A Year in Ambarónënor - the tale of a JET participant in Tome-shi, Miyagi-ken, Japan

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About this blog

I translated "Land of the Rising Sun" into Ambarónënor in the Elvish language of Quenya. My past trips to Japan have been brief wanderings. Now this Ranger is going to settle down there for a year. It's going to be an interesting experience.

For friends back home, this will be my main way of communicating with everybody. The more personal stuff will be left to email and Skype calls.

For newcomers, my name is Jen. I'm a Rice University graduate who couldn't choose between pursuing English or Biosciences. Travelling to Japan inspired me to try JET, and we'll see where things take me.

• 1

  Ready, Set, JET!   Southlake, United States on May 22, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 2

  Hesitation, preparation, anticipation   Southlake, United States on Jul 22, 2008 2 pictures 0 comments
• 3

  Pre-departure Orientation   Houston, United States on Jul 25, 2008 10 pictures 0 comments
• 4

  Tokyo Orientation   Tokyo, Japan on Jul 29, 2008 10 pictures 0 comments
• 5

  Now we disperse   Sendai, Japan on Jul 30, 2008 1 picture 0 comments
• 6

  Moving in   Tome, Japan on Aug 1, 2008 6 pictures 0 comments
• 7

  Natsu Matsuri and the ballet   Tome, Japan on Aug 3, 2008 5 pictures 0 comments
• 8

  First day jitters   Tome, Japan on Aug 5, 2008 0 pictures 0 comments
• 9

  Sendai Tanabata Festival   Sendai, Japan on Aug 6, 2008 6 pictures 0 comments
• 10

  Work, food, and the beach   Motoyoshi, Japan on Aug 9, 2008 4 pictures 0 comments
• 11

  Impromptu onsen trip   Ichinoseki, Japan on Aug 10, 2008 1 picture 0 comments
• 12

  Miyagi Orientation, part 1   Tomiya, Japan on Aug 12, 2008 1 picture 0 comments
• 13

  Miyagi Orientation, part 2   Tomiya, Japan on Aug 13, 2008 10 pictures 0 comments
• 14

  Yosakoi!   Tome, Japan on Aug 14, 2008 9 pictures 0 comments
• 15

  Daaku Naito and fireworks   Matsushima, Japan on Aug 17, 2008 25 pictures 0 comments
• 16

  Tome Orientation   Tome, Japan on Aug 19, 2008 5 pictures 0 comments
• 17

  Yay work (and cell phones)!   Tome, Japan on Aug 22, 2008 2 pictures 0 comments
• 18

  Frustrations   Tome, Japan on Aug 26, 2008 4 pictures 0 comments
• 19

  Work hard, party hard   Tome, Japan on Aug 29, 2008 4 pictures 0 comments
• 20

  Junior high self-introductions   Tome, Japan on Sep 3, 2008 3 pictures 0 comments
• 21

  Self-intros, finished! Welcomes, maybe done.   Tome, Japan on Sep 6, 2008 4 pictures 0 comments
• 22

  Practicing taiko and making paper sakura   Tome, Japan on Sep 10, 2008 3 pictures 0 comments
• 23

  Tome Recitation and English Competition   Tome, Japan on Sep 11, 2008 1 picture 0 comments
• 24

  Festivals: modern and traditional   Ishinomaki, Japan on Sep 14, 2008 25 pictures 0 comments
• 25

  Japanese Culture and Comm 1: Learning English   Tome, Japan on Sep 19, 2008 6 pictures 0 comments
• 26

  Toyoma Aki Matsuri   Tome, Japan on Sep 21, 2008 36 pictures 0 comments
• 27

  Japanese Culture and Comm 2: School Life   Tome, Japan on Sep 26, 2008 6 pictures 0 comments
• 28

  Weekend sports and recess fun   Tome, Japan on Oct 2, 2008 15 pictures 0 comments
• 29

  Anna's birthday party in Akiu   Sendai, Japan on Oct 5, 2008 60 pictures 0 comments
• 30

  Hospital and shopping adventure   Tome, Japan on Oct 13, 2008 9 pictures 0 comments
• 31

  JHS Bunkasai and shopping in Sendai   Sendai, Japan on Oct 20, 2008 30 pictures 0 comments
• 32

  Japanese Culture and Comm 3: Describing People   Tome, Japan on Oct 26, 2008 18 pictures 0 comments
• 33

  Halloween!   Tome, Japan on Oct 31, 2008 32 pictures 0 comments
• 34

  Parental visit and fire drills   Tome, Japan on Nov 5, 2008 13 pictures 0 comments
• 35

  Tome Industrial Festival and karaoke   Tome, Japan on Nov 12, 2008 14 pictures 0 comments
• 36

  The good, the bad, and the Wii   Tome, Japan on Nov 15, 2008 2 pictures 0 comments
• 37

  Eeeee, yuki?!   Tome, Japan on Nov 20, 2008 4 pictures 0 comments
• 38

  Japanese Culture and Comm 4: Honorifics   Tome, Japan on Nov 27, 2008 9 pictures 0 comments
• 39

  Tanjoubi Weekend   Tome, Japan on Dec 7, 2008 25 pictures 0 comments
• 40

  She'll be coming 'round the mountain.   Tome, Japan on Dec 11, 2008 5 pictures 0 comments
• 41

  Christmas and my birthday   Tome, Japan on Dec 18, 2008 19 pictures 0 comments
• 42

  Just an American girl, in the Tokyo streets   Tokyo, Japan on Dec 20, 2008 17 pictures 0 comments
• 43

  I'll be home for Christmas   Southlake, United States on Dec 21, 2008 1 picture 0 comments
• 44

  Cold feet - literally and figuratively   Tome, Japan on Jan 10, 2009 3 pictures 0 comments
• 45

  Cosplay in Japan   Sendai, Japan on Jan 12, 2009 2 pictures 0 comments
• 46

  Miyagi Midyear Conference   Sendai, Japan on Jan 13, 2009 4 pictures 0 comments
• 47

  Japanese Culture and Comm 5: What they really mean   Tome, Japan on Jan 22, 2009 2 pictures 0 comments
• 48

  Too much fun   Tome, Japan on Jan 25, 2009 24 pictures 0 comments
• 49

  No 2nd year for me   Tome, Japan on Jan 31, 2009 3 pictures 0 comments
• 50

  Girls night out   Tome, Japan on Feb 6, 2009 6 pictures 0 comments
• 51

  Japanese Culture and Comm 6: Counting   Tome, Japan on Feb 10, 2009 2 pictures 0 comments
• 52

  Japanese Culture and Comm 7: Valentine's Day   Sendai, Japan on Feb 14, 2009 7 pictures 0 comments
• 53

  My mean mother   Tome, Japan on Feb 20, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 54

  Gripe time   Tome, Japan on Feb 27, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 55

  Kodomo-tachi   Tome, Japan on Feb 28, 2009 6 pictures 2 comments
• 56

  Sendai Cosplay Fire Vol. 32   Sendai, Japan on Mar 1, 2009 26 pictures 0 comments
• 57

  Let's speaking English!   Tome, Japan on Mar 3, 2009 18 pictures 0 comments
• 58

  Letter to my 3rd year students   Tome, Japan on Mar 7, 2009 8 pictures 0 comments
• 59

  White Day update   Tome, Japan on Mar 14, 2009 2 pictures 4 comments
• 60

  Japanese Culture and Comm 8: Popular Music   Tome, Japan on Mar 20, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 61

  Nothing but the rain, sir   Tome, Japan on Mar 22, 2009 2 pictures 0 comments
• 62

  End of the school year   Tome, Japan on Mar 24, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 63

  Kashimadai   Osaki, Japan on Mar 28, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 64

  Crazy weekend #1   Sendai, Japan on Mar 29, 2009 11 pictures 0 comments
• 65

  Goodbyes and Hellos   Tome, Japan on Apr 1, 2009 2 pictures 0 comments
• 66

  Crazy weekend #2 - Duel Jewel   Sendai, Japan on Apr 3, 2009 3 pictures 0 comments
• 67

  Crazy weekend #2 cont - Pantomime   Osaki, Japan on Apr 4, 2009 20 pictures 0 comments
• 68

  I don't wanna go to school   Tome, Japan on Apr 9, 2009 2 pictures 0 comments
• 69

  Crazy weekend #3 - Art (i)Bento   Sendai, Japan on Apr 12, 2009 18 pictures 0 comments
• 70

  Crazy weekend #4?   Tome, Japan on Apr 18, 2009 5 pictures 0 comments
• 71

  Crazy weekend #4 cont. - Hanami   Tome, Japan on Apr 20, 2009 14 pictures 0 comments
• 72

  Alice Nine UNTITLED VANDAL(ism) #1   Sendai, Japan on Apr 22, 2009 6 pictures 0 comments
• 73

  Showa Day update   Tome, Japan on Apr 29, 2009 5 pictures 0 comments
• 74

  Golden Week Part 1   Ichinoseki, Japan on May 4, 2009 23 pictures 0 comments
• 75

  Golden Week Part 2   Tome, Japan on May 7, 2009 10 pictures 0 comments
• 76

  Cosplay Festival 8 in Benyland   Sendai, Japan on May 10, 2009 13 pictures 0 comments
• 77

  Observations of gender dynamics in the 5th grade   Tome, Japan on May 14, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 78

  May Meeting - the end begins here   Sendai, Japan on May 15, 2009 2 pictures 0 comments
• 79

  Surf's up   Motoyoshi-cho, Japan on May 17, 2009 7 pictures 0 comments
• 80

  Kakumei no Anthology live report   Sendai, Japan on May 20, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 81

  Elementary undokai   Toyoma, Japan on May 25, 2009 19 pictures 0 comments
• 82

  Consequences of cosplay   Sendai, Japan on May 30, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 83

  Nursery school   Toyoma, Japan on Jun 3, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 84

  VAMPS live report   Sendai, Japan on Jun 4, 2009 5 pictures 0 comments
• 85

  Japanese Culture and Comm 9: Emoji   Toyoma, Japan on Jun 7, 2009 2 pictures 0 comments
• 86

  Hello Mr. Idaho Potato   Toyoma, Japan on Jun 10, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 87

  Soccer Mom Smackdown   Toyoma, Japan on Jun 14, 2009 12 pictures 0 comments
• 88

  You are the Resistance.   Ishinomaki, Japan on Jun 19, 2009 3 pictures 0 comments
• 89

  Nippon Gakki Rangers' final performance   Sanuma, Japan on Jun 20, 2009 15 pictures 0 comments
• 90

  The beginning of the end   Sanuma, Japan on Jun 26, 2009 4 pictures 0 comments
• 91

  Layer's Eden cosplay   Hanabuchihama, Japan on Jun 30, 2009 23 pictures 0 comments
• 92

  Sayonara, Rookies   Ishinomaki, Japan on Jul 1, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 93

  A mouthful of wasabi   Furukawa, Japan on Jul 4, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 94

  Sendai Cosplay Fire Vol. 35   Sendai, Japan on Jul 5, 2009 14 pictures 0 comments
• 95

  The day of promise that I have impatiently awaited   Toyoma, Japan on Jul 7, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments
• 96

  Flourish in your dreams! Sparkle into tomorrow!   Toyoma, Japan on Jul 9, 2009 8 pictures 0 comments
• 97

  More farewells   Sanuma, Japan on Jul 12, 2009 28 pictures 0 comments
• 98

  Point of no return   Toyoma, Japan on Jul 15, 2009 2 pictures 0 comments
• 99

  Junior high farewell ceremony and party   Toyoma, Japan on Jul 17, 2009 14 pictures 0 comments
• 100

  Sanuma Natsu Matsuri and curry night   Sanuma, Japan on Jul 25, 2009 12 pictures 0 comments
• 101

  Sendai Comiket 175 and Natsu Matsuri hanabi   Sendai, Japan on Jul 26, 2009 24 pictures 0 comments
• 102

  Time is winding down   Toyoma, Japan on Jul 28, 2009 1 picture 0 comments
• 103

  Sayonara, Tome   Sendai, Japan on Jul 29, 2009 8 pictures 0 comments
• 104

  Historical Sendai and Alice Nine   Sendai, Japan on Jul 29, 2009 21 pictures 0 comments
• 105

  H.Naoto, Duel Jewel, and Kra   Shibuya, Japan on Jul 31, 2009 11 pictures 0 comments
• 106

  Harajuku shopping adventures   Shinjuku, Japan on Aug 2, 2009 10 pictures 0 comments
• 107

  Hunting for a Gundam and monjayaki   Tsukishima, Japan on Aug 2, 2009 16 pictures 0 comments
• 108

  Harajuku trend-setting and Ikebukuro garcons   Toshima, Japan on Aug 4, 2009 11 pictures 0 comments
• 109

  Yoyogi Park and a maid cafe   Chiyoda, Japan on Aug 4, 2009 22 pictures 0 comments
• 110

  Owari   Southlake, United States on Aug 6, 2009 0 pictures 0 comments