Mt. Fuji, Tokyo and orange juice with rare cheese flavour

After Osaka it was back to Tokyo to wrap up training, sign contracts and say goodbye to new friends. I didn't get too much sightseeing in because we were in meetings until six at night and then had to leave at seven the next morning but I did enjoy myself.

Oh but what I'm not telling you about was the vending machine we passed that sold Tropicana orange juice with rare cheese flavour... It smelt really weird but didn't taste too bad. However I only drank about half of it and then gave up. My juices and cheese just don't mix. 



Okay but on from that. The trip back to Tokyo was beautiful. In case I haven't mentioned before, I looooovve the bullet train! The sky was clear and I sat by the window that faced the sun and watched the coast go by. What made this train trip different was that I finally got to see Fujisan! It has never been clear enough before for me to see it! The picture doesn't do it justice, but it really was breathtaking!

In Tokyo we stayed in the Asakusa district which was where I stayed last time, but this time I got to stay in the most beautiful hotel with a view of the city! There was also a new tower from last time I was there. The Tokyo Skytree shadowing the Asakusa distict and the Sensoji Temple.


Finally after hours of just staring outside while signing paperwork I got to go to the Temple! This would have been the second time which was a good thing because by the time I got there it was closed... but I did get to view the grounds which were gorgeous as always! The pagoda was really pretty against the dimming sky.


After wards my welsh friend Rhiannon and I went to Shibuya which is like the really cool place to be in Tokyo but it was dark and I was pretty tired so the pics aren't that good so... So there you have it. Training is at an end. School starts next week and now I'm moving into my place. Next time on 'Sarah Goes to Japan,' I'll take you to Otsuki to see where I'm living!

Last night in Osaka

It's just now, just as I'm going through my photos so far that it has hit me: I live here. This beautiful country is my home for a year. I can explore the farthest reaches of it if I want or stay in my town and become as familiar with the locals as I can. I can pray every morning at little shrines on my way to work and climb Mt. Fuji on weekends. I can day trip to Tokyo for shopping or drive to Kyoto for history. I can find an onsen in the middle of nowhere and soak in the mountains or wander the paths of a garden. This country is amazing!

On that note, I'm here to show you some pictures so far. I finished my training today and signed my contract. First thing tomorrow morning it is off to Tokyo I go for a night and then to Otsuki to settle. The little shrine tucked between two buildings on the way to training. A few of us hanging out on the grounds of Osaka castle. Some students practicing kendo at a dojo and the Osaka castle reflected in a tea garden pool at sunset.






I'll post more after I've moved in to Otsuki and got settled in! Ja ne minasan!

Health Checks, Love Hotels and Earthquakes

This is my first post from Japan! I still can't believe I actually live here! The plane ride from Vancouver to Narita was blissful as I had three seats to myself and stretched out and slept part of the way. Once in Narita there was an Interac person waiting for us and I got to meet a lot of awesome new people! When we got to the hotel the power was out because it is in the area that is currently having the rolling power outages. That's the reason we didn't stay in Tokyo... not the radiation. I met up with some people and we went into town to explore and found a cute ramen shop to eat dinner where I felt my very first earthquake! Okay it was more of a tremor. And it only felt like riding inside a train except we were in a noodle shop. It was really bizarre.

Had an amazing sleep since I had been up for about 32 hours and woke up in the morning to a very Japanese breakfast (I really need to adjust to the food) and two more tremors. Apparently there was a slightly bigger one while I slept. Apparently I was that tired!

But enough of Narita. The next morning we drove into Tokyo to catch the shinkansen (the bullet train) to Osaka. I had just enough time to have a Japanese Starbucks caramel machiatto and gush about the really awesome sakura starbucks mugs before we caught the train. (But I'm going back for those mugs)

The train was awesome! We got to ride the nozomi which is that fastest of the Japan trains. Last time I only rode the second fastest which is the more affordable option. However lugging over a 100 lbs of luggage around was exhausting and I'm really sore now for it. We didn't do much after we finally got to the hotel here. Just went to this pretty cool department store that housed every electronic possible and out for udon.

Today was the first day of training. Got to see some example lesson plans and get an idea of what the classroom setting would be like but I'd half to say the highlight was the health check. (note: sarcasm) For the health check we had to go to a hospital and get poke and prodded for a while. We gave blood, urine and good view of our naked upper half. The nurse kept gesturing to my shirt and I nodded and lifted it a little but she gestured higher so I lifted it around my neck but she kept gesturing. I didn't think I could get my shirt any higher until I realized she wanted my bra off too. Good thing I wore a brand new one today!

Later a few of us went looking for the aquarium and failed but we did get some great exploring of Osaka in! It's a pretty neat city but I still like Tokyo better so far. We did however find out how to get to the aquarium for later. I led us out thinking we could walk there but no luck. We did come across some  famous sights though and a row of love hotels so the night wasn't a total waste! Nah, it was a lot of fun!



Now I'm in my tiny little hotel room where there is about a foot of space between my bed and everything else drinking milky tea! Soon I'm off to bed!

Oyasumi!

All systems go!

So, after five very long days, I have official word: it's a go for Japan! I just received an email that they want things to return to normal and one of those things would be to bring us over. They said they understood if we wanted to defer or even not go, but assured us they would not put our safety at jeopardy. I'm confident in this company and am excited that they still want me to go!

"Rest assured we will have a position for you and are very keen that you do plan to arrive in Japan as scheduled. We will take every possible course of action necessary to make the start of your ALT experience to be as smooth, safe and secure as possible and this will most likely include changing the Training venue (as supplies and rolling electricity cuts have affected the Narita View Hotel, this is not due to any radiation warning). This does not affect your arrival date or destination."

Therefore, instead of Tokyo I get to go to Osaka! I've never been to Osaka before! So again, I'm looking at this for a chance to have a really amazing experience! Any inconvenience that the change in venue is causing me financially will be covered by Interac, and they will pay again for me to travel again to my final destination in Otsuki that remains sound.

I really feel like I need to just go and experience it for myself. What many of us westerners forget is that Japan is not as small as we think it is. Honshu alone is bigger than Great Britain. Just because the North East coast is devastated does not mean the same for the whole country. I have an understanding that Japan is one to rebuild and recover with strength and I want to be there to help with this process.

I will leave this with a really good link to some perspective in the Japan earthquake.

Japan Earthquake 2011

So lots of people have been asking me: "Are you still going to Japan next week?" The answer: sure am! As long as my city still wants me, I still want to go! That being said here is a map showing the damage and Otsuki.
 

 

 

As awful as it is, the only way to go about this is optimistically. I feel good about going to where I'm needed. I was going with the intention of having an experience and this will be an experience. It will be both a journalistic opportunity and an opportunity to get involved with the people of Japan. It would do me no good to be afraid and anxious. I've never been in a situation like this so I can only go with what I have: strength and energy to deal with how it comes.

I feel that if any country is able to bounce back from this it will be Japan. I've been in contact with people living in Tokyo and they said life is already returning to normal. Japan leads in example as a country that was prepared for this and a country that can recover.

I hope for the best and my prayers are already in Japan lets just hope all goes well and I can follow along next week!

Less than three weeks to go!

March 21 is only twenty sleeps away! Only twenty more sleeps until I prepare to board the transpacific Japanese Airlines Flight to Tokyo!

I will be living in Otsuki in the Yamanashi prefecture just an hour west of Tokyo. There is almost no information on the town other than connection information to surrounding attractions but regardless I'm looking forward to it. It's nestled into the mountains and apparently on a clear day there is a good view of Fujisan. I'll be teaching elementary school although I still don't know at how many schools and apparently I'll require a car which should be really awesome since I'll have the freedom to go places on weekends. Here is a panoramic picture I found of Otsuki! It looks pretty!




Now I just have to worry about little last minute things like that TB test I should have already gotten done and my Int'l Drivers Permit and making sure I haven't packed too little or too much. Imagine trying to fit your whole life into two suitcases...