IT’S MUKADE SEASON

Oh god.  The worst most terrifying part of the year.  I have terrible crawly-bug anxieties and cockroaches and mukade (Japanese centipedes) are the two most intolerable things on this earth as far as I’m concerned.  Japan has a long-ass rainy season, which is very romantic and sweet in movies like 「いま、会いにゆきます」but is, in reality, pretty [...]

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hong kong top 5

Okay! I know you’ve all been jiggling around in some sort of I-have-to-pee type dance fashion since my last entry but relief is here people.  The top 5 things I Will Have Trouble Forgetting About Hong Kong.  With photographic evidence! Let me start by saying I know absolutely nothing about Hong Kong except that its [...]

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car/bike accident

Before I start let me assure you that I am okay, my bike is okay, and the car is okay.  That kind of removes the dramatic tension from the story that follows, but I don’t want you to worry about me while reading. See below for the whole story. There is a T intersection right [...]

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how to look at your problems, according to me.

Someone posted this article on facebook and after reading it, I had a few things I wanted to say. Here’s the article:  http://kotaku.com/5484581/japan-its-not-funny-anymore Okay, so when I said “reading it” what I really meant was attempting to read most of it but being unable to stop my eyes from rolling long enough to finish most [...]

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okurukai!

Today was the 送る会 – sending off assembly for my graduating 3rd years.  They will all be going off to different high schools that they’ve spent the last 4 months cramming for exams to gain entrance to – but their results are rolling in and a good number of them are going to the local [...]

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sushi eating contest: ….yeah.

This past weekend the ladies (and one gentleman) of Shiso went up to contend with the gentlemen (and one lady) of Taj in a sushi eating contest for the prize of — having everyone else buy your meal.  Oh, and honor. And glory. It was my initial impression that sushi would make the worst food [...]

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likely the only time i will talk about sports in this blog

I was at JHS today so no cute heartwarming elementary school stories. I’ll pause for your sighs of relief.  But today was the last day of the World Series and the Phillies didn’t make it :(  As a Pennsylvania girl (and complete bandwagoner) I had to spend the rest of the day with my head [...]

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cultural barriers: pregnant fish.

I’ve often heard from other ALTs about “pregnant fish” that sometimes show up in our school lunch.  I had never experienced such a thing but didn’t think much of it and considered myself lucky.  However, on Friday I was at one of my elementary schools and I had my first encounter.  At junior high I [...]

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HUMID HUMID HUMID

it is really humid in japan. that’s all i have to say.

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randomness from elementary

Today one of the teachers I was working with broke out a lesson plan on fruits halfway through the class period, which was something I realized only afterwards had been written in small letters at the bottom of the lesson plan. She has me teach the vocab and starts pulling plastic fruit out of a [...]

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