oooo Parties!

Dec. 19 Saturday

So today my sup and I went to go check out snowboards and snowboarding gear at this awesomely big sports shop called Xebio. Some of the decor included fake/stuffed/taxidermed wildlife and for a sec I was like "whoa, they sell hunting rifles here too?" Cuz, you know, that`s usually how it is if you go to a sports shop in the US; it`s either full of camping gear or rifles when there`s animals like that around....lol

So anyways, I found a board, boots, and bindings set, all for 500 bucks total cuz it was on sale. But I didn`t buy it because I had found a board in a recycle shop earlier for 32 bucks. And plus I`ve never snowboarded in my life, so I was planning on maybe renting first to see how I like it. But I think I will be boarding alot here because that`s basically the big sport here in Hokkaido. And plus there`s a ski hill in every town. So it`s crazy if I don`t learn a winter sport besides skating here. I need to get out more and work out too. haha.

In the evening Su and I went to Bikkuri Donkey to eat hamburg steaks. They were soooo damn good there!

Dec. 20 Sunday

Went over to Asahikawa to hang with Alan! My first time hanging with him in Asahikawa. I usually don`t have the time, but this time I was like, "Yes! Free!" I had a car so I drove him and I to JUSCO for some shopping goods. Christmas presents etc. Yes, it`s a lil late for me to still be buying gifts especially since I have to send it to CA, but hey, I know or I hope my family won`t mind late presents. =P And then we stuffed ourselves at the buffet there. haha. Alan saw a couple of his high school students, and i saw a couple of my elementary kids. hehe.

Dec. 22nd Tuesday

So today was the Christmas party at the nusery at 10am, but before that, at my elementary was the individual grades music concert at 9:30am. So since my 6th graders were last to perform, I was unable to see the whole thing and had to rush off to the nursery. At the nursery the party was already well underway and each of the classes performed a Christmas song. It was soooooooooOOOOOO CUTE! I melted when I saw all of them in their little cute proper formal christmas wear and party hats. I wore my reindeer headband and all the kids were like "AH! REINDEER!" And asked me if Santa`s coming or not. lol Cute. I was surprised, however, when the kids (my older ones, 5 and 6 year olds) were aloud to hold open flame stick candles and walk with it and light the menora in the center of the stage. I was freaking out because I was like "OMG you guys are getting too close to the person in front of you!! Watch the hair! THe hair!" The lil kids were trying to be as careful as possible and kept only staring at the candle. And it was actually really funny to see because they were just absolutely mezmerized by their candles and couldn`t stop staring at it. lol But I was still freaking out. Open flamed candle stick, children, walking in one line really close to each other makes for a bad combo. Afterwards I had to head back to the elementary because I was going to teach a special Christmas lesson to my 6th graders. Although my nursery kids were asking me to stay for the afternoon and asked why I had to go. hehe. cuties!

Once I got off of work I immediately came home and got ready for the bounenkai (end of the year party) with my middle school teachers. It was held in Asahikawa, so Iwata-sensei came to pick me up and we booked individual rooms together at a hotel there since there was going to be massive drinking at the party tonight and none of us wanted to drive back home at 2-3am in the morning. I was able to talk to my family on skype for a bit, but was talking and running around fretting about what to do with myself for the party. haha. So at 5pm I was picked up and we checked into our wonderful nice hotel rooms (well, great except for the fact that it smelt like cigarretes) And then left to go to the party venue.

The place was called Shiraume. And it was damn awesome and delicious! They were famous for their tempura. And then they had Mushi-shabu which uses the shabu-shabu pot, but on top of it you put a bamboo box and put the meat and veggies inside and then cover it, and steam it via the shabu pot beneath. It was delicious! And I loved the atmosphere with all the teachers. Yappari, my middle school teachers are the best to get along with and party with. They`re so much fun and lively and crazy! haha. I love them. Afterwards we reserved a bar/snack (as that`s what they call dark places with few lights that has a bar, and sofas, and a karaoke machine) for all of us to have 90minutes all you can drink alcoholic beverages. Dangerous. lol There I sung my heart out with karaoke. Hagino-sensei was excellent however. LOL His actions, adlibbing, and super genkiness even had the other customers joining in with us! haha. Then afterwards we went to another bar to drink witha ll you can drink stuffs. But I was starting to get tired and I had another party the next day, so I decided halfway to head back to the room and crash.

Okay, right now, I`m at work and it`s the big cleaning day at my elementary. So I will go clean now. More updates later! Bye! Otsukare!