No way!

Well the training day was a day from hell.  I was trained with a lovely America-Korean girl who had a thousand times more confidence that I did.  I'm shocked to say that they treated us very poorly.  Their contract included fines for sick days and fines for quitting with less than 3 months notice.  They had about ten thousand rules, and we were expected to come in two hours before our lessons started without pay.  There were tons of extra duties we had to do after lessons, also not paid for.  It was unbelievable.  Unfortunately I signed the contract, but it had a clause saying both the instructor and the managers could cancel the contract within the first three months.   We weren't paid for the 9 hour training day and they kept us until 9.30 pm.
The girl I was training with had arguments with them.  I was just mostly sick to my stomach, with anxiety and sweaty palms.  There were special areas for the Japanese staff which we weren't allowed to use, but they could use any areas they wanted etc.  We were expected to do a lot of bowing and kowtowing despite the fact that the place was a bloody English teaching school.
We were expected to call in everyday 2 hours before we were expected to come in to check the schedule hadn't changed.  They could change our schedules if they wanted, but it was nigh impossible for us to have any input.  They were going to give me 2 days off next month and I was working every single weekend on their schedule, a forty minute train ride from home, working until 10 at night in a big city.
When I said I didn't have a phone yet they were really rude and told me, "we you'll just have to get one before Monday'- I said I have to go to the city hall to register first and it won't be open on weekends and they haven't given me any time to go up there anyway, and they were just like *shrug* you'll have to find a way.

It was pretty much disgusting.  Where are the trade Unions here?  A bit scary.  Well I just emailed last night saying I wasn't going to start.

Basically a waste of a day where they even commented on the fact that I should get a manicure, and we were expected to dress modestly but look pretty for their costumers.

I say- No thanks!
I've looked them up online and some one has said- OneUp English School could more accurately be called One Up the Bum.  Stay Away.

I'm supposed to be starting on Monday- and they haven't replied to my email.  They have Takeshi's mobile number and this address, but I doubt there is anything they can do since they had the 3 month clause.

Success

I got the job!  Celebrating as I write this with a vanilla Frape in starbucks at Takadanobaba (mouthful) station.  The interview was a bit nerve wracking but it went well.  It lasted about half an hour and I was asked about my experience and teaching philosophy, and why I was in Japan and stuff.  The place was really lovely, set out a little like a cafe with teaching booths.  The pay is 2000 yen an hour (about £15) but I'll be working mostly evenings and weekends.

The training day is tomorrow 12-9 pm (long).  I hope if Takeshi and I get up early enough we can visit Nerima Ward Office and I can register before going to the training day.  Need to get organised with a bank account etc.

Temples, Interviews, Sweets etc

I can type this up later, so I'm going to write an update on paper.  I'm in Shinagawa as I write.  It was really easy to find the english school, so now I've got some time to burn. I've no idea what sort of questions they will ask, but I'll just be myself and do my best.

Yesterday at Melissa's place was a lot of fun.  She introduced me to a really cool RPG forum that she plays on, a cool ps2 game and an excellent Japanese movie.  She also taught me how to knit properly. How about that, all in one day!  We went to a lovely shrine near her apartment, then ate some sweets and walked to the wee park.

A very kindly Japanese man who was working at the shrine took a picture for us and taught us how to properly offer a prayer.  On our little trip to the shops we also saw an amuzing make of knitting stuff...

Little prick...

I also took some pictures of the traditional japanese sweets I tried.  The first is Sakura Mochi-  its soft sweet sakura flavoured dumplings wrapped in a savoury salted sakura leaf.

This next one is called Dango.  I found it a bit too sweet for my liking.

It was really nice to be able to hang out again, and I'm really grateful to have some friends already.  Takeshi was at work, and at the moment it kind of feels like we are further apart with the jet lag, his work and then his guitar and band stuff.  I hope we can do some nice romantic things together, just us, soon.  I've been going around on the trains on my own a lot over the last week and a half, and I'm starting to get the hang of it I think.

Will be nice if I get this job, will give me some money and some things to do.  Tonight we are going to see Melody play.  I'm looking forward to that.

Rainy Day

Pretty much a lazy day as I thought.  I tidied up a bit, and then played violin for a while.  I watched Zoolander, as it's impossible to be sad while watching it.  Today it rained really heavily.  The rain is so different from rain at home.  For a start it smells different.  Northern Ireland rain smells greener, and I guess you can tell you are in a big city when the rain just isn't as fresh.  All the same, the strength of it was amazing.

At about 5 pm I left the house to meet Takeshi in Seibu-Shinjuku after his work.  We were supposed to do something nice together but he wasn't feeling well so we went round some shops and got a few things.  I found a half decent sized mirror and a half decent sized towel lol.  Feeling quite a bit homesick but I think I'll feel better when I actually do some things.  Looking forward to tomorrow with Melissa.  Also Melody is playing in Shimokita-zawa on Thursday night, so I'll be able to go and see her.  That will be very interesting as I once wrote about 40,000 words of a novel about a girl who goes to Japan and lives in Shimokita-zawa.  She joins a band, and buys an enchanted violin that embroils her in a war between two tribes of ancient Japanese fae-creatures.  I abandoned the story, but it will be nice to see music being played there.

The video below this is just outside Seibu-Shijuku station tonight while I was waiting for Takeshi.  You can see the big video screens that Japan is pretty famous for in our own movies and media imagery.  

Lazy Days

Last few days I've been lazy.  I haven't been feeling very well at all, but I'm feeling a lot better now.  Today looks like it's going to be another lazy day.  Takeshi is going to work, and I'm going to do a bit of tidying and clothes washing I think.  I've also been studying Japanese.  I know how to say a lot of things, but I'm never brave enough to do it out there.  Also, I get completely lost in group conversations, they all speak so fast.

That can feel a little bit lonely.  Well, a lot lonely actually.  Thankfully, a few nights ago I was introduced to a half japanese, half english friend of Takeshi's called Melody, and her lovely boyfriend Masashi.  Melody was fluent in English of course, and her boyfriend could also speak some English with really excellent pronunciation.  It was very nice to hang out with them.

Tomorrow I'm going to go to Melissa's place to watch movies, play games and generally hang out.  I'm looking forward to that.  On Thursday I have an interview for an English Teaching Job in Shinagawa, which I'm not so much looking forward to as I've no idea what it will be like.  Hopefully Melissa can give me some advice tomorrow.

Akihabara

So finally posting about Akihabara!  I managed to make it there alone on the trains.  I had to ask for help a number of times.  After standing with a wee map like a huge tourist, I bit the bullet and used some more Japanese.  "Sumimasen, Akihabara ni ikitai n desu..."

Unfortunately my camera isn't wonderful and I'm not a great photographer, so I didn't get that many photographs.  Akihabara is manga geek central.  Imagine a few Forbidden Planet stores six to eight stories high and you get the idea.   I met up with my friend Melissa at 5.15, but I was there early and had a little look around myself.  The place is known as Electric City, so it has lots of electronics and up to date gadgets at really reasonable prices.  I got myself some nice new red earphones that I can stick right in my ear, which muffle out other sounds (such as snoring boyfriends for example :p)

I also saw a girl wearing a top with EngRish on it.  I think its worth noting down what her top said...'Protect the body Squirrel Habit'...  I'd love to hear your interpretations of that profound advice.

After I met with Melissa we decided to go for a coffee and a catch up, and then we went to Karaoke for two hours.  For those that don't know Karaoke is actually a Japanese word, and it's an absolutely huge business here.  They have Karaoke buildings all over the place, and groups of friends go and book into a room, they are provided with drinks, and in some cases food, and there's a karaoke screen and mics and little touch screen tablets to choose songs.  Sooooo much fun!

Had a really great wee evening, and I'll be seeing Melissa again next week for some movie watching.  Since I forced myself to stay up the whole day instead of sleeping, by the time I got home at 10.30 I was absolutely exhausted and I was able to sleep through the Japanese night for the first time (even if I did get up at 6 am and write this!)

I bought a pillow, and I'm excited

Still haven't gone to Akihabara-  but I thought I should document my first purchase in a shop without Takeshi doing all the talking.  I bought a pillow from a shop just down the road from us.  The lovely wee man that owned the shop even gave me a bit of discount.  I didn't know that's what he was telling me until he gave me the receipt though lol.