Just a little something to help Katie keep up with all those who matter to her.
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| We're Not in Japan Anymore... Just a little something to help Katie keep up with all those who matter to her. |
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Thursday, July 22, 2004 Another Friday... But this one is my last day at Ashitaka. My last day working at a Japanese school in Numazu. Yesterday I taught my last two classes--I have a very vague idea of what today's schedule is like. :P I found out yesterday there is no school lunch served today--but, at least one day ahead of time isn't too late, huh? Since it is the last day before summer vacation (which should last about a month, I think...) there is going to be an assembly in the afternoon. I'll probably be making a small speech then... ugh. That will surely be one nice thing about leaving Numazu--I absoluely hate making speeches like this. Especially to an audience that is probably picking up about 50% of what I'm saying (if I'm lucky...). I'm tired of being someone special here, someone who 'deserves' or is expected to make speeches like this. Though... it's hard to belive this is the last time... So this means I have about one more week here. I've started packing. One box is probably on a boat somewhere over the Pacific, slowly making it's way towards Kansas. I have two more sitting here in my apartment (I gave up trying to mail them all out quickly, so they would arrive soon after *I* did, in Kansas...)--one box has about 25 pounds of books in it (12kg) and the other is slowly filling with clothes I hardly wore, movie books and posters, tiny junk I really won't need for a while, and winter socks. :P I've pulled my suitcases down, and started to fill them with the clothes I DO wear, photos and papers I'll probably be asked to show soon after I get home, and books I want to keep on me. I'm gradually 'emptying' small places in my apartment of my things--the closet is done, and most of my little desk, and there are only about 10 shirts haning up in my dresser now... I have a few things planned for next week, but not too much. Maybe I can get my site updated a little bit after all. Thanks for checking in. (: posted by Katie Suttles | 4:23 PM Comments-[ comments.] Thursday, July 15, 2004 It's Friday... My last day this week, my second-to-last week of school. Again, I just can't believe it's going so fast. It's gotten really hot, too. Not that I wasn't familiar with a "Japanese summer" before I arrived, thanks to my time in Hikone in 2002. But... well, seriously, I think my eyelids were sweating the other day. Of course, I had just trekked up the hill to school for 15 minutes in about 86 degree weather. (86 at 7:30 in the morning??) I suppose that's enough to make anywhere on your body start perspirating. School has been nice this week, but still rather slow. I've been reading "Harry Potter" 5, to get a second reading under my belt. After school this week, 4 out of 5 days, I've had dinner parties to attend. Last night was my dinner with all the teachers I've worked with (well... all the ones who could show up...) and I had a nice time. Got and gave lots of addresses, and I gave them all the remaining stickers I had, as well as some of my English newspapers. I hope they find lots of uses for them. And I hope the kids enjoy the stickers--I asked the teachers to tell them they were a little present from me. (: This weekend is looking to be just as busy as my after-school week. I'm leaving soon, and have lots to do, so naturally everyone needs a bit of what little time I have left. (: I won't complain too much (unless it means I'll have to pack my suitcases as I ride the bullet train to the airport!) because I'm really going to miss all these people... when I can't see them anymore... But, what I was getting at, is there will probably be very little updating on my site, before I leave Japan. ): I'm sorry... I have a few more pictures from Becca's visit, and some from school I'd like to share. But maybe before August is over, when I'll have time to relax, I'll be able to get some stuff up to show you all. I plan on keeping the site for a little while--everyone seems to have enjoyed it so. (: But I find it really surprising that so many people find my life so interesting. :P Take care. (: posted by Katie Suttles | 4:19 PM Comments-[ comments.] Friday, July 09, 2004 Howdy. I only have two weeks of school left here... No matter how many times I think about it, it doesn't sink in too much. Things are getting packed and mailed here, farewell parties have started... but still. Just seems weird to think that two Mondays from now, I won't be waking up at 5:15 to catch my bus to Ashitaka... That I won't be performing silly student-written skits in front of the classes anymore... Strange. So, yes, I had my first Farewell Party, Monday night, at a really nice hotel. It was for the N.I.C.E. group (Numazu Association for International Cultural Exchange or something along those lines). So people from the Sister City Committe came, as well as students from my Guide class and the girl who was the exchange student this past year, Keiko. I think she really enjoyed her stay, and seems to be torn on whether or not she's happy to be back. I kind of understand. I also met the boy who will go to Kalamazoo this coming school year. He was incredibly polite and quiet. (: But he asked Keiko several questions, and I breifly spoke to him. I'm sure he's really excited about it--just very nervous right now. I wish I could have spoken to him more--and I'm sure he wishes the same. I discovered that he really likes English, and wants to be an English teacher in Japan someday. Keiko might want to attend MSU sometime in the future. (: During dinner, we had a bit of a celebrity encounter. Did you hear about the two Japanese men who were killed in Iraq? I believe they were driving somewhere and their car was ambushed and they were shot to death. They weren't soldiers, but were trying to help a young Iraqi boy who's eye had been injured during an explosion. After the two men died, efforts to make their dream of bringing this boy to Japan to have surgery to repair his eye come true. The boy was sent to a hospital in Numazu, where one of the men was from, I think. The surgery happened several days ago, and went well. I thought the boy had gone home... but I was wrong. He came walking into our small banquet room that night. He must have been staying in the hotel, after his surgery was successful. And, judging by the way he acted that night, I think he often tours the hotel, shaking hands and stuff, soaking up this attention. So, that was kinda cool. After dinner was over, we headed to the elevator and guess what? Ran into the kid again. This time, he was making us hold out our hands, like he was gonna high five us or something... but instead, he would spread his hands wide, and SMACK them both against your hand. He did it to me three times.... it sucked. When we piled in the elevator, he got a look at my face, pointed at me and said, "America?" And I nodded and told him, "yes." Then he said, "Thank you very much." ^_^ So, that was kinda neat, too. This week has been pretty average. I've only had about three classes a day, so I find myself quite bored the rest of the time. A few days after seeing "Harry Potter" 3, I got the itch to read the third book again, so I checked for it at the library. They only had 4, so I got it instead. I read it in a week, having so much free time at work. (I have Japanese comics I could read, too... but somehow that seems just a little TOO unprofessional, I guess...) So last week I took back 4, and asked if they had 5. They did! I was kinda surprised, but really happy. HOWEVER... it was out at the moment. But the lady told me that it was due back the next day, and I could reserve it. Well, HECK yes. Though... that was last weekend.... STILL the jerk hasn't brought it back. I didn't get another book cuz I figured I'd have my hands on five soon enough. So.... this week has been EXTRA boring, when I haven't had class, I guess. You can only study so many kanji a week, you know... before your head explodes. It's true. I heard it on TV. So tomorrow, before Japanese class, I'll ask about book 5. If the jerk still hasn't brought it back, I might offer to call for them. I'm guessing they might not be calling him because he can't speak Japanese. We'll see. Maybe I'll have to resort to a different book. ): Tonight I'm going to a little party with the Ashitaka teachers. I guess next week begins this Nation-wide sports competion narrowing-down process... or something. First there are like, city competions... then prefecture (states, in a way)... then regions... and eventually the best teams in Japan will compete. Dunno how far away that is, though. We had something like a pep rally today (which was just about god-awful... to sit in a gym full of 420 students and about 20 teachers in 86 degree weather...) and it was fun to see the kids in all their different sport uniforms. They showed us their pre-game cheers and gave messages to their classmates and coaches. ^_^ Interesting stuff. So there's a small party for the teachers to kick it off, I guess. Drinking and karaoke, I'm guessing. I'll be leaving a little early though, cuz Kazuyo and I will go see "Lost in Translation." ^_^ It's finally been released here, and I'm excited to see it. That, and it's fun spending time with Kazuyo. (: Ahh... let's see. What else? Not much really, I guess. There seems to be so many things I have to do to get ready to go... and I don't feel like doing any of them. I should check my phone book to see if there's someone I can hire to do all this packing and mailing crap. Maybe I'll just buy myself a plane and learn to fly it before I have to go--that'll probably save me a ton on shipping fees. :P posted by Katie Suttles | 3:50 AM Comments-[ comments.] |
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