http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/Pear-in-the-Dunes/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Pear in the Dunes en-us Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:33:21 +0000 Mon, 28 Dec 2009 15:33:21 +0000 I've realized that I only have a little over a month until my time in Japan is over...so I've been keeping insanely busy with extracurriculars and not enough time packing. Don't worry Mom I'll make it workWhat have I been doing Here's the rundownI performed and competed in our local talentkaraoke contest that's held every year called Tottori Idol a take off on the original Pop Idol show http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/blog-408427.html Continuation of the last entry....We end up back in Seoul on May 6 Happy birthday Dad. Jackie and Rach checked back into the hostel I was staying with friends in the city for the next two nights so I didn't need a hostel. We did some shopping in Insadong. I got new earrings and postcards and some gifts for coworkers. I got a 448674837245796 4522451088 Korean drama version of t http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/blog-398646.html Last week I went to Korea yes again....and it was probably the best trip so farWe flew out of Yonago airport to Incheon International Airport. We were actually interviewed at the airport by local news people because of the whole swine flu thing. I was wearing a mask at the airport and in the airplane. Most people in Korea didn't wear masks though. We spent the first night in Seoul just found a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/South-Korea/blog-398381.html Went to Sapporo Hokkaido from Saturday until today. It was really fun and not as cold as people say but I am from Minnesota and I KNOW what cold is. The coldest was 3 degrees Celsius I forgot it wasn't that bad cause it wasn't so windyAnyhow....run down of events.Saturday arrive find our hotel after Rach leads us to the wrong place because she read the map wrong and thought the hotel was http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Hokkaido/Sapporo/blog-372625.html My parents have been asking to see photos so I will just write briefly about my trip.Spent a week in PagbilaoLucena to see family. I ate way too much as usual but managed to eat everything I wanted thanks to Tita Menchie. I spent a lot of time with my lola and got her a lot of presents. I think her favorite was the hot water bottle. I'll have to get her different covers for it while I can get th http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Quezon/Pagbilao/blog-358444.html It was the last time I would be part of the English Speech competition...I was partly happy nervous and excitedAll the practicing paid off though One of my students from one school got a runnerup prize for his recitation and another student from my other school got the FIRST PRIZE for his recitation. Of course the students did a lot of work but I have to say I did a pretty good job choosi http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/blog-338934.html It was a whirlwind tour....of Tottori My parents arrived on a Thursday night and I went to Osaka to meet them. We spent a night in Osaka because I didn't want to take the bus back right away. We had a busy schedule the next day so I wanted to get some sleep They liked the yukatas from the hotel too Friday morning on the bus back to Tottori lots of mountains on the way. Once we got to Tottori http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/Tottori/blog-290313.html Over the summer I went to Kyoto for the third time with my friend Ellen who was visiting me from Korea We did the maiko makeover yes my second time....but I found a better place that my friends recommended and I'm glad I went again because the pictures turned out great Here's just a peek of the prof. photos and the not so professional ones we took outside....We had a pretty relaxed time met http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Kyoto/Kyoto/blog-319352.html Finally have a free weekend to myself so I am doing a lot of updates From May 1018 I went to the Philippines to visit my lola and also to meet up with my parents who were coming in from America. I went to the Philippines a few days before my parents got there. Flew Korean Air which was great loved having bibimbap on the plane. There was also free wine but didn't feel like having any. I defin http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Quezon/blog-282086.html I know it's been ages since I've written Months as a matter of fact there are a lot of updates I will have to do separate posts for some of these events but nonetheless here is the rundownDecember 2007 winter holidayI went to INDIA 3 friends 2 weeks 4 cities loads of photos some of the spiciest food I've ever had wild animals in the jungle crazy people the Taj Sham Bunty rounda http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/Tottori/blog-255984.html Had a marathon session today and yesterday with my friends Steph and Megumu Woo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/Tottori/blog-227768.html This is the first time I really felt like I was a part of the Cultural Festival preparations. Last year all I did was watch and I did participate in the teacher's chorus performance and cook tacos with my students but this year...more workAbout a month before the actual cultural festival one of the teachers asked me if I wanted to try playing the koto. It's a 13 stringed instrument that is pla http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/Tottori/blog-221791.html Lately work has been busy busy busy. I thought things would slow down after the Cultural festival...not so much.Observation classes galore have commenced Monday was the big observation class for our youngest science teacher. ALL teachers watched his class. The rest of the students in the school were left to do worksheets. Today was the observation class for one of my JTEs who isn't a real teach http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/Tottori/blog-219286.html which will be expanded into their own separate entries eventually....It's been way too long since I've updated I guess the last big event was the speech contest but since then I've definitely been keeping busy. Let's begin with my typical weekly schedule. On Mondays and Thursdays I have play rehearsal with Viva Theatre Yes we are back and this time with a musical. Little Shop of Horrors. For http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/Tottori/blog-217389.html A very busy few weeks have passed. I've been working overtime about two hours a day for the last two weeks helping my students prepare for the speech contest. Since I work at two schools it was a little bit difficult. I think one school definitely had an advantage because I have been working there longer this year. My students at the small school did not have as much time with me. Also that scho http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/Tottori/blog-206935.html Last Saturday Rachel's landlady threw her a little party so us ladies decided to get all dressed up in yukata summer version of kimono in the pretense that we would head into town for the matsuri festival that night. We stayed at the party a bit late so missed all the festivities but didn't miss the opportunity to walk around Tottori in yukata Pics will best explain this experience...haha. http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/Tottori/blog-184678.html Just wanted to introduce you all to one of my favorite past times here in Japan. Purikura derived from print club which in katakana English is pronounced purinto kurabu 12503125221253112488124631252112502 so it's the shortened version of that Basically you get into a photo booth with your friends or by yourself pay about 400 yen roughly 4 and you take pics with a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/Tottori/blog-179673.html Two days of camping on the beach watching capoeira and dancing the night away with friends. What more can I ask for It felt like longer than two days actually. Katie and Ryan aka the Aussies picked me up Friday afternoon and it was miraculous that we fit all our gear and me and Amy in the car to go to the beach. We did have to sit on the futon but it worked out. We were one of the first peo http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/blog-178827.html Had so much fun decided to blog about it for a change...hahaFriday night hit up English cafe with Onika Megumu Noriyuki and Rachel. Granted there were some oddballs there but we had fun and I got to meet Megumu's cousin and mom so that was really cool We went out to dinner after but I already ate since I made a huge pot of curry the day before and still had leftovers. I just had sweets a http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/Tottori/blog-170264.html It's a bit daunting to think about how much time has passed since I've been here. It feels like I've been here for ages but it hasn't even been a year yet that kinda sounds like a long time ne A lot of ALTs are leaving the program this year so I've been hearing about their plans to go back to their home countries and also about how there really are only two months left and then a bunch of new J http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Japan/Tottori/Tottori/blog-161379.html