Soon it will be the season of Fall. Usually Fall (depending on your location)is quite enjoyable with its cooler but comfortable temperatures and beautiful changes in nature. This fall however there is expected to be a big come back of the swine flu. (I refuse to call it by its scientific name mainly because I am too lazy to look it up.) A swine flu resurgence could only mean one thing, and that is pretty much all of East Asia will be in a stir. To help alleviate the fears of the people we have these lovely masks that not only protect you from swine flu but also give the appearance that you are some sort of Doctor or Scientist. Here is a commercial playing in Japan showing you how nifty these masks are and how fun they are for the whole family! I would also like to say how much I like the shots of each individual family member with the blue backdrop. Looks like they are transforming into some super awesome fighting task force, ala Power Rangers.
Well played Japan...well played.
(Commercial says its good for the whole family!)
Heres hoping it wont be a pain getting back into the country when its time for me to show back up for work.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
What are you doing?
So what have I been doing lately? Well, my job doesn`t start till around December so I am just trying to enjoy Tokyo as much as I can while I am still here. I`m really not ready to go but my time is almost up. I have been really blessed with meeting some really nice people so I have been doing things like going to museums, English conversation groups, taking new friends to church, and spending an entire day trying to get my phone fixed, the last bit not so fun. Unfortunately I don`t have as much money as I would like to enjoy this great city more but God has been good with what I do have.
Since I will be living in Japan for awhile I would like to start giving more insight into Japan and Japanese culture for all 4 of you reading this =)
So you ask what am I doing???? What are you doing?
Since I will be living in Japan for awhile I would like to start giving more insight into Japan and Japanese culture for all 4 of you reading this =)
So you ask what am I doing???? What are you doing?
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Mission accomplished!
We`ll after a second day of interviewing I was offered a job. Looks like I will be moving to Tokushima, Shikoku Japan by the end of the year. I gotta get some visa things worked out so I may head back to states while that is all being worked out which would be nice to try good Mexican food one last time and see my friends again before a year or more away. It is a pretty good job with a lot of good benefits. Shikoku is a bit rural in some ways but it is beautiful and I have heard so many good things from other teachers who have or are living there currently. It will definitely be a an adventure.
So after 26 days I accomplished the goal and landed a job. Now I can just relax in Tokyo for awhile till my return flight Oct 5th, then I prepare for coming back and starting life in my new home. This blog should start to get a lot more interesting, haha.
Thanks Jesus!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
GEOS interview day 1
So today was the first day of my two day interview process with GEOS a large well established language company. I spent 5 hours for today's interview process.
Let me start by saying not everyone would make it to the second day. If after the first few hours of the first day they wanted you to come back they would ask you, and yes they asked me. =)
The very first thing we had to do was a quiz on some English as well as general knowledge. We had 10 minutes to complete it. Most of us did fairly poor from what I gathered. The quiz got really randomed as it went from English to asking questions like who were the three people involved in the "Warsaw Pact". I think we all failed it, but luckily those who come back the second day get a chance to retake it and it will be the exact same quiz. (Which means time for me to do some googling)
The two biggest parts of the first day that was a deciding factor in being asked to come back was the 3 minute model lesson and the one on one consultation.
The first was the 3 minute model. We were giving a few topics and given around 15 minutes to prepare a 3 minute lesson for the employer. I felt pretty comfortable with my lesson and I pretty much knew what I needed to improve. What he told me mostly is that I need to let the student talk more, because GEOS has a huge focus on conversation which is fine with me because its where a lot of my experience includes.
After that I went through a consultation process which was like a mini interview of him asking me various questions such as "why do you want to work in Japan?" and "what experience do you have?" I was then told that they wanted me to continue the day and to return for the second part as well. There were 7 of us in the beginning waiting to be called from the class room we sat in. If you were not asked to return, you were never seen again by the others in the class. From the 7 that began, 4 of us were asked to return. We then learned more about GEOS and their teaching method as well as information on salary and vacation and things like that which are all pretty good. At the end we were given another topic and we are suppose to make a 20 minute model lesson for the second day. One of the other candidates also decided she didn`t want to try for the job anymore and she dropped out. There are now three of us remaining, and I found it a little funny that all 3 of us are black. 2 Americans, and 1 African. I just didn`t imagine that is something you see too often in a interview in Japan.
So tomorrow is 20 minute lesson model and some more consultation and it is possible that they could be making job offers before we go home. God willing, lets see what happens. Now I gotta go prepare that model lesson.
Let me start by saying not everyone would make it to the second day. If after the first few hours of the first day they wanted you to come back they would ask you, and yes they asked me. =)
The very first thing we had to do was a quiz on some English as well as general knowledge. We had 10 minutes to complete it. Most of us did fairly poor from what I gathered. The quiz got really randomed as it went from English to asking questions like who were the three people involved in the "Warsaw Pact". I think we all failed it, but luckily those who come back the second day get a chance to retake it and it will be the exact same quiz. (Which means time for me to do some googling)
The two biggest parts of the first day that was a deciding factor in being asked to come back was the 3 minute model lesson and the one on one consultation.
The first was the 3 minute model. We were giving a few topics and given around 15 minutes to prepare a 3 minute lesson for the employer. I felt pretty comfortable with my lesson and I pretty much knew what I needed to improve. What he told me mostly is that I need to let the student talk more, because GEOS has a huge focus on conversation which is fine with me because its where a lot of my experience includes.
After that I went through a consultation process which was like a mini interview of him asking me various questions such as "why do you want to work in Japan?" and "what experience do you have?" I was then told that they wanted me to continue the day and to return for the second part as well. There were 7 of us in the beginning waiting to be called from the class room we sat in. If you were not asked to return, you were never seen again by the others in the class. From the 7 that began, 4 of us were asked to return. We then learned more about GEOS and their teaching method as well as information on salary and vacation and things like that which are all pretty good. At the end we were given another topic and we are suppose to make a 20 minute model lesson for the second day. One of the other candidates also decided she didn`t want to try for the job anymore and she dropped out. There are now three of us remaining, and I found it a little funny that all 3 of us are black. 2 Americans, and 1 African. I just didn`t imagine that is something you see too often in a interview in Japan.
So tomorrow is 20 minute lesson model and some more consultation and it is possible that they could be making job offers before we go home. God willing, lets see what happens. Now I gotta go prepare that model lesson.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Happy Birthday to ME!
"Sigh" 29 yrs already? Where has the time gone. Oh yea I remember into a lot of various years.
So what does one do in Japan on his 29th birthday after arriving no more than 3 weeks prior and knowing a handful of people? Why, whatever is presented to him that's what.
Most of the day was comprised of me not doing much of anything but play a video game though I did get to eat a traditional birthday meal from Korea that was sent to me as part of a huge and fantastic birthday gift. Thanks Kangmul *Hug*
In the evening I met my friend Waifoong from Malaysia. She took me to dinner where we ate more Korean food and then we walked around the area and I saw some pretty cool things including a clock designed by Miyazaki the famous animator of many of Japan`s classics.
Waifoong got me a little cake which was really nice. It is always nice to have a cake on your birthday no matter where in the world you are. Luckily thanks to her I wasn`t as lonely as I was expecting to be on this day and I guess I should thank the Lord that I could even live to see 29 years.
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