Life on display

Sooooooo This will be my first post in Imabari Japan.  I have a little story, (warning: very rusty writer here)
         I was sitting in my apartment after yet another shopping trip,(shopping here will be another post) and wondering if anyone else here felt as though they were on display at the rare and exotic wildebeests museum of the most unnatural kinds.  I certainly do!  This particular shopping trip brought this feeling out even more so than in the recent past.  It was laundry day, and since there is no dryer in my place, I had most of my clothes hanging on my porch for the world to see. . .this included my skives!  hahhaa.  soooo all I had to wear were a pair of shorts and a short sleeve shirt.  Now, to keep this in context, it is considered fall here in Imabari; thus, most people are wearing pants and long sleeve shirts.  To be fair though, it is still rather hot and quite humid, so wearing what I was would be a definite pass back in Toledo.  However, if I tallied up all the glances, stares, and straight up gawking I received this time, it would quadruple the amount I normally get.  I wanted to run back home and put on my long pants and a long sleeve shirt regardless of whether or not they were still wet.  But I did`t, Instead I greeted every single look with a big fat wide toothed grin.  Unfortunately, most people here have absolutely NO facial expression so I can not even try to guess what they were thinking of this crazy tall, big breasted, long legged, skin baring American freak!  hahaha.  I would say that I would never wear anything like that outside of my apartment again. . . but I sweat!  and when it is humid, I sweat A LOT!  I will not be covering up in that manner only to have sweat stains on my armpits, back and cleavage area just to please your standards.  . sorry.  But I guess that means I will be gawked at for just a while longer till they get used to me. . . hummmmm I wonder what will happen once I have my daughter in toe. 


Any how, I find the people here mostly pleasant, and the ones that I work with, extremely helpful.  Sechan, my supervisor is THE MOST awesomest person you will ever meet.  upon first meeting her at the airport, she was an instant LIKE in my book.  She greeted me as though we were old friends.  She has a large smile, big friendly eyes, and her child-like personality is much bigger than she is.  She likes to call her self my Japanese Mother!  hahaha. Though, I know it is her job to help me get settled in, the way in which she helps makes it seem like she is the happiest person in the world just to help out.  She speaks English pretty well although she would never admit that!
   Mr Ojii her boss, is the cutest little old man EVER!  he does`t speak English but can understand some words.  He drove to the airport with Sechan to help pick me up.  His M.O. it seemed was to make sure that I was not worried about the earthquake radiation up in Fukushima.  Accordingly, most of his concerns where of my safety here! (he would say something to Sechan and she would translate it to me.)  *btw as I write this I seem to have ``missed`` my class. . . or not, it was supposed to be ANOTHER intro to me class with a new teacher.  SO. . .that teacher may be sick, or may just not be having classes today but nobody bothered to let me in on this tidbit of info.  Every other time, the teacher . . . at least on the first class, talked to me before hand and came to get me when it was class time.  soooo. ..  idk  I get a lot of the idk`s here, especially at this school,  I only have one school that has done a really good job at filling me in on things specific to their school including who each teacher is and where they sit . .I guess I`m just supposed to figure it out. . . somehow. Well I asked who that teacher was yesterday, but they were not here. . . * Any how, tooo cute I tell you!  he even looked up my train route for picking up Kiera, and my Mom and Kiera`s flight route to see what would be the best airport to fly into.  He also looked into me getting new soji screens, and my new washing machine, and helped me set up my Internet!  Sechan and Mr Ojii are the absolute best! 
   Then there is my amazin RA, who  coincidentally lives right in my building two floors up!  Imagine that!  Not only did she take me shopping for the first time, and allow me to use her Internet till I got set up, but, she was also at the meeting with my daughters school acting as liaison and helping me better understand what was going on. . . certainly not in her job description!  besides that, she is the queen of all that is travel here in Imabari and willing to help beyond what is necessary!  AH-mazing!
   So. . . I have gone on long enough but, I must mention the fact that EVERYONE I have met here in Ehime, on JET teaching, or teaching elsewhere have been pretty awesome!  There really is a great network of us foreigners here in Imabari and I am so very very glad that I was placed here.  toddles for now folks!


PS:  I am working on a video montage around my city, however this would be my very first video put together and I am afraid it will take me a while. . . I also have a pretty busy weekend coming up so. . ..  hang tight. . it is coming.

moving to Japan, thoughts.

So, you all know that I will be moving to Japan here shortly.  September 13th to be exact.  I am beyond excited about this as I have wanted to do this since. . . well forEVER!!!!  This will be my first blog. . EVER as well.  so. . .first post, it's gonna suck.  hang in there while I situate this thing.  :)  anyhow for those who do not yet know, I will be living in Imabari city  on the island of Shikoku.  (look it up! :)  I'm not sure quite how I will be organizing this but I believe i will be posting on food, daily life, work life, single motherhood, life, and our various adventures, music, school.  I'm not sure yet. . . but it is late and I only wanted to say hi.  I will post my first official post some time later. . . maybe not till after I'm in Japan. . . we shall see!  goodnight!