First Three Weeks

Hello!

I know it's been a while since I updated. I just got internet in my apartment today and I couldn't be happier! So I'm going to try and do a quick run-through of my first three weeks here.

We started by going out to lots of welcome parties that were very fun! It was great to meet all the new JETs arriving as well as all the JETs in Kitakyushu staying over from previous years. Our PA Dan was great at making us all feel welcome. I'm also super grateful that Patrick, another new JET this year, is in the building across the street from me. We have done lots of shopping and exploring together since we are in the same area. Leah is also someone I'm getting very close to, she is from Detroit and the only other American Kitakyushu JET.

During my first week I went to an amazing festival in Shimonoseki. There are two towns across the river from each other, Shimonoseki and Mojiko. People bring blankets and sit on both sides of the river. Then both Shimonoseki and Mojiko shoot off fireworks and try to outdo the other side. The fireworks went on for hours and it was amazing! There were also food stalls around selling all sorts of food and desserts. It was amazing and a great chance to wear my yukata!

As for work, I have spent my time going to many different schools to help the students with speech contest. School isn't in session until next Monday and I haven't been to either of my base schools yet. In October, many middle school students recite a speech in English as part of Kitakyushu's annual speech contest. We are going around to different schools and helping students with memorization, pronunciation, and intonation. It's nice to meet the teachers and students, but unfortunately none of these schools are my base schools. So I will be in different schools during the year. Starting on Monday I'm going to be in Futajima and Shinozaki middle schools. I have only visited Futajima so far and everyone was very nice. I've heard nice things about Shinozaki and will be visiting it later this week!

Kantsu, my professor from Hofstra, came to visit me for dinner one night. He was on his way to Korea for work and stopped in Kitakyushu for a few hours. I got to show him around my apartment, Shiragane (my district), and the city. We had dinner with Patrick on a rooftop restaurant overlooking the city, it was amazing!

I took a trip to Hiroshima and Miyajima last weekend and it was really fun! I got to see Hiroshima Castle, which I didn't get to see last time I was in Hiroshima. We went to a great okonomiyaki restaurant. Okonomiyaki the specialty dish of Hiroshima consisting of a pancake-like batter, cabbage, noddles, and any topping of your choice (I had oysters) grilled at your table and topped with lots of sauce. We also went back to the Atomic Dome and Peace Park. It was kind of nice to show the other JETs around an area I knew. The next day we went to Miyajima, the floating shrine island. I have been before, but I had a lot more time this weekend. I went to see the five-story pagoda and climbed the highest point of the mountains. It was really cool!

So that's the very short version of what I've been up to. I've been having a great time and am so happy to be here!