Contest Madness

Okay, so it's over. I am sitting here wondering if I take this too seriously and if I should worry so much, but here goes.

My student won. He got first prize and will go to the Yamaguchi finals to fight for a chance to go to the nationals in Tokyo. My JTE is happy, my school is happy and I will probably get congratulations from the kocho again.

However - the girl who cried last year cried again this year. She was overlooked by the judges. Her speech was not perfect but she pulled off a particularly good performance and had mastered lots of difficult bits. Her improvement overall was fantastic and I was sure she had won, let alone got into the top three. She didn't. I tried to comfort her but I was gutted. What could I say.

I was announcing and prompting during the speeches and the final girl just completely blanked out. We struggled through a couple of paragraphs. I thought someone would tell her to say 'Thank You' and leave the stage as she was way over time, but nothing happened. She stood there like a possum in headlights and eventually started crying and slid to a crouch behind the podium. No-one was doing anything. None of the JTE's were moving. I was like, what the hell is going on? So I went up on the stage and got her up and took her to her seat. Not the best ending but there you go. That is life.

So, I am going to try tonight to focus on the Hagi Nishi win rather than the fact that one of my students is probably thinking - why should I try anymore?

I Miss You

The heart is a unique thing. Just when you think it's full to bursting (my Jodi) then comes along a new sunbeam (Dem-chan) and there is still enough room. Sigh.

I Love Japan

Yep, it's official. Granted I am sitting here with an alcoholic beverage in my hand at the end of a rewarding and not too long day. Granted I have the house to myself tonight (Dan is drinking with other men on an island). But it's really sinking in, this is my home for the next couple of years and I'm loving it. I have been reflecting on what I'll be doing after JET and I realised then that I'm going to really, really miss this place when it's all over.

I just hope I can fully take advantage of everything Japan has to offer me and contribute as much as I can in my time here.

I'm going to try as hard as I can to not get caught up in the day to day yuckiness of life so much that I can't reflect and have gratitude for this chance to live here. I worked so damn hard all those crazy years in uni and now it has paid off. I don't have any career ladder ambitions. I don't care anymore! I really enjoy my job (despite the weird stuff) and I just want to suck up as much enjoyment from this period of my life and make it count.

Another bevvie, methinks!

You Never Know What You're Gonna Get...

Dan and I are celebrating two years of being together this week. It has always felt like much longer though. I am looking forward to many more.
I wouldn't have all this without Dan so I'm very grateful for all the opportunities we can make the most of together.
As Momma says in Forrest Gump, life is like a box of chocolates. I was lucky enough to pick out the caramel fondant ripple with three kinds of chocolate layered with extra chocolate sprinkles. Sigh.
What a fantastic week we've had! A three day weekend followed in rapid succession with another three day weekend. Love Japanese national holidays.

English Speech Contest

Yup, that dreaded time of year has come around again. To make matters worse it is also Undokai season. Hard to practice when the noise from the brass band and kids screaming chants is coming thru the windows. Which of course are open because its 30 degrees and God-knows-how much humidity and air-con? Arimasen.

But I am really excited to be coaching this year because it is going to be interesting. Buoyed by the success of sending one of our kids to the Nationals in Tokyo last year, my base school is gunning for another win. However I am privately rooting for the underdog, a girl from another school who last year tried so hard but burst into tears at the end of the competition. She hadn't had any extra coaching and it showed. Her teacher is lovely but a bit frazzled and disorganised when it comes to preparing well in advance to make sure she gets enough time to not just memorize the speech but make sure she's pronouncing it correctly.

I got her teacher's cell phone number so I could bombard her with text messages reminding her that I was available for coaching, and would she like me to come in and help? It seems to be working so far, she has written an original speech which is quite difficult and she has memorized it. I have managed to catch her before she let her bad pronounciation become a habit. Tonight I realised how much she'd improved - she is back in the game. I just pray she can pull a good one out on the day and avoid the tears of last year.

It's sad, the one time of the year I actually have something to work towards!

Reality Bites

Rolled into work pleased to hear that I would have no classes due to undokai (Sports Day) practice. Basically they are just doing the whole thing today and then repeating it on Sunday. Seems a little overboard to me. I haven't told them yet but I'm not coming at 9am on Sunday to watch, I'll be lucky to get here before lunchtime. Unlike everyone else, I don't get a day in compensation so they'll just have to lump it! Pub quiz and School Dayz party in Yanai on Saturday night has to take precedence.

Supposed to be planning a trip to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam this Christmas but can't be bothered. Hopefully due to the proximity of our last trip rather than a general lack of travelling bug. The thought of having to take anti-malarials just seems too hard. If only I could lie on a beach and have Angkor Wat come to me.

Really enjoying the newbies, as usual Yamaguchi have come up with a good bunch. It is really interesting to watch everyone get to know each other - the generalisations, the scandals, the possible romances, the naked onsen bonding.

Looking forward to camping and soccer tournaments this year. And the scandals.

Me and the latest addition to the family. Dad bought home a pet lamb for Jodi, her second! We are planning to fatten him up and make him into sausages. Dad took a home kill to the butcher not so long ago so we have lots in the freezer. I fried em up and wrapped one in a slice of white bread with Watties tomato sauce. Was in a state of bliss. It's the simple things, people.

Here I am with Nana and Demi. Nana had a stroke not long after I left so I'm really glad I got to spend some time with her.
Demi is teething a lot so she's chewing on my pounamu which is cooling and can take the full force of her choppers.

And the gorgeous Jodi Ann! I finally got her into tights and a skirt for the big event. She is a really on to it 3 year old. She goes to my parents house (round the corner) at least once a day and hangs out with her grandparents more than most kids. Mum went away for a conference and I thought I'd better clean up the house before she got back. I suggested this to Jodi. Next thing I know she has dragged the vacuum cleaner out (probably bigger than her) and has plugged it in. She then proceeds to change the nozzle and adjust the suction strength control. I stand there with my jaw dropping as she frantically lifts carpets and vacuums right into the corners. I think to myself, "well I should probably get into the dishes while she takes care of things in the lounge". Dan wanted to hire her at $5 an hour for his Dad's place. Too many Sundays with Grandma! Wonder if she does roasts...

The one and only Demi Lynne Taureka. Her name was chosen by her father and her middle name is her late paternal grandmother's name so it's a bit special. Here she is at her Christening after-party at Aunty Maureen's. She is dressed in her whites and practicing her standing with Mummy. She reminds me so much of Meredith as a baby.

I'm Baaaaack

Well I have been for about a week now. My attempts at blogging have been foiled by a) being too technologically incompetent to figure out how to post my holiday photos on this website and b) spending my first week back spent mostly on my futon as my body decided to go mental at the change of climate and throw in some excruciating mystery stomach cramps. I found myself at a doctor's clinic (with an audience of nurses and office staff) describing various bodily functions in Japanese. It's great to be back!

So into the important stuff - the kids. Jodi acted like I'd never been away and just wanted her presents. She was taller, her hair was shorter (Grandma has received her non-molestation order) and she could speak better than my 3rd grade Junior High School students. It was awesome to chat away to a three year old.

Demi - a blessing to meet her and discover a new baby who was Jodi's sister but not Jodi - different and yet similar. Amazing. She has fair features and blue eyes but dark eyelashes. She is very cute and her little personality is really funny. She has this really cool staunch shoulder grunt she does when she's not getting enough attention (read food). Demi's whole life is food. If she's not eating she's picking stuff up off the floor and shoving it in her mouth. You have to strike it lucky at some point is the mantra of all 9 month olds. She didn't know me from a bar of soap at first, took about a week for us to bond and after a while I could get her up from a nap and change her or even bath her and dress her without a scream. Demi frightens easily so she doesn't crawl yet - she hates being on her stomach. Yet she tries to stand and walk. It's going to be an interesting few months for our wee Dem-chan.

Mum and Dad were good - Dad I think was quite pleased to see me and we hung out a lot. Mum of course had every moment of my trip planned and thankfully stuff like domestic connections and doctor/dentist appointments were pre-arranged months in advance. Meredith and I got along really well and I think she found it fun to have someone to hang out with with the kids. We got a gym membership and went together nearly everyday. I wanted to turn my holiday into a normal slice of life for 3 weeks.

Lowlights - spending $700 at the dentist and undergoing my first ever mouth injections, having to say goodbye to the babies and family again, attempting (what else could it be) to teach Mum more about the computer, the realisation that I couldn't take a quarter of what I wanted to back in my suitcase.
Highlights - finding out that the bakery around the corner had just won the Best Pie in Australasia award - steak, cheese and tomato! Great coffee, Te Papa, Kalamata Deli, Demi's christening at church, going to kindy with Jodi, triumphantly getting 30kg into my big suitcase and about the same (literally) into my hand luggage. I bought back luxuries such as custard powder and manuka honey. Getting waved through at customs because I was a sensei!!! ( I would have been so screwed otherwise...)

The best of all though was waking up at about 8am every morning, getting out of bed in fluffy pajamas (temperature cool enough to wear normal clothes), get up to say good morning to my parents, watch breakfast TV and sit in front of the fire on huge leather couches. Bliss!
I also snuck some extra liquorice allsorts into my bag. They are sitting there waiting for a homesick day.
What I learned - home is where the heart is. I have the most amazing place to go home to when I need to. I am really lucky to belong somewhere as nice. It's a happy ending!
Planning next trip - Thailand at Christmas.