Morioka Grand Hotel

... he claimed that he wants to become a voice actor, in things like video games, movies, radio, etc, because in some tough point in his life as a kid, some video-game or anime-character on tv, when he was flipping channels, said something like "NEVER GIVE UP" "MAKE EVERY MOMENT THE CLIMAX" or something like that. But what really cracked me up, and another ALT sitting next to me, was when he said his mother told him "Son, you can be anything you want to be in life ...

... a really random, and in my opinion, dumb thing. But, its their way of doing things, and I can't just go and say its wrong...

Anyways, I don't want to make this too long, so thats my first cultural update! I'm sure I missed a bunch of things, since this was just off the top of my head. I plan to do this regularly, and some will be in depth and deep like this, and some will just be random little things I notice!

Thanks for reading. A real update is coming next :p

... run around (or swing around it) it with one person on one end of the stick as the pivot, then run back, where the waiting group all jump over the stick, then duck under it as it comes back for the next run for the next group (videos of all these things should go up on facebook).

There were also two funny relays, one being the students, and the other being the PTA's. The student's involved some silly ways of running around the track, having to eat a pastry hanging from a string ...

... uhm, 0. Thats one particular interesting thing about Japan. You drink even a drop, you aren't driving, and everyone expects (sometimes forces you) to forgo driving, even if its seriously, just a sip. And everyone themselves follows this rule as well.

So anyways, that meant Kasumi had to drive back, which scared me a little, since shes a city girl and doesn't drive, ever. But she claimed it would be ok...And it was. I'll be ...

... of taking them quickly, and everything was behind glass).

Next few months will be some other local Manga/Anime writers that I don't think I've heard of, then after that will be another famous (famous to Americans at least) manga and anime writer who penned Akira, which is pretty well known in America. I'll be visiting again for that exhibit.

Between seeing some old cool stuff, and taking care not to bump my head into all the small-japanese old buildings, very fun stuff!!!

... my school. He was visiting from the UK like he does occasionally, and he was nice enough to drop by, say hello, and take me around to some places in Tome.

First we went to a nearby lake, with an big old windmill and an overall dutch sort of feel to it. The lake was gigantic and the whole area quite beautiful. In addition there's an extremeeeeeely long roller-slide which looked like fun, but also looked like it may hurt a little without one of the little ...

... of "Mr. Smith" its "Vice-Principle")

At this point I finally moved into my apartment (which I forgot pics for...they will come soon!). Its actually a pretty good sized apartment for one person, by Japanese standards. Rachelle also left it for me fully furnished and all that, so I'm pretty happy.

Update on school stuff up to this point (this could be long):

So I've been going to work every day. Mostly I just sit at my desk, working on either my ...

For the next few days I was hanging out with Mr. Ito, who was very good at keeping me company, busy, and staving off any boredom and loneliness that I might be feeling otherwise.

The next days after Chiba-sensei's were pretty low-key as well. I went back to school on
Monday (note, teachers work during summer in Japan, all day!), met with
Rachelle, my predecessor, who showed me all the ropes and workings. She
then left, and all the staff had a very nice goodbye ceremony ...

So me and Mr. Ito, whom I was doing my Homestay with, headed back to his house. He lives a bit on the outskirts of...one of the towns, I can't remember, about 10 minutes from the BOE. There I met some of his family: His sister, who is in her 50s, his mother, who is in her late 80s, and his father, who is in his 90s. They were all very nice about welcoming me into their home and gave me a quick tour of the premescise.

Then, Mr. Ito too me out on the town of Tome.

We ...

... ihan helkutin kylma! Vuoristosaa tosiaan. Ja kaytiin pyorailemassakin jarven ympari ettei naa japskiherkut kerryta ilokiloja ;D Huomenna matka jatkuu Iwakiin missa mennaan kuumaan lahteeseen..jeeee!!! Hmm..ei olla taidettu teha mitaan ihan japanilaista viime aikoina...kunnon sushipaikkaa viela etitaan. Laitan viela muutaman foton oheen. Muuta en jaksa nyt kirjotella. :) Ai niin, Marimekko on aika suosittu taalla ja muumeistakin ollaan nahty ...