Yesterday my post came a bit too soon - we went out for dinner at a family restaurant next to the hotel in Chicago and I had an amazing Bacon Blue Cheese Burger, which was too good not to post:
There was a brief foreshadowing power outage. The rest of the night was a food-induced-coma-blur.
Today began with continental breakfast and a realization that I adore early mornings: sunshine, coffee, and alone time to reflect and begin my day. I hijacked some peanut butter to bring to Japan too (pictured below with my loon that makes dinosaur noises):
We attended an orientation where we were given our passports and some information and advice. "Please be prepared. Please be flexible," Yasuhiko Kamada, director of the Japan Information Center in Chicago urged. Allen Kidd, President of the Association of Indiana Teacher of Japanese, taught me the power of group shame when he asked a series of questions where you were expected to raise your hand if, "you have been to Japan?" nope. "have studied Japanese in high school? college?" crap. and he went on to say, to those people, "You will be prepared." Well, guess I'm out of luck. I don't already know everything and I have a lot to learn and gain. Why wasn't that a thing to raise your hand for?
Then the power went out. In the entire hotel. We begin to sweat in our business suits. Seriously, my table of 4 people went through 2 pitchers of water. However, this outage proved to me the importance of adaptability in teaching - Mr. Kidd just went with it. Kudos, guy.
After the orientation we had a dinner/reception and I was able to meet some more Hokkaido JETs and chat with the "editor, writer, photographer, and janitor" at The Chicago Shimpo, the Japanese American newspaper. She interviewed me and a few others at my table, took down my name, and gave me her business card in order to contact her with stories and pictures from Japan!
Then there was the "nijikai" (or, afterparty). I had been to a "bounenkai" (Forgot the Year Gathering) and "shinnenkai" (New Year's Gathering) with the Japan America Society of Minnesota, and so basically I love anything that ends in -kai, I think. The folks from the Chicago JETAA put together a great shindig, with appetizers, big projector of the Olympic opening ceremonies, and lots of alumnis there to give advice.
Some more socializing later, my introverted self is inhaling, back alone in my room. Highlight of the day, my photo with JET extraordinaire Tony Kim:
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