Exam Day

Today I was a bundle of nerves! We were told we'd have a final exam that was our first lesson. We'd have 25 minutes, be started and notified of finishing with a bell and were required to have certain elements in our lesson. I just wanted to FINISH. However, I was slotted to go in the afternoon. Not only that, I was slotted to be an observer (we were all required to do peer evaluations, or ev-hal-uations as Cedric would say [he's from South Africa]) THEN I could finally test. So the whole morning during my branch meeting I was stressing my guts out.

Part of the way into the meeting, we had to go down for TB testing. In Japan everyone who lives here is required to get it. So this mobile TB x-ray van showed up (so funny to me) and we all got in a huge line to wait our turn. My roommate and I went in with the same group. We just changed in the little hall area (no shame - and you all know me, I went around later saying Limor and I had naked time together that morning, lol), were in and out and done!

After the test, we had more branch meeting then lunch. Luckily lunch was curry and though there wasn't much meat at all, it was really yummy. It's funny how my body has already adjusted to eating the Japanese way. I'm starving by the time lunch and dinner come around but I eat a whole lot less food and am satisfied.

FINALLY the end of lunch rolls around but I'm observing first. So I watched 2 people do their lessons, gave feedback and tried not to think about my lesson. (That was 13h00-14h00) Finally my time slot was at hand. The dude who was testing with me was kind of a jerk, IMO. He said, "Who does the schedule say is next (and I feel like he KNEW his name was listed first)?" And then was like, "Oh, it says >I'm< going first." Sheesh! What happened to ladies first!? Probably just all nerves. In any case, at long last I was up. Even though I was in front of 3 of my peers and an evaluator, I felt almost completely at ease. My activities went fairly well and I changed and adapted as things worked or didn't work (for me, that's an acquired skill from student teaching - being adaptable in the classroom is a MUST). I felt really good about what I did and didn't receive much criticism from my peers at all. The way the main evaluator graded it/scored it, I wasn't able to see what I got. However I asked him to give me a hint, and he said, "All I'll say is, you have nothing to worry about." :D! I walked out into the hall and saw some of my friends there and shared the great news, "Guys! I did awesome!" My roommate was one of the people standing there and she asked me to come observe her. I was going to pack my bags for the trip to our area tomorrow but felt like it was much more important to show her my support. So I sat in her session (and I'm glad I did as one of the guys was a JERK - to each presenter) and was able to smile at her and wink at her once. She's a very sweet girl and I'm so glad we're rooming together!

Limor (my roommate), Shawn (the ginger we embarrassed before), and I walked to 7-11. (I got what I thought was Spicy V-8 but it was sweet. *shudder* I also got a dark chocolate.. well it was like dark chocolate pétit écolier but smaller cookies and sold in a little tray that looked like a candybar from the wrapper. I'll get a picture later. My batteries died and they won't charge with the converter. *sigh* Anyway...) As I walked out the 7-11, Limor exclaimed, "Ann! You're a champ!" I was surprised and actually thought she was teasing me in some way and asked, "What do you mean?" -"You don't drink but you still have fun. You don't need liquor, know what I mean?" -It was a cool moment for me and I really appreciate that she wants me to spend time with her and that she thinks I'm a champ. :)

Oh! I had scallops for the first time today. The texture was not at all what I expected! So I can't say yet if I like them or not as I was a bit traumatized with my first tastes, but the worst thing I've had to eat is slimy limp shrimp. In fact, I couldn't even finish that portion of my lunch the other day. *shudder* 

Funny moments:

I had joked about doing an interpretive dance for my performance exam in the elevator with my roommate. Then when we got down to breakfast I tried to make the same joke... only I said "branch" because I was thinking of our branch meeting. So what I actually said was, "I'm going to do a branch dance!" Everyone just looked at me and I burst out laughing. For the rest of the day I referred to it as my interpretive branch dance. 

I approached Bryan, my MC (managing consultant) and asked him if we were going to have the same roommates in Morioka (as we have additional training and will be staying in a hotel there). I said, "Are we having the same roommates at our hotel in Morioka?" -"Why? You want a different one?" -"No! Limor and I want to room together again if that's ok." -*gives me a look* -"We've become blood sisters... -*even more startled look* -"You know... minus the blood ceremony part." LOL He didn't know what to do when I said that. Poor Bryan. He'll get to know me better later!

This may fit under "creepy" but my roommate said she saw two guys ogling me on the elevator. She was freaked because one of them licked his lips I guess. *shrug* They didn't say anything to me and I didn't even notice! :D

Hope your lives are all going well - tomorrow will make a week that I've been in Japan. It feels like forever and like I just got here. Love you all! XOXO, A