The title says it all. That's exactly what the last couple of weeks have felt like. I am so tired and I feel really bad because I haven't been able to talk with a lot of my family and friends. But hopefully I will be able to get my internet up and running within the next few days. My flat is starting to feel like home as I fill it up with more essential "home" stuff. However, it doesn't have much personality right now. My predecessor left a few things up on the walls, and while I think it looks really cool, it still makes me feel like it's not my own place. I feel like I'm merely visiting someone else's flat. I love a lot of random Austin and Texas things around my place. One of of the first things I did after I plopped all of my stuff down was to immediately take out a small Texas flag I brought with me and place it in a flower pot. Hehe. It makes me feel good to open my window and see it flapping in the breeze.
Another thing I've been doing to make it feel more like home is to start cooking more. There was a sale on chicken at the local grocery/department store, so I decided to try making something "Italianish." Earlier in the week, I had visited an international food store and picked up some bowtie pasta, so my menu was pasta with herbed chicken and a salad. It was pretty tasty, but I made way too much for one person. My friend Sarah ( the girl from South Africa) had phoned my earlier to invite me over to her place so we could eat dinner together. I quickly packed up my stuff and ran up to her place. (Sarah lives in the same building, so we hang out quite a bit.) Another friend, Tarnjeet (from the UK) was already hanging out there when I arrived. I quickly sat down to start eating and I must say I'm a decent cook. I need some practice, but at least the food was edible and Sarah seemed to like it.
Last night me and a senior ALT decided to cook Mexican food for some of the other new ALTs. It was a some of the other new ALTs. It was a bit interesting adapting to local goods, but I think it turned out okay. We had tacos, chicken fajitas, guacamole and salsa. And then Sarah and another friend, Olivia (from New Zealand), made dessert. (And apparently pudding means the same thing as dessert. I still don't get it. But Sarah swears the words are interchangeable.) The tortillas were a bit funky, but the food as a whole was very tasty. Oishii! However, Xelan, the fellow ALT who helped maked the food, did steal my thunder because I was planning on making Mexican food. But the other ALTs did say that they' d eat Mexican food whenever. I'll just try to spice it up when I host the next dinner party.
Friday was a pretty cool day, too. Well, the daytime was VERY hot, but still cool all the same. VERY hot, but still cool all the same. All of the ALTs ventured to a Japanese senior high school for a "Foreign Food & Fun Festival." It was a lot fun, but really hot in the school because they don't have central air. We played games with the students and doing Japanese calligraphy together. I wrote horribly and it was slightly embarassing. Hehe. One of the students told me that one of the kanji (Chinese character) I was attempting to write was a character he had written back in elementary school. We all had a great time talking about movies and music. And then it was my turn to write in kanji on a fan. I wrote star and it seemed to come out okay.
After lunch, we went to different workshops. Students had the option of attending 2 of 3 workshops. There was a cookｉｎｇ， ｂｅｌｌｙｄａｎｃｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ｓｐｏｒｔｓ． Ｉ ａｔｔｅｎｄｅｄ ｔｈｅ ｃｏｏｋｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ｂｅｌｌｙｄａｎｃｉｎｇ ｗｏｒｋｓｈｏｐｓ． Ａｔ ｔｈｅ ｃｏｏｋｉｎｇ ｗｏｒｋｓｈｏｐ， ｗｅ ｍａｄｅ ｒｉｃｅ ｋｒｉｓｐｙ ｔｒｅａｔｓ ａｎｄ ｒａｓｐｂｅｒｒｙ ｌｅｍｏｎａｄｅ． Ｔｈｅ ｒｅｃｉｐｅｓ ｗｅｒｅ ａ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ｏｆｆ， ｓｏ ｉｔ ｔａｓｔｅｄ ａ ｂｉｔ．．．ｉｎｔｅｒｅｓｔｉｎｇ． Ｉ ｗａｓ ｋｉｎｄ ｏｆ ｅｍｂａｒａｓｓｅｄ ｗｈｅｎ ｏｎｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｓｔａｆｆ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ａｓｋｅｄ ｉｆ ｈｅ ｃｏｕｌｄ ｔｒｙ ｏｕｒ ｎｅｗ ｃｏｎｃｏｃｔｉｏｎｓ． Ｉ ｃｏｕｌｄ ｔｅｌｌ ｔｈａｔ ｈｅ ｗａｓ ｔｒｙｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｌｏｏｋ ｌｉｋｅ ｈｅ ｗａｓ ｅｎｊｏｙｉｎｇ ｉｔ． Ｏｈ ｗｅｌｌ． Ｈｅ ｗａｓ ｒｅａｌｌｙ ｃｏｏｌ ａｂｏｕｔ ｉｔ ａｌｌ. After that I went to the bellydancing class, but I was feeling very restless, so I was jumping around a lot. Ｔｈｅ ｏｔｈｅｒ ｇｉｒｌｓ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｃｌａｓｓ ｗｅｒｅ ｌａｕｇｈｉｎｇ ａ ｌｏｔ， ｆｅｅｌｉｎｇ ｓｌｉｇｈｔｌｙ ｅｍｂａｒａｓｓｅｅｄ．
Ｌａｔｅｒ ｔｈａｔ ｅｖｅｎｉｎｇ ｗｅ ｗｅｎｔ ｔｏ ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ ｃａｌｌｅｄ ａｎ ｅｎｋａｉ， ｗｈｉｃｈ ｉｓ ｂａｓｉｃａｌｌｙ ａ ｗｅｌｃｏｍｅ ｄｉｎｎｅｒ． Ｗｅ ａｔｅ Ｇｅｎｇｉｓ Ｋｈａｎ， ｗｈｉｃｈ ｉｓ ｌａｍｂ ａｎｄ ａ ｂｕｎｃｈ ｏｆ ｏｔｈｅｒ ｖｅｇｅｔａｂｌｅｓ. Groups of people are given a plate of food and we all cook our own food on a stove-like top. Me and my friend Tarnjeet sat down in front of a principal and a teacher. Out of nowhere, the teacher asked if we could start editing some essays. He literally pulled 2 red pens for us to begin correcting some junior high schools students' papers. I wasn't really sure what to do. I figured it would be rude to say no, so while everyone else was preparing for the big toast, I was reading about a child's experience with having her car break down in the middle of nowhere. It was actually pretty interesting to read about another student's account of bullying in Japan and how to deal with it.
After much eating, we all filed out of the restaurant and some of us made our way out on the town. It was Friday night, so we couldn't possibly go home right away. We decided to head out into Odori and go watch some live music and have a few drinks. Two senior ALTs took 7 of us to a place called "Brit's Beat." It's essentially a bar with live music. It's kind of a tiny place, but is very cool and laid back. There is a $21 cover charge，ｓｏ ｔｈｅ ｐｒｉｃｅ ｉｓ ａ ｂｉｔ ｓｔｅｅｐ， ｂｕｔ ｔｈａｔ ａｌｓｏ ｍｅａｎｓ ｕｎｌｉｍｉｔｅｄ ｂｅｖｅｒａｇｅｓ！ Ｉ ｄｅｃｉｄｅｄ ｔｏ ｂｅ ａｄｖｅｎｔｕｒｏｕｓ， ａｎｄ ｏｒｄｅｒｅｄ ａ ｄｒｉｎｋ Ｉ ｈａｄ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｈｅａｒｄ． Ｓｏｏｎ ａｆｔｅｒ， Ｉ ｄｅｃｉｄｅｄ ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｂｅｓｔ ｔｏ ｓｔｉｃｋ ｔｏ ｄｒｉｎｋｓ ｔｈａｔ Ｉ ｗａｓ ｆａｍｉｌｉａｒ ｗｉｔｈ． Ｔｈｅｎ， ｔｈｅ ｂａｎｄ ｗｅｎｔ ｏｎ ｓｔａｇｅ． Ｔｈｅｙ ｂｒｏｋｅ ｉｎｔｏ Ｊｉｍｉ Ｈｅｎｄｒｉｘ， Ｔｈｅ Ｗｈｏ， ｅｔｃ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ａｍａｚｉｎｇ！ Ｔｈｅ ｌｅａｄ ｓｉｎｇｅｒ ｈａｄ ａ ｓｏｒｅ ｔｈｒｏａｔ， ｓｏ ｈｅ ｗｏｕｌｄｎ’ｔ ｂｅ ｓｉｎｇｉｎｇ ｕｎｔｉｌ ｔｈｅ ｎｅｘｔ ｓｅｔ． Ｔｈｅｒｅｆｏｒｅ， ｔｈｅ ｌｅａｄ ｇｕｉｔａｒｉｓｔ ｔｏｏｋ ｏｖｅｒ． Ａｎｄ ｈｅ ｗａｓ ａｂｓｏｌｕｔｅｌｙ ａｍａｚｉｎｇ！ Ｈｉｓ ｓｉｎｇｉｎｇ ｗａｓ ｐｒｅｔｔｙ ｇｏｏｄ， ｂｕｔ ｈｅ ｗａｓ ａ ｔｏｔａｌ ｒｏｃｋ ｓｔａｒ ｏｎ ｔｈｅ ｇｕｉｔａｒ． Ｉ ｐｒｏｍｉｓｅ ｔｏ ｐｏｓｔ ｐｉｃｓ ａｎｄ ｖｉｄｅｏｓ ａｓ ｓｏｏｎ ａｓ Ｉ ｋｎｏｗ ｈｏｗ ｔｏ ｇｅｔ ｔｈｅｍ ｏｆｆ ｍｙ ｐｈｏｎｅ． Ｌａｔｅｒ， ｔｈｅ ｌｅａｄ ｓｉｎｇｅｒ ｊｏｉｎｅｄ ｔｈｅ ｂａｎｄ ａｎｄ ｅｖｅｒｙｏｎｅ ｓｔａｒｔｉｎｇ ｒｏｃｋｉｎｇ ｏｕｔ． Ｍｅ ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｆｅｌｌｏｗ ＡＬＴｓ ｇｏｔ ｔｈｅ Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ ｐａｔｒｏｎｓ ｔｏ ｇｅｔ ｕｐ ａｎｄ ｓｔａｒｔ ｄａｎｃｉｎｇ ａｓ ｗｅｌｌ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｓｏ ｍｕｃｈ ｆｕｎ！ Ｔｈｅｒｅ ｗｅ ｗｅｒｅ， ｊｕｓｔ ａ ｇｒｏｕｐ ｏｆ ’ｇａｉｊｉｎ’ （ｗｈｉｃｈ ｍｅａｎｓ ｆｏｒｅｉｇｎｅｒ ｉｎ Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ） ｗｈｏ ｇｏｔ ｔｈｅ ｅｎｔｉｒｅ ｂａｒ ｔｏ ｇｅｔ ｕｐ ａｎｄ ｒｏｃｋ ｏｕｔ． Ｔｈｅ ｌｅａｄ ｓｉｎｇｅｒ， ｗｈｏ ａｌｓｏ ｈａｐｐｅｎｅｄ ｔｏ ｂｅ ｔｈｅ ｂａｒ ｏｗｎｅｒ， ｔｏｌｄ ｕｓ ｔｈａｔ ｈｅ ｈａｄ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｓｅｅｎ ｔｈｅ ｂａｒ ｇｏ ｃｒａｚｙ ｌｉｋｅ ｔｈａｔ． Ｔｈｅ ｂａｎｄ， ｗｈｏ ａｌｓｏ ｗｏｒｋｅｄ ａｓ ｔｈｅ ｂａｒｔｅｎｄｅｒｓ， ｋｅｐｔ ａｓｋｉｎｇ ｕｓ ｔｏ ｃｏｍｅ ｂａｃｋ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ａ ｇｒｅａｔ ｎｉｇｈｔ． Ａｎｙｏｎｅ ｗｈｏ ｃｏｍｅｓ ｔｏ ｖｉｓｉｔ ｍｅ， Ｉ ｍｕｓｔ ｔａｋｅ ｙｏｕ ｔｈｅｒｅ！ Ｗｅ ｃａｎ ｓｈｏｗ ｔｈｅ Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ ｈｏｗ ｔｏ ”ｒｏｃｋ ａｎｄ ｒｏｌｌ ａｌｌ ｎｉｇｈｔ， ａｎｄ ｐａｒｔｙ ｅｖｅｒｙ ｄａｙ！” Ｅｘｃｕｓｅ， ｍｙ ｃｈｅｅｓｉｎｅｓｓ．
Ｏｋａｙ， ｗｅｌｌ ｉｔ’ｓ ａｌｍｏｓｔ ｔｉｍｅ ｆｏｒ ｍｅ ｔｏ ｌｅａｖｅ ｗｏｒｋ， ｗｈｉｃｈ ａｌｓｏ ｍｅａｎｓ ｉｔ’ｓ ｔｉｍｅ ｆｏｒ ｔｏ ｗｒａｐ ｕｐ ｔｈｉｓ ｅｘｔｒｅｍｅｌｙ ｌｏｎｇ ｅｎｔｒｙ． Ｉ ｈａｖｅｎ’ｔ ｅｖｅｎ ｒｅａｄ ｏｖｅｒ ｔｈｉｓ ｂｌｏｇ， ｓｏ ｐｌｅａｓｅ ｆｏｒｇｉｖｅ ａｌｌ ｏｆ ｍｙ ｍｉｓｔａｋｅｓ． Ｊｕｓｔ ｂｅｃａｕｓｅ ｍｙ ｇｒａｍｍａｒ ａｎｄ ｓｐｅｌｌｉｎｇ ｍａｙ ｂｅ ｓｃｒｅｗｙ， Ｉ ａｍ ｃａｐａｂｌｅ ｏｆ ｔｅａｃｈｉｎｇ Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ ｔｏ Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ ｓｔｕｄｅｎｔｓ． （＾－＾）
Ｐｒｅｖｉｅｗ ｏｆ ｎｅｘｔ ｅｎｔｒｙ：
Ｍａｒｕｙａｍａ Ｚｏｏ ｗｉｔｈ Ｊｕｎｉｏｒ Ｈｉｇｈ Ｓｃｈｏｏｌ ｓｔｕｄｅｎｔｓ ＆ ｔｈｅ Ｒｉｓｉｎｇ Ｓｕｎ Ｒｏｃｋ Ｆｅｓｔｉｖａｌ
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