Lots of Pictures

I went and watched some sumo wrestlers practice (I have videos of the practice as well, but I will add those later):

Yoyogi park:

And, a baseball game. It was the Giants versus the Tigers (also have some video from this, saving for later):

Quick Update

Things have been a bit busy. Friends have just arrived in Tokyo. We're making plans to do some sight-seeing and have some fun. Will try to give a longer update when I get some time. Meanwhile, know that I am well and having fun.

Tokyo Tower

I went and visited Tokyo Tower today with a Japanese friend of mine. Pictures and video below. Enjoy!

Expecting Company

My coordinator has informed me that another intern is flying back from his assignment in southern Japan, to come and stay with me here in Tokyo until his flight home. The intern is a friend I made when I first came to Japan, a fellow Salt Lake citizen. Should be fun to have a roommate again.

One week after my intern friend moves in, some other friends from Salt Lake will be arriving in Tokyo, and one of them will be staying with me as well. Having one person in my tiny apartment is crowded enough as is. Three will be chaos! But fun. It'll be like having a slumber party, inside a refrigerator box.

In the meantime, I've been doing interviews with a company in California, who might hire me for an internship this winter. Done three interviews in total now. First one was excellent. Second one was great. The third one I bombed, terribly, and it was the most important one, too! May have blown my chances. I'm hoping the other two interviewers will intervene with the third to convince him that I'm still a worthy candidate for the job.

Good Interviewer #1: "He's really a good guy. Knows his stuff."

Bad Interviewer: "You sure? He didn't do so well with the questions I asked him."

Good Interviewer #2: "You must not have asked him the right questions, then."

I was so close. *sob*

In other news, I've been working on a large writing project in my spare time. I've been keeping it hush-hush, because I want to surprise my coordinator with it. After I turn that in this week, I'm going to switch over to another large writing project I've had in mind, which is a novel-length piece of fiction. Been writing chapter outlines in my spare time for a story that's been circling in my head for several years now. I've finally got the idea settled. Now to do my research and finish planning.

Curtain Call

I completed my final week of classes. From here until August 15th, I'm a free man!

It wasn't an easy week. My advisers said I wasn't supposed to tell the students that my classes last week would be the last. The teachers, however, knew full and well that I wouldn't be returning, and they were more than happy to announce my departure to every Jim and Jill they came across in the halls. Needless to say, the kids all found out.

They gave mixed reactions. At one school, all the students asked me to sign the back of their English books. At another school, some kids hugged me and asked me a bunch of last-minute questions, such as, "What's your name?" (They don't remember "Chase" very well for some reason.) At yet another school, the kids said, "Bye!" and left with a shrug. For the final lessons I gave, I incorporated some fun games using balloons and playing cards, along with some party poppers. Everything turned out great overall.

Looking back on it, there are a lot of lessons I wish I would have done better, but I did what I could and I'm proud of what I accomplished. I got everything I wanted out of the voyage, and so much more. I think I'm most grateful for the stories and memories that I can now share. Having been to a part of the world so unforgettable and delightful, I cannot wait to return home so that I might give others the chance to imagine the things I've seen and experienced.