Sunday, July 29, 2012

makeover

So I had some spare time I could have spent studying Japanese but often occasionally I need to set studying aside and do something of upmost importance completely random. For example, give my blog a makeover. I must say... my blog needed a makeover and now it looks pretty snazzy!

Yesterday Andy and I hosted a party to celebrate the beginning of  the Summer Olympics! It was really fun! Parties are a wonderful way for us to invite acquaintances over to get to know them better and provide a fun and free enviorment for parties. I decided to make some kind of food/dish from six different countries to help celebrate the international event. So out of my Martha Stewart kitchen teeny-tiny Japanese sized kitchen I made: Fish & Chips in honor of the host country for the Olympics, Baked Pasta (Italy), Fried Rice (China), Pineapple Boat Fruit Salad (Brazil), Chocolate Chip Cookies (USA!), and a friend brought a huge Sushi Roll to represent Japan! The party was a lot of fun! (Check out facebook for pictures!)

We are really enjoying the hot, muggy, very humid summer! In all honestly I would rather be sweating glowing all the time rather then shivering cold. July is flying by and I can't believe August is just about here. I hope you all are enjoying your summer too!

Friday, July 6, 2012

no excuses


It has been over two months since the last blog post and I have utterly no excuses as to my absence. I will try to provide an overview of the last couple months!

Getting Settled:
May included borrowing a teammates car for a road trip to Osaka to visit the IKEA. Although overwhelming at times it was very helpful to have a “one stop shop” for many needed items! I spent the next week playing “Bob the Builder” as I assembled my new furniture! J

Rodriguez Bed and Breakfast
For most of June I felt like I was running a bed and breakfast as we had more days and nights with company then without! It was fun to host a group of people from a supporting church and have a few other people come for a short visit throughout the month! Although, it does feel good to “get back to normal!”

Volunteering
I have now become an asset to the community where I live by volunteering at an elementary school. Once a month I lead the after school activity! Every day there are a variety of programs for the students I happen to lead the “English” day. I plan a fun learning game that teaches the students some English. I have a good time and based on countless requests to play BINGO again next month I think the students are having fun too!

Language Lessons….
I have officially begun language lessons. I have private lessons with the sweetest Japanese Teacher. She is very encouraging and my brain hurts. But hey… today I read my first work in Japanese all by myself.

Miss Jenny is back…
I now work one day a week at an international preschool! I get to teach the 3-4 year old class. Oh. So. Cute. Picture little Japanese children all wearing their little uniforms and matching backpacks. (I would post pictures… but not allowed!)

Summer is flying by…

“Life is a succession of moments. To live each one is to succeed.” – Coria Kent