy canes (which they don't sell anywhere!). I finally experienced the craziness of it. Having lived in the middle of Missouri or Pennsylvania, I have never exactly witnessed a "Jingle All the Way" Christmas (You know, where Arnold fights to get his son some highly demanded robot toy?). I can't imagine everyone was actually buying gifts for all their family and friends (since it's not the same holiday here), yet there were still a million people on the streets! It must be chaos in NYC. I never did find those candy canes, but had plenty of distractions to make me feel better (like $5 shirts).

Kelly and I are going to Thailand in 2 weeks!!! I am going kayaking at sunset, watching baby elephants play darts, and buying wicked cheap silk. All for less than a trip to Disney World.

Oh, and Brian and I just turned 3 years old yesterday :).