It's Official

Thursday, February 7, 2008 marked the day that officially continues my incredible journey over here in the far east. After MUCH back and forth, tormenting and debating with self, I have recontracted and will therefore be staying in Japan for another year. This has been one of the hardest decisions I have had to make in my life thus far, but at the end of it I am VERY happy with my decision.

The last week of solidifying my decision was quite humorous because my supervisor at the BOE(board of ed.) called me EVERY DAY. I don't know if you remember or even read the beginning of my blog where he said he wanted me to stay here for three years. Now more than ever I see that the man was serious. No matter how I told him I would give him my decision on Thursday(the 7th, 2 days before the deadline), he continued to call each evening. Each call went something like this:

Amanda: hello?
Supervisor: oh helloooo, this is Rokudai-sensei
A: *chuckle* hi Rokudai-sensei, how are you?
S: ohhh I'm fine, so Amandaaaaaaa did you make umm the decision to stay in Japan?
A: noooooo, not yeeeet but i will bring the contract on Thursday
S: *chuckle* ohhh okaaay, I hope, we hope(the BOE and teachers) that you stay in Japan b/c you are a good teacher
A: okaaaaaay, thanks
S: okaaaaay goodbye
A: *chuckling* have a good night

No joke or exaggeration, the man called me EVERY DAY for a week with the same conversation. it's a good thing I already had my mind made up. Could you imagine the torment? The funny thing is the program(JET) specifies that supervisors are not to do this so that participants don't feel pressured into saying yes and then change their mind. Clearly he didn't read that memo, or didn't care. Anyhoo, I thought for sure I would walk into the BOE palms sweating, heart racing and all as I handed over the paper. Surprisingly I was extreeeeeemely calm. I was actually going to play a trick on Rokudai-sensei and give him a photocopied contract that said I wasn't recontracting, but I couldn't do it to him. When I gave him the contract you would have sworn he was holding his breath for a month the way he exhaled. I guess it was a triumphant moment for them, it was all very funny to witness. After thanking me, he motioned to his staff and said "OK OK!" to which they all clapped. Are you serious? It was so funny, but at the end of it all I felt really good...boy are they good for an ego boost.

So that's it folks, my long drawn out story to tell you that I've recontracted for another year. Yaaaaaay me!

Yokoso! Sapporo

Last week Thursday was my last day at the second school, Naba JHS. I booked Friday off for the long weekend. I had to do another fairwell speech, but this time around was very different. If you recall in a previous entry, I was a mess saying goodbye at the last school and I didn't know what to say for my parting speech. I again didn't know what to say in my in my speech, but this time it was because I didn't have the chance to really get to know the students. My time at Naba went by so quickly because of the Christmas holiday. I came up with a very simple speech and was on my way. Friday I got up nice and late(relatively speaking) and got myself ready to head to Osaka Kobe Airport. Khaleelah and I met up at Sapporo airport in Hokkaido(the northern and coldest island in Japan) and headed to our graceful host's(Mark) house via train. We got to Shin-Sapporo in about 2o minutes then walked about 5 minutes from the station. We basically dropped off our bags, headed out to see some of the snow sculptures at the snow festival and then went to a bar, TK6 in Sapporo city to meet up with some other ALTs. After dinner we went to club Booty. Yes, the club name is booty lol. To my surprise the music was good, the dj shocked me. I didn't expect a middle-aged, Irish (or was it Scottish?) man to be digging in the crates for some ooooold reggae and r 'n b. It was great until the guys from the US navy/marines got to the club. They were so whack! Basically they came there with the mentality of the soldiers in WWII thinking that b/c they are from the US that every Japanese woman in the club would jump on their jock at the drop of a dime. In the admission line we witnessed one guy telling a girl she was a dog because she didn't want to leave the club with him to do God knows what. Anyhoo, we left the club and went back to the house by cab. Saturday morning, actually afternoon we went to have breakfast/lunch and went back into the city to look at the ice sculptures. We went to dinner at a Jamaican restaurant and let me just tell you the food was off! You don't hear me saying that very often, but when you see the pictures of their patties you'll understand. After dinner, we went back to TK6. Khaleelah and I ventured back out to see more snow sculptures and we caught a dance battle on the way. We walked back to the bar and we all went back to the house got ready and headed to club Jade. The dj was ok to start but went down south not long after, so we left and went back to Booty. I really can't take the cigarette smoke in the clubs here in Japan and I don't understand how we did it when smoking was allowed in Toronto. Needless to say we left the club early because of it, that and we were tired from all of the walking we did. Sunday morning K and I got up and left the the house before everyone got up. We didn't feel like wasting valuable sightseeing time like the previous day. We had brunch then headed into Sapporo city to finish looking at the ice sculptures and to buy some omiyage for our co-workers. We were finished and ready to head back around 5pm but the others had left the house so we had dinner, did a little shopping and then met up with them at St. John's Irish pub. There was a man there from Istanbul, quite the character, chatting up everyone and buying them drinks. I usually don't take drinks from strangers but your girl was THIRSTY! So I had a second orange with pineapple juice on the rocks lol. Mark and his girlfriend, Maiko had been waiting on their friend going on 2 hours before they got fed up. They left and went to Gaijin bar where we met up with them shortly after. (sidebar: the term gaijin pronounced guy-gin, is used to refer to foreigners. Some sensitive people actually get offended buy it lol go figure) By this time in the night I was absolutely exhausted and we had a reggae party on the schedule. Maiko was tired and driving home so being tired ourselves, we were quick to catch a ride home and go to club bed. Monday morning we got up bright and early to catch the first train(about 6:30am) to the airport. We parted ways at the airport and ended what was an incredibly adventurous weekend in Japan's land of snow.

"Sakura, Sakura" (not Shakira, Shakria)

Friday my classes got canceled because my team-teacher's son was sick. He caught a virus of some sort and threw up at school, poor thing, so she stayed home with him on Friday. I tried to entertain myself for a little bit by taking pictures of the teachers and vice principal, but that didn't last too long. My day was pretty much boring until Suemasa-sensei, one of my first year team-teachers took me to ichi-nen music class. This term the students are learning how to play the koto. I just wanted to go up to the class to take some pictures. The music teacher wasn't hearing it, she wanted me to play. Without skipping a beat she went and got another koto, set it up in the front row, fit my fingers for the the finger picks, gave me the sheet music for "sakura, sakura" and I was set. Let me tell you that was the highlight of my day. I learned how to play a famous Japanese song and instrument:) I also got to see some of the female students dressed in traditional Japanese yukata and I took a very cute picture of them.

I had to work on Sunday for a family open house, where the parents could come in and watch their children in class. I had one class in first period and the rest of the day was boring until I got home. It's 2am Monday morning and although I have the day off, I think I should be heading to bed.

Oh man, it's carnival Monday and I'm not in Trinidad and Tobago...woe is me, why God whyyyyyy! Okay, I guess I'll live..goodnight!

Oh one more thing, pictures from Tamii's wedding have finally been added here.

SEE PICTURES HERE