4 months

oh my.. it reallly has been 4 months since i moved to Japan.. crazy!
I really can't believe it is December already. No real snow in Toyama yet but oh boy is it cold! well not really but i'm a wimp and my box of warm clothing is still mia.. soo.

anyway what have I been up to.. hmm. sometimes its hard to think of things.. cause its really just day to day living. But last weekend my school had its Bon Enkai or end of year party. It was interesting to say the least. The party was at a onsen (hot spring) in a different prefecture.. about a 2 hour drive away.
We left around 2 on Saturday afternoon, all the teachers crowded onto the bus.. and it was like a party bus, as you got on you were handed beer or a cocktail, and a bag of snacks.. that was cool. The resort we were staying at was really nice, it had a view of the ocean (sea of Japan) and the fall colors were great... The rooms were also pretty, and we had a balcony, in the room was one of those tubs that you can fill up forever, and the water just flows over.. except it was the hot spring water.. so that was cool.
After arriving we had cake, and if we wanted we could go use the public bath (i wasn't up for that yet, more later) and then at 6:30 our dinner started. It was really cool.. instead of long tables or tables at all really it was in the Japanese style.. on a tatami mat floor.. we sat in long rows on floor cushions... and each place had a raised tray with all your food on it. (sorry forgot my camera so no pics) but the food was definitely interesting, in Japan they have a very wide variety of foods and many courses, but they are all very small. I had crab yummy!, sashimi, snail (which the teachers sitting next to me couldn't believe I ate) and numerous other dishes.. the food just kept coming.
Okay let me explain the main point of a Japanese enkai.. the goal is to never let your co-workers glass get empty, and to pour drinks for as many people as possible... and you can't turn someone down if they want to pour you a drink, so if your glass is already full you have to drink some and let them pour more. Generally people drink beer but i hate beer, so i drank Sake all night long.. oh my goodness.
Anyway after this really great dinner, during which we played a game of bingo and all won prizes... we went to the karaoke after party. and then at about 12 the other ladies in my room and i went down to the public bath. Sounds great, that is if you don't mind bathing naked in public with your co-workers..cause onsen in Japan means hot springs, but it also implies naked bathing.
at least I had, had plenty to drink before hand, the baths are great, the nakedness not so much.

The next morning after a truely not pleasant traditional Japanese breakfast we piled back in the bus and headed home.

Sunday afternoon I was going to a charity bowling event, but oh my i was still not feeling well after the enkai.. but it was for a good cause and i wanted to see other ALT's so I went.. and suprisingly I did really well, (for me anyway) I bowled a 93!! thats an all time high, yay.

It was an insane weekend, but now I am back at work, with nothing much to do. I have spent the last 3 days grading papers, and final exams.. it was probably close to 800 papers.. but i'm done now!
The next 2 and 1/2 weeks are pretty boring school wise. I don't actually have any classes between now and when I leave on break. but I have to be at school every day! I'm hoping to get some lessons and assignments made for next term. But I do have a lot going on the next few weekends.
Saturday (8th) birthday/christmas party, and another christmas dinner/dance that night
Friday (14th) english teachers party
Saturday (15th) children's christmas party
Saturday (22nd) I LEAVE FOR THAILAND!!!!
plus any other random JET stuff that always pops up in there.

Anyway this is long so I'll wrap up, hope everyone is enjoying the snowy weather back home, and that you enjoyed your snow day if you had it.
Good luck to my Yoh's this weekend!!!

later all
ME