July 1997 - Japan

JULY 1997

20 -- 21 -- 22 -- 23 -- 24 -- 25 -- 26 -- 27 -- 28 -- 29 -- 30 -- 31

20 Sunday

Departed for Japan.  A difficult day indeed but we shall see how it goes.

The flight was nice.  Business Class really isn't what its thought to be in my opinion. The service was good, but i don't care about service on a jet. If I want something I can get up and get it myself, the jet isn't that big.

The seats and the video game option was a nice benefit though. :)

Met quite a many people on board. Hopefully I'll see them again, it would be nice to see how the journey turns out for them.

21 Monday

Arrived in Japan.

Welcome to the Hilton! Very nice place! I hear the breakfast is good.

Mission #1: Go to Tokyu Hands and find a plug adapter.

» Accomplished. I asked a security guard how to get to Tokyu Hands and he told me in his best broken English, impressive.

22 Tuesday

Orientation begins today.

» It was fun and then again it was too long and a bit boring.

23 Wednesday

Orientation ends today.

» It may look like it was only two days, and yes it was only two days, but it felt like a lot longer.

24 Thursday

Arrived in Asaka

» Had lunch with Nancy, Philip, and the other new AET Liz Munro.

25 Friday

First day of work...

» Exchanged money

» Opened savings account at Asahi Bank

» Filled out registration for my ALIEN CARD. :)

» Sat in the office for a while.

26 Saturday

Hung our with Kazi.

» We went to the 100 yen store, interesting huh.

27 Sunday

Dinner with Nancy, Liz, and three Japanese students at MOS BURGER. It was good fast food. The beef was actually beef. :)

28 Monday

While at the office...

» Exchanged money.

» Sent some letters.

» Read ... preparation for a speech competition.

» » The Boy with a Drum.

» » Pete and the Orange Men.

» » Free Willy

» Package arrived. (alarm clock, walkman, etc...) very happy.

29 Tuesday

While at the office...

» Sent a package to Rille.

» Sent a fax to Alpha 1 (call back service)

» Went to Ich-chu with Matsunaga (v.p.).

30 Wednesday

While at the office...

» Package arrived. (photos!) pumped!!

» Got my library card....there's a bunny on it reading a book.

31 Thursday

While at the office...

» Went to the Asaka City Museum.

» » Avery cool place. I liked it I did.

» Wen to Ich-chu with Matsunaga again, but we watched a movie this time -- Waterloo Bridge. A very enjoyable flic.
- posted by garyploski @ 7/31/1997 02:49:00 PM 0 comments

 
Japan Blog 1997-1999
Back before BLOGS existed I ran a blog. Here was my introduction page. I can't put the code for the original page here because I'm too embarrassed. OMG, yellow, green, black. AH! The colors. My eyes. They bleed. They scream. Here's where it all began. Way back in August of 1997...

Departed:July 20, 1997 (Sun.)	Arrived:July 21, 1997 (Mon.)	JPNeseKnowledge B4 I left...
Homeaddresses and phone: Esuto Sawa 102 3-2-47 Hon-cho,Asaka-shi 351-0011  JAPAN H:(048)469-3883 GaryPloski@usa.net ***Pleaseonly send letters and envelopes no larger than the size of a magazine tothis address. Thank you	WorkAddress and phone/fax: Asaka City Board of Edcation 1-1-1 Hon-cho, Asaka-shi 351-0011 JAPAN H:048-463-2434 F:048-467-4716 ***Ifyou are planning on sending a package, PLEASE send packages to this address.Thank you	Speaking-About10 words, maybe. Reading-One character of Hiragana. Culture/Society-A good understanding because I went to school with Japanese students inthe states at Teikyo Post Univ.

--
Brief Job description: (brief)

I am working in 5 junior high schools in the city of Asaka, in the prefecture of Saitama. I will work at each school for 2 weeks. Within each school there are 3 grade levels: ichi-nensei (1st grade), ni-nensei (2nd grade), and san-nensei (3rd grade). The ages of the students range from 13-15. Each grade has a number of classes. For Example: 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 2-1, 2-2, 3-1, 3-2. That is the set-up of the number 5 junior high school which is called go-chu. I hope that is enough information to help you come up with questions about school life.

--
The Intro. Introduction Speech:

GOOOD MORNING!!!! (i try to get everyone to respond with good morning, a few times if i need to) Hi, my name is Gary Ploski and I am from a small town called Prospect, in the state Connecticut. I am very happy to be here in Japan and to be here in the gym of (school number) with all of you!

In Prospect I live with my mom and her boyfriend. They are probably home right now, maybe watching t.v. -- im jealous. My girlfriend is going to school at Teikyo Post University, maybe she's studying. I just graduated from Teikyo Post University in Connecticut, so I am only 22 years old. I am the youngest teacher in all of Asaka.

Some things I like are: soccer, tonkatsu, rice, volleyball, movies, music, japanese mayonnaise, american comic books and toys. I look forward to teaching with all of you. I hope we have fun in class, yoroshiku onegaishimas.
- posted by garyploski @ 7/02/1997 10:05:00 PM 0 comments

 
Time to bring it all together

It's time to put all of my journals into one place.

Let the time consumption begin.

- posted by garyploski @ 7/01/1997 02:20:00 PM 0 comments