Hisashiburi

Friday, June 9, 2006

Sorry for the long time between postings – I’ve been so tired this week, that I’ve hardly had the brain for being semi-witty or interesting. Monday evening, by a stroke of fate, a group of us ended up going out to eat, about a half hour from here. Good Times were had by all, but it meant not going to bed until around 11.

Tuesday I was at my LMS, but my teacher was absent, a strange thing in itself, as she looks forward to teaching with me (or so she says…. No, I believe her!) At any rate, there is this strange phenomenon in Japan where, when a teacher is absent, there is no substitute. I was recruited to teach two classes, plus the Special Ed class, which I always teach anyways. So Good Times were had with Abbey-sensei and the ichinensei, and Good Tunes were heard with the ninensei. That class was a little more complicated, but fortunately the social studies student teacher came and helped me out. Nice. We listened to Avril Lavigne’s “I’m With You.” They seemed to like it, but it was difficult for them.

Wednesday was my Stress Day, as I was at my LES. I always stress before going there, but then I have a great time and leave feeling awesome. Once again, one of the teachers was out for the day – on “business,” so the head teacher filled in for him. During hiruyasumi (afternoon recess) I had a meeting with Y-sensei, the 6th-grade teacher. It was kind of neat how, even though I knew about this meeting early on, there was no worrying to be had. I figured we could communicate somehow, and communicate we did. Same went for the meetings with the other teachers who know less English. Yesssss!

After school I ran into Y-sensei in the parking lot, with a little girl (not from the school) and her dad. They had whipped out the stilts, and of course I was asked “dekiru?” (Can you do it?) So I whipped out my Super Stilts Skills and tore it up. However, the way I did it was dubbed “American Style” by Y-sensei, and I was promptly shown “Japanese Style” by the little girl. About 56-times more difficult than American Style. At any rate, some Good Times were had and some good socializing was had with Y-sensei. He’s one of the two young teachers there, both of whom are neat, so I was glad to have an opportunity to interact with him outside the classroom. Between our “yatta” meeting and stilting, great strides were taken in the Young Japanese-American Relations Effort.

Wednesday I’d hoped to scope some Bleach on the TV that was lent to me, but no such luck. Unbeknownst to me you can’t just plug it in and catch TV waves from the antenna on the roof. No sir, you need a special cable. Today I’m supposed to be picking one up from SH who came by with ST to check out the situation after my Japanese lesson. They’re so good to me! Hopefully tonight I’ll be able to see the first World Cup game: Costa Rica vs. Germany. COSTAAAAAAAAAAAAA RRRICAAAAA!

Yesterday I was at CS3. It was a club day, but I only had the shorts I’d brought in case I went out at LES. It was a good thing I asked before changing because SH told me that they would be too short and “provocative” for JHS club activities. So I stayed in and went to Art Club where I was covertly drawn and where I covertly drew another girl.

After school we had our Second Weekly ALT Kaitenzushi Dinner, for some Good Times and to wish M-chan well on her trip home today. I tore up that kaitenzushi – I think I racked up 5 or 6 plates, including chocolate cake and pineapple, a record for me.

Japanese went well last night – I’d studied up quite a bit last weekend and yesterday at CS3. We also did some more complicated stuff, and I was so tired that we called it a night early.

Today I’m at Genki School, but the sannenseis aren’t here and the ninenseis have testing, and one of the ichinensei classes has an English test, so I’ve got two classes today, which leaves a whole lot of free time for studying Japanese and otherwise biding my time until my 4:00 meeting with the elementary school I’m visiting on Wednesday.

Well, time for the meeting. Sorry for the delayed, and subsequently long posting.