Big In Japan

After Monday's seemingly endless training session I slept like a rock for the first time since arriving. I got up on tuesday and went to the train station where I managed to talk my way through getting my monthly train pass (no more $10/day travel for me.) However, at $150/month, I'm glad the company will me reimbursing me for travel expenses!

As I had thought, the second day went a little better than the first. We were talked-at less and actually were able to get in the classroom and teach 2 full lessons.

Day three of training was similar to day two, except that we taught four full lessons (still only half a normal teaching load.) And with those three days behind me, I've completed basic training.

Yesterday I got a day off and after sleeping in to the late, late hour of 9:30am. I decided I'd like to go back to Enoshima and walk around a bit more than I had previously. I went later in the day than I did last time (also, it had not JUST typhooned,) so the island was much more lively; with people walking around and shops open. I defiantly think it's someplace I would take people who come to visit. There's a lot of natural beauty to be found on that little rock. Also, I saw my first squirrel since I've been here, answering the question of their existence in Japan. I also saw why, perhaps, I didn't see more than one... Enoshima has a HEALTHY hawk population. We're talking large birds or prey.


I spent the rest of the day relaxing in the apartment and watching TV with my roommates.

Today is my first real day on the job where I have to teach a full load (8 lessons) all by myself. The next few days will be spent working, so unless something truly out of the ordinary happens, it may be a while until my next update. Until then:

Jaa Mata Ne!

So, yesterday was my first day of training. I got up at, what seems to be, my usual 5:30am and bummed around the apartment all morning. A half hour before the train I wanted to take I headed towards the station and got some lunch. I took just a little too long eating and missed the train I really wanted, but luckily I left myself enough time to catch another one before I'd become late. I rolled into Kawasaki and easily found my building and office. A few minutes after I arrived myself and two other trainees got right into orientation.

Since I'm training at my home branch I got to meet many of my coworkers yesterday. They all seem live very nice people from very diverse backgrounds who have been there for various amounts of time.

Mid-way through the day we broke for dinner. I and the other two trainees found a ramen shop in the next building over. The other two had never had real ramen before. In my opinion it was a bit expensive at Y720 (I don't like paying over Y500) but it was tasty and we were all pretty starved by that point.

All in all I think the training went well. I've heard from lots of people that training is heck, but if you can get through it, it's gets a lot easier after that.

After what seems like an eternity after it started, training finally ended and I headed back to the station where the trains were delayed for some unknown reason. Since the platform was so backed up with people, once a train did arrive I ended up waiting for the next one because the first one became too over crowed.

All in all it was a long hard day, but I think it went well. I now need to get ready and head back for round two which will be a little shorter and supposedly a little easier. Thats the news from the front. Until next time:

Jaa Mata Ne!