Week 22
I am SO jittery today. @_o As you know, I had the stomach flu last week, and up until this Saturday I was still feeling pretty sick. It originally started after I took my medicine in the morning, so I irrationally avoided taking my medicine because I was afraid I would throw up again. I started taking the medicine again yesterday, so hence the jitteriness. I was thinking, and even though this feeling sucks, it actually keeps me on track, because I feel I have to do something to distract myself from the feeling. If I had to choose anxiety or depression, I would choose anxiety. (Although a low mood sometimes is really good fodder for inspiration.) Although this isn't real anxiety, its manufactured. Real anxiety is much worse... but still, I think depression is the worst of them all.
So it has been cold this week. Like every night it is below zero. I woke to the most frosty landscape I have seen yet this morning. And sadly, my plants are like dead from the cold. ;_; When I went out to heat my car up this morning, there was a stream of iciclies hugging the side of my doors. But the weird thing is, I am kind of getting used to the cold. I figured this out when it was five degrees and it didn't feel that bad.
On Thursday I actually woke up to snow instead of frost! It was the first snow of the season, which is surprising to me because of how cold it had been. It snowed a bit in the morning, and then turned to rain. By the end of the day the clouds had begun to break up a little, which made for beautiful evening skies.
This week (and month) is all Christmas for my classes. I have the same lesson for all fourteen of my classes. This is why major holidays rule. For the lesson, I made a tree and little black and white "ornaments" that are the vocabulary for the lesson. The words are: Snowman, Snowflake, Santa Claus, Reindeer, Bell, Gingerbread Man (Cookie for the littler kids), Stocking, and Candy Cane. So we learn the words, and then I do a practice activity depending on the class. For the little ones, I have them pick the word I say. For the older ones, I have them do an activity with "I want a ..." or "I like ...". And then they get to pick their favorite ornament, color it, cut it out and paste it to their class tree.
In the beginning I also have some of the classes sing "Oh Christmas Tree". One of my 5/6 year classes practiced beforehand and could sing it without even looking! I was very proud.
While they are coloring, I put on the Christmas CD, which only has three songs and three karaoke tracks. (Which gets a little annoying after hearing it for the 25th time through.) One of my students, Keigo, ended up making his own lyrics to all of the songs. (I mentioned this boy before, he is a "class clown" type. He is hilarious at times, but he also makes my head hurt.) He sang this to "We Wish you a Merry Christmas"; "Keigo wa tensai da, Keigo wa tensai da, Keigo wa tensai da, hontou da yo." He is singing about how he is a genius. His antics made me laugh, but then again, gave me a horrible headache by the end too.
On Wednesday, I think, I was blessed with some strawberries at Higashidate! I was so excited, although I was a bit afraid, because I still wasn't feeling up to eating. They were so sweet! Much more sugary than the ones at home.
On Friday I was bombarded with adorable gifts from the 1st years at Ishii. They made me crepe paper candy, ice cream, flowers, a bow, and cake. I was so happy.
On Saturday I went out to eat at the Panini Dog cafe in Tanagura. It is such an adorable little cafe, but no one is ever there. It makes me sad. I got a hot tropical tea and a chicken pizza. Most excitingly, my stomach faired the storm farely well! Made me so happy I could cry.
After I ate I went on a walk and found this cool temple. It is weird, little gems like this are hidden in plain sight everywhere.
On Sunday I finally made myself go on a walk in the afternoon. I was just going to walk around the block, but then I remembered this nice little walking trail in the forest (that is never used by anyone of course) right by my house. The weather was so beautiful, it was a perfect fall day at the beginning of winter. I was able to take a glimpse at the valley below me. And the sky just struck me as being so big and wonderful yesterday.
On the way down a man warned me to beware of mountain pigs, because there are a lot of them in the area in the morning and evening, especially since people don't come on the road that often. At least I am pretty sure he ment mountain pigs. I actually heard something like "manton pikku", which I thought didn't sound very Japanese. (After a while you just get a feel for it.) Sometimes, well actually most of the time, it is more confusing when Japanese people try to speak to me in English. Speaking with the staff of my company is one of those times. Sometimes I give up and switch to Japanese.
Earlier in the week I was reading a manga, and I was really happy that I could understand around 80% of it with a first read. Lately, I have been studying words and kanji using kid's study materials I bought at the 105 yen shop. Its not really good for retention, but if I study it and then see it later, that helps substantially compared to not knowing it at all. I figure if I cram a lot into my head, some is bound to pop out when I need it some day.
Saying this, I have decided to study even harder, and when I get back to the States send my resume to various manga and Japanese novel publishers. I already made a list! I really want to translate or use my Japanese in some way, whether at a job or by freelancing. I am actually pretty confident now in my abilities, so I am very happy. I am also probably going to take a translation for media course at a school in Torrance. They have contacts in the industry for jobs and such, and I like the course layout. It is not a Japanese course, but rather a translation course, because even if you know the language, translating it is very tricky. I find this when I try to translate, mainly for family or friends. I will understand what is being said, but the English explanation is hard to grasp adequately.
I also am going to continue doing voice overs. I had been nervous to set up my mic, and I finally just did it yesterday. I have some bad self esteem when it comes to things I really like to do. I am so afraid of failing sometimes, I just can't bring myself to try in the first place. But I am getting better at stuffing down those bad feelings. I was updating my resume as well, and I actually have done pretty well so far. I have like ten projects in all fields. I do want to take it slow though, because when it becomes too much about money, and not the fun kind but the kind that pays the rent, then it becomes very stressful and unfun. Thus I want to get a main job, and do voice over on the side, building up little by little while having a great time.
Next week and it will only be two days until I go home!
Tuesday, December 6th-Monday, December 12th, 2012
I am SO jittery today. @_o As you know, I had the stomach flu last week, and up until this Saturday I was still feeling pretty sick. It originally started after I took my medicine in the morning, so I irrationally avoided taking my medicine because I was afraid I would throw up again. I started taking the medicine again yesterday, so hence the jitteriness. I was thinking, and even though this feeling sucks, it actually keeps me on track, because I feel I have to do something to distract myself from the feeling. If I had to choose anxiety or depression, I would choose anxiety. (Although a low mood sometimes is really good fodder for inspiration.) Although this isn't real anxiety, its manufactured. Real anxiety is much worse... but still, I think depression is the worst of them all.
So it has been cold this week. Like every night it is below zero. I woke to the most frosty landscape I have seen yet this morning. And sadly, my plants are like dead from the cold. ;_; When I went out to heat my car up this morning, there was a stream of iciclies hugging the side of my doors. But the weird thing is, I am kind of getting used to the cold. I figured this out when it was five degrees and it didn't feel that bad.
On Thursday I actually woke up to snow instead of frost! It was the first snow of the season, which is surprising to me because of how cold it had been. It snowed a bit in the morning, and then turned to rain. By the end of the day the clouds had begun to break up a little, which made for beautiful evening skies.
This week (and month) is all Christmas for my classes. I have the same lesson for all fourteen of my classes. This is why major holidays rule. For the lesson, I made a tree and little black and white "ornaments" that are the vocabulary for the lesson. The words are: Snowman, Snowflake, Santa Claus, Reindeer, Bell, Gingerbread Man (Cookie for the littler kids), Stocking, and Candy Cane. So we learn the words, and then I do a practice activity depending on the class. For the little ones, I have them pick the word I say. For the older ones, I have them do an activity with "I want a ..." or "I like ...". And then they get to pick their favorite ornament, color it, cut it out and paste it to their class tree.
In the beginning I also have some of the classes sing "Oh Christmas Tree". One of my 5/6 year classes practiced beforehand and could sing it without even looking! I was very proud.
While they are coloring, I put on the Christmas CD, which only has three songs and three karaoke tracks. (Which gets a little annoying after hearing it for the 25th time through.) One of my students, Keigo, ended up making his own lyrics to all of the songs. (I mentioned this boy before, he is a "class clown" type. He is hilarious at times, but he also makes my head hurt.) He sang this to "We Wish you a Merry Christmas"; "Keigo wa tensai da, Keigo wa tensai da, Keigo wa tensai da, hontou da yo." He is singing about how he is a genius. His antics made me laugh, but then again, gave me a horrible headache by the end too.
On Wednesday, I think, I was blessed with some strawberries at Higashidate! I was so excited, although I was a bit afraid, because I still wasn't feeling up to eating. They were so sweet! Much more sugary than the ones at home.
On Friday I was bombarded with adorable gifts from the 1st years at Ishii. They made me crepe paper candy, ice cream, flowers, a bow, and cake. I was so happy.
After I ate I went on a walk and found this cool temple. It is weird, little gems like this are hidden in plain sight everywhere.
On Sunday I finally made myself go on a walk in the afternoon. I was just going to walk around the block, but then I remembered this nice little walking trail in the forest (that is never used by anyone of course) right by my house. The weather was so beautiful, it was a perfect fall day at the beginning of winter. I was able to take a glimpse at the valley below me. And the sky just struck me as being so big and wonderful yesterday.
On the way down a man warned me to beware of mountain pigs, because there are a lot of them in the area in the morning and evening, especially since people don't come on the road that often. At least I am pretty sure he ment mountain pigs. I actually heard something like "manton pikku", which I thought didn't sound very Japanese. (After a while you just get a feel for it.) Sometimes, well actually most of the time, it is more confusing when Japanese people try to speak to me in English. Speaking with the staff of my company is one of those times. Sometimes I give up and switch to Japanese.
Earlier in the week I was reading a manga, and I was really happy that I could understand around 80% of it with a first read. Lately, I have been studying words and kanji using kid's study materials I bought at the 105 yen shop. Its not really good for retention, but if I study it and then see it later, that helps substantially compared to not knowing it at all. I figure if I cram a lot into my head, some is bound to pop out when I need it some day.
Saying this, I have decided to study even harder, and when I get back to the States send my resume to various manga and Japanese novel publishers. I already made a list! I really want to translate or use my Japanese in some way, whether at a job or by freelancing. I am actually pretty confident now in my abilities, so I am very happy. I am also probably going to take a translation for media course at a school in Torrance. They have contacts in the industry for jobs and such, and I like the course layout. It is not a Japanese course, but rather a translation course, because even if you know the language, translating it is very tricky. I find this when I try to translate, mainly for family or friends. I will understand what is being said, but the English explanation is hard to grasp adequately.
I also am going to continue doing voice overs. I had been nervous to set up my mic, and I finally just did it yesterday. I have some bad self esteem when it comes to things I really like to do. I am so afraid of failing sometimes, I just can't bring myself to try in the first place. But I am getting better at stuffing down those bad feelings. I was updating my resume as well, and I actually have done pretty well so far. I have like ten projects in all fields. I do want to take it slow though, because when it becomes too much about money, and not the fun kind but the kind that pays the rent, then it becomes very stressful and unfun. Thus I want to get a main job, and do voice over on the side, building up little by little while having a great time.
Next week and it will only be two days until I go home!
See you then ~ ;D
9:42 AM |
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