Super Monday!

Today was just awesome. I felt great!

The day started off ok - I was really tired and sort of stumbled around and left my place forgetting to pull out chicken to make some curry for my meals to take to school. I remembered that at school. *facepalm*

In any case, I got to the school and got upstairs and started getting ready for my classes. I was making copies to teach 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 7th period. Two third grade classes studying different material and 2 first grade classes (3rd and 7th). Then Fujieda-sensei found me and said 1st period had been cancelled. She said that they had to do exam preparation. "Oh ok. Should I still keep these copies for next time?" -"Yes." Then my other 3rd grade class got cancelled. I feel neutral about the whole thing. I love teaching but it's hard not to feel like you got a free pass when someone takes work away, lol. In any case, I am prepared for next week for them! Yatta!

So I dug in to wait for 3rd period. Then I discovered not working SUCKS. I don't have my schedule next week yet so I was sitting around and trying to find anything to do to look busy. Well, I prepared some things using the texts for "just in case." I thought about making all my copies for the week but I thought that might be a bad idea as I had walked in and had 2 classes cancelled out of the blue. I don't want to waste paper if possible. So I organized and reorganized my desk and I made some crossword puzzles. I think I am going to make a bunch of them and use them as fast finishers. Hopefully the kids will like them. It's a bit of a problem making them though as I'm not sure the common English words they learn. For example I started to make one on fruit and I stopped after listing 7-8 because I wasn't sure which they would know! I have proof of how tired I was! I wrote this (and I'll take a picture so you can see how squiffy my handwriting goes): holyfrak I'm exhausted and with nothing to do, I'll go mad! Well I might fall asleep on the job and that would be completely disastrous for both me and Interac. I feel like I'm perpetually in trouble here. I get here late because of the bus -- not sure if I'm forgiven though(scratched out t) fei(changed to an e)ls a little anti-Ann. =( Doin the best I cun (sloppy line across the u to make it an a) and falling asleep doing it. Oh man I'm exhausted past the ribs! Yeesh." LOL The handwriting at the end looks all small and crooked. I finally got up and went to the bathroom. I didn't really have to go but it gave me an excuse to walk (I'm becoming a floor toilet pro, btw). Here's that note:

Sleepy note

So, YAY! I was invited to be in the yearbook. I'm in! :D I'm hoping since I'm in, there will be a way I can buy one. I'm teaching every student in the school eventually so I really want a copy! I'll see if I can get one.

The classes I taught went really well. One class cheated on their worksheet (showed each other the answers rather than asking.. doh - luckily I had enough other stuff on the worksheet). I hope they all enjoyed it. It's a verb sheet, but I tried to make it funny/fun. Anyway the classes were great.

I helped the kids clean up at the end of the day (as I always do) and then I asked Fujieda-sensei about "Otsukare sama deshita" - It's a goodbye but she couldn't give me a direct translation. In any case, she taught me how to say, "I'm going to visit the clubs!" So I used it but people looked at me funny so I think I learned it wrong. :/ I ran into some girls in the hall and used my phrase and they were like, "Crabbu??" And invited me to go to theirs. So I showed them my feet (I needed to get my outside shoes). They laughed at me and I met them outside.

I went to Brass Band club! It was so cool! The girl sitting next to me was playing the Euphonium. She asked if I had ever seen one before and I said, "Yes in a movie!" She's never seen Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. Also, it was really hard for her to say. Oops! There were 2 trumpeters, 2 girls on clarinet, a tenor sax player, a tuba player (who was only 2 feet taller than the tuba!), 2 girls on mallets/drums, a flautist, a french horn player, and an alto sax player. They were all girls and man they were TALENTED. I was awed and it was so cool to listen to them warm up and practice. They were really excited that I knew all the instruments (except for the Euphonium - I recognized it but didn't remember the name!). They chatted with me and I made them laugh and told them my family members who had played their various instruments. Then came, "How many brothers and sisters do you have?" Uh.. a lot. :) I had to leave while they were practicing to catch the bus but I think it will make a big difference that I am going to these various clubs. I really do think I have amazing students and hopefully this will also allow me to learn some names! I LOVE technology. It lets me stay in contact with close friends and family (mmm).

I caught the bus home and as soon as I got in I put submerged the chicken package in cold water to thaw. I then made and ate dinner and read a book. I just finished making spicy chicken curry and am letting it cool so I can use my one medium saucepan to cook some rice over which to pour the curry. I'm excited to try it as it's the spiciest one you can get! :D

Anyway, waiting for the bus at the school some students passed me and said, "You look happy!" -"I AM happy!" And I thought about that on the bus. I AM happy. I love teaching. I loved spending time with the Brass Band. I just felt so empowered and successful and happy. I'm so grateful for that feeling. :)

Funny moments:

Man the photographer was CONFUSING. He would tip his hand one way so I would lean my head that way and he would say something at me in Japanese and tip it the other way so I would tip my head the other way. Then he would say something in Japanese at me. It must have looked like I was dancing moving my head back and forth and back and forth! Make up your mind! He then took 3 pictures. Those of you who have taken pictures of me probably suspect the same thing as me: my eyes were closed. I am REALLY good at blinking right when a picture is taken!

The girls who invited me to their club, one of them, (finally!) asked my age. "Watashi ha san ju sai desu." Ya, they didn't believe me! I guess it's flattering but my students think I added years to my age! Is that a thing in Japan?? LOL It's funny to me that they think I padded my age and lied to them.

XOXO, A