This post was going to be more of my travels to London back in July but unfortunately there is another poignant topic that I've been pondering over the last week.
Last Friday morning, I arrived at work and did my usual attempt to listen to the Japanese and try to pick up on important words to figure out what's been happening and will happen at school during morning meeting. Once again I heard the word for passed away a few times and got horribly confused. My supervisor had first period free, not technically free but it was her office time. Anyway, she's sitting there doing whatever it is she does as a home room teacher while I set to work on a worksheet/looking at game ideas online, when all of a sudden she says to me 'so....'. I'm wondering what's going on and she finishes the sentence, 'one of our students' mothers passed away in a fire yesterday and XZY sensei (teacher) lost his father in completely different circumstances'. Umm whoa! My reaction was one of not knowing what to think or where to go from there really. I chatted to her about the circumstances surrounding the death of the mother of one of our students because I had heard that there was a big fire near my house from a friend.
It turns out that she, a woman in her 40s with a family and a good life, got trapped in the house when fire engulfed 6 houses. She was the only person who lost their life. She leaves behind at least a Junior High School aged son.
The other death connected to my school was that of a teacher's parent, I presume he died of old age.
That made 3 deaths connected to my school in 2 weeks-ish which got me thinking a lot. 3 deaths, 3 completely different circumstances. 3 almost entirely unconnected people (from what I gather) aside from my base school as a connection. It made me wonder why death had struck us so hard lately and what lesson I had to learn from all of this madness, because it honestly felt like madness.
I spent the weekend by and large in my apartment watching Sailor Moon, which I have now finished and am not ashamed to say that I love, and thinking about this whole idea of death again.
I sat and looked around my room, at my Toshiba Regza flatscreen TV, at my clothes, at my shoes (Lord help me!), at my crane machine catches, at my books, at my STUFF. I have TOO much STUFF! It is all crap and if I died tomorrow I wouldn't miss it. I mean I like a lot of it, I despise some of it (most of that stuff is slowly getting given away as prizes to my students as of this week) but I don't require it. It is not essential to my existance to have a Hello Kitty handbag or a map of Japan in 2 languages. None of this actually matters. But then I had to ask myself what does matter?
What does matter? Those of you who've known me long enough know that in my 2nd year of university working at a hospice made me ask that question as well. What actually matters? What of all the things on this planet actually matters? That question changed my life before and I think the string of deaths lately has had an impact there again. Even if it is only to remind me of that question and of how materialistic living in a materialistic society is making me, it is having an impact.
The loss of 3 people connected to me through my base school has jogged something in my memory, in my soul even. What matters? What matters to me is the people around me who I care about and who care about me. What matters is the world that I live in, the people and animals in this community that deserve a world where their rights are protected. What matters to me is how I live my life and how I serve others.
I've been so selfish lately. My move to Japan was me me me, all about how I could satisfy myself and my love of Japan, how I could improve my Japanese and get a 'better' job when I go home. It wasn't for entirely selfish reasons that I came here but a large chunk of those reasons were. The recent spell of deaths related to my school reminded me of that.
I've had to think about how I serve my community best. How I support my friends here and back home. How I live my life in a way that would make my family and friends proud of me. How I live my life in a way that will make myself proud.
I spent a lot of time this weekend, in between the start of an annoying cold and Takaoka's 400th Anniversery Celebrations, thinking about this idea of "what if I died tomorrow?". I came up with quite a few blanks actually. The people that I haven't been in touch with in ages. The things I haven't thought about for a while. The things I wish I hadn't said and the things I wish I had said. The things I am yet to do and the places I am yet to go. There's so much to this idea of 'being finished' and stuff that I don't know if I'll ever be ready to die, so it's a darn good thing that I don't have cancer (touch wood!) because I wouldn't know where to start.
So!..... I shall start with this anyway, just in case, because unfortunately, as shown in the past few weeks for me, you just never know when your number or someone else's number is going to be up.
If you're my family reading this, I love you! xxxxxxxxooooooooooxxxxxxxxx
If you're my friend and I haven't told you how much I care about you and love you lately, take it as read that I do care about you and do love you because I just said it! I love you all!
If you are my acquaintance and I haven't told you that I care about you then take it as read that I do.
If I don't know you at all and you are reading my blog, nice to meet you and thanks for reading it, sorry it's a bit boring.
And that's me done for today. Off to see my host family in a different prefecture to tell them that I love them this weekend, because you just never know.
I'm going to borrow something from a dear and trusted friend now (thanks bro).
Rae Recommends: Telling the people around you that you care, because you just never know.
**Raewyn**
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
I'm so behind! London: Days 1-2
Hi all,
So as promised I'm going to blog my travel diary from my trip to London.
But first I must congratulate myself on finishing all 200 episodes of the Japanese version of Sailor Moon. It was a most enjoyable experience and I have now moved onto the English dub of Samurai Pizza Cats which is nothing if not funny. :D I have been influenced by some awesome anime geeks that live in my building. :D
OK back on task. This is copied directly from my travel diary which I kept while in London. It's amazing how much I have forgotten more than a month on, thus the need to copy out of le book.
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11 July
I traveled ALL day! It was exhausting but it's all good. Long days happen in life. To get to London, Leytonstone specifically [fyi this is where Alfred Hitchcock was born], I had quite an ordeal.
Osaka to HongKong was no problems mate. Except for the ahving to dispose of my just purchased frappucino at security, argh, how much more annoying can you get. They made me stand there and drink it, bad brain freeze!!
Hong Kong Airport was interesting. Yay for Ben and Jerry's! I'd written a note on a piece of paper and put it somewhere but I don't know where I put it so cannot add it in here. I think it was something about it being so incredibly cosmopolitan and multicultural in comparison to Japan maybe.
Hong Kong to London: LOL!!!! 'Ladies and gentlemen, we're just having a few problems getting engine number 1 started...' it was the bloomin' starter motor. We had to sit in the plane for AGES in the heat and humidity while they changed it because the air conditioning does not come on until the engines do! Meanwhile I'm sitting there swearing left and right that if the group of boys seated near me is like that [aka noisy as heck] for the entire flight shoes might start to gly. They were annoying on and off for most of the flight and I got very little sleep as a result.
Then (!) I arrive in London and jump on the tube to get to my sister's place in Leytonstone. Not gonna happen! Sorry, ah ah, nope. We actually, I thought it might happen but due to 'person under train' I had to get a cab as the line was delayed indefinitely that night. Argh! Bye Bye 50quid. It was in fact only 40 but in my 'I've been traveling for more than a day' state I gave him a 20% tip not thinking, I am a genius! Anyway, finally got 'home' and went straight to (air)bed.
Lucky.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 July
I woke up about 11am (properly) having been in and out of sleep since about 7am. My sister made waffles with lemon curd for breakfast, YUM! Then we both got ready to go for high tea with her friend from way back.
High Tea was A-mazing! But of course I can't get into that yet...
Dressed in our most fabulous outfits we went to Harrods with our shoes in our bags and flip flops on our feet... haaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahaha, it was funny.
I didn't realy enjoy Harrods, it's just like a place I used to work and didn't really do it for me. But High Tea in the Caramel Room at the Berkley was fabulous.
We looked stylish. The cakes were all based on designer outfits or shoes and when they found out that I'm allergic to yeast and can't eat sandwiches they brought me out an even more fabulous fruit platter (I regretted that later, a year without loads of fruit in Japan, oops). The cakes looked and tasted amazing as did the champagne and the tea. It was all a little rich though so the fruit was a nice refresher. The cakes all looked like the things they were based on and the green mint marzipan and chocolate handbag looked exactly like my big green bag. It was well worth the 43pounds that it cost, that's for sure.
My sister's friend and I made a few mistakes though. We tried to order tea before we'd finished our champagne (oops) and my airplane toothbrush managed to fall out of my handbag onto the floor only to be picked up by the waiter. OMG, how embarrassingly funny. There were so many laughs!
On the way home we walked past the NZ War Memorial, Buckingham Palace, through St James' Park, past Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, along the Northbank and past St Pauls to the Central Line tube station. We even took photos of the oldest monument in London, Cleopatra's needly. It was an awesome walk and an awesome day.
After 2 and a half years of them dating, I finally got to meet my sister's boyfriend too. He's a great guy and probably reads this blog so I am going to cease now before foot goes into mouth through me talking him up too much.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And so ends the first 2 days of my trip. More good times to come.
Raewyn
So as promised I'm going to blog my travel diary from my trip to London.
But first I must congratulate myself on finishing all 200 episodes of the Japanese version of Sailor Moon. It was a most enjoyable experience and I have now moved onto the English dub of Samurai Pizza Cats which is nothing if not funny. :D I have been influenced by some awesome anime geeks that live in my building. :D
OK back on task. This is copied directly from my travel diary which I kept while in London. It's amazing how much I have forgotten more than a month on, thus the need to copy out of le book.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
11 July
I traveled ALL day! It was exhausting but it's all good. Long days happen in life. To get to London, Leytonstone specifically [fyi this is where Alfred Hitchcock was born], I had quite an ordeal.
Osaka to HongKong was no problems mate. Except for the ahving to dispose of my just purchased frappucino at security, argh, how much more annoying can you get. They made me stand there and drink it, bad brain freeze!!
Hong Kong Airport was interesting. Yay for Ben and Jerry's! I'd written a note on a piece of paper and put it somewhere but I don't know where I put it so cannot add it in here. I think it was something about it being so incredibly cosmopolitan and multicultural in comparison to Japan maybe.
Hong Kong to London: LOL!!!! 'Ladies and gentlemen, we're just having a few problems getting engine number 1 started...' it was the bloomin' starter motor. We had to sit in the plane for AGES in the heat and humidity while they changed it because the air conditioning does not come on until the engines do! Meanwhile I'm sitting there swearing left and right that if the group of boys seated near me is like that [aka noisy as heck] for the entire flight shoes might start to gly. They were annoying on and off for most of the flight and I got very little sleep as a result.
Then (!) I arrive in London and jump on the tube to get to my sister's place in Leytonstone. Not gonna happen! Sorry, ah ah, nope. We actually, I thought it might happen but due to 'person under train' I had to get a cab as the line was delayed indefinitely that night. Argh! Bye Bye 50quid. It was in fact only 40 but in my 'I've been traveling for more than a day' state I gave him a 20% tip not thinking, I am a genius! Anyway, finally got 'home' and went straight to (air)bed.
Lucky.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12 July
I woke up about 11am (properly) having been in and out of sleep since about 7am. My sister made waffles with lemon curd for breakfast, YUM! Then we both got ready to go for high tea with her friend from way back.
High Tea was A-mazing! But of course I can't get into that yet...
Dressed in our most fabulous outfits we went to Harrods with our shoes in our bags and flip flops on our feet... haaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahahaha, it was funny.
I didn't realy enjoy Harrods, it's just like a place I used to work and didn't really do it for me. But High Tea in the Caramel Room at the Berkley was fabulous.
We looked stylish. The cakes were all based on designer outfits or shoes and when they found out that I'm allergic to yeast and can't eat sandwiches they brought me out an even more fabulous fruit platter (I regretted that later, a year without loads of fruit in Japan, oops). The cakes looked and tasted amazing as did the champagne and the tea. It was all a little rich though so the fruit was a nice refresher. The cakes all looked like the things they were based on and the green mint marzipan and chocolate handbag looked exactly like my big green bag. It was well worth the 43pounds that it cost, that's for sure.
My sister's friend and I made a few mistakes though. We tried to order tea before we'd finished our champagne (oops) and my airplane toothbrush managed to fall out of my handbag onto the floor only to be picked up by the waiter. OMG, how embarrassingly funny. There were so many laughs!
On the way home we walked past the NZ War Memorial, Buckingham Palace, through St James' Park, past Westminster Abbey and the Houses of Parliament, along the Northbank and past St Pauls to the Central Line tube station. We even took photos of the oldest monument in London, Cleopatra's needly. It was an awesome walk and an awesome day.
After 2 and a half years of them dating, I finally got to meet my sister's boyfriend too. He's a great guy and probably reads this blog so I am going to cease now before foot goes into mouth through me talking him up too much.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And so ends the first 2 days of my trip. More good times to come.
Raewyn
Sunday, August 30, 2009
This is reality!
Hi!
So, I've been meaning to write about my trip but the last month since I got back to Japan has been so hectic that I haven't had time.
I will publish my travel diary soon. Promise!!!
This is about death and dying across cultures, namely my reaction vs the Japanese reaction to the sudden death of my colleague in the small hours of Friday, August 28, 2009.
My school secretary had been having a constant headache since last Monday morning and had used annual leave to go the doctor three times before she collapsed on Thursday night and was no longer with us come 2am Friday. It was a brain aneurism.
On Friday morning I arrived at school, where I hadn't been for 2 days whilst visiting my primary schools, only to find the school principal on the phone in the teachers' room. I had barely sat down when he called us all to attention and talked about how she had died. All I understood was sore head so I assumed she'd had the flu or something and that we all needed to be on alert. But no when it was translated for me by the head of English who was told as soon as she entered the school I found out that the most happy go lucky member of staff in the school had died suddenly from what my mother tells me is quite the quick way to go.
For me, Friday was spent with my tissue box and bumbling around in a state of shock, I was almost catatonic apart from the sudden leakage of tears every time I thought about it. I also spent the day trying to find someone who would give me a ride to the pre-funeral.
For my colleagues it was spent holding it together after the initial look of shock. I think for them it was deciding which to go to, the pre-funeral or the funeral. The funeral is so formal and intimate that only the closest people and most high ranking, I guess, go. I had to find myself an English teacher to take me to the pre-funeral because I loved that lady even though I had little interaction with her. I believe my reaction to the lack of emotion shown by my colleagues that were at school that day was one of anger 'why aren't they showing any emotion?!' etc, but I now realise that they have their way and I have mine and the students didn't know yet so it was better not to wear their hearts on their sleeves in that instance.
I was on my way to another event, where I did my best to hold it together while I hung out with some Japanese friends of mine, when the call came that I could go to the pre-funeral with my old supervisor who is very good at teaching me about the cultural stuff. I was allowed to go to the 2nd most intimate and solemn event these people have and I felt incredibly honoured.
Yesterday, I was numb. I had some things I needed to prepare for the funeral. 5000yen in an envelope with my name on it and some other kanji that I couldn't read. A black shirt to wear with my suit and a belt because I thought my suit pants looked terrible without. I needed to mentally prepare myself.
At 6pmish I was picked up by my colleague. She asked me if I'd gotten the envelope. I said 'yes and Mama in Nara told me on the phone to put the money face down, but I need you to help me write the kanji, I got a plain one because I didn't know what kanji was best'. She wrote on for me when we parked at the venue.
The ceremony was short, only about 40 minutes. 15 minutes of incomprehensible chanting and singing by 2 priests followed by a couple of eulogies, one by her husband who talked about what a wonderful person the deceased was. Then it was everyone in the room's turn to file past the coffin, pray and place incense in urns in front of it. Then we filed out, receiving gifts of tea and rice crackers as we left.
It was so solemn and so calm. It was nothing like a western wake where you drink to the deceased and get rowdy to check that they're good and dead. It was a wonderful experience and I told my colleague how grateful I am to her for taking me. I found it very therapeutic and think, hope, it has helped me to process the sudden death of someone very special.
On the way home my colleague and I talked about what would happen at the actual funeral and then talked about western funerals. She then told me what when I get in the house I should throw salt on myself to keep the evil spirits away. I did that when I got in and feel better now than I have in days. May it worked. Who knows whatever at least I know that the pre-funeral helped me get over the death of my colleague and am feeling much better about it all now.
Suppressing one's emotions seems to be the Japanese way and it seems to work for them. I don't think it would work for me but I'm a heart on sleeve kinda girl.
Now, for the next couple of weeks, no more drama, no no no more drama. ;-)
Please!
I love you all, life is too short not to.
**Rae**
So, I've been meaning to write about my trip but the last month since I got back to Japan has been so hectic that I haven't had time.
I will publish my travel diary soon. Promise!!!
This is about death and dying across cultures, namely my reaction vs the Japanese reaction to the sudden death of my colleague in the small hours of Friday, August 28, 2009.
My school secretary had been having a constant headache since last Monday morning and had used annual leave to go the doctor three times before she collapsed on Thursday night and was no longer with us come 2am Friday. It was a brain aneurism.
On Friday morning I arrived at school, where I hadn't been for 2 days whilst visiting my primary schools, only to find the school principal on the phone in the teachers' room. I had barely sat down when he called us all to attention and talked about how she had died. All I understood was sore head so I assumed she'd had the flu or something and that we all needed to be on alert. But no when it was translated for me by the head of English who was told as soon as she entered the school I found out that the most happy go lucky member of staff in the school had died suddenly from what my mother tells me is quite the quick way to go.
For me, Friday was spent with my tissue box and bumbling around in a state of shock, I was almost catatonic apart from the sudden leakage of tears every time I thought about it. I also spent the day trying to find someone who would give me a ride to the pre-funeral.
For my colleagues it was spent holding it together after the initial look of shock. I think for them it was deciding which to go to, the pre-funeral or the funeral. The funeral is so formal and intimate that only the closest people and most high ranking, I guess, go. I had to find myself an English teacher to take me to the pre-funeral because I loved that lady even though I had little interaction with her. I believe my reaction to the lack of emotion shown by my colleagues that were at school that day was one of anger 'why aren't they showing any emotion?!' etc, but I now realise that they have their way and I have mine and the students didn't know yet so it was better not to wear their hearts on their sleeves in that instance.
I was on my way to another event, where I did my best to hold it together while I hung out with some Japanese friends of mine, when the call came that I could go to the pre-funeral with my old supervisor who is very good at teaching me about the cultural stuff. I was allowed to go to the 2nd most intimate and solemn event these people have and I felt incredibly honoured.
Yesterday, I was numb. I had some things I needed to prepare for the funeral. 5000yen in an envelope with my name on it and some other kanji that I couldn't read. A black shirt to wear with my suit and a belt because I thought my suit pants looked terrible without. I needed to mentally prepare myself.
At 6pmish I was picked up by my colleague. She asked me if I'd gotten the envelope. I said 'yes and Mama in Nara told me on the phone to put the money face down, but I need you to help me write the kanji, I got a plain one because I didn't know what kanji was best'. She wrote on for me when we parked at the venue.
The ceremony was short, only about 40 minutes. 15 minutes of incomprehensible chanting and singing by 2 priests followed by a couple of eulogies, one by her husband who talked about what a wonderful person the deceased was. Then it was everyone in the room's turn to file past the coffin, pray and place incense in urns in front of it. Then we filed out, receiving gifts of tea and rice crackers as we left.
It was so solemn and so calm. It was nothing like a western wake where you drink to the deceased and get rowdy to check that they're good and dead. It was a wonderful experience and I told my colleague how grateful I am to her for taking me. I found it very therapeutic and think, hope, it has helped me to process the sudden death of someone very special.
On the way home my colleague and I talked about what would happen at the actual funeral and then talked about western funerals. She then told me what when I get in the house I should throw salt on myself to keep the evil spirits away. I did that when I got in and feel better now than I have in days. May it worked. Who knows whatever at least I know that the pre-funeral helped me get over the death of my colleague and am feeling much better about it all now.
Suppressing one's emotions seems to be the Japanese way and it seems to work for them. I don't think it would work for me but I'm a heart on sleeve kinda girl.
Now, for the next couple of weeks, no more drama, no no no more drama. ;-)
Please!
I love you all, life is too short not to.
**Rae**
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
London is BUSY!!
So, I've been in London a little over a week now and have done a heck of a lot. However, it is incredibly busy. Busy both in terms of what I've been up to and in terms of the number of people that are around London at that this time of year. The weather is nice so it's tourist season. There are people everywhere!
It's been busy almost everywhere I've been. Last week I went to The Tower of London; Tower Bridge; St Pauls Cathedral; The Winston Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms; The Florence Nightengale Museum; The Globe Theatre Exhibition and Hampton Court. The only 2 places that weren't busy were The Florence Nightengale Museum and Hampton Court. In saying that everything was amazing and it was fantastic being in these places where so much has happened that has influenced the way we live today. Be that influence on architecture, lifestyle, language or just plain freedom; London and the places nearby is a place that is full of influence. It has and will be for centuries and it's amazing to see the places where that influence has been formed or played out.
Last Thursday I was in Paris for the day. It was also busy, so I rushed around and did what I needed to do then came back to London. I saw the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, Le Arc du Triumph, Notre Dame, Le Trocadero and The Eifel Tower. I went by Eurostar so I also saw some of the French countryside by train. It looks really cool.
Friday I got my haircut, shopped, shopped, shopped, had an NZ style coffee, shopped some more, then went to a show. Priscilla was awesome. Drag queens, music, dancing, fantabulous. We had crappy seats but that's ok because the music was actually fantastic anyway and so long as we could see the shoe.... I was happy.
Since then I've had a few relaxing days. We went to Oxford to catch up with a friend for the day on Saturday. We went punting and checked out a science museum there. Sunday was just a chilled out day. Went and saw a movie but wished we hadn't. That movie should not be allowed to screen in theaters... eeeeew. Bruno was one of the worst movies I have ever seen!
Yesterday it was back to walking in the footsteps of historical figures in Greenwich and at the Bank of England Museum. I stood one foot in the eastern hemisphere and one foot in the west. I held a gold bar. I saw the clock that made navigation possible and enjoyed spending the day with my sister's boyfriend.
I've been having loads of fun and have a busy day planned so I am off to eat my breakfast now. :D
It's been busy almost everywhere I've been. Last week I went to The Tower of London; Tower Bridge; St Pauls Cathedral; The Winston Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms; The Florence Nightengale Museum; The Globe Theatre Exhibition and Hampton Court. The only 2 places that weren't busy were The Florence Nightengale Museum and Hampton Court. In saying that everything was amazing and it was fantastic being in these places where so much has happened that has influenced the way we live today. Be that influence on architecture, lifestyle, language or just plain freedom; London and the places nearby is a place that is full of influence. It has and will be for centuries and it's amazing to see the places where that influence has been formed or played out.
Last Thursday I was in Paris for the day. It was also busy, so I rushed around and did what I needed to do then came back to London. I saw the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, Le Arc du Triumph, Notre Dame, Le Trocadero and The Eifel Tower. I went by Eurostar so I also saw some of the French countryside by train. It looks really cool.
Friday I got my haircut, shopped, shopped, shopped, had an NZ style coffee, shopped some more, then went to a show. Priscilla was awesome. Drag queens, music, dancing, fantabulous. We had crappy seats but that's ok because the music was actually fantastic anyway and so long as we could see the shoe.... I was happy.
Since then I've had a few relaxing days. We went to Oxford to catch up with a friend for the day on Saturday. We went punting and checked out a science museum there. Sunday was just a chilled out day. Went and saw a movie but wished we hadn't. That movie should not be allowed to screen in theaters... eeeeew. Bruno was one of the worst movies I have ever seen!
Yesterday it was back to walking in the footsteps of historical figures in Greenwich and at the Bank of England Museum. I stood one foot in the eastern hemisphere and one foot in the west. I held a gold bar. I saw the clock that made navigation possible and enjoyed spending the day with my sister's boyfriend.
I've been having loads of fun and have a busy day planned so I am off to eat my breakfast now. :D
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Holiday!!!
Hi all!
It's been a while since I last wrote something here because I am a lazy bum.
The past few months in Japan have been really hard on me. I was in a show for charity in which I had a speaking role, minor but significant enough to make me just a little stressed. It also got really hot in Japan all of a sudden about the time I last wrote something here. I kid you not the temperature lept up from about about 24 degrees celcius to 28 with much more humidity within the space of a week. It took its toll on my health and am now very much so enjoying the relative cool of London on my 2 week vacation.
Needless to say, the show was a success. Reports from other ALTs indicate that it may have been the best one in a while so that's good.
Before I came on holiday school was winding down for the summer break and not much was going, except my stomach but that is another story that shall be resolved in due course, roll on September when temperatures will be approximately what they are in the UK again.
Currently, I am on the holiday that I had been planning for months before I came here. It is a relief I can tell you to finally be on holiday in a place where English is the principal language and where things are at least similar to home. The temperature here is much more like what I'm used to and I'm not sure that I'm looking forward to returning to the heat in 10 days time but I might be sick of my sister by then and actually want to go back, who knows.
I've been in London for 4 days now and have successfully managed to be a tourist.
On Sunday, my sister took me for high tea with her close friend. It was one of the most extravagant things I have ever done. £43 for champagne, a fruit platter and an assortment of cakes designed based on actually dresses, shoes or handbags. For example there was a green handbag made from mint marzipan with chocolate something inside. It was amazing. We also got tea on top of all that. I had the chocolate mint, it was divine I tell you! So there I was in London all dressed up with nothing to do, so my sis and I took some random photos and went for a random walk past Buckingham Palace, through St James's Park and on to Westminster. I had been in London less than 24 hours and was in complete awe of the place. These were places that I'd seen on TV and are significant for anyone from a Commonwealth country but that I had always just assumed were on the other side of the world and too darned expensive to get to. 4 days on I still can't believe that I am here.
In the last 4 days I have managed the amazing feat of doing a few things in depth as opposed to a million things superficially. Bearing in mind that all but one of these things was included in my London Pass I shall give you a run down on where I've been in the last few days and possibly, though unlikely, will elaborate later.
I have been to: The Tower of London; St Paul's Cathedral; The Globe Theatre; The Florence Nightengale Museum; The Dali Exhibition (not on the London Pass!); The Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum; and last but most certainly not the least, in fact I'd say one of the most important to have seen, Hampton Court Palace.
It was all 100% worth it and I really recommend the London Pass. Not sure if I recommend the Dali Exhibition so much, though, it was £14, if you like Dali but don't love him it might not be worth the money. That's just my honest opinion.
So far I am loving London and sitting here eating corn thins is doing wonders for my sanity. :D
Hope all is well for all of you. I'm going to go and watch English TV now. :O
Photos to come later!
It's been a while since I last wrote something here because I am a lazy bum.
The past few months in Japan have been really hard on me. I was in a show for charity in which I had a speaking role, minor but significant enough to make me just a little stressed. It also got really hot in Japan all of a sudden about the time I last wrote something here. I kid you not the temperature lept up from about about 24 degrees celcius to 28 with much more humidity within the space of a week. It took its toll on my health and am now very much so enjoying the relative cool of London on my 2 week vacation.
Needless to say, the show was a success. Reports from other ALTs indicate that it may have been the best one in a while so that's good.
Before I came on holiday school was winding down for the summer break and not much was going, except my stomach but that is another story that shall be resolved in due course, roll on September when temperatures will be approximately what they are in the UK again.
Currently, I am on the holiday that I had been planning for months before I came here. It is a relief I can tell you to finally be on holiday in a place where English is the principal language and where things are at least similar to home. The temperature here is much more like what I'm used to and I'm not sure that I'm looking forward to returning to the heat in 10 days time but I might be sick of my sister by then and actually want to go back, who knows.
I've been in London for 4 days now and have successfully managed to be a tourist.
On Sunday, my sister took me for high tea with her close friend. It was one of the most extravagant things I have ever done. £43 for champagne, a fruit platter and an assortment of cakes designed based on actually dresses, shoes or handbags. For example there was a green handbag made from mint marzipan with chocolate something inside. It was amazing. We also got tea on top of all that. I had the chocolate mint, it was divine I tell you! So there I was in London all dressed up with nothing to do, so my sis and I took some random photos and went for a random walk past Buckingham Palace, through St James's Park and on to Westminster. I had been in London less than 24 hours and was in complete awe of the place. These were places that I'd seen on TV and are significant for anyone from a Commonwealth country but that I had always just assumed were on the other side of the world and too darned expensive to get to. 4 days on I still can't believe that I am here.
In the last 4 days I have managed the amazing feat of doing a few things in depth as opposed to a million things superficially. Bearing in mind that all but one of these things was included in my London Pass I shall give you a run down on where I've been in the last few days and possibly, though unlikely, will elaborate later.
I have been to: The Tower of London; St Paul's Cathedral; The Globe Theatre; The Florence Nightengale Museum; The Dali Exhibition (not on the London Pass!); The Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum; and last but most certainly not the least, in fact I'd say one of the most important to have seen, Hampton Court Palace.
It was all 100% worth it and I really recommend the London Pass. Not sure if I recommend the Dali Exhibition so much, though, it was £14, if you like Dali but don't love him it might not be worth the money. That's just my honest opinion.
So far I am loving London and sitting here eating corn thins is doing wonders for my sanity. :D
Hope all is well for all of you. I'm going to go and watch English TV now. :O
Photos to come later!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Of sports days and charity shows…
I remembered what else I was going to write about that I forgot in the last entry. The other reason why I’ve been so busy lately, Charity Show. But I will have to write about that after I write about Sports Day because Sports Day is interesting.
Sports Day for my school is held in May when the weather comes into one of the most stable times of the year. A lot of other schools hold it in September too but most of the primary schools hold it in May, as does my Junior High and a couple of other Junior Highs in my town.
This past weekend I was rudely awoken by the sound of the mega-phones and announcement system of the nearby primary school holding its Sports Day. Apparently, my friend’s child was supposed to be running but it rained in the afternoon and I missed it. I am a little bit gutted but at least I got a shed-load of sleep on Saturday and was vaguely productive this weekend.
What’s been interesting me about sports day lately though is the sheer amount of practice these kids do for it. Also the sheer amount of classes that get cancelled so that they CAN practice for sports day. This week I have taught a total of 6 classes at Junior High and erm only 2 at Elementary School (but that’s because I got a stomach bug and spent much of the day sleeping in the nurse’s office after I nearly collapsed trying to teach the little ones). I was due to teach 4 classes at elementary but only wound up teaching the 2 because one class was cancelled for sports day practice. At Junior High not much has happened this week but Sports Day practice, and we’re all praying that it doesn’t rain on Saturday! These kids practice so hard for Sports Day and I guess I’ll find out on Saturday what the fuss is all about.
As for Charity Show…
Every year for the last 18 Toyama’s JETs have put on a show to raise money for charities in Toyama, Japan, as well as international charity, Heifer International.
This year is the 19th time JETs in Toyama have put on a show such as this and I convinced in the week leading up to auditions to do so.
The show we are putting on this year is called Alice in Wonderland but it has a twist. Alice is from Toyama and wonderland is Tokyo. It’s all in Japanese, written by some local ALTs (ie not Japanese people) and translated into Japanese by some friends of ours, or translated by said writers, I’m not 100% certain. The songs are new takes on old favorites from back home and are awesome. I play Cat Maid, a maid at a maid café in Akihabara. I get to wear one of the best designed costumes I have ever seen and prance about the stage like the ditz that I am. :D It really is the perfect role for me. Now, if only I hadn’t gotten sick with whatever it was that has caused me to feel vile for the past couple of days and been able to make it to rehearsal.
Rehearsals are more or less every Thursday night and Sunday afternoon for the past month or so and is really putting my body through its paces, all this dancing and singing and remembering lines, phew, it’s a bit of a mission really. At least I’m not the girl playing Alice, she has to attend absolutely every rehearsal and remember her lines for the WHOLE show in Japanese when she doesn’t really speak much of anything Japanese really.
So anyway, this year’s charities are really awesome and I think it’s a great cause. If you live in Japan and wanna come… wink wink, come check out Toyama in the process! … the shows are on the 13th of June and the 20th of June. Tickets are selling now!
Hope all is well with all of you!
R
Sports Day for my school is held in May when the weather comes into one of the most stable times of the year. A lot of other schools hold it in September too but most of the primary schools hold it in May, as does my Junior High and a couple of other Junior Highs in my town.
This past weekend I was rudely awoken by the sound of the mega-phones and announcement system of the nearby primary school holding its Sports Day. Apparently, my friend’s child was supposed to be running but it rained in the afternoon and I missed it. I am a little bit gutted but at least I got a shed-load of sleep on Saturday and was vaguely productive this weekend.
What’s been interesting me about sports day lately though is the sheer amount of practice these kids do for it. Also the sheer amount of classes that get cancelled so that they CAN practice for sports day. This week I have taught a total of 6 classes at Junior High and erm only 2 at Elementary School (but that’s because I got a stomach bug and spent much of the day sleeping in the nurse’s office after I nearly collapsed trying to teach the little ones). I was due to teach 4 classes at elementary but only wound up teaching the 2 because one class was cancelled for sports day practice. At Junior High not much has happened this week but Sports Day practice, and we’re all praying that it doesn’t rain on Saturday! These kids practice so hard for Sports Day and I guess I’ll find out on Saturday what the fuss is all about.
As for Charity Show…
Every year for the last 18 Toyama’s JETs have put on a show to raise money for charities in Toyama, Japan, as well as international charity, Heifer International.
This year is the 19th time JETs in Toyama have put on a show such as this and I convinced in the week leading up to auditions to do so.
The show we are putting on this year is called Alice in Wonderland but it has a twist. Alice is from Toyama and wonderland is Tokyo. It’s all in Japanese, written by some local ALTs (ie not Japanese people) and translated into Japanese by some friends of ours, or translated by said writers, I’m not 100% certain. The songs are new takes on old favorites from back home and are awesome. I play Cat Maid, a maid at a maid café in Akihabara. I get to wear one of the best designed costumes I have ever seen and prance about the stage like the ditz that I am. :D It really is the perfect role for me. Now, if only I hadn’t gotten sick with whatever it was that has caused me to feel vile for the past couple of days and been able to make it to rehearsal.
Rehearsals are more or less every Thursday night and Sunday afternoon for the past month or so and is really putting my body through its paces, all this dancing and singing and remembering lines, phew, it’s a bit of a mission really. At least I’m not the girl playing Alice, she has to attend absolutely every rehearsal and remember her lines for the WHOLE show in Japanese when she doesn’t really speak much of anything Japanese really.
So anyway, this year’s charities are really awesome and I think it’s a great cause. If you live in Japan and wanna come… wink wink, come check out Toyama in the process! … the shows are on the 13th of June and the 20th of June. Tickets are selling now!
Hope all is well with all of you!
R
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Family comes then 6 weeks later bike accident!
>
It be update time!
I seem to be becoming my slack old self. But all good. I do in fact have reasons for that. One is that I have been incredibly busy lately and the other is that I had a bicycle accident last week (car vs me on my little pink bike).
So, I’ve been meaning to write about Mum, Dad and the big sis coming but to be honest, I think they’re the only ones that read this and they know what happened when they were here. :-P But anyway that was in March. They came to primary school with me one day and were treated like royalty. The next day we headed up to
Here's a photo of me teaching when they were here. I wish I had a photo of the whole family here but unfortunately the closest I have is four snow monkeys in a hot pool and that's not on my computer, it's in my phone, sorry.
I decided last night that my darling big sister deserves a decent present when I go to see her and am working on it. She’s going to be getting an email from me soon asking exactly which suitcase she wants and which doll it was that she saw in
Now to my ‘jiko’ (accident). Hit by a car on my way to work when I was already running late and was horribly damp because a friend of mine had told me that it wouldn’t rain and I went for a cycle in the rain didn’t I.
So, what happened? I was going straight. I had right of way, same rule on that here as the rest of the world I do believe, unless 
Yes, my green bag, the same green bag that I had my eye on for 6 months before leaving Wellington and bought only a few days before I left from Fruitti (see above picture from September 08 in Kanazawa). The green bag protected me and is now known as ‘protector’. It left a big dent on her bonnet and a green line. The bag fought the car and won! I fought the pavement and came off with a few nasty bruises, a grazed elbow and more adrenaline flowing through me than I care to think about. I also got ordered by a doctor not to drink coffee for 3 days… a fate worse than death? I though so, but no, I survived that too! That was a week ago and I’ve had little time to rest since but all good, I’m a Kiwi, I can handle anything!
The latest on the accident is that the insurance company of the lady who hit me is going to handle everything and give me some extra moolah for having been hit, how nice of them, not expected at all, I love Japan! They did not HAVE to do that! Actually, I think that legally they don’t, my colleagues are like ‘wow, you’re lucky, I bet it’s coz your foreign!’ (Yay for being a different colour in
Seriously though, all I wound up with was a big bruise on my hip, that graze on my elbow and a slightly munted up, now replaced, bike. I’m tracking the bruise with photos and am thinking of buying myself a helmet, I don’t care what the Japanese would think of me, it’s about time someone set a new fashion trend and since my students all live in the areas that I cycle in and (mostly) they love me why not let it be me? I want a helmet from the oh so incredibly fabulous UK based Cycle Chic (google their online store, they are amazing!).
Bicycle law in Japan is something that intrigues me greatly and I am yet to find a decent (English) source of information on it. It seems to be that the basic rule of thumb is:
"behave like you would if you were driving a car (watch out for hazards, avoid them and what not) and exercise caution and common sense. If you are over junior high school age a helmet is not necessary, you will not hit your head on any pavement if you follow the above rule about common sense.'
"Oh and you can ride on the footpath too, it's safer than the road, mostly.
"If you do have an accident you must go the hospital for a CT Scan of your head and x-rays of places on legs and arms where it hurts even if you can move everything." :S
I had something else that I wanted to write about but I can’t remember what it was just now. Will remember later and write it up tomorrow, maybe.
Until then... don't forget to wear your bike helmet!!!!
Rae
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