Back from Nakashibetsu!
So the conference I went to (did I even mention that here?) turned out to be super fun. I got to meet a bunch of great teachers who spoke very good English, as well as some really nice ALTs, and had a good time with everyone!
I also got to try “milky ramen,” which looked like this:
…and tasted deeelicious! Unfortunately not pictured was our amazing dinner from an INCREDIBLY good seafood restaurant. One of the supervisors proclaimed it the best seafood he had ever eaten in his LIFE (he was also obsessed with this “sea pineapple” stuff, which I assumed was something either like a sea cucumber or a tube worm, and the restaurant served that in huuuuge proportions). I really wish I had my camera or my phone, so I would have photos of the amazing food. It really was good… though I’ve decided that natto really isn’t for me.
Anyway, It was apparently one of the best conferences they’ve had, since everyone was super enthusiastic (we only had 9 teachers, 3 supervisors, and 3 of us ALTs, so it was easy to get to know everyone) and all the activities they had planned went REALLY well… even the debate we did. I HATE debating and they wanted us to do kind of a formal debate with Japanese teachers who didn’t know anything about debating… I’m honestly surprised that didn’t fail miserably. I wanted to cut my ALT friend during the whole thing, though… he actually did debate seriously in the past and was treating it half seriously, which means he had to be a bastard (requirement for winning debates).
SO IT WAS FUN! My friend and I even bummed a ride back to Kushiro in the process (though we had already paid for our return bus tickets… oh well). And I got some cellphone numbers from the young teachers, with promises that they will call me if they ever set foot in Kushiro (okay, maybe I didn’t get the latter… should’ve made them pinky-swear). I even learned a thing or two!
Good use of a couple of days… tomorrow is back to work!
