Dinner Party Dress-Up

Yesterday was quite a day! The morning started off a little hectic, mostly because of the 100+ lb suitcase (full of books) that I was carrying. There are no elevators in the small town train stations I use to get to work, so it was a little bit crazy (and probably hilarious for onlookers) lugging the stuff up and down stairs.  At least the large boxes I moved are finally out of my house.

Most of the materials I was trying to relocate came from the volunteer organization I am working with. We publish educational and support materials for expats living here, so I was sent extra for the people in my region... only the materials were sent to me at home, where I have no room for a big box, not at work.  I have been trying to move them 2 books at a time for a while now, but finally decided the process was going too slowly and just moved everything in one suitcase.  Not the I was probably a sight to see at the stations.

Lesson Planning

Not having classes this week has been nice.  I still have to come to work, but I've been trying to use the time to plan the next round of lesson plans. 

I was going to do the next 1st-Year Oral Communication unit on both shopping and money (last time I did this unit, we did a Price is Right game), but I decided to extend the lesson into a two-part series... and we're going to play Monopoly!!  I am pretty excited because it's fun for me (loved the game as a kid) and I have a copy of the game in both Japanese and English (together on each card), so I think it'll be easy to explain to the kids (have translations if I get stuck).

As of right now, the plan is to split the class into teams, make a giant game-board poster (to hang on the blackboard with giant, magnetic playing pieces), give each team dice and then just use the cards and money from the actual game.  I'm just hoping I get to hear someone say "buy, buy, buy!".  Wow, my job can be cool sometimes.

Other than that, I'm also working on a music lesson (going to try to have the kids rap...haha) and a lesson about sounds for the next Open High School, but most of the rest of my time has been spent correcting notebooks (yes, again), planning the upcoming Halloween party (we got a huge pumpkin!) and just catching up on the news and internet stuff.

Lunch with Friends During my Free Time

The exam schedule has also given me the opportunity to leave work for some longer lunches. Two days ago, I went to a really good Japanese-style family restaraunt chain with some teachers. The place wasn't too far from my house and is really inexpensive, so I was surprised I didn't know about it. I'll definitely go back.

Yesterday, I got to leave work pretty early, so I met some of my foreigner friends at Ito Yokado, the little mall next to my house. We went to the sandwich place on the 3rd floor, yet another delicious eatery which, for some odd reason, I have never gone to! Good club sandwiches, too!

Thursday

When I got home from lunch yesterday afternoon, I spent most of my time watching the debate (haha, you might have noticed the massive Youtube post?).  I did decide to go with the italian theme (found some amazing recipes online), but I basically just had the computer going while I cooked dinner all afternoon.  In the evening, I went for a run and then my friend Emerald, who I have hardly seen since last spring, and my neighbor, Deyi, came over around 7 and we had dinner before more people joined in.

The dinner party took on a silly vibe when my other neighbors stopped by and we had an impromptu dress-up party with all of the costumes I have somehow acquired (hey, Halloween is coming up), but it was a lot of fun.  Emerald also ended up staying the night instead of biking bike home (about an hour's trip) late at night, so it was fun just staying up and chatting.  Reminded me of slumber parties (or having a roomie again) :)