Home Office

I don't really have anything to write, but I wish I did.  The DMV and city were pretty good on Monday, but a little exhausting.  Today I went to my lesson, had coffee with a friend, and worked from home.  I think working from home would take a bit of discipline.  If I ended up working from home in the future I think I would like to set up a room that is very specifically an office.  Big desk, supplies, comfortable chair, windows, etc.  Going to a place that is designed for work would be easier in my mind than just sitting down and deciding to work, but I do know it takes a bit of discipline.  Setting deadlines definitely helps.

Here are some pictures of home offices that I found on the internet.  At the end is a picture of my current office. ^_^

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-Lana

Dyslexia

Well, it turns out that the orientation that I thought was on the 29th was actually on the 26th.  Thanks to number dyslexia, I missed it.  I was pretty upset with myself for a while, but today thinking back about it just seems kind of silly.
This week should be pretty "action packed" however.  Now I have to hand in the visa forms in a separate trip because tomorrow is the last day they are accepted.

Agenda:
Monday- DMV, then City (consulate), then work for Mom
Tuesday- Japanese Lesson maybe
Wednesday- All day motor lesson
Thursday- All day motor lesson
Friday- all day city
Saturday- mac lesson and tour my town :-), clean house for party, maybe DMV again
Sunday- 4th of July Party

Lana

Omiyage

I think I might be done getting gifts for my co-workers, which in Japan is called omiyage.  There are 60 teachers at the middle school, with a principal and two vice-principals.  There are an additional 20 at the office of the Board of Education.  Then I have to think about individual gifts, like maybe one for the head English teacher, one for my current e-mail correspondent, and one each for the principals.  So far I have two calendars that I made about Croton, one for each office, four small boxes of local tea, two boxes of maple candy, four small card sets (for individuals) and a few pins (for individuals).  Since I don't really know anyone yet, I suppose I'll have to decide who get's what when I get there.  I'm also going to have to wrap everything when I get there so that it doesn't get ruined in transit.  Perhaps I could pack some tissue paper and ribbon in case I don't have time before they take me to the school to meet the co-workers.

I've been enjoying my alone time this week.  It will probably be the last bit of it for a while, so I decided to try to enjoy it to the fullest instead of fighting it, which I was doing before.  Now I'm getting ready for July, excited that I can stop buying things soon (because my recent purchases have made me feel like I was splurging...) and that I can spend July doing summer things, spending time with people I love.  I am still taking Japanese lessons, which is great, and have been trying to get things into the attic little by little, sorting out what I might want to take with me and what I'll leave behind.  I joined an online forum for people working in Yamanashi, and I found the "classified" section.  Someone is giving away the rest of her stuff, and one of the JETs living near my town might be able to hold some of it for me until I get there, which would be incredibly kind of her!  My hope is to be able to get as much as possible for free from people leaving the area.  We'll see how that pans out.  It's hard to "do business" when I'm not there to get the items from them!

Sunfield Apartment

This is the apartment building from the outside.  Mr. Amemiya, who works in the town office and has been e-mailing me with information, says that it looks out onto a vineyard.

My predecessor isn't actually a JET, and she left Japan in early April because their contract was different.  Her name is Taneque, and hopefully I'll be in contact with her soon.  Mr. Amemiya has put me in touch with another JET who works at the elementary school named Miki.  I got to talk with her on Skype for a little while this morning, asked her tons of questions, and got some ideas about living in Japan.  Apparently it will get pretty cold in Isawa, but there isn't much snow.  I suppose I'll be packing the winter jacket I was hoping to leave behind, or maybe I'll send it slow mail?  I don't want to waste luggage space for big bulky winter things.  Also, instead of having a car she has a moped, and to drive one does not require an extra license.  I've wanted one of these for so long, I think I might follow her lead on this.  She has a bike and a moped... the bike is for the shorter distance stuff, and the moped for getting around to the further places.  Even if I don't use it every day, if it has been my dream to have one for so long I don't see why I shouldn't be able to.  She got hers used at a store near-by, and she said she'd be willing to take me there.  I'm excited to go look at least.  Don't have much else for now.

Lana

Update to previous post.

Kai no kuni is not 貝の国　but　甲斐の国, meaning something completely different.  Not shellfish country after all. ^_^

THIS IS NOT A BOOK

I really like this author, and this website.  Her name is Keri Smith.  She does more illustration than I, but she is also a journaler!

I bought this book while I was in San Francisco.  We were walking to a friends house and we ended up being a little early so we just dipped into a small bookstore on the way.

http://www.thisisnotabook.org/

http://www.kerismith.com/


It's fun to see which of the activities others have done.  There is a site online for them to post the pictures to.  I am currently doing one of the missions called "This is an inconvenience."  The exercise is to carry the book around for a whole week.  It must always be in plain sight.  I am on day one.  Maybe I'll take pictures along the way and post them here!  That is probably a big maybe.  It may enable me to write more though since I'll always have it.  I think that's how some people treat their writing all the time.  Maybe I'll try it with other journals too.

One of the other tasks was page 196, "THIS IS A TRAP: Do something that will make someone else want to pick up THIS IS NOT A BOOK."  Think this post will entice anyone to do so?

This book looked cool too, but I thought "maybe I could make this on my own?"  If not, I'll just get it when I'm home from Japan.  Or in Japan...  Those Japanese planners are pretty darn cute though!

Lana

Design

Well, I was dumb in exploring the different designs. The one I had before no longer seems to be an option. :-(

Summer 2010 pictures 1

None of these next photos have anything to do with Japan, but I thought they were interesting:



Baby bird learning how to fly in our yard.



I made tea...  Yes I used real china, and a real tray...





The baby deer!  Finally snagged a picture!  Too bad it ran away when I tried to take a picture without a fence in the way.

Think and Grow Rich

This will be my next reading project:  It doesn't have anything to do with Japan, but it was recommended to me by Dennis Stafford, a successful entrepreneur and close friend.


"A must for anyone wanting to improve their lives and their positive thinking. There have been more millionaires and indeed, billionaires, who have made their fortunes as a result of reading this success classic than any other book every printed. NAPOLEON HILLS's "Think and Grow Rich" is the authors most famous work. This is the COMPLETE Reference Book. A true masterpiece with the fundamentals of the Success philosophy.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Napoleon Hill was an American author who was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success literature. His most famous work, Think and Grow Rich, is one of the best-selling books of all time. Hill's works examined the power of personal beliefs, and the role they play in personal success. "What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve" is one of Hill's hallmark expressions. How achievement actually occurs, and a formula for it that puts success in reach for the average person, were the focal points of Hill's books."
-As found at Amazon.com

Flickr

Acronyms

"AET: Assistant English Teacher (used in some prefectures instead of
ALT)
AJET: Association of the JET Program (a network of social groups in
Japan)
ALT: Assistant Language Teacher (this is pronounced A-L-T, not "alt")
BOE: Board of Education (an ALT's employer)
CIR: Coordinator for International Relations
CLAIR: Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (the
government agency that oversees and administers the JET Program)
CO: Contracting Organization (the town/city/prefecture that employs
you)
ESID: Every Situation Is Different GIH: General Information Handbook
JET: Japan Exchange & Teaching Program
JETAA: JET Alumni Association (a network of social groups after you
get back from Japan)
JTE: Japanese Teacher of English (the people you will be co-teaching
with)
MIC: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (one of the three
ministries that oversees the JET Program)
MEXT: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, Technology (One of three
ministries that oversees the JET Program)
MOFA: Ministry of Foreign Affairs (One of the
three ministries that oversees the JET Program)
PA: Prefectural Advisor (a former JET who offers assistance and
counseling to JETs who need it) PC: Program Coordinator (Ex-JETs, either in
Tokyo or at consulates and embassies around the world)"

-According to Austin Gilkeson, JET Coordinator at the Consulate General of Japan at Chicago

Contracting Organization!

I got mail from my Contracting Organization today! I'm so glad I was home because they had it delivered, and I don't think they would have left it without someone signing for it.

According to the paperwork, I'll be working at Isawa Junior High School, which is grades 7th, 8th, and 9th when compared to US grade levels. It is a 10 minute bike ride from my apartment (so perhaps a 20-30 minute walk). There are 750 students in the school, and I will be working with a number of Japanese English Teachers. Each class has about 32 students, and I'll assist in 24 classes each week, as well as get involved in other clubs and activities in the school community.

View Larger Map

In this map, (A) is the school I'll be working at, (B) is my home address, and (C) is the train station in the area. If you click "view larger map" it will tell you how many minutes it takes to walk from A, to B, to C. Just to give you a rough idea.

If you look at the map below, it shows a route from Isawaonsen (which is the Isawa Train Station) to Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. It can take between an hour 1/2 to more than two hours to get there, with varying price ranges. I think it would cost somewhere between $16.00 and $40.00 to get there, also depending on the trains that you take.

View Larger Map

I will post my address here, but please do not send anything to that address until the end of July. My predecessor will live there through July, so it would be best to wait so the poor person doesn't start getting my mail. ^_^ If you would like the mailing address, please e-mail me.

According to my contact, rent will be ￥52,000 per month (depending on the exchange rate, +/- $520.00). Other expenses such as electricity, gas, water, internet, etc., are not included in the rent I am pretty sure. I have no idea what my apartment looks like, or how big it will be. I have not heard anything yet from my predecessor.

Included in the packet was also a little information about the city and surrounding area. For example, the summer temperatures can "exceed 35 degrees Celsius" and the winter down to 5. (This is 95 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit.)

Information about Yamanashi: http://www.pref.yamanashi.jp/english/index.html

Information about Fuefuki: http://www.city.fuefuki.yamanashi.jp/english

It said that Yamanashi was "Kai no Kuni," which I am pretty sure means "Shellfish Country." They might be famous for really tasty shellfish, so I'm a little sad that I don't like seafood!

My first pay day will be August 20th, and I'll be paid on the 20th of every month. In Japan they do not usually get paid bi-weekly, but instead monthly.

In this packet I also got the details of my contract, and am really looking forward to all of this now that the information is more solidified and tangible. I am going to the NYC this Thursday to hand in my Visa application, and then have a mini-orientation to look forward to later this month.

All for now.

Lana

Visa

Well, I finally got the FBI background check, so I'll be sending that with my tax information to the consulate in Chicago, while I get passport size photos taken for my visa application and hand deliver that and my passport to the embassy in NY. I guess I'll have to make a day of it since I'll already be going down there.

If there is anyone currently living in Japan that would like to translate for a person attending an event around June 25th, please let me know. This would be Japanese to English translating.

Lana

PS. This information used to be added to the site as extra, but I decided to take it off of the main page and put it in a post.

"I forgot about this for a while, but my friend taught me about Anki! It is a flashcard program that helps you learn vocabulary for any language or subject. You create all of the cards (without wasting paper), and the program gives them to you in a timed sequence. Cards you know well will not come back often, and cards you need to learn will. It also gives them to you gradually for ultimate learning. Try it out and let me know if it works/if you like it!

http://www.ichi2.net/anki/

(Screen shots at http://www.ichi2.net/anki/shots.html)"

Note to self:

This post is mainly just to remind myself when I get to Japan, but if you have any other ideas please feel free to comment!

English Related Ideas

-Journals and letters, write back and forth with students in English

-English club

-Speech Club/Competition involvement

-Prearranged English "meetings" for conversation practice. Individual or group.

-English newsletter/posted bulletin by the students about what is going on at school/in the town (daily or weekly)

-Some sort of daily English announcement- PA system or classroom.

-Pen-pals from English speaking countries for children

-Fake news show project in English (show them American News Broadcast, let them practice and record)

-Real-time internet chat project with children from an English speaking country

-Arrange free-time viewing of kid's movies in English. Sit with students to help them understand the meaning

-Short play or skit in English

-English treasure hunt

The waiting game - Summer 2010

Hello hello!

Nothing interesting or new has happened recently really. I am still waiting for the visa papers, as well as the FBI background check and tax forms to go through. I am also waiting for my contracting organization/predecessor to get in contact with me. Hopefully they will be able to tell me some things about Yamanashi and about working for JET in Japan. As soon as I found out any of this, I will post it right away.

Lana

Business Japan

My newest Japan related project is called Business Japan: A Practical Guide to Understanding Japanese Business Culture by Peggy Kenna and Sondra Lacy. It is a very short, pocket-sized book that helps compare the US and Japanese business cultures. 53 pages is all.

Keio Plaza

Got an e-mail from the travel agency that is booking the tickets for JET participants. Not that this didn't feel real before, but now it feels so definite! Once I actually have a ticket for the flight, I'll have real proof that I'm leaving!

I also think that the contracting organizations, or JET leaders are doing most of the prep and dirty work for the visa application. This is good, even if it only means less paper work for me.

Once we get to Tokyo we'll be staying at the Keio Plaza hotel from the 25th to the 28th, then we'll be going to our contracting organization's areas which is different for everyone. It looks like a pretty fancy place... It is in Shinjuku, which is a pretty popular area of Tokyo. Mostly shopping, some businesses, some clubs, dining, etc. Here is the website. http://www.keioplaza.com/index.html

KEIO PLAZA HOTEL
Address: 2-2-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo / Phone: 81-3-3344-0111 / Fax: 81-3-3345-8269

Lana

Driving

Today I sent out my application for a one-year International Driver's Permit (License). I hope that I won't have to drive in Japan, but if I do this will give me time to get my real Japanese driver's license, and be able to use the permit for the first year. Apparently it takes a while to get an official one because of the alien registration card activation process initially. I haven't gotten any visa information yet, but I'm anticipating all of that to be coming up soon.

Here's for hoping that I can either walk, ride my bike, or take the train to work.

Japanese Cultural Encounters

I finished The Accidental Office Lady, and have checked out from the local library Japanese Cultural Encounters & How to Handle Them by Hiroko C. Kataoka with Tetsuya Kusumoto. There are mini situations and answers on a variety of topics. Some of them I already know from before, but some of the answers to the situations give insight to what is considered polite in Japan, and helps give an idea of why some things are the way they are, or why people react the way they do. If you are interested in getting a little knowledge about these kinds of customs before I leave, please check out this book! It is rather short, and a quick read.