Oh wow, so you've not been there long at all. Were you in the March Interac orientation bunch then? Because my boyfriend was in that batch! It's a small world if so!
Yeah, it gives me hope that they're just looking for someone friendly. I've never actually been to Japan before but always wanted to go, so when I arrive I'll probably be in holiday mode and just want to see all the main sights that Tokyo has to offer!
I'm a bit concerned about eating healthily in Japan, do you have any tips?
Yes, indeed I was...there was about 250 of us though, so no guarantee that I actually spoke with him. Unfortunately Japan loves carbs. And deep-frying things...so I tend to make a lot of my own stuff. If you go to the grocery stores at off times, they mark things down a lot because they're super strict about freshness. I've had good luck getting shellfish and vegetables on sale. My Japanese is only so-so these days (thanks to not using it for a full 2 years after graduating) so grocery shopping can be an adventure...reading kanji is the worst part. Every once in a while I just throw things in my basket and go home to experiment because I have no idea what the labels say .
Friendliness and keeping an open mind go a long way if you want to be an ALT...Like I said, not a lot of people actually have a ton of experience, and I'm sure your boyfriend probably told you that training only lasted a week...so keeping a smile glued on your face and soaking up any information that comes your way is key. I only tandem-taught with a JTE at one of my schools before being thrown to the wolves and expected to prepare and execute my own lessons, but if you think fast it's an interesting challenge. I haven't made it out to Tokyo yet (terrified of big cities), but I'm going to head out next weekend...one of my friends from studying abroad is going home to France soon, so I want to hang out with her before she goes back.
Last edited by Hotaruchan; 06-20-2012 at 09:31 AM.
Rie and Hotaru - All this talk of Japan is making me want some Sushi rolls...so, shut up! HAHAHAHA!!! J/K! I think it's really exciting that you get to enjoy a different country. My husband lived in Japan a couple of years when he was stationed there in the Navy. I didn't know him then, but he has had a lot to say about the place.
Rie - I think that bikini is really cute!
trancedreamer -
Katbot - How exciting!!! I have wanted to see the show before too, but tickets are so expensive. Excited for you! You will have to tell us all about it after you return.
My bikini arrived this afternoon and it FITS! I could potentially fit into a cup size smaller, but I'm not going to bother sending it back because then I risk it being too small. It covers my giant bazungas and that's what counts! I'm going to try and get a picture soon, but want to feel a little less greasy before I do! I NEED TO WORK OUT! ARGHGHGHGHGH COME ON JUST DO IT!!
Hotaru - I'm learning Japanese through Rosetta Stone at the moment, I know it's not going to make me fluent but I hope to get a firm grasp of the basics before I go. However I'm learning the hiragana and katakana way of reading, not kanji, so many ways to confuse people! But I think I'll probably do the same as you do and just throw in whatever when I go shopping!
Well my boyfriends name is Chris, he hung out with a guy named Tim a lot...haha it's a bit of a long shot thinking you might have spoken to him! But yeah, he said it was crazy, a bit of a nightmare week. I heard someone cried when being criticised?!
sgregg - Hahaha, oh man I could do with some sushi now! Where my boyfriend lives he worked at a sushi restaurant and they did this amazing special roll. I've no idea what was in it, I remember it being salmon and avocado but it was just delicious. Man my mouth is starting to feel a bit dry haha!
in other news...amazing: i had a "free" day yesterday at the beach with pumpkin pancakes, pizza, crab cakes, mini burgers, chocolate and lots of booze and i weigh in this morning the lowest i've been since i started. ...what??
in other news...amazing: i had a "free" day yesterday at the beach with pumpkin pancakes, pizza, crab cakes, mini burgers, chocolate and lots of booze and i weigh in this morning the lowest i've been since i started. ...what??
Sometimes I find that too, I'll be doing awesome and not see much improvement on the scale, then I'll gorge myself and drop weight! There is a scientific explanation to it that I can't remember! But they do say that every now and then allow yourself a treat =). I think the idea of a "cheat day" can be damaging if you're anticipating it, because the you really will eat everything in sight, whereas if it's an unexpected cheat day I think those are ok every once in a while.
Go light on soy sauce and fried meat/croquettes. pickles, fish, kimchi, veggies, sashimi, non-fried tofu.
You're gonna do GREAT, I'm so excited you're going!
But I love rice ;_;. Haha! I'm terrible. But thanks, I'll make a note of those phrases.
I'm not a huge soy sauce fan so that's a plus. Thanks for the tips! I love sashimi so I would quite happily eat that all day long! Can't wait to taste Japanese sashimi, I can imagine the version I get here is terrible in comparison.
How are you, krampus, haven't seen you in a while!!
Last edited by Riestrella; 06-20-2012 at 06:10 PM.
Training was rough...they decided to "implement a new program" in which they criticized the living crap out of everything you did if you presented on the first day then gradually became more lenient and gave feedback if you presented later in the week so that everyone could "see how much they improved." It was painfully obvious and in the end, probably detrimental. I had to present on the first day and actually was doing pretty well...I made it all the way up to the stage (not everyone did on the first day) and got about 40 seconds into my lesson with smiles and nods from the moderators before the MC checked my card, noticed that I was only in elementary schools then came out yelling that I'd "be lovely in a high school, but in elementary schools *Insert long-winded speech in Afrikaans that really did nothing that saying "they won't understand" wouldn't have done.*" When I asked how I could improve, he asked me what I thought, shot down all of my suggestions, then refused to give any feedback aside from "I like your smile" before shooing me back to my seat. It would have been much more helpful if they'd just told me things to work on from the start instead of making an idiot out of me then telling me "shush shush, you'll find out later how to do it right." The next day he was still harsh but gave feedback, and the last 2 days of presentations were all applause and "you'll be a great teacher!" It sounds like a weird conspiracy theory, but several of the people running orientation confirmed it when I commented about it directly.
Training was rough...they decided to "implement a new program" in which they criticized the living crap out of everything you did if you presented on the first day then gradually became more lenient and gave feedback if you presented later in the week so that everyone could "see how much they improved." It was painfully obvious and in the end, probably detrimental. I had to present on the first day and actually was doing pretty well...I made it all the way up to the stage (not everyone did on the first day) and got about 40 seconds into my lesson with smiles and nods from the moderators before the MC checked my card, noticed that I was only in elementary schools then came out yelling that I'd "be lovely in a high school, but in elementary schools *Insert long-winded speech in Afrikaans that really did nothing that saying "they won't understand" wouldn't have done.*" When I asked how I could improve, he asked me what I thought, shot down all of my suggestions, then refused to give any feedback aside from "I like your smile" before shooing me back to my seat. It would have been much more helpful if they'd just told me things to work on from the start instead of making an idiot out of me then telling me "shush shush, you'll find out later how to do it right." The next day he was still harsh but gave feedback, and the last 2 days of presentations were all applause and "you'll be a great teacher!" It sounds like a weird conspiracy theory, but several of the people running orientation confirmed it when I commented about it directly.
Yeah, I heard a similar description from the boyfriend. The person he was sharing a room with quit because of the training. Doesn't seem constructive if their sole purpose was to tear you a new one and make you feel stupid without intelligent feedback. How are you finding the job?
I had the most annoying but satisfying day at work today! I was super annoyed because my pants kept falling lower and lower on my hips all day. But then I realized they're so loose because of the weight I've been losing! No more muffin top! Awesome sauce!
I have a question for everyone: When you first started losing weight, how much of your weight loss did you attribute to water weight?
I HATE JOB HUNTING! Just want to throw that out there for anyone who is interested...ugh!!!!!
If its any consolation, I hate it too! Every time, I procrastinate and put it off and struggle through it and throw things etc etc. I think because its so repetitive?
Riestrella: The job's not bad...frustrating at times because of a lack of communication (SO MANY SCHEDULE CHANGES) and because a few of the classes are full of demon spawn (the JTE informed me that they made the previous ALT cry pretty frequently...I've kept them in check pretty well though), but other parts make it worth it...like the days that the special needs kids decide to come to English class then try to climb me after while telling me how much fun they had (special needs kids get to pick which electives they do with the normal students)...or when the first and second years see me in the hall and bum-rush me while attempting to use every scrap of English they know.
Clairistotle: Unfortunately I started exercising first and dieting after, so I'm not sure how much was water since I imagine I took some of it off before getting a scale...The first week I was weighing I dropped 5 lbs though, then 3.something...this week I'll be happy with 2 (for whatever reason the scale didn't want to budge).
sgregg: I hear you...before I moved out to Japan I ended up working at Target because 2 months of searching amounted to nothing. It was super frustrating working a night shift in retail after busting my a** to graduate with honors. One of my friends just graduated with two business degrees and can't even get temp work...Best of luck to you though. I've got my fingers crossed on your behalf
claristotle - Congrats! I had something similar happen to me...but with underwear haha! I loved that pair too, but when I walked it would slide right under my arse! I had pants on thankfully...
I didn't actually keep track of my weight loss when I first started, but I think it was a substantial amount considering I was 200 lbs.
sgregg - Oh man, I was unemployed for 6 whole months before I found this job! And it's just a part time cinema job =/. So hard right now. I'm going to be unemployed in 2 weeks! Hopefully I can find a job in Japan - I'll be joining you in the job search!
Hotaru - Yeah, I've heard similar responses about the job too. The boyfriend has a Monday/Wednesday school has demon spawn. He said that one of the JTE's actually came up to him with tears in his eyes apologising! But they've got people in observing the school as a whole since the teachers don't communicate/discipline very well =S.
Last edited by Riestrella; 06-21-2012 at 06:58 AM.
I had my most evil class today and actually managed to get them to behave pretty well...They usually refuse to participate, but I forced them to play a game and by the end they clamored for an extra round even after the bell. I'm slowly building up a set of games to bribe my stubborn classes...
My JTEs pretty much leave me to my own devices. We don't teach the same classes and we usually go our separate ways after some chit-chat involving me clarifying things in English and them grammar-checking the Japanese explanations I've written for the HRTs. I make my own lesson plans 90% of the time because my kids are more advanced than the textbooks assume they are, so if I use the Interac ones they end up bored out of their minds...I've had a few classes beg for English every day and most kids seem pretty willing and able to use English outside of the classroom...so I'm counting it as a win so far :P
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