Blogs from Ehime, Japan, Asia - page 13

Is it really Thursday tomorrow? Already? I feel like the week has just begun! It has been a crazy busy week. And a week of many firsts (as is every day in Japan...). Monday I taught my first special education class. There were 3 students from 7th and 8th grade. I gave an edited version of my self introduction and then worked on the alphabet, fruit names and animals. The real kicker was my Board of Education (bosses) sent the top dog from the office to come watch me teach for the day. Definitely a nervous wreck. But what are they going to do, fire me? he. hehehe. They left with smiles on their faces which can only lead me to believe they were pleased with my work. Because they left before I was done. How ... read more

This is my first rainy Sunday. So I actully have time to sit down and work on the blog! Life has been extremely busy as of late, with the first week of school wrapping up Friday, "enkai" to attend as well as birthday parties and travel. Sitting at home this morning I am finally able to ponder the many changes affecting my life at the moment. I am settling into a routine and feeling more comfortable in my surroundings. My flat, located in the suburbia of Hojo shi, is about 20 minutes north of Matsuyama by local train. A bike ride from city center requires just under an hour, although that is considering you travel with a road bike. Many Japanese refer to my location as "inaka" but I would beg to differ. Nothing against "inaka" ... read more

Okay. I have no stories for y'all at the moment. I just wanted to post my pictures finally. Enjoy!... read more

Well, it's only been about two weeks since I came back to Japan, but it feels like I've been here forever. I am teaching English on a remote island in the Inland Sea of Japan called Yuge. Yuge is part of a town made up of four islands called Kamijima. It is technically part of Ehime prefecture in Shikoku, but it's much closer to Hiroshima prefecture in Honshu. Yuge is only accessible by ferry. There are no roads or trains that connect the island to the mainland. Therefore, life here is much more isolated, rural, traditional, and laid back. There are only about 3,000 people living on this island. My job is to teach English at the nursery school, elementary school, junior high school, senior high school, and adult conversation classes. Luckily each school has a ... read more

Between arriving in Japan (more specifically Tokyo) and writing this blog both a lot of time has past and a hell of lot of things have happened - however, I think I am starting it just in time to catch it all before it gets lost to my ever dissolving memory I'll start off with a little on Tokyo, and although I spent only 2 days there and was a bit brain dead for the most of it, it was an all around wicked city to enter Japan through. As cities go it is pretty cool and having never been to one of those scyscraper style, billion storie building places I found it all pretty impressive - an incredibly clean and quiet city that is not exactly cosmopolitan by London standards but has a colourful mix ... read more