URASA (and then some.)

Let's start with a video, shall we? Enjoy this in HD if your computer can handle it...

A video montage of my trip so far

So here I am in my teeny tiny business hotel. Things are just dandy in here.

Urasa is one of the smallest towns I've been in ever. Especially in Japan. The only way I can gauge how small it is for Japan's standards is that there is only ONE convenient store in the whole town. (Typically you'll find about 6 in one block in most other parts of Japan.) There are 3 or 4 restaurants. 1 small supermarket. 2 gas stations. No movie theater. No mall. A hardware store. A train station. and a skinny American. That's the whole town pretty much.

The area, however, is gorgeous. It's full of rice fields that are bright bright green and huge beautiful mountains that are also very very green. It's cloudy here all the time, which I'm told I should get used to as it precipitates over 200 days out of the year. HOWEVER this can be seen as a good thing since Niigata was the original target for the atomic bomb but due to constant heavy cloud cover they didn't drop it. So... I guess no one here will complain that it's too cloudy.

I got picked up at the train station. My supervisor was out of town so a random teacher picked me up. He was cool except, apparently they're supposed to bring me somewhere so I can get lunch and they never did so I was starving. He brought me straight the school and I began working. It was really hectic because junior high schools were visiting. I got to meet my predecessor and watch him teach some classes and that was amazingly helpful. Most other JETs don't get to meet their predecessors. Mines hanging around for a little while longer. Unfortunately that means I have to stay in a business hotel until he's gone. But that's ok, it's worth it.

I met the principal who seemed really scary. But, then again, most high-ups in Japan just act scary. I have a feeling he's a cool dude. I went in his office and he stood up and greeted me and just looked very serious. A shortish dude with white hairs. I bowed over and over and thanked him for letting me work at the school. Then he quizzed me like a real Japanese business man would. He asked me how much I could drink. I told him I'm not a good drinker since I'm so skinny and he laughed. Then he invited me to a welcome party coming up thursday. I. am. nervous. Japanese men can drink a lot at these parties and I have to work on friday. Hooray.

Then I went back in the office until classes were over and then went out to dinner with Zack and Swe Swe (another ALT who works at the school who is also really really helpful.)

They brought me to kaitenzushi, the sushi that moves around on the rotating belt. I totally forgot how good Sushi in Japan is. If the rest of the trip is a nightmare, it will be worth it for the sushi. (Actually that's a lie, I really hope it's not a nightmare.)

I noticed that there are tons and tons of frogs here. They are about the size of a nickel or quarter and they are constantly hopping around at night. They're bright bright green and are hilarious and kind of scary. Chicago:Squirrels/Rats/Pigeons::Urasa:Tiny green frogs.

They brought me back to my hotel and I totally crashed. It sucks living in a teeny tiny hotel, but I can handle it. Although, I'm gonna run out of clothes fast I think.


Over all, I am really starting to like this place a lot. It's very different and I'll definitely have to get out every month or so for a weekend, but I think it'll be a really nice change of pace from living in a place like (insert any place in the whole world that I've been to.) I am excited.

Hope all is well with everyone. Heres a link for everyone to enjoy. The first...

President Obama Sushi Art