Earthquake.

I may as well write what happened here so that people know and i don't have to keep repeating myself.

Well, Yesterday i was in Yokohama working. I was teaching a class of about 8 kids about 5 -6 years old. I feel very lucky that i was at this certain kindergarten and class as they are one of my favourites so easier to handle.

Anyway, i was teaching when the earthquake started to happen. I thought it was just a small one and would pass so i kept teaching. But it got stronger and stronger and then the loudspeakers crackled and said something. Instantly all the kids got up and ran to me. I had no idea what to go so i told them in Japanese to follow me. I wanted to see what the partner teacher (Eri who was covering for Satsuki for that day) but i heard her calling my name. I saw her in the doorway with the other kids so i did the same. Sat down in the doorway with them around me. Some went to Eri and i had the others. It was very very scary. Everything was shaking violently. My heart was racing and i could feel my body shake as i was so scared. But on the outside cool as a cucumber. Check me out (: P) One kid was screaming but the others were okay. A few were looking around worridly but, yeah, the others were fine. One of my kids Mio who went to Eri was even smiling! While it was happening, I smiled at Mio and gave her the 'are you okay?' hand signal, and she gave me one back. What a ledgend.

It stopped and then we got the kids outside. But one of my little girls Sakura, came to me as we got up to get the kids outside. I was still on the floor and she climbed on my lap and wouldn't let go. She wasn't crying or anything but she was still pretty scared and her face broke my heart a little. Luckliy it happened at the end of the first set of lessons so the mums were outside. But not Sakuras. The other mums called her and she was at the shops and later said that everything was falling of the shelves.

After the first big one, we went inside but a few minutes later. An aftershock ( i guess) or anoter small one happened. We went outside where everyone was in the playground. It was very weird as you could feel (and see!) the ground shake. This happened (going in out and out of the building) a few times. We still continued with lessons but only 5 kids turned up for the rest of the 8 lessons and i didn't do much work tbh. Well for some of the kids anyway. The aftershocks continuted with various thoughts of 'how worried should i be?'.

After work we went to the train station but all transport had stopped. We were there for two hours before deciding to walk to another station. Eri left me quite a bit on my own for various reasons (but i was not happy about just being left for 20 minutes when she said, 'stay here i'm going to the toilet' and then i see her wondering about'. But i'm just happy that she stayed with me as i think that she sorted her own way back. still. While i was waiting. A guy asked me if i was okay as he spoke really good english. It was only then that i got an idea of how bad things were. He said that his mother is a nurse in a hospital near Shinjuku and that it was overrun with people.

So after 2 hours we walked to the station we needed and by the time we got there (about 10pm) the trains were just starting on the line i needed (sotestu) I managed to get on the first working train so i was very lucky. It took twice as long to get there as the train was going so slowly. But i can't argue.

When i got to Ebina (about 10.40) the Odakyu station was taped off. I'm very lucky as i can walk home but the station was completely rammed with people stuck there.

I didn't really sleep last night as i kept getting aftershocks. Also your phone gives off an earthquake warning alarm. So that kept going off during the night. When that first happened my friend turned up at my door and i was happy to have someone else there for the night. Bunked in my living room and watched tv and tried to sleep.

I'm still in my clothes from yesterday (didn't want to get dressed for bed incase anything happened) and am a bit scared to have a shower as aftershocks are still happeneing. But the little ones are fine. But i'm going to grow a pair and get washed.

Here is a video i found of the earthquake in Yokohama so show what it was like.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2011/mar/11/yokohama-earthquake-japan-video

But as an end note - i'm okay and i feel so lucky to have so many friends and family who love me. : )

xxxx

Gantz Live Action New Trailer Cast 2011.1 HD

Gantz Day Out.

Its a little bit geeky but i had a great day on saturday. I went with my friend to a Location in a film that came out recently called Gantz. It was awesome and we actually saw it in Japanese and no subs. My listening Japanese is okay and i knew enough words to get the jist of things and even a few sentences. It was an action film anyway and i knew enough of the Manga it's based upon to be okay.

We went to a cafe where one of the main characters (Nino from Arashi!) has a date with someone. It was actually a really nice cafe. Good food and pretty cheap and i will definately go again. I really liked it and the staff were really nice. I leave everything to the credit to my friend as i was mid PMS rage ( thank GOD i didn't see anyone on the friday - not a happy bunny) There were no directions as such except for and i quote 'In the direction of the park'. I asked a woman passing if she knew and luck would have it she actually spoke english and walked us to the restaurant. ^_^ so sweet.

Anyway we had lunch there first after walking past the table and me not knowing really what to do. There wasn't really anyone there so i thought it would be fine. But later on a group sat there for a while. damn it.

I asked in my broken Japanese about the table. or as i remember. ' under..table...we like Gantz. Is a photo okay?' and that set the ball rolling. They seemed really happy about it. We has to wait for quite a while (about 4 hours or something from when we came though the door! Little less mabye) It was quite funny as I think the staff kept telling people around us about us - i guess a few people were curious. 'what are they doing here?' and the like. One mad even came up and said, ' You are here for the Gantz table - enjoy your stay' (sparknotes version) ^_^ Anyway we drank a lot of tea.

One of the staff popped her head up from the stairs (we were upstairs) and gave a CD that Nino had signed. I never wanted to let go! It was kinda scratched though.

We eventually went down to the table and the brought us top up for the tea and some hot water for it while we sat there (I love the staff - we never asked for it) . Even when they were shut they kept saying 'no its okay' when i asked what time do they shut.
They had a little Gantz fanbook which we both wrote in ^_^ And the Orange scooter just outside! : D (You can see it in the movie) It was fun - we took a few photos and I was so happy to have sat where Nino had sat ^_^ hehehehehe. I sure loads of people have thought the same thing but - though accociation i have touched Nino's arse. (I'm just that kinda girl *winkwink*)

Ureshiiiiiii

We were also given some shiny red ribbon they cut for us with 'GANTZ 1.29' on. It sits beautiflly on my fridge!)

I was really happy at the Cafe and really loved it there. I'm trying to pen a letter to the staff but i will have to ask sometone about it due to me not speaking Japanese!! (But i loved trying and we even got asked - wait for it - Basic questions: D I was happy to try and awswer some of them. My friend did they rest! Language wise was we thanked the staff a lot!!!!!!)

Black Sheep - Metric

Speech Contest

Today was the speech contest which has been hanging over everyones heads for a few months now. That sounds negative but its not i have been really looking forward to it. I didn't really do much for the day, just help the kids get to their seats for the morning lower grade kids and looked pretty. But It was nice to see all my kids there and to see them do what they have worked so very hard for. Everyone had worked really hard.

I'd really proud of all my kids and i'm happy to say that quite a few of them won awards. ^o^/ 5 i think. : D I'm so happy for them!!! And what i liked is that they (well more in the afternoon) really were happy to see me and had them running up to me ^_^ It made me feel like a proper teacher as i have helped them with the speeches. A happy feeling in my heart ^_^ Especially the older kids. One of my friends even came to get me from the main hall when i was the the theatre because two of the little girls i teach kept shouting in the foyer for me ^_^ HOLLY-SENSEI!! HOLLY-SENSEI!! hehe.

And one girl's parents were really appreachiteive. (sp) and gave me a thank you gift. I was so happy! I'm also very lucky as she won one of the awards and i'm really proud of her as the is always happy and smiling!! The mum i've met a few times before but never the dad but both her parents were really lovely and were speaking english to me : )





: D

My Chemical Romance at Yokohama Arena!!

Last night I went to see My Chem!

I was so excited but its so weird to go and see a gig in Japan. They themselves were really good and they played quite a mix of songs from the albums but felt it was kind of short. To show what I mean heres an quite from Ray's Blog on the MCR website!

'For those of you who have never been to a show in Japan, the crowd reacts in a way completely unique to Japan. Between songs, they are whisper quiet, respectfully waiting for the next song to start. Once the music kicks, they begin to dance, chant, mosh and sing along at ear piercing levels. When the song ends, polite applause, and then silence. It makes for a special experience, that somehow feels more personal than the size of the show would indicate.:

http://www.mychemicalromance.com/

I don't know if it would be more personal but i just spent the entire time wondering why people went so quite all of a sudden. Durning songs fine but them the quite-ness. I found it a bit weird.

Anyway i really loved seeing them again (3rd time : D ) They played house of wolves and a great version of Ghost of you <3

Cowboy Bebop - The Real Folk Blues (ending theme)

Cowboy Bebop

How about that for a blast from the past. For those who knew me in my younger, more youthful days they will know my obesession with anime and manga. I still like it but nowhere as near as i used to. For obvious reasons you can't get away from it in Japan so i ahev been thinking back to it. Anyway the two anime's that still stand the test of time for me are Serial Experiments Lain (lovelovelove) and Cowboy Bebop. Which are just amazing tv series' in themselves. Anyway, Long story short I brought the Cowboy Bebop OST for the Film yesterday and i'm just listening to it now. It brings back so much memories as its a good soundtrack. Cowboy Bebop was inflused by Jazz and the like so its full of that and it has the most amazing composer called Kanno Yoko.

The Bawdies

Ive just heard about a band called 'The Bawdies', I saw them on tv about 45 minutes ago. Thought it sounded good and now have all their albums. ahh the internet <3>


They sound like the Hives so me and look like the beatles like here



but they seem pretty cool




Listening to them its really obvious who they are influsenced by. On the website it lists Ray Charles, sam cooke, beatles, little richard, buddy holly......

so really awesome people : D And i think (or they seem) to only sing in english. don't know what but it guess its the influsences.

xoxo

my japanese ability is still zero...

...but its quite fun understanding more and more because i'm starting to get what the kids say to me. Yesterday in seika some kid came up to me and said 'tomorrows my birthday'. Great, happy birthday i said. then another child said something about her dads birthday and another one came up and said about her AUNT's birthday. fantastic to all. They they started talking about cake. Which im all up for. They have bakery cafes here and i had four bread/ cake things for lunch. can't complain with that.

Anyway, it's nice when you can start to understand things.

Ghibli Museum!

nabe nomnom

Tonight i went with a few others so a nabe (nabemono) restaurant. We were actually going to another type of restaurant but it was full. Anyway we ended up going there and it was very very good. (And i'm still full - mainly as i only ate a few hours ago)

nabemono ie nabe (cooking ) + mono (things)

You can probbery figure what you have to do. You have a big pot full of water or stock or whatever and you fill it with veg and thin slices of pork of beef and it cooks in the water. You have some small bowls which you put soy sauce or sesemie (sp) sauce in - thats what i had anyway - to dip the stuff in . oh and rice. I had a similar thing when i was in Malaysia called Steamboat. nom.

It was quite fun to do and although the place we went to was a bit pricy (But you defo get what you pay for) i cant wait to eat nabe again : D Seems easy to do it at home but i dont have a gas cooker. Just on the stove mabye?

Afterwards we went to a bar around the corner which was really nice. It was good to find somewhere you can just go and have a drink with friends and seeing as it was about 9 on a saturday night not overly busy. Again , i will be returning ^_^

oyasumi nasai (goodnight) i'm going to have nabe dreams (nabe no yume ? ) hehe

nom

NEW YEAR PLAYLIST

Top Movies from 2010 (that i can think of right now!)

The A team!!!!!!!

Scott Pilgrim VS the world

Song of 2010

Arashi's Troublemaker

New Year Playlist

End of year Playlist.

I had a safe flight back to Japan and loved my little british getaway ^_^ Seeing my family and y my friends was excatly what i needed

Anyway Here are my new years resolutions from last year.

''Ive decided that 2010 is the year of doing and not talking about doing. So here are my goals:

1) TRY to get an actual paying job within two months Well, i got a paying job at the end of the year and about midway - but i got one (Or 4 if you think about it!)

2) Remember wanting to learn a language fluently before you die? Well nows the time to get started.

Got started in Japanese and kinda enjoy it.

3) Travel somewhere you have never been before. Want to travel to at least one of the following :Korea/Berlin/Hong Kong/ but most importantly Japan. To visit Japan has been one of my life goals ever since becoming obsessed with Serial Experiments Lain at the tender age of 12. yeah, i was an odd child''

Live in Japan now. COUNT IT!

My NEW GOALS ARE AS FOLLOWSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS...

1. Loose half a stone by eating healthy.

2. Keep up learning Japanese and stick with it - one thing a day.

3. Always be on time and learn to manage time right.

4a. Learn Arashi's 'Troublemaker' by heart

4b. Live every day like ARASHI BWHAHAHAHAHA.

5. Go to somewhere new either Soeul or Hong Kong.

.