about Sunday...

Every Sunday I am paid to supervise an English conversation class for 2 hours. The class is made up of adult professionals, and they each prepare a topic to present in english every week. My job is to listen, correct and ask questions in english.

After the class, we have coffee and biscuits in the lobby and everyone can relax and chat in Japanese.

Last Sunday, drinking coffee in the lobby, I noticed a dodgy looking Japanese guy walking around, and he kept looking at me. It looked like he hadn't shaved in 3 months!

I had a really bad feeling about him.

I stayed close with my group, and we all walked out together. This guy followed us, he was really close to me and I could feel him looking at me.

When we were outside, I put my group between him and me, and after a while he went back inside. Then I got on my bicycle and got out of there. I kept looking over my shoulder to make sure he didn't follow me, and I went home.

I got back to my room and started getting some homework done.... then after about 10 mins, there was a knock on my door.

It was that guy!!

He told me that someone at the place I work had told him where I live, and he was hoping that he could practice english with me. (I was a bit scared actually, but I know kung-fu!! :p )

He asked me a heap of questions in english (his english is pretty good). And he told me that he's just about to graduate from a medical degree and he will become a GP.

Before he left he asked if I have many boyfriends...... I said "no, just one... and I love him very much"......

Weird.

(Photo above is of my class)

Australia Day!

So..... Friday was Australia day, and in the first time in my life I had class that day! No BBQ lunch in the sun with a few beers listening to Triple J's hottest 100... I had class from 8:50am until 2:20pm, lunch was re-heated chinese take-out from the night before, and the weather was cold....... but I did get to listen to about half of the count-down over the internet, so that's something.

And Friday night, another Aussie girl and I organised a little get together at an "English pub" in Tenmonkan (the party/shopping district of Kagoshima). There was 4 Aussies, and some Brits, South Americans, a Canadian, 2 USAians and a few Japanese. We all had a few beers to celebrate Australian day.... even though we couldn't agree on what Australia day is actually celebrating.... but we have it figured out now!! But the main thing is that we did a great job celebrating Australia!

So this picture is me with my very good friend Toto from Peru. In the background you can see a couple of English guys.

First post

I've been living here in Kagoshima since October 1st, 2006, so thats 3 months now.

I'm studying Japanese at Kagoshima University and living in the 'Ryugakusei Kaikan' (college for International students).

Since I arrived here my life has been a non-stop soap opera (when has my life not been a soap!?).... Every week brings more dramas and more interesting stories, but through it all I'm still smiling, having fun, and meeting the most beautiful people!

So I'm going to try to make notes of all the crazy things that happen here, cos if I don't write them down I will definately forget.

Melissa