The Truth is Never Simple

Okay, so I'm really behind in posts so I'm going to attempt to zoom through my life these past few months. At the end of the year I hit up quite a few festivals in November and December! Most of these festivals include illuminations (aka Christmas lights). Shikoku island is quite warm in comparison to the rest of Japan so you get to see both the leaves of fall and also some beautiful lights. Our first festival was in Sakawa. A small city of around 13,000 it was absolutely beautiful. The area was really quiet and nice. Not to mention the illuminations were quite spectacular. Because of the mild weather they were able set up projectors. These projected scenes across the walls. There were falling sakura, fish swimming against buildings, Van Gogh paintings and a massive Christmas tree. After this there was the Ichijo festival in Shimanto. This is the biggest festival in Shimanto and one of the biggest festivals in Kochi. That's not saying a lot given how our prefect...

Hey...wonder what it feels like to be a celebrity? Well, I've got the job for you: elementary school teacher as an ALT in small-city Japan. Sounds oddly specific but honestly that's because this is my life here. In South Korea I taught Kindergarten and after-school programs and I often felt like a mini-celebrity. If the students saw me outside of the classroom (aka going to get a coffee at the Ediya next door) they'd cry out in delight. But I had 10 students in my class and a handful of other after-school classes. It never felt too...overwhelming. Well, nowadays I teach at one of the large elementary schools in my city in Japan. It's near my actual apartment. I've transformed into a literal celebrity. I understand it completely. I'm recognizable as a Caucasian woman. I'm also exceedingly popular. My English classes are full of games and the students love talking to me. High-5s are a way of life. I also live only a couple of blocks away from my scho...