Just when I was thinking "man, first graders are kind of out of control and don't want to sit still for 5 minutes," I get news that made me worry even more: I'm teaching pre-school twice a month.
Pre-school kids. Learning English. They probably can barely write their own names in their native language, and I'm going to be teaching them how to introduce themselves to a foreigner. Weird right?
I started my first pre-school class with some simple color cards, thinking it'd take the whole period for them to learn 7 or 8 basic colors, and be able to say and recognize them. Imagine my surprise when they stood up and said "hello, my name is riku/momo/ryosuke/whatever." They knew every color I had without so much as me having to prompt them with the first letter, something that about half of the first graders I've had so far haven't been able to do. Hell, I'm using the same games with second graders at one of my schools.
Anyway, I ran a few games with them and by the end, pretty much all of them knew when I was trying to trick them (say by holding up a yellow card and shouting out black) and they self-governed themselves during the game. The only thing that separated them from first and second graders was their propensity to get even louder, especially when doing jan ken (paper, rock, scissors) when there was a tie. Plus, I swear the cuteness levels here could kill a lesser person.
The only thing that threw me today in that class was when a little girl starting pointing at my crotch and saying the Japanese equivalent of wee wee (chin-chin)...that was a bit odd.
September 30, 2008
September 29, 2008
Cold
Good lord, it only took a week for the temperature to fall from about 24 to about 17 C, or from about 75 to just over 60. I actually have to wear pants to bed and use my blankets for once. I`m happy to have the humidity gone, but I haven`t seen the sun in a couple of days and it`s a bit odd to see your breath in September...to me anyways. This SoCal kid is going to have an interesting winter.
In other news, me and a couple of American friends spent a night in the mountains bbq`ing, drinking and goofing around with about 45 Japanese kids, all connected by this guy in my taiko group. We played cards (friend taught them Kings, a drinking game), talked, ate (not enough, for me anyways), and just generally goofed off until about 4 in the morning. My buddy was a big hit with the ladies, and I managed to get a few laughs out of people, which always makes me happy. I`m hoping the longer I`m here, the more I get to do random stuff like this with people around my age. It`s nice to just talk to young people, especially girls, since the other JETs are mainly guys and I don`t see most of them much.
I also received my self-sent care package, full of jackets, books, shoes and Tapatio. The tapatio didn`t go over too well with the Japanese folks at the BBQ, but I know I was happy to see it. The jackets are coming in handy, but my big overcoat might not get used too much. This is more of a layers country, with temperature varying wildly between rooms and floors in my school, let alone buildings and inside vs. outside.
In other news, me and a couple of American friends spent a night in the mountains bbq`ing, drinking and goofing around with about 45 Japanese kids, all connected by this guy in my taiko group. We played cards (friend taught them Kings, a drinking game), talked, ate (not enough, for me anyways), and just generally goofed off until about 4 in the morning. My buddy was a big hit with the ladies, and I managed to get a few laughs out of people, which always makes me happy. I`m hoping the longer I`m here, the more I get to do random stuff like this with people around my age. It`s nice to just talk to young people, especially girls, since the other JETs are mainly guys and I don`t see most of them much.
I also received my self-sent care package, full of jackets, books, shoes and Tapatio. The tapatio didn`t go over too well with the Japanese folks at the BBQ, but I know I was happy to see it. The jackets are coming in handy, but my big overcoat might not get used too much. This is more of a layers country, with temperature varying wildly between rooms and floors in my school, let alone buildings and inside vs. outside.
September 18, 2008
A-noid
It's funny how your life can change when you don't have internet at home. I've found myself spending a hell of a lot more money outside the house, doing things like shopping or eating out almost every single day. I've also been working out a lot more, playing basketball like 4 times a week, and traveling whenever I don't have work. The apartment is cleaner than my one in LA ever was, and I do things like hang up clothes right after I get back from the laundromat.
On a related note, here's a list of things that have been annoying me lately:
1) No internet at home. Obviously I like to be able to respond to email in a timely manner, but the biggest thing has been my inability to share pictures...at all. No uploading to websites, no attaching to email, nothing. At work, every site I use is blocked, even when I bring in my own laptop. I have this expensive camera and have taken over 2000 photos already (record is 888 in one day), and no way of showing them to anyone unless they're near my laptop.
2) Spiderwebs. I walk into a spider web at least once a day, often in the same place...my stairwell. It baffles me how a place where people walk every day has spider webs that span the width of the walkway...those are some quick-workin spiders.
3) Tiny bugs. Small enough to fit through the mesh screen that goes over my windows. I'm afraid I'm going to inhale one. Or that I already have.
4) Driving 30 minutes to the gym. I still go at least 2 or 3 times a week, but it's annoying. The gym closes at 9, so last entrance is 8:15. They're closed on Mondays. I was spoiled by the 24 hour fitness 2 minutes from my parents' house or 10 minutes from my apartment.
5) Not being able to find clothes. It's not that I can't find proper sizes...there's actually a fair amount of large clothing in my area...it's that the stuff is just silly looking. I like an Engrish shirt as much as the next guy, but I'm not paying 20 bucks for it.
6) ATM fees. Imagine going to your OWN bank at 4:30pm and having to pay $1 to pull money out of an ATM. Imagine having to pay those fees at any time on the weekend. Imagine a country that still rarely uses credit cards. Imagine your bank being open from 9-3 on weekdays, and not opening on weekends. Awesome.
That's all. It's said that every JET loves a good whining session. My life here is actually pretty good, but it's when things are mainly going well that you notice the bad more easily. I've been eating better, getting tons of exercise, getting good lessons in taiko, traveling a bit, and saving money. I just need to find something to do in town on a weekend night besides play darts and meet more young Japanese folks, and I'll be set.
On a related note, here's a list of things that have been annoying me lately:
1) No internet at home. Obviously I like to be able to respond to email in a timely manner, but the biggest thing has been my inability to share pictures...at all. No uploading to websites, no attaching to email, nothing. At work, every site I use is blocked, even when I bring in my own laptop. I have this expensive camera and have taken over 2000 photos already (record is 888 in one day), and no way of showing them to anyone unless they're near my laptop.
2) Spiderwebs. I walk into a spider web at least once a day, often in the same place...my stairwell. It baffles me how a place where people walk every day has spider webs that span the width of the walkway...those are some quick-workin spiders.
3) Tiny bugs. Small enough to fit through the mesh screen that goes over my windows. I'm afraid I'm going to inhale one. Or that I already have.
4) Driving 30 minutes to the gym. I still go at least 2 or 3 times a week, but it's annoying. The gym closes at 9, so last entrance is 8:15. They're closed on Mondays. I was spoiled by the 24 hour fitness 2 minutes from my parents' house or 10 minutes from my apartment.
5) Not being able to find clothes. It's not that I can't find proper sizes...there's actually a fair amount of large clothing in my area...it's that the stuff is just silly looking. I like an Engrish shirt as much as the next guy, but I'm not paying 20 bucks for it.
6) ATM fees. Imagine going to your OWN bank at 4:30pm and having to pay $1 to pull money out of an ATM. Imagine having to pay those fees at any time on the weekend. Imagine a country that still rarely uses credit cards. Imagine your bank being open from 9-3 on weekdays, and not opening on weekends. Awesome.
That's all. It's said that every JET loves a good whining session. My life here is actually pretty good, but it's when things are mainly going well that you notice the bad more easily. I've been eating better, getting tons of exercise, getting good lessons in taiko, traveling a bit, and saving money. I just need to find something to do in town on a weekend night besides play darts and meet more young Japanese folks, and I'll be set.
September 2, 2008
Dangers of Elementary School: Kancho
I assume this will be the first in a series of posts about the pitfalls of teaching young Japanese kids. The rumors I`ve heard have varied from hilarious to slightly gross, and I`m going through my days with my head on a swivel.
For those who have never heard of kancho, here`s your info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kancho
Anyone who`s been in Japan for a little while has either seen or experienced this first hand. It`s annoying, but certainly less painful than a ball tap.
Today was my first day playing with the kids, and I got one within about 5 minutes of stepping onto the field. A group of 5 boys surrounded me, asking me questions and telling me to play soccer when BAM, one slipped past my novice-level guard. I scolded him, but I doubt these kids will ever heed my reprimands.
On another note, it`s a good thing I started working out again. 15 minutes of soccer, then 10 minutes of a school dance had me sweating something fierce, and the school year is just starting. I`m sure it`ll be different when it cools down, but now I see why the younger teachers wear those dri-fit clothes that whisk moisture away from your body when exercising.
For those who have never heard of kancho, here`s your info http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kancho
Anyone who`s been in Japan for a little while has either seen or experienced this first hand. It`s annoying, but certainly less painful than a ball tap.
Today was my first day playing with the kids, and I got one within about 5 minutes of stepping onto the field. A group of 5 boys surrounded me, asking me questions and telling me to play soccer when BAM, one slipped past my novice-level guard. I scolded him, but I doubt these kids will ever heed my reprimands.
On another note, it`s a good thing I started working out again. 15 minutes of soccer, then 10 minutes of a school dance had me sweating something fierce, and the school year is just starting. I`m sure it`ll be different when it cools down, but now I see why the younger teachers wear those dri-fit clothes that whisk moisture away from your body when exercising.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
