It Didn't Suck.

My assessment of KobeConference: well, it didn't suck! This year felt a lot more productive than last year did. At no point did I actively wish to remove my eyeballs with my pencil point. They actually responded to a lot of last year's issues about both the conference and the JET experience as a whole. They tried to seminar up some teacher training, and there was a lot more group discussion, a lot less two-hours-of-the-same-demonstration-fifteen-times.

So that was, for the most part, an unexpected success.

As for what I hoped to get out of KobeConference, that too was greatly successful.

I got to wear "professional" looking clothes that hadn't been worn in quite some time. Including one outfit which, I kid you not, I've kept for like ten years (then brought to Japan?) with the intention of playing dress-up. Or professional conference. Whatever.

Kobe is a pretty cool city. It's international without being insanely huge; it's pretty, and there are things to do.

One of the views from our KobeConference venue:

From 2010_11_18

On the streets Thursday night:

From 2010_11_18

Just like home:

From 2010_11_18

Also, as you may be aware (unless you live under a rock in a cave under the sea), Harry Potter opened on Friday, November 19th, so M and I spent our lunch hour running back to Sannomiya to secure tickets for that night's show. It was worth the scolding for being late...

Being more international than Shiso means Kobe has a wider variety of food choices. Like this tasty Spanish joint, which was a bit pricey because it was in the building where our movie was going to be. Priorities, people.

From 2010_11_19

The movie itself was, of course, nothing short of wonderful. As a new record, I was in tears in the first four minutes.

Yes that's a Gryffindor tie on Miriam. And a full-scale Ravenclaw getup on yours truly... Caito has a time-turner, and Kameron's in Slytherin sweater disguise.

From 2010_11_19

Finally, our post-conference proximity to Kobe-Sanda outlets made for a beautiful and exhausting day of shopping until we died of our wounds. My favorite purchases were a sweater approximately the color of my soul (to replace the scarf the actual color of my soul which I bought in Florence and then lost sometime after), and a beautiful long black coat that I have not worn out yet because even though it's cold, it's not THAT damn cold yet.



It looks even better on me than on this hanger..!