Christmas Craziness

Farm creates £665 multibird roast.

Read it... amazing, funny and quite sickly.
Thanks to Paul C for directing me to this wonderful bird!

Elf family

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1780028443

No Merry Christmas at the pub!

Years ago, it was tradition to meet at the pub on Christmas eve. Everyone went. Christmas was the time of year when everyone came home and you'd meet heaps of old school friends.
For one reason or another, I haven't been for about 5 years. Couldn't be bothered last year and the two years previous to that, I was in Japan and Thailand. I regretted missing last year as quite a few school mates made it out.
We endeavoured to go this year... We were all partially excited and left home with full bellies at around 10pm... The first pub was empty so we kept walking. We arrived at the 'Commercial' to be greeted by the door bouncer. He quickly told us that the pub was in 'lock down' No-one was allowed in. He said that it was too busy (from where we were, the place was empty). After a while he said that he was going to look the other way and if we were quick, we could go in. In we went. There was NO-ONE there of my era. We finally found a couple of friends that were three years behind me at school. We chatted for a while and went home.
Curiosity satisfied and I don't feel the need to ever go there again!

Hot and cold

It was about 35 on Monday, 37 on Tuesday, raining all day Wednesday, 18 yesterday and the same today.
I am not enjoying this weather.
Monday night I didn't sleep. Tuesday night I slept with no coverings, little clothing and a fan directly on me... Last night I had long sleep ware and all my bed coverings...

Now I have a little cold!

Friend Wheel (thanks to Facebook)

So, I am still here. It is strange how I used to be disappointed that people stopped blogging once they left Japan or they joined Facebook... now I am one of those people. I am still here though. Del and I were talking just yesterday about how much we miss blogging. We really enjoy it. I just never seem to get the time. Facebook isn't even my excuse as I don't get onto that too often (can't use it at school and have no net at home)... I will try to be better... Stay posted.

Now, onto Facebook. When I do get on, it is lots of fun. Funny to catchup with long lost school friends. I also invited the other 'Ellen Waters' to be my friend. I think I have 5 as my friends now - weird! I saw an application on Anna's page so I thought I'd try it. It is a friend wheel. It takes all the people that are your friends and shows how they are connected to each other. Cool, huh? Anna is stoked that she is such a hub for my wheel (I'd hope so as she is my sister). She is the hub to the Marinelli's and her AFS friends. The most obvious hub on my wheel is however, Japan... Look at that green section. It is a mass of lines. If you can't see it properly, click on it to see in larger.

Lunch at 'The Shed'

Too hard to choose. I went for the ling - yum.

Amazing dessert!

The family pet!

School's out for summer...

No wait! Hang on, that's not right. We're not quite there yet but today is the first day of the final term of school for 2007. Where did this year go? I know that every year seems to fly but seriously, this year has to be one of the fastest on record!

I'll keep you posted as to what I get up to in the lead up to Christmas...

Meanwhile, in Japan...

Japan's Yokozuna (or top sumo) Asashoryu isn't behaving. He is out of the game right now and might not come back. I feel lucky that I was able to see him in Osaka. The paper says that one of the behaviours he has (or hasn't) been displaying that has caused upset is as follows...

Most seriously, he has been accused of failing to adopt the humble and dignified attitude expected of a yokozuna, and to act as a good role model for the sport.

Mac Meltdown

As Del would say... B*&%$# computers!!!

Last night my apple died. It just won't turn back on. It tries but dies. I installed iLife 8 yesterday. Maybe that was the problem. Anyone got any ideas? I need help. My two laptops are like my left and right arms. Equally important to me.

Pleeeeeaaaaase help!

New Zealand Research

Christchurch City Square and Chalice

Look out Christchurch... here I come!

Sunday evening we fly out. We are only staying in NZ for three nights and the time is going to be action-packed with visits to quite a few schools. Needless to say, I am very excited to visit Christchurch. I have never been to NZ and I am glad to be getting a taste for the land of Footrot Flats by visiting the South Island. No doubt I will head back there at some point to take my time looking around. I will be back Wednesday evening and I'll post a few of my own photos.

Up in the air I fly......

Survivor - Fantastic

As sent to me by Carley...

Have you heard about the next planned "Survivor" Show?

Three businessmen and three businesswomen will be dropped in a primary school classroom for 1 school year. Each businessperson will be provided with a copy of his/her school's curriculum and a class of 28 students.

Each class will have a minimum of five learning-disabled children, three with A.D.D., one gifted child, two who speak limited English. Three students will be labelled with severe behaviour problems.

Each business person must complete lesson plans at least 3 days in advance, with annotations for curriculum objectives and modify, organise or create their materials accordingly. They will be required to teach students, handle misconduct, implement technology, document attendance, write referrals, correct homework, compute grades, complete report cards, document benchmarks, communicate with parents, arrange parent/teacher interviews. They must also stand in their doorway between class changes to monitor students.

In addition, they will complete fire drills, attend swimming carnivals, sport carnivals and be available to participate in after school activities. They must attend workshops, staff meetings and attend curriculum development meetings. They must also tutor students who are behind and strive to get their 2 non-English speakling children proficient enough to pass a basic literacy test. If they are sick or having a bad day they must not let it show.

Each day they must incorporate reading, writing, maths, science and social studies into the program. They must maintain discipline and provide an educationally stimulating environment to motivate students at all times. If all students do not wish to co-operate, work or learn, the teacher will be held responsible.

The business people will only have access to the public golf course on the weekends, but with their new salary, they may not be able to afford it. There will be no access to customers who want to take them out to lunch, and lunch will be limited to thirty minutes, which is not counted as part of their work day. The business people will be permitted to use the toilet as long as another survival candidate can supervise their class.

If the copier is operable, they may make copies of necessary materials before, or after school. However, they cannot surpass their monthly limit of copies. The business people must continually advance their education, at their expense, and on their own time.

The winner of this Season of Survivor will be allowed to return to their job!!!!!!!!!

Some results of photography club

By Kristian, aged 9

To travel for work

Lets face it, how often do teachers actually get to travel 'for' work? Not very often. A select few manage teacher exchanges or some time consulting OS. I organised myself in regard to Japan. I was lucky to be given 2 years leave from my job. Apart from that, I was solo...

I have just started working with a small group of teachers at school. We are part of a larger picture. Around 10 groups are involved. We are researching pedagogy and space in schools. Specifically, we will be looking at how we teach and how classrooms (spaces) effect how we learn. It is actually really intresting. I am excited to be involved.

The REALLY exciting news is that some of us are headed to Christchurch to look at some innovative schools there. I travel over in the beginning of September. I really can't wait. My friend Rachael went to see some of these schools several years ago and I have been hoping that I might get the opportunity to do the same at some point. I will keep you posted and take lots of photos - of course.

Lovely Summer Green!

No sakura (cherry blossom) or momiji (autumn maple leaves) in sight but summer brings an amazing green to Japan. Seriously stunning!

A sneak peek of Japan 2007

Woohoo, I'm back

Who knows if anyone even still reads. Who really pops by? So many blogging friends have stopped blogging. Is it really a thing of the past? I am sad if it is. I have embraced some of the newer trends but I don't want to let go of this part of my Internet life!

As it turns out, I can post from school. Am I excited? TOTALLY!

Two more sleeps

Oh my gosh - time flies. At the beginning of any holiday, it feels as though you have all the time in the world but pretty quickly the end draws near.

I have had my fill of rain (though I am here in the rainy season)... I have still managed to take plenty of photos. Anyone who wants to be bored (but pretend to be interested) can take a look at them anytime.

I arrived into Kyoto and booked into my fave little hostel budget inn. I was sitting in my room watching two girls play cards. They seemed to be speaking bad/simple Japanese. Eventually we spoke to each other. Turns out one of them was Japanese and the other was Taiwanese. We spoke a bit more and the Japanese girl was from Yamaguchi - my area of nipon! Such a small world.

Yesterday was 'see new things' day. I headed off to Sanjusangendo to see the million buddha statues (there are actually 1001). It was raining heavily. After that, I took a train to Byodo-in. It was beautiful. It was only drizzling by this time. The building is lovely. Large and wooden over a small pond.

On a whim, I stopped on the way back to Kyoto to see the Fushimi-inari shrine. I had been there before and was mildly impressed. I thought I would give it another go. It was so pretty in the rain. Very atmospheric.

So tomorrow is last minute viewing. A walk in the morning, prehaps and then rest. Packing and then a city walk in the evening.

See you sometime next week from Aus. Heaps of photos to come. Watch here and especially over at flickr.

Catching up with old friends

Me and Lee
Originally uploaded by Really Turning Japanese

An evening in at Gotcha and a few of the old gang came out to play. I was so lucky that Lee was in town as he now lives near Tokyo.

Remember 'LOCK UP' Del?