Life

Remember to be happy that you are a live. When it is threatened to be taken away, you remember just how precious it is. The small things, that seem big are not. Losing your job, your neighbor  bothering you, people making fun of you......
Go outside, take a deep breath, enjoy the sensation of the air filling your lungs....

Shit.... now I have to remember these words when I am having petty bullshit issues! Damn!

 

 This was from on of the news papers I kept while in one of the shelters in Sendei.

My name

So simply happy with my life right now.  More on that tomorrow after rest.

Lacey Marie Leming my whole real English name. 


I have a Japanese name.. .鞠 Ball  女意 Joy Or Mari Jo-i
Rough translation Ball of Joy 
For short  Mari 鞠
Yukkio Sensei wanted it to be Little Cute Ball....But could not translate it. 


I was given a Chinese name right before the earthquake by one of the English speaking teachers, who is from China.
幸 運 Lucky Fortune. I am not sure how to spell it....but it is pronounced... Li See.

Mari Jo-i Sensei is going to sleep now.

WoW

Just got this on my FB......

Anita here from KATU-TV in Portland.
Read about you in the Portland Mercury - and so impressed that you've decided to stay in Japan. Wondering if you would be available for a Skype interview today, or one day this week?
Thanks so much... I look forward to hearing from you.

A BIG thanks to Jessica Sensei

I cleaned my apartment today.then I made dinner. I made brown rice (on sale VERY pricey here), nori, dikon, tofu. I seasoned it with pepper and mi so packets.Pretty good for being poor! I won't be soon. I know that is not the best cooking but for what I have, it was tasty. I was given Halloween decorations from Jessica Sensei. I put them up today!!! I will keep them up ALL YEAR long. That is just the way I roll.

THANK YOU Jessica Sensei!!! I also inherited a lot of dishes from Jessica Sensei! I hope you are well in the US of A!

This living on my own is.....a new thing for me....I think I am doing alright....it has only been three weeks with a disaster thrown in there. Things here are looking up. It looks like the radiation in the water is going down. There are no lines around the corner for gas. The black outs have decrease for now. Joe is doing well. He was trying to get behind the frig today...not the place for a1 turtle!!

Sakura is coming up, so that means Hanami 花見 times!!!! *squee*

 

I was going to do a picture dump but my interwebs are being stolen from Amy Sensai. It is to slow I am losing my patents with it. So April 11th I will my have own  interwebs!! 

Well  I was going to put a beautiful picture of the mountains on a clear day, here in Gunma....but NO my internet times out every time!

grrr

Neat

I just got an air freshener that plugs into my computer, so it has a mini light show to my music....and smells awesome! W00T!

DAIKON

BIG FUCKING RADISH! A farmer by our school gave a bunch to all of the teachers.....
It is good to be a teacher here.......

DAIKON!!!!!!!

The Doctor

I went to the doctor cause I was having strep symptoms. Which I get every year. I don't have it, W00T!
 I got meds for being sick though. I also have mad allergies here, so I received two kinds of eye drops, meds, and powdered noise spray. They take what they call hay fever very serious here.

I do take Strattera Atomoxetine for my adult ADD. Well the doctor here thought it was for depression.......so he prescribed me Zolft. I CAN NOT take Zolft. I don't do well on antidepressants.......they make me angry, and well depressed. So I have to figure this out. It looks like, from reading online, they only prescribe Ritalin. I can't take stimulants, due to a heart issues I have . CRAP!!! WTF am I going to do? If any one can help with this issue I would be ever so thankful!

Oh going to the doctor here is SO cheap here! I paid 1050 in yen. My medicine I paid 1800 yen. The meds were more expensive.

FUCK THIS NOISE

OK! I have spelling errors, and typos out the arshole. This I know, however, if you ever attack my teaching, or my intelligence because of it.....you will see a very ugly Lacey! I am a damn fine teacher! I would never teach a child the wrong thing. I triple check myself in my classroom.
So if you have a complaint about my blogging...DON'T FUCKING READ IT!!!!!



PS. I have next week off, so I will be doing a picture dump post.
PSS. I am locked out of twitter due to phone number issues........

ONSEN!!!

We tried to go to the onsen on Mt. Agaki, but it was evacuated due to earthquakes. So we went to have sushi, coffee then an onsen in Maebashi, Yu To Bi...? 
One thing I like about sushi here is it is the kind I like, not a lot of rolls. Also the amount I eat back in the sates is about $30-50 worth. When here I pay $10.50!!! First Sushi in Japan BTW!
So there is a way around the NO TATTOOS onsen rule. Go covered up, and get a privet room. It is more expensive, but worth it. Also when you pay for things like karaoke or a onsen, all the drinks you want and usually food are included. So you could get a privet room with your friends, eat and drink and bath...in totally Private. We had bracelets with bar codes that they would scan when getting drinks. Of course I was with my christian boss so no alcohol. Also my boss paid extra so I could have my own privet room cause I have tats!

The Ladies...

There was an aftershock while we eat, we had to hold our plates.

Hamburger sushi with a drop of mayo...I did not eat that.....

Nom nom nom

The onsen I went to.

The first room in my privet room.

Inside bath.

outside bath

the view while in the outside bath.


 Some of things I have been reading. It was raining while it was in the outside bath....but it was so peaceful....
http://www.evri.com/media/article;jsessionid=d4dm0w0m6jcz?title=Japan+finds+radiation+contamination+of+milk,+spinach%3B+water+in+Fukushima+contaminated,+Tokyo+water+shows+trace&page=http://www.boingboing.net/2011/03/19/japan-finds-radiatio.html?utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Bboingboing%252FiBag%2B%2528Boing%2BBoing%2529&referring_uri=/location/maebashi-0x11f0eb%3Bjsessionid%3Dd4dm0w0m6jcz&referring_title=Evri


http://www.mext.go.jp/component/english/__icsFiles/afieldfile/2011/03/21/1303966_2113w.pdf

hm

So I had just stopped worrying about this radiation thing....when they found SOME in the tap water here in Gunma prefecture. They say it is not enough to cause health risks.Not sure how I feel about it.
It is strange going through Isesaki and seeing gas stations shut don. Stores are dark, or have dimmed their lights.
I am concerned IF the thing melts down. Guma is in the radius of big trouble IF that happens. I just want to start my life here. I have not been able to truly settle down. I keep a smile on my face...but....just last night I had sushi for the first time in Japan...we had an earthquake so bad we had to hold our plates on the table. I am kinda done with this shit. I am not coming home or doing anything drastic...just venting.

I am trying get over culture shock on top. Apparently because I am a professional teacher I cannot cross my legs while sitting.....I can't point, and I laugh to loud apparently.  I do LOVE a lot of aspects of the Japanese culture...however they do not value anyone different....conform conform. I can't lose the voice I worked do had to find.

JOE!

Mt. Akagi

I am going to Mt. Akagi tomorrow! W00t!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Akagi

W00t

The black outs are coming fewer and fewer. They also successfully cooled down the last reactor. We maybe in the clear. However anything produced food wise out of Fukushima prefecture will be no good.

Happy Lacey.

Those black outs were getting long and very cold. I was exercising just to keep warm.....

On other news, I had sushi for the first time in Japan...oh SO yum.....bad news forgot my camera. However going out again tomorrow for the sushi!

Oh and Joe will be living in my house starting tomorrow!

Today

IS SO AWESOME!!

We palyed a lot of games with the kids, singing and dancing!

Then yakisoba and bigO AmeriCAN steakO BBQ!

Great stuff to keep your mind off of things.
Interseting culteral stuff.....

A child was not listening to be today. His mother told him, you shame your school and your country. You have to listen to your teacher. Teacher is better then your mother and father.

WOW!

Also they treat the Japanese teachers as slaves. The English speaking teachers get out of a lot of work I have noticed. When I went help, they let me, but looked at me like I was crazy....

Anywho I am glad for today.

Next week no work. Though I am coming to help plant potatoes. They made a sign already, that says Miss.Lacey's Garden.....I will be coming to tend it everyday!

Address

Here is my addy in Isesaki cit

3546-5 Miyako-cho

Ko-po Miyako 202 

Isesaki-city‎ Gunma‎

 372-0801 Japan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I may be Osaka bound.....

FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK!!
All of the American and Canadian teachers are leaving Japan. They will stay home until it is safe. I don't want to leave the country. For one, the country is shutting down., we can't get back if we leave, for two I don't have the money. If I do go anywhere I will be leaving for Osaka with Ms. Kumiko and her family.

The threat of radiation is very possible....very......

 Me at work anyway. The school will shut down if there is a threat....

2:45pm 3/11/11

 At 2:45pm 3/11/11 I was privileged to witness the strength and beauty of the the children of Nippon.

I am working on my personal experiences in Sendai. It is very personal.....it was devastating.....I wont post it here. If you want your own copy...msg me. I will send it to you when done. For now a shower and a bed....however the after shocks keep rolling....even in Gunma....

I got out of Sendai. I came home and crumpled on the floor and wept for an hour....

 This is the first shelter I was in.....we all just slept on the floor. 

Me at the shelter......

On my way

I am not sure what to say, I have so much that I am thinking and feeling. Getting it all out and in order......I am not sure I can.......
I know that I have felt a wealth of emotions......I am happy, scared,excited, nervous,mostly scared at this moment.
Yesterday it really hit me...OMG I R going to be in Japan! I almost laughed, cried, and threw up all at once.

I realized how many people I love and will miss. My brother Jasso was with me all day, thank goodness. I fell apart on the motha fuckin' bus! ON THE MOTHAFUCKINGBUS YO! Like a blubbering baby I was.

One of my first life lessons through this....I am one lucking sonofbitch! I am so loved by so many. That is a gift that a lot of people don't have. I am honored and touched by all of my friends and loved ones. They are the ones that made this possible from their love and support.

This is my first picture with my new camera