Engrish

Overheard today on the playground...

In the rabbits cage as one begins to hump the second:

See? His leg is hurt so he is jumping on the other rabbit for exercise!



As I am preparing lessons in the teachers room:

kids: Janine Sensei, we made you a present. *hands me a bunch of clovers*
me: meep!

As I am leaving school:

kids: JANINE SENSEI!!!!! Are you going home?
me: Yes, I'll see you next week
kids: JANINE SENSEI!!! WHERE DO YOU LIVE??!
me: over by [insert bldg name]
kids: *turn to teacher* Isn't she from America?
me: Yes, but I live in Kitakata now.
kids: WHAT?! I THOUGH YOU LIVED IN AMERICA!
teacher: come back inside, let's have a look at the world map again.


Also, They are doing the annual teacher introductions for the parents packet.



My motto is evidently "Don't wary". Written BY the Japanese Teachers of English! Gaaaah.

and now I'm going to put my bunches of weed flowers in a vase...

Greg + Tokyo !!

Day one in Tokyo:

Sightseeing in Asakusa at Sensoji Temple and seeing the Asahi Victory Flame, which looks waaaay too much like a Golden Poop.







And then navigating up for a drink overlooking the city and to Shinjuku for a green tea Starbucks coffee.






And out on the town that evening:






The next day we met up with Anna, an ALT who came about 3 months ago [just after the quake- kudos!] whom we know from Knoxville. We met up in Harajuku for lunch and shopping.

Lunch was okinomiyaki, a very difficult mix of veggies and meat that is cooked like a pancake. We failed at the first, but the second turned out pretty good!







That night we went to [sorry all you meat haters out there] the whale restaurant in Shibuya. Its famous, its not common and it was, frankly, delicious.






Post kujira-ya, we headed over to Lock-Up for some insane asylum/Jail inspired drinks:


We made it juuuuust in time for the show:






The next day, Greg was leaving. We got him all saddled up and then said goodbye.





See you in August! :D

Greg's Visit #2

Greg and I went to a taiko lesson on Monday night. Just think giant drums...

A short train ride later...


My friend Bela took us as she had been before:





Tuesday began Greg's middle school days. The kids were excited to have a boy to talk with...







One day at middle school there was an assembly to pump the school teams up for an upcoming area championship. They each came up and did their cheers.



Here is a short video of the kendo club's


I also took him to see the giant buddha temple in Kitakata. Its much prettier in Spring!






We took a train one evening to one of my Japanese friend's house. She made a HUGE spread and wouldn't let us stop eating for a minute!







And the head of my English Conversation class had us over for dinner! Her kids are wild but super cute. We had to let them dress us up to get them to calm down for a second:






After dinner we escaped to play some Rock Band at my place!




Our last night in Aizu we went to Aizuwakamatsu [45 minutes from me and much bigger] for garlic ramen and shopping:







And then we headed for Tokyo!