From my window it looks like a really small town, but in fact the population is about 80,000 people. There doesn't seem to be much to do, there are a lot of houses spread over a wide area. I'm hoping I made a good first impression at my schools: I was basically introduced by someone who works at Interac and didn't have to say or do much myself, but the Junior High school asked me to come back and be part of their staff photo shoot which was pretty nice. They also already prepared a desk for me.
The next day I had to come back on the train very early in the morning with all my stuff to be introduced to the Board of Education and start moving in to my new apartment. The other new ALT in my town and I were told what kinds of things the city wants to improve in its English classes. Apparently, test scores for English here are very low so we have our work cut out!
The other ALT had already moved in a few days ago, but we both had to sort out bank accounts and stuff so after meeting the Board, we waited at the station for an IC to help us out. They are basically contracted by Interac to help set up phones, bank accounts, register at the city office and whatever you need. Our IC was sooo nice. She is a housewife who once a year helps new ALTs settle in to their new towns. There are problems with Interac but I think it's awesome they contract people like that. They really try to soften the craziness of moving your entire life over to Japan. They translate your housing contract, offer counselling, emergency numbers- basically anything you need they can help you out somehow.
The post office ended up being overly bureaucratic and we spent a couple hours there so we couldn't get phones that day. But I went to the phone shop with the other ALT the next day and we managed just fine (I think!) with our combination of Japanese skills.
I didn't really have much time to settle in before my first day. I was provided with a starter kit for about 10,000 yen which had a futon, duvet, stuff like that so I could get by, but I bought a rice cooker and a toaster oven myself. I have to make my own bento for dietary reasons so that was pretty much necessary. I am in a Leopalace, and it's surprisingly nice, the rent is low and it comes with internet.
Leopalaces do vary, many people have a bed on a mezzanine level, and some apartments have more features than others, but I think I got a pretty good one. It was built in 2009 so it's very new looking.
Here's the view from my front door. In that bamboo grove there's a pretty creepy shrine.
On Sunday I found my way around town a bit in preparation for my first day at school. It takes 20 minutes to walk to my Junior High school, and 8 minutes to my Elementary School. Most people here seem to drive, I am kind of considering learning.
So on my first day I went to my Junior High school, and took part in the entrance ceremony. It involved a lot of bowing, and I did a short self-introduction in front of the 2nd and 3rd years. Other than that, I just had to look busy in the teacher's room. I made a lot of notes from the Interac manual, and eventually I got sent home early. The teachers were all really nice to me. I only have preparation time this week, so I won't be teaching anything until next week. 16 hours of sitting in the teachers room await, yay. I keep getting introduced as 'Iona, the new ALT who is from the same country as Ellie from the drama Massan'. I guess I will be hearing that for a while.
On Tuesday I went to my Elementary school. They did not invite me to their opening ceremony, so I had even more time to spare. I wrote so many notes my pen actually ran out of ink. I had to stay from 8:30 until 4:30. I think the first week is probably pretty frustrating for everyone because you just have opening ceremonies and tonnes of paperwork. I feel kind of bad being paid for it but I guess they didn't have to tell me to come in.
Apart from school, a major part of my life so far has been my stuff arriving from Amazon. I'm so amazed at the mail service here. I missed the deliveries, so I called this English automated line and my stuff arrived one hour later. The next day it was a different company who didn't have an English line but I just guessed what I had to do and ten minutes later my stuff arrived. Pretty damn impressive.
So I think that's all I have to update with for now. I guess I should change the title of this blog from 'Almost an ALT' to something else. I don't feel like much of a teacher yet though.
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