Hey!

Well, I've completed my first week of work and everything went as planned. I'm still getting used to the food here, but luckily chicken is relatively inexpensive, so I've been eating a lot of that. Also, we work in a mall, and McDonalds is right below us, so.... I gave into temptation....twice. But I promise I won't eat too much of it, I'll be good!

 

Training was a little stressful in Hiroshima, they really threw us in the deep end, but it was good in a way because we learnt fast! Didn't have a lot of spare time, but was able to go and see the peace park, and check out a few shops - mainly music and food. Also spent a lot of time and money at the local starbucks near my hotel - man that was good coffee!

 

Work is fairly laid back in our branch, and every student I've met has been really nice. We don't get a lot of time for planning, but every day I'm there I get more and more comfortable with how things work, etc. I work with Nina and Jennifer, who are the other instructors in my branch. They've made me feel really at home, and have invited me out heaps, which has been great. I'm lucky to be working in the Hamada branch, I think!

 

So, what have I been up to? Quite a lot, when I think about it. The first night I arrived we went out to meet up with some of the JETS who live in Hamada, and had a couple of beers with them. Was a little tired after the trip so didn't stay out late. The second day my major goal was to buy a guitar, and register at City Hall. (all foreigners must register, and receive an alien registration card) I was directed to a music store not far from where I live by Nina and Jennifer. Lonely Planet Phrase book in hand I entered the store...what an experience! It was fun, they spoke no English, me no Japanese, but somehow I ended up with a nice new Yamaha, similar to my one back home. They even chucked in a case, tuner, new strings, guitar polish, a few picks, and some random device that looks like a ...something. I'm sure it serves some useful purpose. Friday nights are movie nights for us NOVA instructors. We work early Saturday morning, so have a fairly quiet one. I manage to steal a few beers out of the Canadians fridge though, to keep me going. This week they're coming to my place, so I suppose I better go and buy some more beer, as well as the obligatory popcorn and chocolate. In the way of Japanese food, I've had okonomiyaki (Japanese pizza made with cabbage, eggs, lettuce, pork etc. covered in some sort of sauce and mayonaise) which was pretty tasty! Tonight we went out and had sushi, wasn't my favourite meal, but on the whole not too bad. They had a revolving belt, so you could chose the dishes you wanted. This Saturday we are having a nabe party around at the Canadians house. I think nabe is like a pot of boiling stock (beef etc) that you dip food (meat, veges) into to cook, then eat - sounds like my kind of food! I've also been to a flower arranging class with Jennifer, where I produced one of the greatest flower arranging efforts I think I've ever put in. Man, did it look good, (compared to the small children's efforts.) I am taking a Japanese class as well now, as hardly anyone here speaks English. I don't think I will be able to speak Japanese fluently by the end of this year,by any stretch of the imagination, but I hope to have a basic knowledge of the language. Would help a lot at the supermarket too - all the labels are in Japanese, and I can't work out what anything is.

 

Not too much else to report, I'll try and keep up the blogs fairly regularly from now on, and chuck on a few more photos.

 

Catch you later!

 

ps check out this pizza label (R18) The editors missed the spelling mistake!