My First Cosplay!

Firstly, I'd just like to say that cosplaying is FUN!!

 I've always fancied it and with my imminent departure I figured Manchester MCM Expo would be my last chance in a while.

I chose Grell because, as I think I have made quite clear, I LOVE GRELL! (plus it seemed like a fairly easy start, even if I do have a degree in costume design.)

I was pretty happy with my final outcome. I made my waistcoat, coat and neck-tie from scratch and I was really happy that I managed to get the right fabrics (especially the stripes). I think the wig could do with being styled slightly more but tbh, I'm not a serious cosplayer so this will do for now.

I stole Michaela's scissors as I forgot mine!

I did get quite a lot of attention but it was really different to what you get when you're in loli. In Lolita, people take photos because you're exciting or exotic or prettty and it's purely aesthetic. Cosplayers get photographed by 'fans'. Literally, I had young girls 'fangirling' over me and I've never been asked for hugs from strangers so much in my life! It's so nice when people know who you are and compliment your outfit but after a while you do feel a pressure to become the character.
I don't have the right attitude to be Grell and my acting abilities don't quite cover it so maybe I'll work up to that but I would definitely cosplay again!

All photos courtesy of the wonderful Intrinsically Florrie

One does not simply walk to Zombie School. Oh, wait.....

On  slightly happier, less TEFL note I attended Zombie School yesterday. SUCH FUN!!!!!!!!!

Has anyone else heard of the game 2.8 Hours Later? This involves running around a live city late at night trying to reach certain check points without being attacked by a horde of blood thirsty zombies. Sounds pretty epic yet amazingly terrifying at the same time!
I've never actually played but I was in Leeds City Centre one night last year when it was being played and man, did it look fun! So this year I applied to be a zombie and surprisingly I got an invite to Zombie School.

I don't want to wreck the façade for people who are playing but safe to say that that zombies get fully trained!! I now know various zombie walking styles, how to turn corners, how to run whilst screaming and how to balance a lemon on a wooden spoon whilst zombi-ing! Most importantly however, ZOMBIES DO NOT RUN IN THE ROAD!!
I am massively excited for the actual event. I'll hopefully be doing the Thursday and Friday (and then off to a battle royale themed night out on Saturday - fake blood galore!) so it's going to be a tiring couple of days but worth it!

So if you're in Leeds City Centre on the 24th, 25th, 26th and 27th of July between 5-11.30, just be careful!

Watch out Okayama, the Brits are invading!

So, since my last post quite a lot has changed.
I manned up. I spoke to my friend who has been TEFL teaching for 3 years now and she calmed me down a bit. Her experiences sound mainly positive and fun; you wouldn't do something like that for 3 years if you didn't enjoy it. She's had her challenges but she's overcome them.
Soon after this meeting I got a phone call and was offered a placement in Okayama City.

Okayama is in the South of Japan, about 3 hours from Kyoto and 4 from Tokyo (on the Shinkansen). My schools, apparently mainly elementary (primary), would be in Okayama City so I wouldn't be stuck in the middle of nowhere! I have also recently found out that one of the girls I kept in contact with from my interview will also be in Okayama City. This has proved the most successful in calming me down!

I have also been put in contact with a friend of a friend (of a friend) who is from Ehime, literally just across the water from Okayama. She in turn has introduced me to her friend in Kyoto who sounds lovely and also enjoys Lolita fashion. So I have contacts and friends there now. Literally, my only worry now is the actual teaching. Having attempted a grammar test on the Interac website and not even finnishing in the allotted time has massively scared me. I really hope I am in elementary schools, not ridiculous tenses there!

My date for arrival is currently the 12th August. So soon!! I was hoping for later August  but never mind. I am slowly becoming more excited. I really hope I'll be OK!