Dartboard

Pictures from Ojika.
Starting out the weekend with a kanpai!

A walk through the inaka.

Thanksgiving Dinner.

Karaoke.

Me with Vicky at karaoke.

Things got crazy. Meet Masa (who is actually very attractive when not making that face!) and Random Strong Dude.

I got a letter from a very old friend. He was one of the first boys I ever kissed. He was a really good boyfriend, but we lived three hours apart and at 16 that was a little too hard for me. He's doing great (as far as I can make out from that font size 8 chicken scratch letter he sent me) and it looks like we'll be living in the same city for the first time ever next year.

He may be the smartest and most sincere person I've ever known. I can't wait to get to spend a considerable amount of time with "The Adult Nathan." Although we have only kept mediocre contact over the years, I've always really treasured our friendship. We tend to write each other real letters rather than using technology, and I've saved everything he's given me. All his letters, a shell we collected on the beach together (he's from the coast), his nametag from the camp we met at, and a note he left on my car window telling me he missed me. We went to my senior prom together.

So I kind of put the guy on a pedestal, but he really is perfect (as best as my 16-year-old mind can remember). He's incredibly intelligent, a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering at MIT and has already invented amazing tools (think James Bond and Batman-type tools) and helps produce science television programs for kids. He's done everything to make handmade pop-up cards for my birthday to making curtains with me and fixing broken things in my college dorm.

World's Perfect Man? I think so, anyway!

The caption I stole from Dawn, the picture I stole from Carrie. I’m a shameless thief.

Check us out in our (ok, I'll give you the fact that this reference is dated - but haven't we reached the statue of limitations on this gaggle of Brits being dorky? C'mon, it's retro by now!) Spice Girl Pose.

I’m shocked and amazed at the Britney Spear's belly I'm sporting in this picture. I didn't know I was capable of that!

www.fork-you.com

I know I recently wrote about all the things I don’t like about my life/job/work here, but now I feel I should take it all back. I’m also very happy here. “Very^3 happy!” as my students will write. Sometimes (usually after elementary school days) I have a hard time believing just how great I have it, how lucky I am.

Maybe it’s not so strange, but especially when I’m driving home. It’s my time to think about my day and contemplate “life stuff” in my head as I sing along (usually out of key) to the music. I often think up blog titles—do I dare give away that I actually spend time coming up with these often lame titles?—but honestly, “Car Blog Titles” are kind of the way I summarize my life here. (I swear the best ones are forgotten!) And if you could summarize your day with “Underwater Smiles” or “I broke my nose tonight.” wouldn’t you also be pretty damn happy with your life?

I love that I love driving. I think that’s Papa’s gift to me.

Forget my two front teeth (or a straight nose for that matter), here’s what I want for Christmas! Send your packages early to make sure they’re on time!!!!!

Bun and Thigh Master
Cutco Knives
Brianna’s Strawberry Vinegarette
Wheat berries
A ticket to ride

He’s adorable.
Now during swim lessons, he races along side me or swims close behind me (to get me to go faster) and when we pass each other in the lane, he smiles at me underwater.
I wanna jump his bones.

Just looking back at quotes from old friends.

“I have problems with accidental dishonesty.”

Me: "Do you even know what happened last Sunday?"
Him: "Of course I do. Do I look like a tree?"

“I like good Christian girls who can really really draw.”

They're all guys, of course.

Well, actually, Use-sensei from karate, who I kicked in the nuts on accident last year, did the honors. He was demonstrating a back-hand, spinning punch and hit me. It hurt a lot at first, but there was no blood. I had a small “nasal ache” for a few minutes but the pain went way pretty quickly. I continued practicing, just thankful my nose ring wasn’t torn out—or worse, pushed in—and didn’t worry too much about it. Then I looked in the mirror at the end of class and there was a dent in my nose! Yes! A dent! The cartilage broke!

So it’s not huge and deforming. I notice it, but it’s my face and I know it pretty well. I doubt most people will ever notice unless I point it out or they know the story. I’m not freaking out about it. I think it’s kind of cool. Everyone should break their nose once in their lifetime. Otherwise you’re not taking enough risks!

Use-sensei says we’re even now. I kick him in the balls and I get a dent in my nose. I think I get the worse end of the deal, but there are probably plenty of guys out there who disagree.

I’ve looked in a mirror several times since it happened. It’s still broken.

When I was in Fukuoka a few weeks ago I hung out with my friend Sumi (Tomoko's sister). She approached me about working with her in Fukuoka next year. She’s an art teacher at Kyushu International University (KIU), which is a private high school as well as a university. Sumi says they will be looking for a new English teacher next year and she wants to recommend me. This would be (theoretically) next August after I’ve completed my tenure with the JET Programme.

I’ve been talking about graduate school next fall, but obviously those plans would be postponed if I went to work at the high school. I’m 90% sure I don't want to postpone graduate school, but it many ways, working at KIU would be the perfect opportunity. Many of the dislikes I have about my current situation would appear to change for the better at this school. Allow me to flush out this idea…

1. I don’t like team teaching.
It’s was fine and dandy at first—when I had no idea what I was doing and I was working with teachers I enjoyed and respected. Now I often feel the presence of a Japanese teacher encourages the students to ignore me and wait for the Japanese translation. That annoys the hell out of me, in fact. Having said that, I’ve also had really great Japanese teachers who’s presence is appreciated, but either way I feel I can do this whole teaching thing alone now. I’d really like that opportunity.

2. I want to evaluate my students.
Not just because I like the power of grades, but because I think students would try harder if they knew my classes “counted.” Know what I mean? Unless you really liked the subject, would have the-high-school-you have studied very hard for a class you knew you wouldn’t be getting a grade in? Perhaps some of the time, but I'm greedy and I want more attention than that! I would also feel like my job were a little more satisfying (and I would take more seriously) if I did things such as make the yearly syllabus, made the tests and graded the students.

3. I want to see my students more.
I currently teach my students once a week (but about one of every four classes is canceled for various reasons). I would see the students at least twice at week at KIU. That means getting to know them much better and having class time to go into more depth in each lesson or topic. I really like that idea.

3.5 I want better students.
That's not true, but I wanted to say it. I love my students. Except Koji. I don't like Koji. [I know your little hearts are going "Ohhh! Poor Koji!!" but I promise if you met him you wouldn't do that anymore.]

2. I don’t like having a full time job when I don’t have full time work.
Well, it’s not like I complain about having a healthy paycheck and tons of free time at work, but honestly I don’t feel very productive. I’ve gotten used to filling my day, but if I could do things outside of the school when I don’t have work, I’d love to do that. At KIU I would only be expected to be at school when I have classes to teach. When I don’t have work I can do the other things that I’d love to do in this beautiful country—sightsee and travel around, participate in more cultural activities, join a gym, take a Japanese course, have more time when friends visit... Well, you get the idea. Are there any of us who DON’T want more free time? It’d would be a pay cut, but having my freedom would be worth it. And I could take on another job if I needed or wanted the money.

5. I want to live in a city and 6. study Japanese more.
For several reasons, a few of which I mentioned above, but the biggest reason at the moment is because I want to be a lot more まじめ about studying Japanese. I’ve been asking around for a serious Japanese teacher—not someone who can just help with conversational Japanese (i.e. speak Japanese), but can really teach me the language—and it just doesn’t appear to be a resource on this island. To enroll in a Japanese course is a dream for me!

Living in the city is just a different experience. I like rural Japan and I am glad that I had the opportunity, but I’m ready for something else. I will miss Goto—the peacefulness, the beauty, the ocean. I won’t miss the inconvenience or expense of ferries, the necessary and expense of a car, or the lack of young, educated people or the lack of young, educated 男, but I will be very sad when I leave—regardless of whether I’m leaving for Fukuoka or Boston.

(Despite a very mean 竹田 who told me otherwise Saturday night) Goto is my home. I’ve never gotten this attached to a place that wasn’t my home. It will be a hard place to quit.

So as far as Kyushu International University, I’m still far from changing my plans of moving to Boston. I feel like this was a spur of the moment idea—but one that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about!! Another bonus which I didn’t even mention is that I might get to do a home-stay with Sumi’s family! Depending on how long I lived in Fukuoka, I’d like to get my own place, but to live with a Japanese family even for a while would be… すばらしい!!

After all that, plans to apply for Lesley are full-steam ahead, but I suppose it’s good to have a couple ideas on the burners. If nothing else, knowing the graduate school route is not just “because I have nothing else to do” gives me a bit more confidence in my decision to apply.

I’m gaseous. I don’t know why.
Love, Sierra

Steven’s gonna haaaate me when he finds out I still haven’t delivered his message to Masaharu. So, here’s—finally—the message.

昌治、ちゃんと読んで下さい。この写真をStevenは昌治に送ってあげる。

"KA-

ME-

HA-

ME-

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Steve has always liked to have fun!! Remember that time you blindfolded me, abducted me into your car for my birthday and I knew exactly where we were until you started making stops in the middle of the road to confuse me. Then you and Sahra took me to Who, Song and Larry’s and by the time we arrived I was soooo carsick (because you’re a horrible driver!!! =) but we had a wonderful night together! That was fun!! Thank you Stevie!!

And for a little humor…

SAD NEWS!
There will be no Nativity Scene in Washington DC this holiday season.

The Supreme Court has ruled that there will be no Nativity Scene in Washington DC this year. This is not for religious reasons, but simply because they have not been able to find three wise men and a virgin in the nation's capital. There was, however, no problem finding enough asses to fill the stable!

And I have to go back a few weeks to show old pictures I got from others.

Me in my apartment.

You remember Dawn, Lori and I were the Three Blind Mice for Halloween this year?!!

Well, this was my mom and sister’s version of the Three Blind Mice. Different continents, but the same wavelength!!!

All the delicious food we cooked (or received) at Dawn’s Halloween party on Ojika. I just love how beautiful it looks!

I wanted to write a lot more this weekend, but here it is 10:30 on Sunday night!! Time sure is flying by. I can’t believe it’s the 4th of December already!!! Yikes!

Hopefully I’ll have some time at school this week to write about my fabulous (and the not so fabulous parts) of my weekend!

Night all! Sierra