Visiting the City

So the trip to Niigata-shi was awesome. It was kind of a nice break, to speak next to no Japanese for 2 days straight. There were workshops on teaching with games in class and ice breaker activities. There were regional workshops where we met fellow ALTs and learned where things were, such as Japanese classes and the movie theater in Joetsu. We watched a video on Niigata prefecture and its many splendors. There is a theater group that is doing an amateur version of a musical Peter Pan, that I may try out for. They just meet on some weekends to practice. I had fun with some guys and gals out shopping for the last few hours, where I got a cool skirt and Mr. Bubble, the elephant ball, and a kids manga for practice reading (okay okay so its for personal enjoyment as well!). I made some great girlfriends over in Joetsu to hang out with, and bunches of people to see next week at the Kodo Earth Festival on Sado Island. It should be way wicked awesome. I bonded more with my supervisor on the way home as we stopped for hot dogs and fish sandwiches, and let me tell you hot dogs in Japan are not the same as a hot dog in America! They look similiar, but the sausage is different, and the chili is made mostly out of tomato sauce. We exchanged our favorite bands and listened to my ipod on the way back home too. You know, Japan is really awesome, and everyone should come for a visit. You`ll remember this colorful place for a long time a comin`.

PS* Stephen Crotts has a blog up and going so check it out at:
http://banjochicken.blogspot.com