Icciv's notes in Japan

Party Planning!

I have never been much of an organiser. In university everything was left to the last minute, with events being organised a mere frantic hour beforehand. I only started packing for Japan the night before I was leaving. However, things seem to have changed since I came here, I have become an organising freak! When I say this, I only mean in regard to my social life. Rest assured that my house is still the reliable scatty mess my room at home has always been, and that my work, study and activities are only just managed. My social life however, thats firmly under control.

Last week me and Catherine decided to have a get together on the island. A good chance to catch up after christmas holidays and to break up the long winter. We held two Goto events last year, and they must have been successful as so far 19 people are heading our way this Saturday. The large numbers have meant that we can't eat out anywhere, as no where is big enough, so we've sorted platters of meat and fish. We've organised places to sleep, pick-up points, petrol payments and food, there was just one thing left...a party theme!

When the bulb above my head flashed 'games evening' I must have been blinded by it's light. It seemed a great idea, we could play pictionary and charades! It wouldn't take long to think of other games, we're all enthuthiastic, hard-working ALT's. Ideas would come flooding in, the party would be game-tastic! How wrong I was! The only game suggestions came from George, and though we all carefully considered them, the Rubber Chicken Caper murder mystery game sounded a little over exciting for our guests. I was forced to pull some games together, throw in some ideas, and this is the pathetic (and yet maybe fun) array of games I found;

1. Say the sentence.

This 'fun game' involves everyone recieving a silly sentence, like "Sheep are great, and fluffy". They have to say this sentence 3 times without being spotted before the evening is out. The last person to say their sentences is given an exciting dare!

2. Celebrity Couples

In this game everyone is given one half of a celebrity couple on their back. They must find their partner before the evening is over with the help of other guests. The last pair get a hilarious dare to do together!

3. Wink murder

We all played this at school. One person kills everyone with a mere wink, and the detective must find who the winker is in three guesses and before everyone dies! What fun!

4. Socks and gloves.

A pile of socks is placed in the centre of the room. A representative from each group has to wear a blindfold, and some odd gloves. They must then put on as many socks as possible. The person with the most socks wins! This game does actually appeal to me, I laughed in the staffroom while reading the game description with images of people trying to put my knee socks on!

5. Pub Quiz

Construct a pub quiz for everyone to do. Complete with a picture round (my favourite part of the quiz in the Fynach!) I'm seriously considering this option, a quiz is always fun and not quite as stupid as the games I have already suggested.

Thats all I found, and these games are rather lame. As young as we all behave, I'm not sure everyone will be overly excited about wink murder or Sentence fun. I have a feeling people will end up acting like 3rd grade JHS students, a little too grown up to wear gloves and cut chocolate into small peices.

So, you can see my situation, with 2/3 games that seem suitable (but may I add some people have already complained charades will be far too shameful to participate (JEN)) which other ones do I use? I seriously need some help! If my fellow ALT party goers are not going to help me then maybe my blog readers will! Comments, emails, suggestions please!

In other news, I've mainly been at shogakko this week as my JTE is absent. It's been great fun, and I played my first game of baseball. My favourite thing about shogakko is that a child always adopts me for games etc. I think its so sweet, and also needed as I rarely no whats going on! I've also been given a giant dice, yey!

Anyway, back to party planning...please send me your ideas!

posted by Icciv @ 10:45 am