Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Resignation

Well, I decided to hand in my notice at work. Gave it to my supervisor today. It's a long story, but here are the bullet points of it...

  • I am a tape player or desk minder for 7 hours of my 8-hour working day. Coming from an incredibly fast paced and youth initiative focused job, this was too much to grasp. Call me a lesser-woman for it, but I can't handle a time-wasting job.
  • I am not given any responsibility nor challenges - as above point reasonings.
  • I have not been given any hope for the position to change, even with complaints made, meetings held and on-going discussions - including a fully fledged proposal to develop my role written by myself.
  • I want to be with my family for some very special occasions coming up (new baby, first marriage).
  • I want to be with the boy I've fallen head over heels in love with - in New Zealand.
  • I have the opportunity to possibly become a part of a new youth initiative in Auckland that I had my part in developing earlier in the year.
  • I have realised my complete passion and devotion to working within the Social Work/ Community Field and can't wait to get back into it!!
The reactions that I received from my supervisor and Japanese Teacher were;
  • Utter surprise and shock - even though I had been complaining that I was unhappy and telling them that I would leave if it didn't get better.
  • Self-defence in checking to make sure that they were not going to be blamed as at fault.
  • Reacting as if they could solve the problem I was causing "'so, you hope to hand in resignation?" "no. this IS my resignation" "huh?"
I suppose I should feel relieved; relieved that I now have a much shorter time frame where I will be bored out of my brain doing nothing remotely helpful for anything - during the week atleast. But I mainly feel disappointed. I feel let down. I really feel I have tried here, and even with all of the complications at home, I truly think that if I did love this job, even slightly, then I would have worked it out to remain in Japan. Japan is amazing and such a unique culture, I know I will be back - but not ever as an ALT.

So! the TNT experience has been shortened drastically from 12 months, to 5 months in total. I plan to leave Tomioka on the 22nd of December, bound for cousins over Christmas and New Years and then through Hong Kong - Guangzhou - Naam Ling Tsuen - New Zealand.

Looking forward to my now much lesser 9-10 weeks left over here, and feeling a bit sad at the loss of the possibility.

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Thursday, November 8, 2007

A Random Taxi Ride Home

Below is the script and also a commentary video of a real taxi ride home I took a few weekends ago with friends... Sifa and DJ told me that I should be telling my stories, not writing them.. so here goes.. let me know which you prefer.. peace! tj


Random taxi ride from a Tokyo Club back to a friend of a friends home to crash, at 4am, gotta wait 'til 5am for the trains to start back up...




Giacomo: What do you think Eldred - this road or that road?
Des: Oh that is it. We're getting a taxi - Sumimasen!
Giacomo: Ohhh, I wanted to go for a stroll...
Des: Nope, I wanna go home to bed. You two give directions.
Eldred: Ahhhh, I don't know where we are...
TJ: oh man, good call Des.
Giacomo: Okay, okay. But I want my maaaassskkkk.
Driver: Hai. なに なに にほんご (asking what I assume "where are ya headed?)
Giacomo: ないない ないない にほんご (Answering where I assume we're going)
Des: argh... I am so tirrrreeeddd...
Giacomo: Ohhhh..... my maassssskkkk...
Eldred: awww.... harden up! haha.
Driver to Eldred: なに なに にほんご (asking what I can't even guess)
Eldred: ahhh... (no comment)
Giacomo: aaaaaahhh... haha.
Des: Oh my god. we were going to walk this?
TJ: I actually am pretty sure we just went in a circle guys.
Des: I can't BELIEVE we were going to walk this!
TJ: D, we just went in a circle.
Des: Oh, what ever.
Giacomo: なに なに (gesturing left and then straight and then furiously pointing right, as if the driver is nuts).
Driver to Eldred: なに なに (talking more insistently to Eldred)
Eldred: ummm....
Des: He thinks your Japanese aye.
Eldred: yeeeppp..
Des and TJ: haha!!
Giacomo: なに なに (what I'm guessing as "go right, right, RIGHT!")
Driver: なに なに (what I'm guessing to be "I can't! It's illegal!)
Giacomo: なに なに (oh right, straight, straight, straight)
Des: I'm sooo tirrrrreeeeddd.... isn't that the 7/11?
TJ: Ahhhh... you guys are all funny.... hahahahahaha
Giacomo: Okay, right soon, no! soon! now! right! right!
Des: I can't BELIEVE we were going to walk this!
Giacomo: Were' close now, that school is by our place
Eldred: ohhh.. yea???
Driver to Eldred: なに なに 
Eldred: aaa ha ha ha.. (nervous)
Giacomo: Lets just go for a drive round
Des: That's it. I'm not paying.
TJ: haha!
Giacomo: なに なに (left, straight, right, oh... um.. ahh..)
Des: I think that was the 7/11 before...
TJ: haha! you all sooo funny!
Giacomo: Damn Jap girls! Stole my mask!
Des: And my hat and cape.
Giacomo: LEFT! no no no! Right! ごめん!! 
Driver shaking head, still talking to Eldred: なに なに
Des: This is taking forever! We're miles from that school now!
Eldred: I still have no idea where we are. (We're going to his house)
TJ: ahahaha! We're going to your house!
Des: Ohhhh.... I know where we are.... oh, fuck, no I don't.
TJ: ahahahahahahaha!!! (Hysterical now)
Giacomo: Go left, no, no... do a U-turn...
Eldred: Oh yea... I know where we are...
Giacomo: Stop soon... no, no.. keep going (gesturing furiously now)
Des: ohhh yeeeaaa.... I know now... god I'm tired..
Giacomo: Here! Stop! Stop!
TJ: yaaayyy!!!
Giacomo: Ohhh... my mask... never trust Jap Girls!
Des: Thank god.

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

How do you spell 11??

I just did a class with a group of 9 year olds and we were looking at "what time is it?"

I drew a clock up on the board showing 11 O'clock and the kids had to come up and write in numbers and words;

11:00
Eleven O'clock

One kid did the 11:00 - easy enough, and then a brave soul tried to write it - he wrote it wrong, but then I couldn't figure out how to write it properly! haha! poor kid was confused and started crying because he really wanted the point for his group and all I could say was "no, that's wrong" and I couldn't show him the right way!!

SHAME!

And I'm an English Teacher, I had to spell check this blog to see how you did spell it. What the heck am I doing teaching!? lol.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Hikin ' in Namie



Ever been hikin'? my bet is if you're from Aotearoa, you would've done a few good walks - if not for your own enjoyment, because you were forced by friends, family or school trips... WELL! Have you ever been hikin' with BEARS!!??? muahaha!!

I went with a group of mates up Mount Hi (or at least that's what the map called it - great name aye). It's a baby compared to others, but it was perfect for us. Here's an exaggerated story of what happened - in true Antonievich Style.

HIKE
I jumped on the bike at about quarter to 10, for ma 10 o'clock train, wearing thermal leggings to try and keep my shins from exploding in pain and and a pack with a load of Mandarins and water. Pedaled like a bat outta hell to the station, jumped on and proceeded to French plait my hair. Nope. The leggings weren't enough attention, I needed to make sure that EVERY Japanese person was staring at me! I even managed to get an applause when I finished the second plait. Excellent. Des jumps on, with a pack herself - talking about grabbing Cheese and Bread for lunch.

We were intending on hikin' today up Mount Hi in Namie.

Jumped off at Namie and met up with Skye in her ever so chiq outfit - looking cool even in hiking gear! Bex comes whizzin' round the corner in her Blue beast and we're a off! Mount Hi watch out!

After a stop at these gardens on the way, cracking up at the pissing statue, critically analysing the molded plants, taking timed pictures and admiring the beautiful "Autumn Foliage", we crossed the road, said "hey, wha's up" to the locals and some of Bex's students and were back in the cars! Des had her Cheese and Bread, and I was AMPING to get on the track!

Now, when I say track, one must be aware of cultural differences to the meaning of that word. Upon finding the carpark for the first track we were to do, we couldn't quite find the actual track but for the forest, bush and weeds. Thinking better of risking it, we back "tracked" (haha, I'm so funny - I used 'track') to another path we could walk.

This one proved to be a mission to find, but with the help of some nearby farmers, we found the entrance; what we could only assume to be the carpark, and a more substantial path - at least for the first 500 metres of so... Once in the damn forest, Japanese don't seem to feel they require a path, excellent for appearances, not so, for guidance. No. we didn't get lost. BUT STILL!!!

Along the way, we saw signs that looked like quite friendly bears I thought. But I was quickly reassured that they were not and we needed to watch out for the blighters. Again, excellent.

...I was already stomping quite hard in case any snakes (who are officially the scariest things ever) thought they'd like to take a little swipe, and waving my hands to dislodge any spider thread that might be in front of my face (because if the thread happens to be lodged in a world-renowned-ginormous-spider-officially-the-second-most-scariest-thing-ever, I might die of a heart attack). Now, Des informs me on the rules about bears.
  • Make a lot of noise - scare them away before they attack
  • If you happen to see one, make yourself big - they are scared of bigger things
  • If they do attack, roll yourself up in a ball - they'll play basketball with you for a bit then just leave you alone.
Oh right, well then. What the heck am I worried about?! Piece of piss. I'm now not only stomping and swinging my arms, but also TALKING REALLY LOUD TO PEOPLE THAT ARE REALLY CLOSE TO ME SO THAT IT SCARES THE BEARS AWAY - because I'm now convinced this forest must be FILL of them, and prepared to whip my jumper off and shake it in one hand and my bag in the other to look like a great big person.

I can just imagine a bear coming upon my stomping, arm swinging self...

"Oh, 'ello there, I live in 'ere. Nice day aye, wha' ya up to?"
(bear has an English Accent for some reason, even though I'm in Japan)

"Oh fuck a bear!"
(Struggling with taking my jumper off quickly while forgetting to take my pack off first, jumping up and down, because my jumper is now blinding me and I'm sure a snake, spider or bear is going to attack any second)

"O, wa' ever, a'ight. juss sayin' 'ello"
(Bear walks off in a huff convinced that all Gaijin are nuts)

ahahahaha!! I'm cracking up at the thought of it!!

SO! we're on this hike right....

...I'm a little.. well... jumpy... and we're walking through a snake, spider and bear infested Forest. I'm at the front... and all of a sudden... I hear... this noise....

Hrrrrrr..........hrrrrrrrrrr.........hrrrrrrrrrr.......


I pause, turning to gesture for the others to be quiet.

Kiwi Voice - Tara: "Do... do... do you guys hear that?"
American voice - Des immediately responds: "oh what ever Tara!"
Kiwi Voice - Tara: "There! Do you hear it?"
American Voice - Des: "No! Don't be stupid"
Britsh Voice - Bex: "Hahaha..."
Aussie Voice - Skye: "I just heard it too..."
British Voice - Bex: "Are you serious?"
Aussie Voice - Skye: "Definitely"
Kiwi Voice - Tara: "Oh crap, lets get out of here - go back down!"
American Voice - Des: "No way! Come on, if it's actually anything, we shouldn't be standing where we can hear it"
Kiwi Voice - Tara: "Right"

And with that, I proceed to run back, down and off that damn infested scary mountain, and then realise that Des, Bex and Skye are running UP! CRAP!! with a quick double turn and a little piss in my pants, I sprint up to the back of the line and almost take out Skye to get infront of her!

10 minutes later...

...We're still alive. phew! haha.

The rest of the hike was pretty hard but heaps of fun and relatively uneventful. The view was amazing and the walk back down was fun and completely bear-free.

Note to future hikers: be aware, not fearful.