I went and visited Tokyo Tower today with a Japanese friend of mine. Pictures and video below. Enjoy!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
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.
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.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
For Those of You Counting
There is only one week of classes left, and after that the students are off on their summer vacation until September. This means I have five days of classes to go. Only five opportunities left to experience teaching in Japan.
The students don't know that I'm leaving, and I've been given instructions to keep it that way. There are to be no long goodbyes, no fond farewells. I won't even get any cake. Instead, I am to be quietly whisked away during the break, never to be heard of again. It's a little saddening, but my supervisors inform me that it's for the best. I may be the last red-head those kids ever see.
After the 16th my days will be free for exploring and optional pillaging. I may have to visit the office on occasion, but essentially I'm going to have three weeks of nothing to do but play. What to do??? So many places to go and things to see. I'd like to visit a museum, see some art. I'd go to a play, but I wouldn't understand what was being spoken. I may try a movie -- renting one, that is; theaters are too expensive here. Which makes me wonder, I haven't seen any popcorn the entire time I've been here. Maybe instead of serving popcorn at theaters, the Japanese sell sushi.
Come August 5th, I'll be touring and shopping around with some friends flying in from Utah and various parts of Japan. The plan is to visit the Kyoto area and see what's up for grabs there. If anyone knows of some great hotspots in Kyoto, send me a line; we're taking suggestions.
The students don't know that I'm leaving, and I've been given instructions to keep it that way. There are to be no long goodbyes, no fond farewells. I won't even get any cake. Instead, I am to be quietly whisked away during the break, never to be heard of again. It's a little saddening, but my supervisors inform me that it's for the best. I may be the last red-head those kids ever see.
After the 16th my days will be free for exploring and optional pillaging. I may have to visit the office on occasion, but essentially I'm going to have three weeks of nothing to do but play. What to do??? So many places to go and things to see. I'd like to visit a museum, see some art. I'd go to a play, but I wouldn't understand what was being spoken. I may try a movie -- renting one, that is; theaters are too expensive here. Which makes me wonder, I haven't seen any popcorn the entire time I've been here. Maybe instead of serving popcorn at theaters, the Japanese sell sushi.
Come August 5th, I'll be touring and shopping around with some friends flying in from Utah and various parts of Japan. The plan is to visit the Kyoto area and see what's up for grabs there. If anyone knows of some great hotspots in Kyoto, send me a line; we're taking suggestions.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Food
I've been trying to think of some variety for my home-cooked meals lately. Here's the list of my major supplements thus far:
Feels like I'm overlooking a couple of other simple meals. If you readers out there have any ideas, help me out.
I finally ate some cereal! Any cereal here is usually pretty expensive (it's about $5 for a very tiny box of Frosted Flakes or Cocoa Pebbles). However, just the other day I noticed a good-sized bag of granola for a decent price, so I snatched that right up. And it was good! I love granola, but it's hard for me to find a brand I like; a lot of granola I've tried has been either hit or miss. Anyway, it was a good little treat for me. My breakfast is normally a banana and a peanut butter sandwich, which is an odd lunch to start the morning with.
The school lunches are always a surprise and a treat. They're quite filling, too, and for a very reasonable price. The school's lunches have been a big help in getting me acquainted with a good variety of Japanese meals. Some of the things I've eaten have been absolutely delicious, but others.... I have trouble with the fish. For one, the fish is always served whole -- if it were just the meat, that'd be perfectly fine by me. The skin is never stripped, though. The eyes that the fish used to have are typically burned away into the now crispy flesh. The kids eat it right up, head to tail. I eat it, too -- I always clear my plate -- it's just odd for me. It's like eating crunchy meat.
I love the variety of candy here, and I'm sure the dentists do too. I buy a new type of candy every time I'm in the mood for some, and everything tastes better than the last. Such fun treats. No boring brick-shaped hunks of chocolate. You get inflated graham bears with chocolate bellies instead, or chocolate-covered potato chips, or an ice cream sandwiches wrapped in a chocolate-coated waffle (everything's got chocolate on it). It makes eating junk food fun again!
Haven't been eating out any. Much too pricey. For my first week here in Tokyo I didn't have a kitchen or anything, so I was eating three ten-dollar meals every day, which adds up quick. Again, if anyone has some inexpensive meal ideas, help me out.
- Spaghetti
- Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches
- Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
- Mashed Potatoes
- Fried Potatoes
- Potato Salad
- Rice
- Steamed Vegetables
- Pancakes
- Ramen / Udon / Soba
- Boiled Eggs
Feels like I'm overlooking a couple of other simple meals. If you readers out there have any ideas, help me out.
I finally ate some cereal! Any cereal here is usually pretty expensive (it's about $5 for a very tiny box of Frosted Flakes or Cocoa Pebbles). However, just the other day I noticed a good-sized bag of granola for a decent price, so I snatched that right up. And it was good! I love granola, but it's hard for me to find a brand I like; a lot of granola I've tried has been either hit or miss. Anyway, it was a good little treat for me. My breakfast is normally a banana and a peanut butter sandwich, which is an odd lunch to start the morning with.
The school lunches are always a surprise and a treat. They're quite filling, too, and for a very reasonable price. The school's lunches have been a big help in getting me acquainted with a good variety of Japanese meals. Some of the things I've eaten have been absolutely delicious, but others.... I have trouble with the fish. For one, the fish is always served whole -- if it were just the meat, that'd be perfectly fine by me. The skin is never stripped, though. The eyes that the fish used to have are typically burned away into the now crispy flesh. The kids eat it right up, head to tail. I eat it, too -- I always clear my plate -- it's just odd for me. It's like eating crunchy meat.
I love the variety of candy here, and I'm sure the dentists do too. I buy a new type of candy every time I'm in the mood for some, and everything tastes better than the last. Such fun treats. No boring brick-shaped hunks of chocolate. You get inflated graham bears with chocolate bellies instead, or chocolate-covered potato chips, or an ice cream sandwiches wrapped in a chocolate-coated waffle (everything's got chocolate on it). It makes eating junk food fun again!
Haven't been eating out any. Much too pricey. For my first week here in Tokyo I didn't have a kitchen or anything, so I was eating three ten-dollar meals every day, which adds up quick. Again, if anyone has some inexpensive meal ideas, help me out.
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