Why I love strawberries...

First of all, I love strawberries because they are delicious!

Then...

Today a package came!!! I love getting packages :) 

I learned about this site from my colleague from Ireland. It's called StraberryNet, and features tons of cheap brand make-up stuff! Yep, yep! Ladies, time to check it out if you haven't yet. I oredered from the Japanese site, but it has English, and Hungarian versions, and a dozen of other languages. You need a visa card though. We actually made a visa card just for online shopping, having no money on the account, we only deposit the amount before we plan to order something. I feel this is safer, in case your card information is stolen. You can't trust the internet 100 % after all.

Postage is free to any big cities in the world. If you happen to live in Karakószörcsög or Poughkeepsie (Púkipszí-imádom a hangzását!) in the middle of nowhere though, you might have to pay a bit.

Every new customer can choose a free present when placing their first order. I chose a Calvin Klein  Lip Liner in a nice brownish color.

I placed my order on Friday, and I already got my stuff delivered. Here's what I got: Eye Shadow Base from Too Faced and a Make-up palette from Cameleon. This time I didn't go for the famous brands as I really just wanted to try out this website and get some nice new colours for the summer. Vivid colours!

Both products came wrapped in shiny pink wrapping paper, even though I didn't choose the present option, when you can get it gift wrapped. I really felt like I got a birthday present... It seems the company is based in Hong Kong. 

Exciting!!!!!

Nicely wrapped :) I feel like I'm a treasured customer!

As I said, not the big brands this time...just a trial.

Isn't it cute? With all the stars and stuff.

Love these colours! Love, love, love!!

It's a 3 stories kit. Under you can find compact powder and blush.

Under the blush layer there are the brushes, mascara, eyeliner and lip glosses.

Into the Blue...

I started teaching this Tuesday. After all that "Antonio" told me about he students, I had high expectations. As a result, my first class turned out to be a disaster. The students were just giving me a blank stare most of the time and were totally unresponsive. The young Japanese English teacher, whom I happen to be friends with, also couldn't hide here anxiety and embarrassment. She was a bit late in responding to the students passivity, but finally she started giving hints and tried to make them participate. Usually the first few lessons of team teaching are not going smoothly, and  was kind of prepared for that, however, the coldness of the students surprised me a bit. They are second graders, so it's not even the case when they are freshmen not knowing each other. Oh, well, it will improve with time I guess. Of the Japanese teacher, I'm sure. Of the students, I hope.

The bigger shock came on Thursday. I had to teach a lesson with this middle-aged female teacher, who supposed to have quite a bit of experience (even with team teaching I suppose). Still, she came into the classroom late, just like half of the class, then sit down in the back and didn't do anything!!! I had to speak quite a bit of Japanese to joke around and break the ice with the kids, and finally, in the last fifteen minutes, when we were doing a translation exercise, she finally stood up, walked around and gave the students some hints and help, so I could continue my lesson. I wonder if she knows the meaning of the word "team" in team teaching...

I don't know if it's the slight amount of stress of the new job, or the amount of my salary, but recently I've bought quite a bit of stuff. All blue....blueish turquoise...preparing for the summer. Yaaay. I really love them! Especially my new camera and the bracelet from my boyfriend. What do you think?

The flower bracelet is from my Boyfriend, the rest I bought.

Camera, case and cell-phone ( the phone is not new, it just matched well :) )

To play volleyball.

My white bag got so dirty, I had to get a new one. I had no choice but to buy...hehehe

My new sweetheart for the summer

 No...I'm not addicted to blue. What are you talking about?! Are you crazy?!?! :)

By the way, I got a package on Wednesday. My Mom sent me some Easter stuff! I'm so happy! I was getting a bit homesick that I'm missing out on Easter, but the Bunny found me!
Thanks Bunny!

Bunny got a bit slender on the way here, but I7m sure she'll taste good! :)

Happy Easter to Everyone who celebrates out there!

Pictures

The promised tomorrow became the day after tomorrow...that is today. Sorry for keep you waiting.

Here are some pictures of the little river near my school with lots of sakura (cherry blossoms) plus a few pictures of peach tree blossoms I went to see at a nearby park.

Enjoy!

Camellia

3 colors of peach blossoms

Peach

Tree with pink AND white flowers

And a little more cherry blossoms

 Same tree with different flowers...love it!

Drinking party

My first week ended with a drinking party of 1O teachers, including newcomers and second year teachers in the school. It was very nice. I felt relieved to talk to "the young". Most teachers in the English department are middle aged, which doesn=t necessarily mean they are boring, but they are boring... Not all of them of course.

This week I still had no classes, so I was just doing preparation for next week's start, and was trying to figure out teacher's personalities more. ZEspecially those eight teachers I have to team teach with. Luckily, most of them seem to be kind and flexible, and friendly, regardless of age. There are two English teachers however, whom I actually find quite weird.

The head of the department, let's call him Mr Ichi, is a very academic person. I think he enjoys spending time with his English books more than actual teaching. At first he seems to be nice, but soon you'd realize that smile is strange. That behind that smile might be a completely different person, and lot's of suppressed feelings. Just by looking at him, you can tell he's the boss, and he's pretty strict about teaching. What makes him creepy is, that while talking, he would burst out laughing at the most unexpected times, which would make you feel you did something strange, that you made a mistake or did something funny. It's very frustrating actually. I'm not really looking forward teaching with him. I don't know if I can do the same level as his "friend" Antonio"....

The other strange teacher is an about 4O or 5O years old woman, with whom, thank God, I don't have to teach together. Whenever I try to say something positive or happy, she would immediately tell me about the dark side of it. She's like a bitter spinster (don't know if she has family) and an ultimate energy vampire, who can ruin your mood in a second.

Very , very,....very.... very tired

Oh, and by the way, you may have noticed I've changed the layout, to make sure it's easier to follow. So, if you want to follow this blog, please press the button, 'Follow'. You may also leave comments if you're brave enough... If you leave a comment, you can do it anonymously, or, if you want me to know your identity, please write your name in the beginning or end of the message, just like Sachi did a few posts before. Thanks. If you have blogger or google accounts, you can use that ID to comment. 

Half asleep......

Tomorrow I will post some pictures tooo....

ZZZZzzz.....zzzzzzzzzz.....zzzz

Fitting in....

This is probably the most difficult when you get a new job. God knows I try, but it's especially difficult to fill the space left behind by the former Native English Teacher (NET). I try to be kind to everyone, and talkative (which I am usually not), and to seem to be interested in whatever they tell me, even if it is boring me to death really.

This week so far, I couldn't hear anything but "Antonio" did this, "Antonio" did that, "Antonio" liked to do it this and that way, everybody loved "Antonio" bla,bla,bla....

It makes me want to scream. "Look at me! Right into my face. Look at my long blond hair, my undeniably existing boobs, my high heel boots and my skirt. Do I look like an "Antonio"to you???

No, right? Because I'm not Antonio. I never was and I never will be. I am Dali, and I do different things in different ways. Accept me the way I am. This is me, this is how I am. Like it or lump it!"

My new territory

Today was pretty cold. I guess I'm lucky my desk is located right next to the heater. Also, I was positively surprised to notice that the teachers' room has no air-conditioning. The humidity here can be a killer (literally) but still, I think Japanese people often over use air-conditioners in the summer. Finally, we could wear light clothes, nice summer dresses etc...and I need a sweater, or at least a thicker cardigan not to freeze in the supermarket or the shopping mall, not to mention the language school I work. Why would you need 21-23 C degrees inside if outside is like 37C?!?! I think about 25 degrees is a pretty neutral temperature, like a normal spring day. Why do we need to freeze the rooms? It's not healthy...oh well, I plan to quit my evening job sometime in summer anyway. I hope the manager freezes his balls of....I suffered so much last summer due to the huge difference regarding the inside and outside temperatures.

The former NET came to meet me today...you know.."Boris" (^_^)...Well, he was actually more of an "Antonio" judging by the family name that would perfectly fit into "The Godfather"'s scenario. The picture I saw of him was apparently small and of not very good quality. He explained what kind of lessons he taught and took me around the English language classroom. Friday I've seen it a bit, but this time I was guided through the myriad of cables to find out there was one pc and two laptops in the room to use, just for me (^o^) yaay. The best was a Mac notebook. I felt we will become friends very soon, although our friendship might gonna have a rough start since I have never used a Mac ever before. One more thing I'm looking forward to.

First day at my new school

I usually set two different times on my alarm clock...sometimes three...because I can't really get up for the first one, but I was so nervous and excited I could barely sleep, so when my phone started vibrating, my eyes popped open, and I was alert as a hunting wolf. Dressed up nicely and put on a ton of foundation, just in case... and was ready to gooooo!

We had a great weather on Friday. Warm and sunny, real spring weather. My employers told me my school is located in a pretty nice neighborhood, and they were right. From the station I had to follow a small river with cherry trees on the river bank all the way to the school. The weather has been pretty cold until now, so the blossoms were not out yet, maybe next week or so. Still, it was great.

There were a lot of carp like fish in the shallow water, and I found some interesting additional instructions on how to dance. It's so random. There's a a lady wearing in kimono carved in some huge stone and also some footsteps with numbers, so you can actually try the dance. Here's the pic.

My Dad could make a great fish soup.....

Shall we dance?

The school is really nice, and the students (only a few who were there to practice with their club in spring break) were very friendly (^-^). They already tried to talk to me when the vice principal took me around. At first I was a bit nervous when I got into the English teachers' staff room, because the average age of the teachers is probably around 50. But later 3 young teachers also came, and the elderly turned out to be good company too. So far, I think it's gonna be a great place to work, but I can't really judge until I haven't team taught with those teachers. 

I saw the picture of the former native teacher, who worked there for 5 years. He looks like a member of the Russian mob, but the head English teacher told me he is really kind. And he is! He offered to come to school to tell me a little bit about how things are dealt with here, and what kind of classes he taught and stuff. I was so happy to hear it, because this is the first time  I am sent to a school where the level of English education is actually high. I will do my best...

One thing I was really happy about is that they said I might have the chance to teach some literature in the English class, yaaaay! (^O^)/

So, Monday I'm meeting with "Boris" (that's the name I gave to the former teacher) and he'll enlighten me about the system. 

Oh, and here...some pictures of a Japanese lunch box! Except that mine doesn't contain any seafood. But it's so cute....and it was delicious!  

Rice, meat and veggie

Packed

Closed