School Days Begin

Good Tuesday Evening, Friends and Family!  Mac made it through the first day of teaching with flying colors...or should we say me throwing mini Reese's Peanut Butter cups to his students!  :)  Actually, we have to share that we really MADE IT THROUGH yesterday's orientation of the base.  While this was somewhat helpful, it was a LONG day and the sensory, informational overload almost did me in!  However, we did make it downtown on a quick tour, checked out the train schedule, had a bite to eat, visited a DASIO...dollar store and returned in one piece! 
First, school!  Since it is a block schedule, Mac only had 3 of his 5 classes today.  His first...Physics!  Comfort zone for sure!  The principal even sat in for about 10 minutes. There are 22 in the class and they enjoyed his impromptu quizzes...two of them!  :)  Actually, they seemed attentive, slow to get started, but got into the curve once he started the quizzes.  His next class was 8th grade Algebra.  He shared that it really STRETCHED him getting back into math instruction.  The last class of the day is a math "lab"...where kids are to practice their math skills.  I was around for the end of the class and the rapport between he and the students was great!  They were all having fun and working hard on equations and math properties.  The PB cups were a reward for making it thru their first day w/ Mac and their second day of school!  Everyone left happy!  Tomorrow he faces another 8th grade Algebra class, his Earth and Space class and then a "seminar" class; which is like a study hall.  With the block scheduling, classes are 85 mins. long...ouch!  Really forces a lot of teaching strategies to keep everyone engaged!  He will admit, he was EXHAUSTED by the end of the day!  While he taught, I talked w/ the school secs. and offered to clean a VERY DIRTY, unorganized; yet, HUGE teacher work room.  It has 3 stoves, 3 sets of double sinks, a gazillion cabinets and all kinds of other furniture and equipment.  After BLEACHING the outside of everything, finding a shelter for lots of STUFF, going to the PX and getting room fresheners and setting out a basket of the Reese's and Hershey Kisses...it was much more presentable!  The vice-principal came in, thanked me and shared that I could throw out anything in one cabinet.  I shared that I was only working on the visual part of the work area and I'd let him know if I was brave enough to tackle the inside of any of the cabinets!  GROSS! 

Life outside of school:    After going to church, then working in the classroom, we ended the weekend with a swim in the Olympic size pool at the gym.  What an amazing place.  It has everything you could possibly imagine.  The lanes in the pool are 50 meters..so we opted to swim in the 25 meter area!  It was very refreshing!  This place offers a HUGE cardio room, strength training room, classes, massage area, nutrition classes, an area to rent out any and all equipment and to top it off...it is FREE!  What a positive!  Tomorrow, my plan is to go to a Pilates class and be put on a list for a fitness instructor. 

Orientation was an overview of what the base has to offer.  The information was directed at the newly assigned military; yet, some was applicable to us.   One of the guys I struck up a conversation w/ was 20 and from Denver, CO.  So, so many YOUNG individuals w/ family are stationed here.  And, a lot of young singles.  This base does a very good job at providing a comfortable environment for our military families.  This weekend is a concert and there are lots of  arranged outings.  They encourage everyone to take advantage of being in a foreign country and learning as much as they can about their surroundings.  They also STRESS the model of being an ambassador for our country!  For Mac and I...well, we are somewhat "thrown in" to the community without real ties.  It has been interesting to learn that 90% of the teaching staff have only taught in DODs schools, or have some connection to DODs...either from spouse, parent or being a military child.  The piece that is a bit unsettling is that most everyone talks about how happy they are to be living on base.....which is clearly not an option for us.  AND...for those that are currently living on base, it won't last much beyond the next year or two.  Thus, we have to find housing of some sort of housing off base and this is w/out any assistance from the school.  The most fun piece is that none of the realtors speak English.  I go on a tour next Tues. with the military housing unit to preview the real estate offices!  LOL...ought to be an experience!  I am really trying to "live in the moment" and not really think about the housing piece....trusting that it will work itself out...yet knowing I will be the one trying to track down some options.  Another "challenge" has been the unbearable heat and humidity.  I love hot, but this is so much more intense.  Very rarely do you get a break from it, even with a/c.  Thank goodness we have a/c.  Also, with the heat...we are walking everywhere.  It is a large base!  Great exercise, but exhausting.  It would be SOOOO nice if someone offered to drive us around a bit.  :)  Tomorrow the plan is to try and get our Japanese driver's license (all the booklets are out, so we are going to have to rely on our immediate recall before taking a test!).  Once we have a license, we could WALK to some of the car dealers and perhaps...purchase a car!  Fingers crossed and prayers, please!

Japan...from what we have seen on our two tours out...everything is very close together!  In being an island, every bit of "flat" land is used for buildings.  This is why housing is a challenge.  Thus, they have maximized their space by creating narrow streets and allowing very little space between buildings.  The cars are the most amazing thing for me.  Every one is like a toy car, in the best condition and looks amazingly efficient! (And, no bright colors, or deep hues).   I never knew so many different makes and models could look so similar!  We are constantly walking over to check out the type of car!!  They also have two different types of license plates...one yellow, meaning it is more economical and hence, less tax....and white..the opposite!  We will be looking for a car with a yellow license plate!  :)  People SMILE ALL the time!  It is the greatest thing to be around smiling individuals.  You may not know a thing that has been said, but it's all okay!  Another funny...at the commissary, there are TWO individuals bagging your groceries and they have a TIP bucket!  It is customary for you to tip one to two dollars!  Oh! one more thing that made me LOL... when we were downtown, I took a picture of a MR. DONUT and we visited a DOLLAR STORE..called a Dasio!   It had EVERYTHING you could possibly want!  Hello Kitty and Disney characters are quite the market! 

Enough for tonight!  I'm starting to ramble, but wanted to let you all know that we LOVE your comments on facebook and via emails.  It has really helped.  Yesterday was the toughest for me as I kept trying to figure out what to do about the housing issue.  However, it is out of my hands and am sure that it will all work out eventually!  I keep thinking...we have only been here 5 days!  Hugs and Smiles!
jen and mac!