Oktoberfest in Fukuoka!

Sorry I haven't been updating like I usually do, I've been caught up in preparing for my brother's wedding! :D  So last night, I went to see the Tomyo lights with Yuka, but she has to send me pictures since I forgot to bring my camera . . . I went right after work so I didn't remember to bring my camera to work with me . . . so I will talk more about that later.

As for today, I went to get my hair cut and nails done (for the first time) with my friend, Madoka! I was really nervous because it was also my first time to get highlights! Everything went well but it all took 3 hours . . . Afterwards I took Madoka to lunch for her great patience and for helping me out (since obviously I can't speak Japanese so they didn't know what I wanted).

 

Madoka and I did a little shopping. Doesn't she look classy? :P

 

I had to take a pic of the Mac store since it looks just like a Mac!

 

I want this giant computer . . . 

 

Oktoberfest!

 

It was dark and tasty, like beer should be.

Stay tuned for more, this was just a brief update to keep you guys reading. I hope to update again soon!

random things over the past 2 weeks

Ok, so I'm trying to remember everything that happened. Basically, the kids have been difficult since Barry had destroyed all semblance of a classroom setting and one class literally continues to run free around the room. We usually sing a song at the beginning of class, but these kids just run around as soon as I let them get out of their chairs, so I can't even sing the song with them. Finally, one adorable girl insisted on getting up in the middle of the lesson and running around, so I had her stand in the corner. As class neared the end, she still kept fidgeting and inching back towards the table, so I was on a constant watch of her. She couldn't take it and went back to the table, so I grabbed her, screaming and crying, and had to carry her around as I signed their yellow cards (used to show they were present that day). After class, a teacher came in and made her apologize. She was hyperventilating and I finally got an apology out of her in English. The next week (this past Friday) she was so obedient! Every time she was about to act up, I would just say her name, and she would be fine! I was very amazed. However, she has another cohort in the classroom. An adorable kid who has the cutest smile, yet even though he's maybe 3 years old, has the ingenuity of a college student. He knows what he can get away with and tries to push my buttons, so if I have my back turned he might get up or draw in another student's book or get the girl to start being really loud or other things of the sort. The class overall is loud the entire time and I can't get them to lower it enough for me not to have to yell the entire time. It's quite a mess. That's the least of my worries though, right now I'm concentrating on making them obey me! I put this kid in the corner when he's bad and he seemed embarrassed when I did it to him this past Friday, so I hope that it helps. He seems to be my next goal, though, then I can start working on making the whole class pay attention and stop talking the whole time!!!
My other classes have been fine as far as I can remember. I straightened them all out now. I started teaching on Wednesday mornings now until we get the new teacher and I have to take a bus there. I was scared at first, but it's ok now. The only problem is that my lunch break is from 12-1 so I'm usually starving by like 6pm or so. But, she's been letting me leave early Tuesday and Thursday nights to make up for working the morning hours, so that's a plus!


I don't have pictures, but last night (Oct. 13th) Madoka invited me to her house! I was so nervous to meet her parents and I was a little late because my boss wanted me to finish transcriptions and, being the only English teacher on Saturdays, I was completely booked with maybe only an hour or so free to work on them. I apologized and felt really bad because her mother was waiting on me to eat :(  Her father had already eaten (I hope that wasn't because of me) they said because he was drinking and he didn't want to eat too much while he drank so that he wouldn't gain weight. We had nabe, which is a traditional Japanese dish where they put a pot on a burner on the table and you watch the things boil right in front of you! Instantly, she would put shrimp in and it would turn pink and the meat cooked as soon as it touched the water! She had the Japanese mushrooms, tofu, and a slew of other delicious vegetables and meat including fish balls and chicken balls (balls as in like meatballs . . . .). It was all cooked in a special onsen water, which is water from a hot spring! It makes the tofu much softer and the water itself was tasty. You dip the elements in ponzu sauce when you're ready to eat it. She also showed me how to make tomago rolls which is kind of an "egg roll" but literally. There's a special pan to make it, and you mix eggs with other ingredients, then fry it in the pan, making it completely flat then rolling it up just as it begins to cook. Eventually, you have a giant egg roll! It was really good. They eat it with mayo but that sounded gross to me so I just ate it by itself. The nabe was so amazing! They asked me why they don't serve it in America and I said probably because it was a health code violation to have your food cooked right in front of you because someone could sue if they pulled the meat out too fast before it was cooked all the way . . . they thought it was ridiculous of course :P  I'm not sure why, but that's my logical guess. At teppanyaki tables, the food is cooked away from you so that you can't take it before it's been cooked all the way, so that's what I think, but let me know if you have any other ideas on why they don't serve it in America!
Her parents didn't speak English, but her mom was able to ask me some things like "how old are you?" which was cute. She was so excited to see me! They had me bring the dress I'm going to wear to Tim's wedding and Madoka helped me pick out a hairstyle for it. She's letting me borrow some of her hair things, which was really nice! I had a great time, although it was difficult since Madoka had to keep translating for me and for her mother, I'm sure that wasn't fun for her . . . I don't think she realizes how low my Japanese ability actually is . . . .


Today (sunday oct. 14th) I found they were holding another event called the IMS Art Festa. They had different traditional Japanese snacks and other items, so I looked around. After buying some cheap goods, I noticed that the people were giving the change to an assistant. I looked at their "assistant" and realized that they were mentally challenged. Then I realized that the event was held to help people who are mentally challenged in Japan. I thought it was really cool, so I bought more souvenirs from there :P  I went to one booth where the two salespeople were very interested in trying out their English. It was so funny listening to them get excited, saying to each other in Japanese "how do you say this?" and laughing and wondering where I came from, etc. They finally asked me some questions and I told them I was an English teacher. They thought it was really cool, it was so funny.
I also went to the pet store that I found a while back, and lo and behold they had BABY BIRDS!!!!!!!! I wasn't allowed to take pictures, but I came at the exact moment that the lady was feeding one of them!!! I about died they were so cute!! I really wish I could've taken a picture >_< I'm so sad I can't show anyone how cute they were. I wanted to buy one but I can't have pets here, which really sucks too . . . I would've bought them all! :D
I also got Tim and Blake's wedding present finally, and those salesmen were really funny too, so excited to practice English and figure out why I was in Fukuoka and everything. They wrap things so prettily out here, they make things as perfect as they possibly can. I should've filmed him tying the bow, he was so meticulous about it and I'm sure no one will notice haha I kind of felt bad. It was a fun day, and tonight I'm having dinner with a lot of friends! There'll be about 10 people . . . only a few of which I actually know. I hope to get some pictures if I'm not too nervous, I don't do well in crowds . . . but at least one of my friends (Yuka) can make it! She makes me feel more at home.

Until next time, hopefully I won't take so long to send an update!!
Thanks again for still reading, it means a lot! :D

Dinner with Madoka Oct. 4th and trip to the international store, oct. 11th!

 

Ohm rice! It's my new favorite! You slice it open with your spoon and the egg comes apart all prettily. My rice had roe and other spicy and delicious things in it. the egg is like an omelet. It was so filling and tasty!

 

The dessert was really pretty, like most things here, the wafers were white chocolate and in side was a slice of pineapple with a soft cream, I forget the flavor . . . but it was delicious, of course!

 

Madoka. She's so adorable! ^_^  She's probably about 5'2 or something.

Trip to the International food store!

of course I bought a bag of popcorn and other necessities . . . I was craving popcorn too badly to pass it up, although one bag cost about as much as 4 bags in Kroger.

 

A warm German wine that had cloves and other spices in it. It was so tasty! I've never had a wine that you had to heat up before besides sake. It was sweet and delicious!

 

I had to buy some Indian food, this was delicious, they were potatoes in a curry sauce.

 

This dish was even better! I have to get this again. I forget the names of these dishes . . .

 

Dinner time!

update . . .

I know it's been a long time, but here is a short update. Of course I won't be able to remember everything that happened, but I hope that I can at least post the most important things! I was busy doing transcription work so I didn't have any free time. First, here's a description of my trip to Dazaifu, the famous shrine for learning. It was just like my image of Japan that I had in my mind, it was extremely beautiful. We happened to go when the people who worked at the shrine (not monks, I'm not sure what they are called, priests?) were ending their day. One man beat on a taiko drum, the other man came to the front of the shrine and said some things and bowed to the shrine. There were women (priestesses?) who also bowed. It was very interesting to watch and even my friends had never seen it before! Here are a ton of pictures:

First, we ate at a traditional Japanese restaurant! Yuka's mother treated us because they were late in picking us up. Yuka drove, and it was my first experience being in a car in Japan besides the taxi ride from the airport!

 

Oishii! Look at all this food! 

 

This is Masayo, I think she was talking to Yuka or something.

 

Tiny, yet very tasty dessert! :P

 

Yuka chowing down on some shrimp. So delicate . . .

 

Me and Yuka!

 

Take 2!

 

So this is where the Totoro live! :D

 

I think this was a house. It looked amazing to me ...

 

Once we reached Dazaifu, I saw this. Apparently it has poems on it

 

Can't escape Starbucks! Apparently it's famous around here for its unique design. I seriously thought that it was under construction at first.

 

Rubbing this bull's head supposedly makes you smarter. Yuka, you are smart already!

 

The entrance to the shrine!

 

These stairs and bridges definitely beat the rendition in the Memphis Botanic Gardens.

 

Purple moss hanging from a tree!

 

Yuka was supposed to be in the picture with me, so I felt really awkward . . . they were both just taking pictures of me standing there.

 

The perfect shot, I'd say . . .

 

 

There were little shrines along the way

 

Almost there! view from the top of the 3rd bridge. I found out afterwards from one of my students that the first bridge symbolizes the past, the 2nd the present, and the 3rd the future. You are supposed to be thinking of these things as you cross them but I didn't know at the time . . .

 

The steps get increasingly smaller as they reach the top. I know it means something but I'm not sure what.

 

People hang their prayers and fortunes here

 

Kirin!

 

I thought Tim might like this. I think he'd make a good tattoo . . . I'm just saying :p

 

The final entrance into the shrine

 

Look at the detail . .  this is the inside of the shrine. There is a mirror and the priest bowed to this mirror. I'd like to know what it signifies.

 

The famous Dazaifu bird! Someone tell me what it is?! (in English)

 

More Totoro land! I really want to go up those steps and explore .  . .

 

I really felt like I was in a painting   . . .

 

We ate again after visiting Dazaifu, it was really fun! We went to a super cheap sushi place

The Shinkansen brought our food fresh, express!

 

Yuka invited us to her house and served us huge grapes! All of the grapes here are enormous. Apparently Japanese people always peel the skin off of the grapes. I ate it the way it was, though. It was so good!

 

A Japanese pear?! 

 

It was hard like an apple but had the taste of a pear and the slight taste of an apple, too.

 

I think these were made from red bean paste but made into Jello, it was good!

 

My favorite dessert, chocoloate mochi!

 

I was so full by this point, two full meals plus a lot of dessert . . .

 

And really hot cocoa! Cocoa powder with sugar and heavy cream, steamed to perfection!

 

Yuka looking so delicate in her girlish room. Apparently she hates feminine stuff as much as me but her mom made her change her room to look girly! How sad. Anyway, it was cute-looking! 

So this was the end of my very long day before the 2 week's worth of transcriptions. It was a nice little vacation! I can't wait to go back! One of the best parts was before getting to the shrine, there were many shops, one was a Totoro shop!! Also, you could sample local foods, and unlike America, they served you tea when you tried their food and didn't care if you didn't buy a thing!! We were trying everything and I felt bad so I bought a few things, but everyone was so nice and didn't seem to care if you bought anything or not! I couldn't get a picture of the Totoro store because it wasn't allowed. Yuka snuck a picture in so I'll see if I can get it from her :D