World Traveler: April 13 - the day of throwing Ann under the bus

(It's a very clever title I know.)

The day started with me waking up too early. I live 5 minutes from Odette (where we were having training) so I planned on getting up early enough have ample time to get ready. I woke an hour and a half before that time. Doh! I didn't have nightmares but I hadn't slept well so I tried to get back to sleep that entire hour and a half and mostly stressed. :/

After I got up, I got ready and got a call from Saz looking for the place. I gave her directions and told her I would wait in front. Well, I waited as long as I could and didn't see her and the guys with her so I sent her a text and dashed inside so I wouldn't be late. I sat near the back of the room with Kelly (the other new Aussie girl) on my left, Saz on my right, and Ann directly behind me (found out she spells it Ann not Anne). Next to Ann was Hoi Ming, a Chinese girl from Britain who was also from our first year group. In front of Kelly was Limor, in front of me: Natalie (a veteran teacher), and in front of Saz: little James.

Training was ok. The problem for me is that I have a teaching degree. I was taught strategies and so watching a lot of demos in a row really tests my concentration. I kept yawning and wanting to put my head down and sleep. Johnny gave an excellent health and safety presentation though it was sort of macabre as he was talking about preparedness and his anxiety plastered a goofy grin on his face. So here he was talking about death and destruction with a huge grin. LOL

We split into our groups of hs/jhs and elementary and did a lesson planning activity. The other people in my group were all veterans so they chatted away and we ended up using my idea because I was the only one with a lesson plan. However I got to have a lot of constructive feedback though I also felt like that activity didn't help me at all. (I didn't know for what level I was preparing, for what elements - speaking, listening, reading, writing - so for me it was sort of a waste of time. That is, right now it's so open that it's not readily applicable to anything!)

After training, I invited Limor back to my place. We grabbed her car and headed over here. I helped her bring in her stuff and we sat and talked for a bit. Then Shawn called me. He asked where we were, what we were doing and so I invited him to come over. He was with Patrick but then lost Patrick on the way over. (That is, Patrick saw his crush and jumped ship.) I found out later that Shawn was approached by someone in our group and told him (without even saying anything to me) that >I< said this guy couldn't come over. Thanks a lot Shawn. When I found out that explained why this guy had been glaring daggers at me. Sheesh! I didn't do anything! I feel badly that his feeling were hurt, but without being on fb and finding out after he left, I have no way to apologize. >I< won't throw Shawn under the bus. I'll just say I didn't realize it was HIM (after all I had no idea about any of it anyway) and that I didn't want strangers coming over. *sigh* Oh! I thought of a title! *posts it*

In any case, I fed them popcorn and defrosted some edamame and we talked and ate and hung out. Around 19h00, we headed out to meet everyone. They were all at a bar, so we headed there. I was sort of on the outskirts of everyone as it was a very small bar and I'm claustrophobic. This is the time that that guy was glaring at me. :/ Sorry dude, I had NO idea. I talked to a couple people I didn't know and felt very hungry.

Then I saw Scott grabbing a jacket. I asked him if he was going for food. -Yes. Was he going alone? -No. Great! May I come along with? He said yes and I grabbed Limor to ask her if she was coming, yes, and we gathered everyone. We went to this little ramen place. Oooohhh, it was SO good! We got gyouza and I grabbed a spicy ramen (you know me) dish. I added more spice to it (Chris said it would give me the runs so I stopped adding it - but nothing and I shoulda just remembered my body loves spicy food). It had a little ground meat in it but mostly tofu. It was seriously incredible. (And fairly cheap too.)

After that, we went to another bar: The Pirate's Nest. The owner, whose name starts with an H and that's all I can remember, was really cool. He was a very nice, laidback guy. The bar had a cover charge (that is, you're required to pay ¥1000 for 2 drinks or ¥3000 for nomihodai (all you can drink) until you leave. Well, I obviously chose the cheaper choice (ah alliteration!). Then luckily I saw that they had vitamin waters. I grabbed 2 of those and put them in my bag for later. (I'm actually sipping one right now - ドラゴンフルーツ - doragonfuruutsu - dragon fruit). In any case, I say the owner was cool because he kept circulating and talking to his customers and just was really chill. He brought over a bottle of Captain Morgan and gave shots to everyone, then he got to me. He tried to give me some but I said, "Mizu." (water) He was really confused then someone else told him in Japanese (I think it was Shawn) that I don't drink at all. It started with "zenzen" In any case, he was surprised and said something to Shawn then turned to me. "He wants to give you free orange juice." Aww, thanks! I accepted and was able to kampai with everyone (clinking the glasses/bottoms up/whatever!). Anyway, the highlight of the night for me there was being able to do karaoke. Still after 4 hours I was BUSHED and just wanted to leave. I tried to tell Limor but she insisted I sing one last song with her (ok). Ya, it was queued up and was 12th. I was there for 5 hours straight. I lost my voice because of all the smoking going on and some the singing. (Really, I know how to be kind to my voice but the air in there was not good for me.) All the smoke permeated my clothing (grr) and my hair (ick).

On the way home we acquired another lodger and ... well I had to use my headphones if you know what I mean. I was pretty uncomfortable and couldn't sleep until 3h00 because of it. :/

Funny moments:

Johnny said, when he headed into his health section, "Now I'm going to teach ye about health. *pauses for laughter* I know. A bit rich *points to his liver.*"

I hope this translates to written language as I would prefer to SHOW. During Johnny's health and safety presentation, he put his arms out to each side of his body with the elbows bent and sort of leaned one way then leaned the other. He asked us what he was. (We were all completely lost but had fun guessing anyway.) "A moving tree." What the!? "Ya know, allergies!" Aahhhh. Scottish people are weird. lol

At Pirates, Johnny was LITERALLY falling-down drunk. It was comical and sad for me as I saw him walk right into a wall, rebound in surprise and keel over onto the floor.

XOXO, A

Pictures from the first and second bar (sorry they're so dark - if I used the flash, it washed everything out):