Tokyo - a great start!

Two weeks, that is all it has been in this amazing city, but I have done and seen so much and feel so at home.

The full complement of teachers begin tomorrow and I am positive about the prospect as we have a great leadership team. We have shared many a laugh and have the same outlook on education so that is very exciting.  One highlight was a trip to our sister schools two hours north of Tokyo. It was great to see the countryside and also be treated to a very traditional lunch. 

I have found an apartment that I like and will be able to move in at the end of August. It is brand new, has a great outlook over greenery and is a ten minute walk from school. In the meantime, it is very nice being able to stay with my brother and sister-in-law; also a ten minute walk from school.

 

A day on the hop-on-hop-off bus today, enabled all us newbies to get a sense of the city outside our immediate area. We enjoyed visiting a traditional shrine, plus the port area with its 'beach', funky architecture and lunch at a pirate restaurant. (The only restaurant without a queue).

Of course I have done my own explorations, and I am loving the blend of parks, and the bustling cityscape. But, there a few unique facts of the city that I am still getting used to: the quiet - especially on my eaarly morning walks, plus the long rotation of the traffic lights and waiting for the 'green man' to cross the road. (I have only been told off once, for crossing against the lights on a backstreet, with not a car in sight!)

I also experienced my first little earthquke today and there is a typhoon on its way later this week, so there is never a dull moment! Luckily, the heat/humidity is not an issue, when comparing it to Vietnam, so overall - life is good!

Photos of my first adventures in Tokyo