Really old Christmas cake.

I just wrapped up a really nice Skype chat with my family. I tore open my presents and cards from them on video chat! Isn't technology amazing?

Tomorrow, I will be celebrating my 26th birthday. I really can't believe that this will be my 3rd birthday celebration in Japan... time flies when you're having fun, eh!

Two years ago, I was a fresh-faced noob who was dropped off into the depths of the Japanese countryside. I remember the day like it was yesterday. I didn't have an Internet connection nor phone, so my parents called the Board of Education. The entire office racked their brains, putting my mom on hold three times in an effort to fully understand her message. How cute!! But I'm glad that I was able to Skype them this time around, so I could hear their birthday greetings myself. If you want to read about it, I wrote about my 24th birthday here: http://gemmainjapan.blogspot.com/2008/09/aug-19-20-tanjobi-omedeto-to-me-blog.html

Last year, I had one of the best birthday extravaganzas ever. On the weekend, I invited about 35 of my closest friends to the Asahi Beer Garden. We feasted over meat and unlimited drinks for two hours. We would continue the party in Koriyama, where more drinks were consumed. I sadly left my delicious brownies, personally made by D-kun, in someone's car. I got insane texts from M. at 7 a.m., asking me where he left his backpack. (I should also add that I walked over to the nearest police station, because he initially wanted me to meet him there and show him back to S's slumber party). And the infamous incident wherein A. lost his shirt. Crazy shenanigans were had by all. Even my school knew that I had a ridiculous party, because the school baseball team saw us rocking up to the beer garden. Of course, I insisted on taking photos with the boys (and their mothers!) For more information, look here: http://gemmainjapan.blogspot.com/2009/08/twenty-five-candles.html.

I guess we'll just have to see what this year holds.

You know you're in Fuku...

Tuesday marked the last day of my epic trip to Kyushu with R-chan. I’ll write more about it later, don’t you worry. Anyways, I think I took all kinds of transport to get back to home sweet home in Fuku: two cab rides, one flight, one monorail ride and one ride on the faithful shinkansen.

When we got to K-town, I placed my bags down on the local platform. The beige bag contained my laptop case and some Japanese textbooks. The overstuffed overnight bag contained about six days’ worth of clothes and souvenirs. (Note to self: That Muji bag is not meant for 7.36 kilograms of stuff. My poor shoulder!)

While ordering a taxi cab on my phone, I saw two of my former students. I taught them for a few months before they graduated from JHS two years ago. I don’t really remember their names, but I always make it a point to greet any of my kids when I see them out and about. They giggled when I started talking to them in English. So, I tried spitting out some of the Japanese I learned over my two-week course in Kyushu. They were tickled pink when they heard me use some advanced grammar points. I'm guessing they were surprised, because I couldn't speak a lick of Japanese two years ago. 

It was interesting to hear them refer to me as “sensei.” I often forget that I'm a teacher! HA. These two students, in particular, asked me what I had been doing over summer vacation.  As we boarded the train, I told them about my trip to Kyushu. I tried having some English small talk with them, but it was painful. I did learn what high school they both attend. But they couldn’t understand simple questions like “Do you play the guitar?” (One of the kids had his guitar case strapped to his back.) Wow, epic fail! Just shows that English isn't the top priority for all of my students, eh. Living in the countryside, I can see how some kids aren't motivated to try any harder.

I guess that's how many kids in Canada feel about learning French as a second language... C'est la vie.