2009.03.08

Yesterday was graduation for the san nensei (obviously). It was rather sad - I was moved by it. A couple of the students - boys, obviously - were crying before they even got to their seats. I admit, I cried 3.33 tears. But I did well-up with 'em about 33.3 times. Next year, I will be ballin' like a high school baseball boy who just lost the national championship by not pitching in a way that makes the other team NOT hit the ball...which is to say, a lot of tears. A whole waterfall. I love the kids - I'm really gonna miss 'em.

After that, there was the drinking party...'cause there always is one. It was nice. I almost fell asleep at the ni-jikai...the second party. Overall, it was an exhausting day...night...thing.
But there's no school on Monday, so that's good...?

On a side note, I'm up to page 65ish in my Japanese book. It's going well. I learned the word 'scold' from it. This whole writing down the Japanese and then translating it was a good idea. I'm glad I finally thought of it and my friend approved it even though it's kinda bad for the environment from all the paper wasting. But, if you want to read the second story of the 'Twilight Shrine Convenience Store,' then you can. I didn't do this for the first one - it was a good one about a middle schooler, his first love, and cats...don't ask - and the second is in the works.

Got play practice this afternoon. It should be moderately enjoyable. I'm playing a gangster and a school boy. Not at the same time, but in the same play.

On a completely different side note: I think I'm FINALLY over that cold. Yeah! Go sleep!

2008.12.19

Bounenkai. Bounenkai is an amazing time and a drunken time. Like many things in Japan, liquor makes it better. Gotta be with the people you work with after hours? Go drinking! It makes it all better. So, the Bounenkai is literally “forget the year gathering.” 忘年会：忘: forget：年：year：会：meeting/gathering. So, in normal English, Year-end Party. We had it in a hotel. I got sat to the direct left of the principal of the school. That’s all sorts of strange luck. And it was a random drawing so it was, indeed, fate at work for this, not unruly teachers. One of JTE (Japanese Teacher of English) sat to my left, and to his left is another English teacher, which doesn’t actually make the night any easier. That’s why there’s beer. We had some games, we had some fun, we drunk a lot, and ate some good food. That lasted for about 2 hours, and then there was the Nijikai (second party). That was fun. Less restrictive than the Bounenkai, fo’ sho’. I think at this point a couple or perhaps one of the teachers was trying to set me up with the youngest male teacher at the school. After about half the party he came over to pour drinks ‘cause that is what you do here, and they made him sit down next to me. A little later we all exchanged phone info. I invited the people around me to go to a club – ‘cause that was what I was doing next – and they kept trying to pressure him into coming. I got a few people (4 others) into going to what turned out to be the Sanjikai (the third party, or the after-parties’-after-party). We drank for like an hour or so…my memory is fuzzy due to time and drink. I invited them to a club for after ‘cause I was going to go out and have some fun…and stay up ‘til the subways started up again. I didn’t get any takers, but I did share a taxi up to Kokubuncho (the club district) with the teacher they were trying to set me up with. I got out and tried to find the club – I couldn’t. I called, and didn’t get through the first couple of times, so I walked around and kept trying. I eventually got through and entered the club. Danced a little…with an Iranian. Got his number and left the club with my friend and his date/girl/friend-he-picked-up-in-a-club. The Iranian guy asked me if I’d like to go to this club with him ‘cause he left at the same time too, but I definitely went with my friend (after making sure it was indeed okay that I tagged along to the next club, which luckily it was). We went to the club, and he danced with her and I just kinda stood around for a little while until I saw this one guy who kinda looked at me, and then he and his friend hit on these two Japanese girls who turned them down flat. I walked over and got a free drink out of that, and started to dance with one of them. I was nice. I did enjoy that dancing. It got a little raunchy (a little more than a little, if truth be told), but that is what happens when there are long lengths of alcohol imbibing and clubbing. Let’s all remember, this is technically the Gojikai (fifth party) for me, so there’s been many hours of liquor and partying. In fact, by the time it ended, I had been out for about 10 hours. Bounenkai started at 7, the club closed at around 5. Anyway, back to the story of that fellow and myself. We left the club together with his friend (as in we exited). The guy stopped to get a drink from a vending machine, and his friend seemed to bugger off in that way that says “my friend’s gonna get laid, so I’m gonna get out of here so he can make his move.” We started to walk and talk towards somewhere, I’m not sure where. We eventually got there and he offered to give me a ride. I admit openly that I didn’t actually understand what he was offering, but I took the offer…after I told him no sex. He was cool with that. He said something along the lines of only having sex with girlfriends, and then asked if I was the same, and I said yes, except with boyfriends. He drove me to my apartment, and we talked along the way. He is a really interesting guy.

2008.09.05

Today I went to some first year classes instead of the third years like I was supposed to. It was fun. The kids have tests on Monday and Tuesday (which is why I didn't go to third year), so they need to study. It was fun. I got to grade a lot of work from the third years though. My favorite sentence so far has to be "I don't like rain because it's damp." I actually did laugh out loud at that. It's just so cute. This fellow has become #1 in my book for that sentence. I have no idea who he is, but I know he's a winner.
At around 7.00, I went to my welcome party. Enkai. A word one must come to know if in Japan for any length of time. Basically, enkai is a drinking party. Yeah, I got pretty drunk. I ate like 10 bites in an effort to get drunk so I'd relax. It was fun. Talked and laughed with my coworkers. One of them taught me how to be more lady-like in my Japanese. I think he was secretly poking fun at my bad Japanese, but it's all cool.
After that, was Nijikai (the after-party). That was fun too. One really drunk coworker kept asking if I like sexual harassment, and couldn't quite get that sexual harassment was harassment because it's unwanted attention. It was a rather fun party. But, I learned that my keeper will be leaving in about a year and a half to move to Yokohama and get married and all that stuff. It makes me sad, but there isn't much that I can do about it other then have fun while I can.
After the after-party, two teachers and myself waited around to get a ride from one of their girlfriends. One of the teachers bought more beer and udon from the conbini (I can't spell it correctly in English, but what a 7-11 is) right next to the bar we went to. The other teacher asked how long I was going to be in Japan, and I said probably for at least 2 years, and then he said that he hopes that I stay for longer - get married to a Japanese man and stay.

It was an interesting night to say the least. (yeah for being able to change the post date!)