To go to the DMZ, you must go in a tour group. It’s pretty expensive but, it’s definitely worth the money to go. Once you get past the first security check point, you really felt the atmosphere change. Signs were everywhere warning you about land mines (in Korean), gates and fences were everywhere. I didn’t feel like I was in danger at any point during the tour, but it was definitely a tense atmosphere. We had three parts to the tour with each third having lighter and lighter restrictions. It…
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The Adventures Continue
Summer vacation is finally here! These past couple of weeks have gone by so slow I never thought break was going to come! And that’s including taking a day off to travel to Korea! It’s been 10 years exactly since my last visit to Korea. I wish I could remember more from the trip back then but at least I’ll remember this trip. Not going to lie, I was a little nervous going to Korea. I didn’t know how they would react to me since I am Japanese American and…
A Quiet June
Like I said before, June was a quiet month. It was something I needed after an exciting month. The weather started off cold (mid to low 60s during the day). It’s hot (high 80s/90s) and humid now. Since July and August will be a little busier, I decided I would stay in Mito during June to see what else this little city has to offer. I don’t remember the last time I was in Mito for this long without escaping to Tokyo. I’m pretty sure I was going at least…
Like a Dream
May has come and gone in a blink of an eye. It was an exciting month and I’m having a hard time believing that it actually happened. The month started off going to Singapore for Golden Week. I met up with a college friend and together we explored the country city to see what it has to offer. If you haven’t been to Singapore, I would highly recommend it. The weather was very tropical. Hot, humid, sunny with random showers every now and then. The people were friendly, the food…
Pre Golden week
Something I’ll miss about Japan is Golden Week. Purely because I like getting a week off from work. This year, I went to Hiroshima and Singapore for Golden Week. I wasn’t exactly the smartest when making these travel plans, but constantly being on the go was very much worth it. I spent only a weekend in Hiroshima and that was not long enough. I started off with a night bus ride from Tokyo to Osaka and transfered to a bullet train from Osaka to Hiroshima. In total, it was 10 hours…
Last one, best one.
You heard it first folks, this will be my last year as a Mito AET. Mark my words! Despite what some people may have heard, I’m not unhappy here. I have enjoyed the time I’ve spent here and the people I have met. But, it’s time to go. The new school year has officially started. Cherry blossoms have bloomed, the new teachers were introduced to the school, the first graders had their entrance ceremony, we’ve had class for about 2 weeks, and the new AETs have arrived just in time…
Back to School
It’s official, the school year has ended. We’ve said farewell to the sixth graders, had our closing ceremony, and today we said farewell to the teachers that are moving schools. Starting tomorrow, some of the AETs will be leaving to move back to America. While it’s been a really busy time, there’s not much to report back on. The weather is warm (70 degrees) which means the sakura trees are blooming! A beautiful site and just in time for leaving AETs to see one last time. Those that are staying…
Tea time
This is not your tea time at the Peninsula; I’m talking about a Japanese tea ceremony. For my Japanese class, the women dressed in kimonos (with the help of our teachers and their army), and attended a (casual) tea ceremony. There were 7 women who wore kimonos and got their hair done and there were more than double the people helping us get ready. Ever seen Mulan? Remember when she was getting ready and the women pulled on the sash to give her a tiny waist and she couldn’t breathe?…
Get your (health care) act together America!
There are so many things about Japan that I love. One of them, is healthcare. It’s affordable, covers dental, and I can literally go anywhere and I know I’ll be seen. No private insurance companies, no checking to see if your insurance will cover, no copay, and most of all, not paying an arm and a leg! Some may be thinking the quality might not be as good, but I am here to tell you that’s wrong. In all of my experiences, they are more thorough than America, they perform…
Merry Christmas, Ho, ho, ho.. and… stuff
Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and happy new year! Another holiday season in the books! It’s finally 2018!! Where did the time go? Just like last year, Christmas kind of snuck up on me. With the weather being not cold, it was difficult to get into the Christmas spirit. Temperatures are up and down for the most part. While it’ll be freezing indoors, outdoors will be significantly warmer (whyyyyyy). We had our first snowfall right before NYE! It lasted about 10 seconds before the sun came out. As usual with…