Morioka

Morioka! It's really a nice place. I love that I get to see mountains every time I go to work.

So, let me give an update on the basics of my life

1. School
My school is very far south. I get up before work between 5:30 and 6am, depending on how ambitious I am. I make myself some coffee with my wonderful, wonderful aero press, eat breakfast, get dressed and spend 5-10 minutes on facebook chat with my mother or sister. Really, this has become my before work routine. It's great!
I'm out the door before/around 7 and I bike to the bus center where I wait around for my 7:20 bus. I have not worked out a schedule where I arrive at the bus center only a few minutes ahead of my bus...I am always afraid I'll miss it so I'm there ten minutes early. This is fine, as it gives the locals plenty of time to stare at me.
The bus center is like a spot that time forgot. It has a small indoors area with various stalls selling i-don't-know-whats, and only old people go there. The lady that helped us during orientation told us that it was a very old-fashioned place, and I totally get that...
After a 25-30 minute bus ride, I'm at work:

My school!

In the mornings there's always a teachers meeting, which I never understand. I just sit at my desk, bow when everyone else bows, and try to use the appropriate polite language. 

My school is really great: it's more rural, so my students are more energetic and less shy (although they can be a bit shy...). I have three teachers that I can communicate with in English, and my vice principle is totally approachable (not that I ever feel the need to just walk up to him and start chatting...). I sit right across from one of my JTEs (Japanese Teacher of English), and close to another. I'm already becoming friends with the female teacher, although I'm sure our friendship won't involve long phone calls about cute boys...Oh well. 

Last week started on Tuesday, and it was just the opening ceremony and a bunch of tests for the students. I was lucky enough (sarcasm) to have the chance to give a speech to THE ENTIRE SCHOOL on that day. I only messed it up a little...

The next three days I introduced myself in English class (3 classes a day, 3 days, total of 9 classes). My introduction involved saying a few things about myself then quizzing the students to see if they understood. Of course, for the first years I used props, but the second and third years had no such help. It was fun for me because I got to experience first hand how rambunctious Japanese students are. If a student is called on and he/she does not know the answer, they turn to their classmates and ask "what do I say?" and everyone in the class will just start telling them the answer. Of course, this always happens! Students who are called on *never * know the answers, they always ask. It's a thing here.

2. Lunch

I am making this a separate category because I feel like it. This week I had lunch with the students from 3A, but Tuesday and Wednesday I made my own lunch. So, here are pics of the 'bento' I made. The high quality factor makes them look gross, so I suggest you don't click on the thumbnail. 

Check it out! The one on the left is just a chicken/egg salad sandwich, potato salad and tomatoes but the one on the right!!! It has the FIVE COLORS! My friend Kiah would be proud! Potato salad, tomatoes, rolled omelet with spinach, chicken nuggets, rice and an umeboshi. The potato salad in BOTH lunches went bad because I could not find those little ice packs you pack with your lunches, but overall I would say I ate well...
Thursday and Friday I ate with the students in class 3A. When lunch time rolled around, two boys from 3A came into the teacher's room and said, "Miss Forman. Please come with us" or some botched, adorable version of that. Needless to say both Thursday and Friday I had an energetic lunch period, where the same three boys asked me the same three questions "Do you like sports? What are your hobbies? Do you have a boyfriend?" I think those are the same three questions everyone gets, and for some reason are the only important things to know about a person.
My favorite student is from class 3A, I call him "pizza" (in my head). Whenever I see him, he always shouts "I like/love pizza!" and it's always hilarious to him. He said it about 5 times to me during lunch on Friday...Maybe one day I'll make him a pizza.

3. Apartment


It's small. Still. And messy BUT I vacuumed it today, and I'm sorting trash which I hope to throw away before my sister comes here to stay...

I live on the first floor, right there! Can you see it?

Okay...so I don't have anything exciting to say about my apartment...Sorry!

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That's it for now! I'm enjoying myself, working "hard" and dealing with stress the best way possible: eating lots and lots of chocolate. I will be in Tokyo this weekend, picking up my sister from the airport and hopefully seeing people I missed when I first arrived!

Later <3