Friday!!!

On Wednesday it was my student's birthday! Happy 19th Birthday Miyu! She said she had a happy birthday, even though I gave her a long midterm!

On Thursday, I picked up one of the books that the student read and found some fun images to go with the vocabulary! Reading is fun!

T.G.I.F.  After class today, I noticed that my students were matching! Brown pants and blue shirts. Lol. Too cute~

We had our usual Friday meeting and found out that a TIUA professor was not joining us in the fall, and that they hired 13 new GTFs! Amazing... Two of them will join us this Fall and the rest will come next year in 2014!! We will double in size in one year! 11 of them are coming next week and they will get an orientation of everything that goes on here. Oh my! 

dinner with the Niles~

Welcome to Midterms???

Yes, it's Midterms Week. Why? Well, we were on a trip across the Pacific Ocean during Midterms Week, and it's about time to get the students a taste of an "American" style Midterm Exam.

Well, not really... The test was about 4 pages long, and worth 100 points.  Today, I gave Midterms to my English Comprehension classes. Tomorrow I will give Midterms to the Basic Communication classes.

I've been feeling "off" all week. And by all week I mean Monday and Tuesday. ha!  I didn't even realize it was Monday yesterday. I don't know which day I was thinking that it was, but definitely not a Monday. Sure enough it was Monday.

Cheers.

Happy Tuesday.

TGIf

The low thoughts are covering and concealing the good times. Must stay focused and fight the negative thoughts. Don't let them win the battle.  I am content. Can't complain... I have a job and a home.  Thus far, 2.5 months working in Japan. Oooh my...  2 years to go !

Going into Week 10~

（≧∇≦）

Well, here we are again.  Another Sunday night thinking about work and what will happen this week.  I'm surprised and in awe most of the time with how fast and slow time has gone by while I've been living/ working in Japan. I have never felt this before.  The anxiousness I feel right before class begins.  And the constant thought of "Oh, my God" and "What am I doing today?" and "There's so much to do!"  

Today we had Open Campus, where we talked to prospective students.  It was a good opportunity to chat with students and get to know them.  I was at work from 11-3.  Not too bad... Others had to work Saturday and Sunday.  Luckily for me, I had Saturday  off and went to Asakusa and the Sky Tree with my mom.  

THURSday (木)

Greetings friends & family... there is so much to tell, but not enough time. Here's the quick version of the past 3 weeks.

Week of May 20-24

• 3rd orientation session with first year students about Window on Willamette - Study Tour
• Attending and leading the Seminar Group that I was in charge of chaperoning (Kind of a nightmare... There is more to the story that I won't divulge here.)
• Student & Faculty interviews regarding the WOW Study Tour

Week of May 27-June 1

• Monday - 9 hour flight with 120 students to Portland, Oregon + 1 hour bus ride to Salem!!! Orientation Meeting, mac & cheese dinner, overwhelming feelings & emotions of being back in Oregon on a work trip and wanting to see friends... Went to eat Mexican food for dinner and it was divine...
• Tuesday - Walk this way... Walking all over Downtown Salem and Willamette Campus!!!  Quick trip up to Portland (Thai food & Papa Hydn) & was pulled over for swerving between lanes because I was falling asleep. Thank goodness I was pulled over because it woke me up! Catching up with Gwen, Char & Eric~
• Wednesday - Sports Activities Day! Frisbee, flag football, and basketball.  Saw 2 ASP students. yipee! Went on a tour of the Capitol Building.  Ran errands around Salem. Spent way too much money, but it was worth it. haha.  Had ribs for dinner and went to watch The Great Gatsby. Somehow stayed awake throughout the movie~ pure joy. Felt alive again.
• Thursday - Zena Farm Forest trip~ Luckily it didn't rain too much, and the sun decided to make an appearance.  Walked to the Riverfront Carousel and had a picnic in the park.  Went shopping in Salem Center Mall with one of my students. Returned back to campus and started packing.  BBQ farewell dinner. Many TIUA staff and faculty were there. I saw 2 other ASP students. It was a joyous reunion.  Bittersweet moment to say hello/goodbye.
• Friday - 1 hour bus ride up to Portland. Checked in 120 students plus 6 teachers.  Made it all through security check! Some students had liquids and were surprised to have to take off their shoes!  Ate mahi mahi tacos and drank a Rogue beer before heading back to Japan.
• Saturday - 11 hour flight... 2.5 hour bus ride. 15 minute taxi ride. AND I made it back to my home in Japan. Showered and ate pasta for dinner at a nearby restaurant. In a hazy daze.

Now I've had classes for 4 days, and I have been in a zombie mode. My eyes are open, but my brain is slowly functioning. On top of that my Mom arrives tonight, and I need to go to the airport to fetch her.  ON TOP of that we have Open Campus this weekend. Working on the weekend when I am required to be there is rough.  I usually go in to get things done, but it is on my own accord... It's harder when they say we are required to work on the weekend...

On another note... The WOW trip was wonderful.  It was great to connect to the students outside of class, and to spend time communicating and traveling together on a social level without the umbrella of academics hovering above.  It was a low key/ almost painless trip when I think about the relationships and connections made. It was truly a WOW experience.

@ Narita Airport

On top of the State Capitol Building~

Reunion with ASP Students!

Another Manic Monday...

oooh ooh! One more week, and we are flying up in the sky to the state of Oregon.  Who would've known when I first signed the contract last summer...

We are taking about 170 students to Salem, Oregon, USA for about four days. We depart Tokyo Monday, May 27, and we return Saturday, June 1.  WOW // on many levels.  The trip is called "Window on Willamette" (WOW) Study Tour.  Myself and my colleagues will be in a whirlwind of event after event on those 4 days.

Today was the start of the week, but I feel like it should be the end of the week. Rough day... Nothing in particular with the classes, but the fatigue and stress. I hope things get better... In my classes we are focusing on diversity, culture, tradition, language, etc.  It was a great start today! I'm curious how the rest of the week plays out.

Below is a video that a TIUA '12 Alum made of his experience in Oregon.