Omiyage Advice

Here is some advice I received from a friend before going to Japan to teach English. Perhaps this will be of use to you new JETs/ALTs/English Language Teachers.

"You should bring お土産 (omiyage). It's true that it might not be

expected of you, since you're a foreigner and are coming from a non-
omiyage culture. But it's a nice gesture and will always be
appreciated, and will help you get off on the right foot with your new
overlords. 

As Janice says, food is the main form of omiyage in Japan, usually
individually-wrapped snacks from wherever the person comes from/
visited on vacation. So, I'd look for a snack or candy that reflects
your local area (or at least has the name of your local area on the
tin/box). Nuts, snack mixes, pretzels, etc. Hard candy is also a great
idea. 

Don't bring chocolate. It will melt. 

For the kids, bring prizes. This is different than the omiyage you
bring to your office/schools. Stickers, stamps, loose change,
postcards, playing cards with pictures of your area on them, etc. Even
if you're teaching only high school. You'll be surprised how
competitive jaded high school kids will get just to snag that coveted
smiley ladybug sticker you brought. 

On that subject, a fun thing to do with the kids is passports. Make up
mock passports for each student and stamp your inkan on the visa pages
every time they win a game, answer a question, etc.
When a student gets a certain number of stamps, give them a big prize
like a book of stickers, an American flag, or purikura of you with
cartoon poop on your head."

Happy Halloween 2012

http://dailycontributor.com/happy-halloween/8236/

Happy Halloween!

Halloween isn't a very well celebrated holiday in Japan.  Some people decide to have parties, but in general it's not a big to-do.  Tomorrow my three English club students will be making some Halloween sweets with me after school, but I don't have a costume or any fun party gifts.  They may be a bit disappointed, but it's hard to decorate for such a thing with no budget and no materials available within a reasonable distance of my house.

Last year, teachers asked me to do special Halloween lesson plans during the month of October, but this year there were too many events happening at our school and no one had time to deviate from the textbook curriculum.  Let's hope they don't suddenly ask me to have something ready in class tomorrow, since I don't have anything to bring and not enough time to make something on the spot.

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As tomorrow is the last day of October, NaNoWriMo will be starting the day after on November 1st!  Here is a short video from the creators of NaNoWriMo.

I was told the following: "Warn your friends, family, neighbors, and pets about the upcoming challenge. The more people who know what you're working on, the more accountable you'll feel and the likelier you are to hit the 50,000-word goal."

I agree that having friends and family know about my projects, as well as supporters cheering me on for whatever goal, helps keep me focused as well as holds me accountable for my actions.

So wish me luck!  I haven't quite decided on a storyline yet, so maybe I'll be day-dreaming all throughout tomorrow about a possible story plot.  Any inspirational ideas?  It is supposed to be easy and fun to write, to the goal is to stick to fiction.

Stay warm, and have a very wonderful and happy Halloween!  It finally feels like fall.  My favorite season.