Monday, January 26, 2009

No matter how you say it, it's true!


I was wandering through the underground tunnels (you know, for funsies!) and came across this poster which I loveeee! It actually makes me think of Lydia and the Beetles or something but it gave me a warm feeling around my heart!





In Japan, every year is assigned an animal (with a 12 year cycle). This year is the year of the cow and one of my students brought me this great picture! Apparently near Nagoya, in an open field, people build the year's animal out of some very sturdy wood and straw. You can sit on top of it for the picture but Kentaro wasn't willing. If I'd been there I'd have made him do it, lol. Heck, I would have been the first one up on the beast! I really want to go visit the statue but it's too far for me to journey, being carless and all, so I wanted to keep the picture and show it to everyone. =D Next year is the year of the Tiger. Now THAT will be a cool statue!!


This is a horrible picture (I know) but it's hard taking pictures of pictures, LOL! This is Gary's going away party. You'll probably recognize my friend Miharu (center with pink skirt) from the Kachoen (bird and flower park) blog entry pictures and Ai Sensei is on the far right. The others are Gary's students (and one is actually a student's Mom who didn't bring her daughter. Nice, huh? I'll let you guess which woman that could be, LOL. She kind of sticks out in a crowd!) That was a fun night but I got a raging headache and couldn't go with them to the karaoke afterwards. I heard everyone had a blast though! =D I don't think an evening off of karaoke will hurt me, lol.



Ai playing with Elliot. It's funny, she always brings Miranda over to play but somehow winds up with Elliot every time! ;-)






I told some of you how I found some Disney DVDs (badly) dubbed into Japanese and how I thought they were bootlegs, right? (Because they were only $5 each). Turns out, they were originally $21 each and just didn't sell! I bought Alice (my fave) thinking it was a great, funny souvenir to have it in Japanese but then I found out that each DVD also has the original English track as well! Soooo Disney movies on DVD for $5? SOLD! I went back for more (of course!)! I still behaved and didn't buy all of them, only the ones I thought I couldn't live without. (I know, I'm still silly!) Here's Bambi and Alice!


Snow White and Peter Pan (do you guys seriously need me to tell you these??) =D



Fantasia and Cinderella! Fantasia isn't on DVD at all, to my knowledge, so this was a huge find for me (and Fozz, ey, Steph?)!


Shameless, I know.
Daryn and I found this necklace in Harajuku and I LOVE it! You can't see the long tail because it's in my shirt, lol, but it's so beautiful! It reminds me of a phoenix or a Fairy Tale bird (an old friend of My Little Pony, LOL!)! I had been rocking a huge flower in my hair and some great 1940s Victory rolls but took them down. Very Betty Pagesque!

That's all for now, LOL. I know it's been a while since I've posted but I've mostly been working hard and behaving (which is boring, I know!!)! Next weekend we're having a little send off for Kash, who will be leaving us in just a couple of weeks. The new teacher, Wendell, comes in during the first week in February. We just received his poster. He's from Baton Rouge, LA and was a theater major there. We're all looking forward to meeting him but I must admit I will be very sad to see Kashima go!

Speaking of 'going,' I realized a little late that it's unclear when I'm coming home, LOL. I am coming home from approx. April 28th-May 5th. (My flight actually leaves at 6am. I guess I won't be sleeping the night before considering traveling time, ey??) =D It will take 25 hours to get from my apartment to my house in Mass., and 25 hours to get back. Gooood times! Good thing companies make emergency chargers for mp3 players and DS's, huh? Otherwise, what would I do with all that time?? =D

Anyhoo, I hope everyone is having a great start to the week and enjoying themselves! I think of you all often and miss you very much! See you soon!!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Mama, I want to come home!!

So I am!!

That's right, I'm coming home!!

My friend Kash showed me how to phenagle my schedule for Golden Week so I can come home for eight days in May! And the best part? I'm doing it all only by taking ONE day of paid holiday!! Party!!

I lied, the BEST part is that I found a ridiculously cheap airline ticket!!

I lied again, the BESTEST BEST part is that I'll be home for Marci's birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PARTY!!!!! =D

I'm really looking forward to coming home to see everyone! Less than four months away!! I've already been here three months so our wait will go by in a blink, too, I'm sure!

Well, I'm off to see some sunshine for the first time in forever!! Have a great day and I'LL SEE YOU SOON!!!!!!!

Love and Hugs,
Sarah

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

An entry about toilets...

I've wanted to blog about this for a long time but never could remember to take my camera to work with me! But today on Facebook I was introduced to a new app (Thanks Nick!!) called Japanese Stuff! One of the gifts? One of Japan's awesomely high-tech toilets.

So this is an entry about toilets. Trust me though, you may be jealous by the end of it, LOL!

I should start by saying a lotttttt of places still only have squatters (including the gaijin bar I went to for New Years) and they're not super fun but many Japanese people think they are the safest/healthiest since you're not sitting on a seat with a bunch of strangers. My apartment has a western-style toilet, yay!! And the MALL has these amazing high tech toilets! Look at these suckers:


So what are allll the buttons on the left? Allow me to explain: The seats at the mall are very cushy and they have heaters in them (not pictured here). This may sound weird but my tush was lovin' the cush of the tush! There are buttons for two different styles of "bidet" features (including pressure of the water), a MUSIC button for people with shy bladders, and then my favorite: a fake flushing sound button that sounds NOTHING like real flushing. Hysterical!! I've only heard people with shy bladders use this button to cover the sounds they make, never the music button. It's too bad really, I'd like to hear it but am afraid I would pass out laughing. I already laugh every time I heard the fake flush because it sounds sooooo bad! =D

I think I covered everything... Did I miss anything, guys?

With that interesting peek into some Japanese technology, I bid you a "good day!" =D