brussels and its love for comics.

Just a few of many comic murals located around the city of Brussels.

brussels!

Continuing on with my 2011-2012 winter vacation photos, I took a morning bus from Amsterdam to Brussels. I think the bus ride was about three hours long. It wasn't really a comfortable ride because the bus wasn't spacious at all... then again, the one-way ticket cost me 18 euros. 

I was pretty clueless at to which train station to get off at in Brussels. The bus stopped at three main train stations in the city, but I didn't know that, so I got off at the first train station it stopped at, which was Brussels Nord. Let's just say that I must have spent close to an hour trying to figure out where to go. I found out that I needed to get to Brussels Midi, where my bed & breakfast hotel was located. I finally arrived at the hotel at around 6PM and it was already pretty late. After checking in and tossing my luggage aside and I wondered around the nearby area for about an hour or two. I had dinner at some burger place and called it a night afterwards.

I only had the following day to check out the city before heading off the Ghent the next morning. I was out of the hotel by 9AM and came back about twelve hours later. I was able to see only a few tourist sites, but I was pretty satisfied with what I accomplished in only one day.

Oh... drivers in Brussels are CRAZY!! There's no regard to pedestrians at all.

Brussels, Belgium

January 2 - 4 2012

a weekend with GLAY

Well, hello there everyone! I haven't updated this blog for about three weeks. I hate to say it, but I've just gotten lazy. Teaching elementary students is exhausting. Most of the younger kids (mainly first and second graders) are way too hyper in class. Thankfully, I teach first to fourth graders only once a month; fifth to sixth graders are taught every week (Japanese ES include 1st to 6th grades). And mind you, I work at four ES. Oh well, overall, it's not too bad.

Anyways! This past weekend, I went to Tokyo to see... GLAY!!! My utmost favorite Japanese band EVER! You can even say that they are my favorite band PERIOD! I love these guys so~ much!! I saw them on their HIGHCOMMUNICATIONS tour at the famed NIPPON BUDOKAN and it was fantastic!! 

A few facts about GLAY:

• The group was formed in 1988 and debuted in 1995.
• The name "GLAY" comes from the English word "gray". It's meant to describe their music.
• They are the 7th best selling artist in Japan.
• All four main members are ages 39-40.
• In 1999, their "GLAY Expo '99" concert attracted more than 200,000 people!

They will be holding a stadium concert for two days in Osaka. You can bet that I'll be there for both days!!

Below, is the music video to their 42nd single, "everKrack." I love this song and video so much. It's definitely on some crack! It was written and composed by the lead guitarist, Hisashi, who happens to be a total geek. A lovable one at that!

all settled in...

Well, it's been a little more than a week since I moved up from Miyazaki prefecture. My new apartment is much, much smaller than my previous "house" in the Miyazaki countryside. The exchange isn't too bad because I live within walking distance of everything: convenience stores, department stores, a park, a train station, etc. So, I can't really complain.


I currently work at four elementary schools. I'm little disappointed because I really wanted to work at junior high schools. Working with younger kids requires too much energy... energy that I don't have, but the kids are cute. My first day was this past Friday. Looking forward to visiting the other schools next week!

Spring is finally here! The sakura trees are out in full force in my new city!