Mobile blogging

I'm trying to be more diligent with this blog, so I am attempting to send updates from my phone. Hopefully this works! Currently I am travelling to Osaka to meet up with the guys. Should be a fun night. I have not explored Osaka much and I am looking forward to experiencing a little of this metropolis!

February

February begins and the days are getting longer. People are saying the snow is worst in this month, but I am still hoping for a mild winter leading into March and Spring Break. I have been here six months, but it surely doesn't feel like it. We were asked to decide if we wanted to be a part of the JET Program for 09-10 and I decided to stay in Japan for another 18 months. If the first quarter is any indication, my time in a foreign country will only get better. I am just now adjusted to my schedule and lifestyle, and the financial benefits are very apparent, with Oregon trying to balance the budget and deciding if schools will even remain open until the scheduled summer break. It feels like the right decision, like I am truly buying into being an earnest expatriate.

"A ray of light erased your name. Now I do not know who you are."

-Antonio Porchia

iphone

I was a little skeptical at first, but I have to say the iphone is quite an amazing piece of technology. Since I had to get a new phone for Japan, and the cheapest one was 300, I decided to spend 700 and get an iphone, with the hope of using it in the States as well. I have not been disappointed. This gadget has Japanese study apps, GPS tracking apps, mini-games, and web surfing abilities. I can watch movies on my iphone, I can listen to music while running on my iphone, I can post to my blog with my iphone, and I can send e-mails with my iphone. I am hooked; I don't think I can go back. The thing also gets points for a simplistic modern design and ease of use. Really, it is technology that can be used in many different ways. I thought Japanese cell phones would be cool, and they do have features like e-mail addresses and the ability to watch TV, but lots of people out here are pretty impressed with the iphone because it is all new and different.

Beauty

Nagahama is a nice place. Seems like every town has some sort of irrigation system running through it.

Weekends

Usually on the weekends I am able to get out and see some sights.

Kyoto:

Sumo:

There's so much to see in a small area here, and the trains and buses take you anywhere you want to go. Future plans include Hiroshima, Okinawa, and Thailand!

Daily Life

Here are some pictures of my apartment. It is really small, but new and clean and it meets all my needs:







Outside:
My daily routine during the week is rather simple. I bike to Makino Jr. High School, which takes about 20 minutes. I assist with 2-4 English classes a day. I will conduct warm-ups or make a worksheet for the students to complete. Now that I am settled in and have an idea of what to expect, I will probably try to come up with some more involved and lengthy activities. The students are really well-behaved. They joke around a lot, but they are always willing to try new things. They are so active and have so many activities they are doing before and after school. For the most part they seem happy and willing to learn. I love my school's atmosphere and it is fun getting to know the teachers and students.