Thursday, April 3, 2008

"It's the force of inertia, it's the lack of constraint."

My phone came in the mail. It's very shiny and high tech. I'll try taking some pictures tomorrow. Hopefully the cherries will be blossoming soon. I went and sat in Nagamine Park yesterday but they were still only budding. I found that magazine a friend wanted - one copy left on the shelf and I snagged it. I went shopping - I bought okonomiyaki mix - though I doubt it will turn out as well as the real thing - and real pancake mix. I'm at a loss what to do for breakfasts - I'm not ready to go the true Japanese route, which is rice, miso, fish - because I like something sweet in the morning. But I can't stand cereal, fruit is unreasonable, toast is unhealthy, yogurt here only comes in these tiny little bottles - I'd have to slurp down four just to get a decent serving. I guess I'll try out different things and mix it up so I don't get bored.

I made up a menu plan for my lunches. We'll see if I'll stick to it. Also, I'm not sure that it wouldn't be easier and healthier just to buy food at school - I'll see how it is when I visit. I'm mainly concerned about the time it takes to prepare a proper bento - rice doesn't keep well overnight so I'd have to get up in time to cook and cool it, and since I don't have a rice cooker I have to be right there over the stove watching it. And it already will take 40 minutes to walk to school. I don't relish the idea of waking up at 5 in the morning...

The company says I'll be introduced to the school on the 7th, and start teaching the eighth. I've tried writing up a lesson plan, but I can't get farther than "Warm up: ..." The difficulty lies in not knowing whether I'm supposed to have a lesson ready, or if I'll be using a plan written by the company, or one prepared by the school. I don't know if I'll find out at all, before being shown to the classroom and told, "Now, teach." So I want to have something ready, but it's hard to write it out when I'm not sure what the expectations are.

I could probably do with another few weeks of training.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hi Em,
Hope I'm not annoying you with all my comments. Oh well, here goes. I studied math today, all day, but I'm pretty pleased with myself because i finally got it and made some progress. The weather is sunny but cold.
You wanna know my diet? i buy trail mix, protein bars, V8's, rice and beans. I figure the worse the food tastes the less i will eat and then i'll stay skinny. Anyways, you should buy Buckwheat pancakes----that is a full protein my dear. Also, after you cook rice, put it (still hot) in the fridge, don't let it sit out---you'll get ill.
I'm going to see if i can get a language partner at South Puget Sound where i go to school. I'd be better with a spnaish speaking student, but there is so many Asians here, I might try and get a japanese partner and then i can shoot a few japanese words your way. I can imagine it is hard for you learning the language. but try be self confident nonetheless----i took a spanish class at WAL once and the lady would often go the whole class without speaking English.
I hope you are enjoying yourself and not feeling to isolated or lonely. It will be nice when those cherry tress start blooming i imagine?
I've been watching kids movies lately to counteract all the gravity of being bombarded with news and serious subject matter. Spiderwick, Horton Hears A Who-----Spiderwick was good. Okay Em, keep it up and let me know if i can do anything for you. I'd love to help you in some way. your brother----wood