#jet program

[ramblinggaijin]

Me to my coworker, who was also asked to stay behind during the school evacuation drill:

[mashedjagaimo]

In 2.5 weeks I’ll be moving to Japan to work as an ALT through JET. If anyone has advice on living/working in Japan I’ll gladly take it!!!!!

[otaku-tactician]

My Experience in Japan

I thought I should be brave and share my rare negative experience of working as a teaching assistant in Japan. Sadly I got harrassed and mistreated in my place of work, but this became a taboo. When I tried to post my article to the official newsletter; they censored most of my original message and classed my bullying as simply 'cultural differences'. Sadly this means my article was unable to reach the target audience.

I wrote this article for any other teaching assistants who may be having a tough time teaching abroad, as well as a mode of release for myself.

Hope you like it!

[sleepy-cephalopod-studies]

One of my first year junior high kids got third in her first English speech contest!!! I'm so proud of both of my students since they were some of the only first years and they aren't very confident in class. I actually got them little gifts and a card to congratulate them even if they didn't win, but I joked that my little figure of Hello Kitty napping was kind of lame compared to a trophy (ironically the girl who won was way more hyped to get that than the 3rd place medal lmao). They were little gacha figures of Hello Kitty and PomPomPurin sleeping, with a message saying:

You did it! I am so proud of you. You worked very hard, and now you can rest--just like Hello Kitty/Pompompurin.

And even if my other girl didn't win, I gushed about how well she had improved since we first started practicing. Like her essay had a phrase that was impossible for her to pronounce at first ("which visit the"). And when she finally presented, she fucking NAILED it. She laughed when I had talked to her after the contest and went "___-san, the "which visit the"? 最高!完璧!　🤌"

Aaaa I'm so proud of them!

[thimmyneutron]

Fushimi Inari Shrine, 2019

Kyoto, JP

伏見稲荷大社

[metamagephil]

In class the other day there were two students sitting next to a chalkboard on which they had apparently drawn several pretty decent anime character doodles. I noticed them nonchalantly eying me, apparently trying to render my likeness. I watched them confer with each other, erase details, and refine them to match their intent. When they finally put the chalk away, satisfied with their work, and resumed paying attention to the lesson, this was what they had drawn.

[hitomi-of-japan]

in case anyone wanted to know how work was going for me as an ALT in Japan.

Just had to simplify it like this to make an important decision.

[kalscattergood]

[destinationjapan97]

Just taught my first two classes… Zoo wee mama…

[redheadinjapan]

New Year’s in Niigata City: Celebrate at Hakusan Shrine

Okay, I recognize that this is very, very late, but I wanted to write about New Year’s in Niigata City before I leave at the end of this year. As I mentioned in my New Year's post last year, New Year’s in Japan is focused more on the first few days of the year rather than the night before as it often is in the US. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t stuff to do on New Year’s Eve in Niigata City. It just might not be as big of a party as in the US.

I can’t talk about New Year’s in Niigata City without bringing up Hakusan Shrine. Hakusan shrine is one of the most famous shrines in Niigata City, which many people go to for New Year’s Eve for their hatsumode, or first prayer of the year. There are, of course, other shrines as well, including Yahiko Shrine and Gokoku Shrine, but Hakusan is somewhat close to Niigata Station, making it a popular destination. The shrine stays open through the night for people to visit and buy Omamori, or charms. While there wasn’t a cool lion dance or performance like there was at the shrine in Tokyo, there was a big fire to burn Omamori for purification and good luck. Plus, for 300 yen, you can fish for a New Year's fortune.

Like most shrines do for New Year's, Hakusan Shrine had rows of food stands set up for people to pass through as they waited to pray. They set up the stands along the walkway into the shrine anytime there’s a big event–including Sakura season in the spring and the wind chime festival in the summer–and New Year’s is certainly a big event in Japan. They usually have all of your typical stands at a Japanese festival–yakisoba, okonomiyaki, takoyaki, fruit candies–in addition to some of Niigata’s specialties, like Poppoyaki, the little pancake sticks they serve at many Niigata festivals.

Then, for the first few days of the New Year, many stores in Bandai City and all around Niigata have the same fun New Year’s sales as stores across Japan. These can range from regular in-store sales for the first few days of the year (usually the 1st through the 3rd or 4th) to specialty bags you can sign up for or buy in stores. These bags, known as Fukubukuro or Lucky Bags, come with a variety of the store’s products and might even include some New Year’s exclusive items. A friend and I split a Lucky Bag from Imayotsukasa Sake Brewery that came with three sake, one of which was only available in the Lucky Bag.

You may have also seen that this year there was a big earthquake near Niigata on January 1st. While this is not typical of New Year's in Niigata, it was an interesting and somewhat frightening way to start this New Year. It was my first big earthquake, so there was a lot of frantic researching, trying to figure out what to do and if I needed to do anything at all other than stay put. Luckily, things turned out alright for me in the end and Niigata City suffered minimal damage, but some of the closer areas are still recovering.

While most New Year’s in Niigata City won’t go off with quite as much of a bang, there’s still plenty to do. Your celebration will certainly look different from New Year’s in the US, but you can drop by a shrine on New Year’s Eve with some friends for food and prayers, then shop until your heart’s content during the sales over the next few days. Overall, not a bad way to start the New Year.

[ramblinggaijin]

So I’m going to my JHS’s 送別会 (soubetsukai aka farewell party).

It’s being held after I finish up my last day there so I was going over some stuff with my colleagues.

Cuz it’s an overnight one at onsen resort and I have never stayed overnight for one before. All the ones I went to were just dinners.

Me: Hey so what is the dress code? Wanted to check cuz I messed up one year.

VP: It’s an onsen resort, yukatas of course!

(It was a joke, dress code is always suits. Would have been nice tho lol)

[b3crew]

Duck Amuck in Japan | Episode 01: Migration Season | B3 - Boston Bastard Brigade

King Baby Duck is back, and this time he's in the country he's loved for years! Welcome to the premiere of Duck Amuck in Japan!

Join our host -- alongside EliteFourDerek, AFLM, and JonStar -- as he shares bits from his first month in Tokyo! From language barriers and school speeches to getting accustomed to his new surroundings, KBD reveals a plethora of what he's experienced thus far! Well...he tries, but tangents keep throwing everyone off! (Whelp, that's what happens when you haven't podcasted in two months!)

Click here to listen!

[jetlaggedjetslag]

First episode up now on nebula! New York baybeeeee

[hitomi-of-japan]

hey! that's how i felt all the time working at the junior high school! I'M OUTTTTTTTTTTTT. NEVER GOING BACKKK

[burningpironator]

Bun bot the internet bunny!

Who is him?

He is a robot with a Bunny shape that likes to go around the whole internet searching people to meet and things to do

he likes carrots, games, and basically being a bunny

He have many gadgets and abilities but he Doesn't know how to use all that

But theres one personn that Does know...

Himself... okay, not exactly himself, it's like a different personality in his body or watyever, i'm not really sure, but he takes bun bot's body when bun puts some sunglasses

But who is him?

Jet the robot Bunny (or jet the web surfer)

He is basically bun bot but his personality is different

He is a Bunny that likes to be cool and do surf, and likes to find cool places to dance (yes, he dance)

He also knows how to use all his gadgets to face Bad people like... *Inhale*

Evil pirate filipine scamer spamer p0rn ai artists bots with giant láser guns and giant floatimg ships

(yeah, he is like a superhero, except that he is not being a súperhero 24/7)

Draws i Made of both

Lol

[glimoon]

im a big believer in making glimmer’s life even worse