Chronicles of Nanao - 七登里

This past weekend I was at the Hakui Youth Center again for the English Summer Seminar.  It's werid to be there again.  It was the first "job" I had after arriving in Japan last year.  Remember myself being the newbie and completely lost, this year meeting all the new ALTs reminds me of myself last year.  It's really weird.  I have suddenly become the one who knows what's going on.  I wasn't quite confident about being the 先輩 before, but after this weekend, I think I feel a bit more comfortable about it.  I never thought I knew so much and yet sometimes I'm still quite lost.  懐かしい

 

The newbies this year is certainly a very different group we had last year.  I don't quite know how to explain it, but so far I'm sure they're all nice people.  There is something different about them compared to our group.  But I guess the older JETs also felt the same way when we came exactly a year ago.  It will be a fun year and I am looking forward to it.  The second half of the group arrives today, YAH TORONTOIANS!  Why are JETs from Toronto always group B?

 

Speaking of these new JETs, The Ishikawa Orientation will be next week and I will be giving presentations on "Daily Life" and "Health Care"  Do I know anything?  Not really.  Anyway, I have down countless crazy and embarrassing things in Japan, but what i did last night was definitely at the top of the list. We are compiling a book of household things and also other products.  So yesterday I went to the drug store and asked the staff who works there if I could take pictures of the various products.  Taking pictures of detergents and toilet cleaners weren't so bad, but when it came to the condoms, ovulation test sticks and sanitary products, I was sure embarrassed.  I literally took the picture and ran!  I don't want people to think I'm some 変態 woman who's wants pictures of those thing.  And I saw one of my students in the store as well!!  It would be back if rumours starts to spread at school.  "Yah I saw our ALT taking pictures of condoms!"  Great!  Want a copy of it?  恥ずかしい

 

Starting Friday I almost won't be at school at all.  I have 2 days of substitute holiday for last weekend.  I've got 2 business trips next week, then I have my Cultural Furlough (thank god!) and my own vacation!  Isn't that just great?  I won't have to be at school until the beginning of September!!  YAH!!!  But I will be busy...just organizing all these things for the new JETs are really taking a lot of time, but I like it.  It's fun.  I even thought about being a Prefectural Leader if I decide to stay here for another year.  I think that's something I would like to do.  We'll see

is it common to cut toe nails at work?  I've always found it interesting when teachers put their legs up on their chairs and start cutting their toe nails. 

So the Group A of the new JETs arrived at their various placements today.  I called up one of them who's also from Cananda (Alberta).  Nanao will be getting 2 new Canadians, cool cool! 

 

It's werid to think that was me a year ago.  So weird. 

I've been in Japan for a year!!  Holy moly!! 

Massive is over.  I just went to the station during my lunch to see off the last 2 JETs leave  That's it.  It's over. Joel, Lorna and Keith will still be around in Ishikawa, but it just won't be the same anymore.  Joel's moving to Wajima tomorrow.  Think Lorna and Keith are already in Uchinada and Kaga respectively.  From now on until the new JETs come in August I will be all alone here.  I feel I've got great respoinsibility to continue the legacy in Nanao, but I it's really difficult.  Who are the new people?  What are they like?  Will we create a new group of Massive?  New traditions?  It scares me to think about it

 

It's sad to see everyone leave.  I will try my best. 

Since Saturday I think I've only been on 10 hours of sleep.  I'm super sleepy, but it's all worth it.  My last several days with my beloved Nanaoians. 

 

Katie left this morning.  It's really hard to say goodbye.  Last night I threw her a little party inviting our friends over for dinner.  I attempted to make dumplings for the first time.  They all said it was good, but of course that was just to be polite.  I think the skin didn't turn out quite right, though the stuffing was not bad.  Anyway, it was a small nice party. But we knew we were all sad. 

 

After dinner we all decided we should go visit Samba (Karaoke Bar in Nanao that  ALTs love to go to) to visit Mama, drink and sing for one last time.  When we walked in, there I see a group of my teachers.  Great!  How embarrassing!!  Just then I remembered I was invited to go to an enkai last night and I had to turn it down.  Well it was cool...though a little embarrassing. It was also my last time to see Andy as well.  Joel, Lonra, Ketih and Sara will stil lbe  here in Ishikawa, but still sad. 

 

That was when all the crying began with all the LAST good-byes.  Sad.  Katie and I cried the whole way walking back home at 1am in the morning.  We wondered if we should sleep, or rather nap, for only an hour and a half.  We did nap for about an hour then it was time to wake up at 3am to catch her train. 

 

The Ohashis were really nice and came to pick us at 4am to drive us to the train station.  When we got to the station, Katie's supervisor was there to see her off.  When we got to Kanazawa station, the Takayamas were there waiting to drive Katie to the airport.  That tells you a lot.  Katie is great.  She has become my best friend in Japan and I am really going to miss her.  I'm going to miss those nights when I randomly call her up for dinner or a movie.  Those random walks we take, wondering in the streets of Nanao.  Cooking our version of Okonomiyaki.  Or just simply "crazy-go-nuts" because we act like we're 5.  It feels very strange that Katie is not in Nanao anymore.  Who am I going to call up? 

 

I just came back from Kanazawa and sitting at work.  I had about 25 minutes to watch her leave in the Takayama's car and run back to the plateform to catch my train back. 

 

This year went by very fast.  Last year today I wasn't even in Japan yet, and now Katie has left already.  I still remember meeting her at the Tokyo Orientation and found out that she was the other ALT in Nanao.  Can that possibly be a year ago?  I am sure some day we will meet.  In Japan, US, Canada or even Norway.  We will meet again.  Or maybe some 20 years later we can come back to Nanao together and that will be very "natsukashiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii".  Bye Katie!!!  Keep in touch!! 

 

To all my other friends who are leaving as well.  I will miss you all!!  Kay, who has also become a very good friend will leave this afternoon.  I wish that my school will be nice enough to give me the day off so I can see everyone off.  Kay,  I will visit you in Taiwan!! 

This past  weekend was the craziest weekend ever.  The greatest yet the saddest - with tears and laughter, with booze and....more booze. 

 

Bright and early Saturday morning Lorna and I and our Yosakoi team headed to Kaga for our competiion.  It was hot, sunny and the heat was drying me up, but it was fun to dance.  My fellow fruits came to watch but disappointed everyone at the first dance.  We were all in our positions ready then there was technical difficultly and they couldn't play our music.  So we did a 総踊り/general dance.  Absolutely disappointed.  Then we headed to our next destination music came on we did it and it was good.  Glad Satruday wasn't the judging day for the finals.   

 

It was a long tiring day, we just wanted to go back to Nanao to begin our party  - the last Massive Poporo Party in Nanao.  The 2 hour ride seemed forever.  As we finally arrived back in Nanao, we decided to stop by the 3rd Annual Ishikawa JET Bowling Finals, in our Christmas tree (Red and Green) yosakoi costumes.  The finalists were Joel, Tom, Nate and Chris. It was a LONG game that took 9 matches, cuz everyone won twice...we were all waiting to get to Poporo for some partying.  After 9 freaken games, Joel (Poporo owner), won and he rushed him to his own party.  That's where the trophy should belong to - Nanao!!!  So proud of Joel. 

 

Finally got to Poporo - The Massives.  What can I say?  The BEST BEST Poporo Party ever.  It's sad.  They're tearing down Poporo.  But I guess we've all have good memories of that place and it would have been sad if Poporo lies in the hands of someone who's not as cool as Joel.  It was cool...Katie got picked up and was slapped in the butt (still has Andy's handprint on it), got drunk (well not really), went crazy, talked, laughed, cried....anything you can think of possibly happened at the party.  Happy.  Sad.  Crazy.  Drunk. The End of an Era.  I will do my best as the only vetern of Nanao and the new leader.  All shall bow to me!!! 

 

Got no sleep at all and the next thing I knew was to get ready for Yosakoi in Kaga again.  Lorna who also got no sleep drove and both of us were utterly bitter at the fact that we were made to do Yosakoi under such conditions: "What the hell are we doing?  We got roped into doing this!".  Driving 2 hours, lack of sleep, hung over, got lost and not even knowing if we made it to the finals or not.  When the announcement came on and found that we did make the finals I was relieved!  We didn't come for nothing!  We were all nervous for the finals.  I felt sick....I was hoping I won't faint while  jumping up and down.  I knew I couldn't let myself screw up cuz I would just mess up the whole team and we were definitely looking good....I'd say much better than a lot of the teams.  I was a bit worried. 

 

For same strange reason when I was finally on stage, I wasn't even thnking about anything.  I guess that's the way it's suppose to be.  The more you think the more you screw up.  I was quite surprised at how well I know the dance already, though there is still one part that I get really nervous about, but I'm in the very back and no one would see even if i screw up. As we were dancing the final, it began to rain a bit .  By the time we were done it was pouring.  Rain or Sun we still had to dance.  Finally it was time - time to see who the winner was!  天鳴覇!!!!  YES!!!  We won!!  At the current standing we are #1 in Ishikawa, because that was the first competition of the summer.  I hope that we can be top 4 by the end and go to Hokkaido to dance!!  I have a feeling we might be able to achieve this 目標/goal this year. 

Our next competition is in two weeks.  We can do it!!! 

 

That was my weekend.  Katie moved in for the last couple of nights.  It's so sad!!!  It will be her last couple of nights in Japan.  It's really sad.  Sigh....

 

I forgot what else I wnated to say.