Its a done deal! I'm going to New Zealand March 23-April 3. There are 9 of us in total going. Dave (the planner), Hazel and her husband Terry, Kris (from Kofu), Jeremy (from Ueno), Charlotte (who is a former JET), Shalini (I don't really know her, is a kinda know of her thing) and this guy named Jason (who may be a friend of my Japanese teacher and from Greensboro, NC but I'm not sure if that's the same guy). Its good that I know a good part of the group that way it won't be too strange but I think it will be great!

The schedule the planner has for us thus far is hype! We are going to do some backpacking, sight-seeing, sea-kayaking, horseback riding, shopping, and water skiing! And there are like 4 or 5 days that haven't been planned yet! He is from New Zealand so we'll be staying with his sister and parents part of the time. It sounds like so much fun! It is the late spring in New Zealand now so it will be summer by the time we get there. The list of stuff we are supposed to be doing is all stuff I've never done before so I know its going to be great. I'm so out of shape so I better start doing some exercise tapes in my living room or something cause I'll be beat down the whole two weeks we are there. I'm going to need to find a "backpack" like the hikers and stuff wear too. I hope they aren't too expensive.

I was thinking about what a friend of mine about not wanting to come back after all this out and about that I've been doing. Traveling here and there. I think all its doing is getting me more motivated to be productive so I CAN travel and go skiing, snowboarding horse-back riding, sea-kayaking and all the other things that "Black People ain't supposed" to do. Dave got one of the last 3 tickets yesterday to add me to the group so that was a close call. Yokkata Ne!

Okay, let me give you the skinny on Okinawa. I was sooo happy to see Vanessa!!!! She looked so good and the kids are gorgeous. They have such and adorable family. So we spent a lot of time on base. We went to Camps Kinser and Foster which are both Marine and then to Camp Kadena which is the Air Force. We went to and bought stuff from the PX on both camps. I went to the base Beauty Shop to get my hair cut which was a relief not being able to do it myself. Friday night we went to this club that was on base and it was soooo much fun!! It was free to get in, coat check was free, and drinks were $2.25!!!! I'm talking mixed drinks, top shelf, you name it $2.25! I was shocked. I spent less than $10 including club and drinks and it was packed and the party was live. So believe you me, I was happy about that. The guys in the club that night were funny. They were dancing and not so much worried about us. We had a really good time.

The weather there was so much warmer than it is here on what the military folks call "mainland". The only problem with that was when I finally got back here I could feel the sore throat and coughing coming. I didn't get a chance to get many pictures but it was nice. Definitely not somewhere I'd like to live either because the land is too flat and much too much wind but like many other places in Japan nice to visit,not as fun to live there.

The second night we went to this place that was supposed to be "the best night spot" and it was terrible. Well Erica had a wonderful time and the music was good. I just felt bothered the entire night. I must have been going through some serious PMS because everything that anyone said to me pissed me off. I didn' t want anyone touching me or dancing too close or looking at me. I was being a really "female dog" and I couldn't help it.I tried to go in the corner and sit because I didn't want to make Erica leave and not have a good time because I wasn't feelin' it but people kept coming wherever I was to bother me! I mean, I know they didn't want anything other than a little harmless conversation and usually I indulge them, but that day was just not the day.

Today after paying some bills and taking about an hour at the post office to transfer money I felt the need to treat myself to a nice dinner. I went to one of my favorite places called Gusto. Its a very nice restaurant and its also pretty inexpensive which is my favorite part. I don't know what made me thing about it...maybe it was the lady I hit with the bathroom door as I was exiting. I pushed on the door like I normally would, only problem is there is a sink on the other side of that door and if anyone is using it they are in the direct line of fire for the door. I felt really bad about hitting her and she was like "Sure, nevermind" That use of English was not exactly appropriate for the moment especially the way she said it, but anyway...after that I looked up in the mirror and asked myself "Eboni WHAT are you doing in Japan?" Its a logical enough question although at the time only meant to be rhetorical. My eyes are extremely heavy right now and I've got to get to bed...although I'm way behind on my journaling. I'm going to try to get up early tomorrow to plan my lesson for the Elementary school. If I have time, I'll journal then. The question still looms over my head as I drift off to sleep, Why are you in Japan?

Talk about snowing! Yesterday when my JTE said "Do you know it will be snow tomorrow?" I said "REALLY" I had no idea what we were in for. I woke up this morning moving around slow as usual and looked out and almost couldn't find my car. The drive in to work wasn't that bad. The road hadn't been plowed but there weren't any accidents and folks were taking their time. We ended up having a short day. The plan was to leave after the lunch around 12:40. But...the lunch truck was stuck behind an accident on the highway. It ended up geting to the school about an hour late. By then one school bus had already arrived to take the students back home. None of the teachers could leave because the Principal hadn't gotten back from an early morning meeting to say whether or not the teachers could leave. The VPrincipal can say the students can leave but he can't let the teachers go early. It makes me no nevermind, b/c I leave at 4:30 regardless. I hope the roads aren't bad and you can believe I will be driving slow.

As if the snow wasn't enough to rack my brain...I called Keysha and asked her to by my ticket for the night bus from Kofu to Haneda. When she called the bus was already full!!! There are no other trains or buses that leave from this way up to Haneda so I thought I was royally screwed and going to have to drive. Then my teacher found a train in Tokyo that starts at 5:30 in the morning and runs every 11-14 mins that goes to Haneda. The only thing is, there aren't any morning trains that will get me there ontime. So, I have to go up to Tokyo and spend the night there tonight and take the other train to the Haneda Airport in the morning. Luckily I'm a friendly person and made friends w/these two black girls I met at the Earth Wind and Fire concert back in November. Anyway, I called this girl Yolandis who is still living here (the other girl went back...she was only visiting) and asked her if I could stay w/her tonight with a great big ONEGAISHIMASU and she said sure, no problem! What a relief! So now I have to get home rush around to make sure I have all I need which really wont be much since I will only be gone for the weekend. I have to find her a good gift too because she was very kind to me for letting me stay with her tonight.

God is really good, ain't he?

Gosh, I have been really not feeling my job today. Probably because I have hopes of being in Okinawa this weekend I want the next few days to just skip by. In one of my classes at Toyoshige today the Vice Prinicipal sat in on the class. It was okay but I kinda felt like he was judging my performance. The class he sat in on was cool they are smart kids and we usually have a lot of fun. Its hard to be a performer when you don't feel like it. I talked to RR today and told him how "blahhhhh" I was feeling. He teased me that being home a few weeks spoiled me. But its very true I must be spoiled or maybe its "Just one of them days" that a girl goes through. Who knows I just want to be in my bed under something reading a book....i mean under some COVERS...right right, that's what I mean.

I had such a wonderful day today! i was so worried about skiing for my frist time and for no reason. I went out there and of course I rolled around in the snow (not purposely) for about 2 hours and then finally was able to stop standing up. I was among the A group people who had only been once or twice before and still they were far far ahead of anywhere I'd ever been. The teachers were really patient with me and I have to say, my ski instructor was a CUTIE! Problem was, "He no speaku no engrish" Oh well, nice to learn from and a cutie...so I enjoyed the lessons. The ski resort was called Fujiten and at the top of the slopes you can see Mt. Fuji when the clouds moved away. It was a good day. The wind wasn't blowing and the sun was hidden behind clouds most of the day so my eyes didn't hurt much. I'm so lucky to be at the school I'm at because they really treat me like one of them. A lot of other ALTs aren't allowed to go on the school trip but mine invited me. I was very thankful. I'm extremely beat now too so I'm going to get some rest. Oya sumi!

Good Morning Diary-san! I started my day by reading more of my new favorite book called The Great Investment. It was written by TD Jakes. Its my first read of him, but I am really enjoying it and learning. Its truly a great book. It deals with balancing Finance, Family and Faith. I am in need of some spiritual guidance right now because I feel a serious calling on my life and can't seem to get a hold of what it is. This book has really helped me get things into focus though so I'm looking forward to a really blessed year. Conviction + Confession = Change.

After all that about how cold it is in my place, I failed to mention that I didn't have any more kerosene in any of the 3 heaters I had. So grudgingly I got dressed and went next door to the gas station to fill my container up. I'm glad I did though, because after the gas man filled it up, he invited me in for a cup of tea. It was cool, he doesn't speak English of course but we sat and drank tea and at cake from about 9am-10pm. He had customers every now and then but came in and filled my cup and another older man who lives in the village came in and chatted with us a while too. Of course I didn't understand all of what he said, but it was good to be and feel welcome among the people I live with. He told me that he was sad I wasn't staying around for more than a year and wanted to know why I wouldn't stay. I told him that I missed my family and Japan was too cold. He was like "Ahh, you'll get used to it!" He's funny. What started off as a "I hate this temperature!" day quickly got transformed. I love Japan! I can be moody and no one really knows or cares.

Off to go skating...ttyl Diary-san.

If there is one thing I can't stand about Japan its the fact that it is cold inside the house. It keeps me from doing so many things. If its warm I can get up and be the morning person that I am. Clean up, listen to the radio, do my Saturday planning for my upcoming week...the works! But when its cold, I'm talking 10 degrees and below in the house who wants to be bothered with anything but laying in the bed! I have to be careful about my eating habits over these next two months because I know I will overeat and lack of exercise or anything else to do will really blow me up. Now that I think about it, I have to make special trips to eat so maybe it won't be bad cause I know i'm not going to get up and go out in the cold to over eat.

I took this really cool personality test someone sent me as a forward. Its apparently one of those things that Dr. Phil gave to Oprah and now they are passing it around. Oprah scored 38..this is what it said about her.
Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over it if that trust is ever broken.

I scored 43..Here are my results:
Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting; someone who's constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well-balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding; someone who'll always cheer them up and help them out.

Pretty accurate I think.

I'm going to OKINAWA. I'm going to OKINAWA!!! I booked my flight today. Next Friday I'm going down to visit Anna and her family. I can't wait to see the kids in person. I've been trying to think of what to bring them. I am turning Japanese, you know omiyage is a custom of theirs. Anyway, we'll see. I just cant wait to get down there. The weather is only in the 60s there but that's better than the 30s and teens which I'm experiencing here. Since I've decided that I'm only going to stay for a year, i'm going to try to take one trip a month. Even if its a small trip. I found a great deal for this and Erica and I are going together so that's saving money too. I'm excited Diary-san. I can't wait to tell you all about my trip! No, i'm not going to be able to buy any new clothes, but I don't need them. I have plenty. As part of my new 2003 debt free plan the purchase of new clothes is a MAJOR No-No so I have to resist all the urges of my mind. I digress...Gonna finish doing my hair then I'm going to bed. Oyasumi.

Lemme tell you why I'm mad son!

Aiight so today I come home and just flipping through channels stop of something that is in English. No idea what it is only that they are interviewing folks and I understand what they are talking about. It ends up being some kickboxing program that was fairly interesting. Next this video program called "WOWOW" comes on. It shows different US videos. The first was Guns & Roses. It was a cool song, something kinda mellow. Then they had an interview w/NAS. And then his video came on for "Made you Look". (here comes the part when I get mad!) Guess what came on next? KISS. Some headbangin' screamin' and hollerin' KISS. I was ill, how you going to go from "Made you look" to that mess. Japan, you disappoint me sometimes.

I have finally returned! After a 3 week, well needed totally enjoyable vacation. The US is the same my family is the same the food folks and fun are the same and I was just glad to be back for a while. My first few days I stayed in RDU area reunited a long overdue flame, had a job interview, took it back to the El and partied Black tie style in honor of the Christmas holiday.
Then I went down to the country where my family lives and we had my brother's wedding. It was ghetto love all the way. Not in a derogatory but you know there is nothing like country ghetto two folks who love each other. I'll not go into the details of the wedding or the reception but I will say this... They seem to be very happy and I am happy for them.

I went to Connecticut to visit fam there and picked up my niece and nephew who I haven't seen in YEARS and took them to see this new movie called Drumline. We had a good time. I really will try to keep better contact with them. They're beautiful kids and of course growing up so fast. Its funny when you are young it seems like you'll never get old and when your older it seems like youth is so fleeting...I know I'm getting to be a senior citizen when I'm contemplating the pace of youth!

It is now 5:35AM and I have been awake since about 2AM. My body still thinks I'm in the US. Its a good thing we have a long holiday weekend so that I can work on my sleep schedule. I still haven't unpacked completely so I guess I'll work on that. I still don't have any water since the water froze in my pipes while I was gone. Well actually it froze in the water supply not in the actual pipe but none the less I have no water and no toilet in my apt. I brushed my teeth and washed my face with bottle water which is also cold because of the temp in the kitchen. My supervisor said they would come back around 9AM to work on it. We'll see how that works out. I might have to go to a friend's house this weekend if they don't fix it soon because I will not be running to the neighbors house to pee and shower all weekend.