A Whole Mess of Stuff

Well this week has been a crazy week. This week was Hip Hip Hooray Happy Birthday USA Week, which was super awkward at times. Don't get me wrong, Josh did a great job at programming and scheduling for the week, but there is definitely a problem when half of your students are from Japan and don't give a hoot about America. I didn't get any pictures of the decorations this week because Amber is a camera failure, but it was a pretty great week decoration-wise. There were just moments where the kids would be a little lost because they don't necessarily know the states in the U.S. or they don't want to sing "God Bless the U.S.A" which I completely agree is ridiculous. On a military base this may be a little more appropriate, but in an embassy where they accept people who are japanese, this way be a little overboard.

So the field trip we went on this week was to Summerland Water park, where I had to cover up my tattoo before being let into the park. This is a strange tradition about Japan, tattoos really are not accepted here at all. you can't get into bath houses and its harder for you to get health and life insurance. It's very odd how this society feels towards tattoos. Lucky that I can just cover up mine with a band aid. it just makes me feel awkward because I know that my tattoo isn't very accepted here, but its definitely part of who I am.
The kids really loved the swim park though, and I got to go down one big slide with some of them which was really really fun.

So that was Wednesday. On Thursday I get a call saying one of the counselors from Tokyo American Club is sick and I have to go and fill in at the club for the day. So I rush to get dress, get my butt to the Subway and meet Melanie the other counselor. Two trains later, and we are at work. It takes her 45 minutes to get to work every single day. All of a sudden I was feeling very thankful for my one train stop commute. The Tokyo American Club is only about 20 kids, and has two counselors and one Japanese helper (he's awesome). Well Thursday is TAC's field trip day, so off I went on ANOTHER field trip, this time to Zoorasia, the zoo in Tokyo. It was pretty cool. rather reminiscent of San Diego's Zoo in how it was set up like a jungle.

But there is one thing at Zoorasia that is super duper awesome and that is a Ukapi. Check this out:

Half Giraffe and Half Zebra. It was really really cool and the kids really liked it. Changing sites for a day was definitely an experience because it showed me how much I really loved my site. I love having four other counselors with me. I love my kids even when they misbehave. The kids at TAC come from very very privileged families, and the kids know it. They are bratty and complain a lot. Although some of them had cute moments I found myself taking out my middle school teacher humor, something I have very rarely had to do at the Embassy. it wasn't as fun with them, but the experience was a good one.

So the end of the week came, and we lost a lot more kids. It is always so sad to see them go. I already know that being a teacher will be hard for me at the end of the year because it will be so hard to say goodbye to all my students.

I have found that a really hard part about being here is finding where you belong in a group of counselors. We all come from very different places and very different backgrounds and have very different expectations of how it all should go. Camp is fine...work is work. you put on a face and you are who you are underneath your camp name. But at the end of the day, who do you become? I know that I have been trying to please everyone since I got here. Sometimes it is just easier to give in and be accomodating and try just to make friends by not really being who you are. After a couple minor freakouts and angry moments I realized that while I like making new friends, I need to be myself. If they don't like me for who I am, that's ok...because I really do like who I am. I am Amber. I have a firm hand, an opinionated voice, a dirty mind and a big heart that has trouble letting people in. I am perfectly find just the way I am and I will not compromise myself for anyone.

That being said, I went to Tokyo Disneyland yesterday!

It was a lot like the disneyland in California, but I had so much fun. There were just six of us who went, which is the perfect Disneyland number and other than being exceedingly tired and a little sun burnt, it was an AWESOME day!!! We went on all the best rides and saw two parades. I got to see my favorite princess!!!

I love disneyland. It makes me feel like I am a kid again. It is one of hte few places in the world where I can't even attempt to be sad. It is just one exciting thing after another. Thanks to my dad, Disneyland has become one of my favorite places where the magic will live on for years to come.
All in all, this week has been extremely successful. I have had a lot of fun, but now it is time to recover and get going on my Camp Adventure HW (that's right, my HW).
Love to all of you whoever you may be!