Koalas and Turtles: Turtles Family

Tuesday, 7 December 2010

Catch up

Hi
Let's catch up on life for Koala and Turtle.
Since our last post a lot has happened.

RETURN TO OZ

Koala went back to Oz for a visit in March 2008 for a number or reasons.
1) My best friends wedding. Congrats Kerrie and John.
2) My sisters 21st birthday. Congrats Leanne.

Kerrie and John

Family and friends

Best friends

Singing a song for our little sister

My beautiful baby sister - Leanne

Dancing queens

HERE are some more photos of my time in OZ

HEALTH

When I came back to Japan I took a huge life changing step and I quit drinking alcohol. YES, I quit drinking on May 2nd, 2008. I spent 2-3 months going to AA meetings to help me quit and I haven't had a drop since. Thanks a million to everyone, especially my amazing husband aka Turtle, who supported me during this tough transition. It is the best thing I have ever done and I hope I can stick to it. One day at a time they say, but I do hope and believe that I will never drink again.
We have had a bad run with the flu and some injuries in 2010 but nothing too major.

KYOTO TRIP and HOKKAIDO TRIP

We also went to Kyoto in May 2008 for a few days. Poor Turtle had a broken foot, and Koala almost had a broken back from pushing him in a wheelchair around Kyoto.lol

Ready for our journey.

Crutch-man

Camera on Wheels

My favorite temple

Turtles like it too

Kinkakiji - Golden Temple

In Feb 2009 we went to the Sapporo Snow festival in Hokkaido. The best holiday in my life so far.

Airport

OTARU

Making friends

Igloo

Snow luv

Turtle needed a cold drink

Snow boat- this was so much fun

Build a snowman

Snowman land

Frosty is born

Working it

Snow Sculptures

MORE PHOTOS here

WORK

At the same time I started a new job at Chit Chat Cafe English school where I was the only teacher for close to a year for all adult, kids and baby classes- this was a tough but very educational and growing experience. Thank you Natalie and Mika, I could learn a lot from both of you and now have my own school called Koala Kim's English in Haruhino.

WE MOVED

In August 2009 we moved from our apartment in Chiyogaoka to a brand new terrace house in Haruhino. Still renting.
We moved so that we could start Koala Kim's English. Our friend is the headmaster of Haruhino Junior High school, and he recommended that we move to Haruhino.
We have been here 16 months and are a part of the community. Koala volunteers twice a week at the school, runs English book reading classes 4 times a month at the community center and teaches English in our new home. We love living in Haruhino, it is a new area with lots of open space and everyone is very friendly.

VISITORS

During this time we had Gavin visit us from the Sunshine Coast; Simon, Sam and Sylvie from Byron Bay; and Jak from Brisbane. They stayed with us in Chiyogoaka.

My cousin, Molly, from Ireland had a 8 hour wait at Narita Airport. So we picked her up, went to a Temple, had lunch and dropped her back.
We also met up with Joanne, Kevin and their 3 boys in Tokyo for a day.

Ayako from Kyoto, Darlene and Brad from the Gold Coast, Cedric from France, Leanne and Sarah from Brisbane, Jake form Brisbane and Koalas parents from Brisbane have stayed with us in Haruhino.

Here are just a few of our visitors

Jake

Leanne and Sarah

Molly

Jak

Ayako

PETS

Big Fella- the Turtle, and Orange guy and Red guy - the Newts came with us from the old place to Haruhino.

Koala- the Guinea pig joined our family in December 2009.

Bic- the Dog is still at Turtles parents house.

Sasha- the Cat passed away in Australia at a ripe old age of 17 yrs. RIP my beautiful Sasha

FAMILIES

Both of our families have had a few health problems but everyone is ok at the moment :-)Koalas Parents and sister came for a visit, now we are waiting on Otooto Kevin to come and see our new place. Hint Hint

TURTLE

Turtle has been studying hard and passed a few English exams this year - congratulations. His English is so good now.

Now he is my right hand man in running Koala Kim's English. We both work other jobs too, but Turtle really puts in long hours and is a champion.
Lucky me:-)

Hopefully he will add something to this blog for our Japanese readers- hint hint.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT TO LET US KNOW IF ANYONE OUT ThERE IS READING OUR BLOG :-)

That's all for now. Bye

Tuesday, 29 April 2008

2008 - first visitors from Oz- Part 1

Back in January we had our first visitors. Ryan (Mac), Sarah and Wilson (Sarah's bump) came from Oz and stayed with us for a few days on their way to the snow in Niseko.
It was fantastic fun and guys you can stay with us any time. Not sure our neighbours will be too keen. Lets just say that the 4.2 of us were snoring loud enough to drown out the guy down stairs. Of course lots of beers, food, fun and sights will do that.

January 16th
We met them at the platform of the Narita Express.

Sarah, Turtle and Mac at Shinjuku Station

Sarah, Koala and Mac at Shinjuku Station

We then headed through Kabuki-cho, the Red Light District, where we bumped into some interesting characters.

Ryan and Sarah pose with a new half Onigiri (a transgender person dressed up as a riceball)

Final destination, Ikkyu, an Izakaya (restaurant/bar) that's a favourite with uni students. Cheap prices and big serves.

Ryan got to drink beer on the train.....

.....and Sarah quickly becomes one of the locals.

January 17th
The next day took a walk around the neighborhood. I love taking visitors for a walk to the end of our street and showing them this

GoJuuNoTo 5 story pagoda at Korinji temple

GoJuuNoTo 5 story pagoda and headstones at Korinji temple

Main temple at Kourinji temple

Mac and Sarah at Korinji temple in Chiyogaoka

Sarah using an Oke -bucket and hishaku-scoop to clean the headstones

We then went to the local Cafe and encountered a Yakuza lunch meeting. I am serious!! Sorry no pictures for obvious reasons. After a feed we hoped on the trains and headed to Asakusa.