Deaf school days

Happy Birthday Jenelle!!! Hope it's amazing -- hear you're in the Bahamas... so ya... thanks for the invite! ;)

Oh man, today started out rather badly. Well, actually it started out great! I was able to sleep a little better. When I woke I told myself: trust your alarm clock. You'll wake up on time! (The source of my constant waking and the reason I've been up before my alarm everyday.) So today my alarm mostly woke me - I was in a twilight state. However, that is better than Mon-Thurs when I woke up 15-30 minutes before my alarm went off. So, I got up, got ready and I actually had 5 minutes extra time. It was nice and kind of strange. I haven't been rushing out of the door every morning like crazy, but I don't have time when I'm standing around with nothing to do. I had that this morning. It was a strange feeling. It was also an empowering feeling. "I won't be late or rushed today!" it said. Oh how the feelings lie. I walked to the bus station and waited for bus #4, as I had been instructed. As soon as it got there, I jumped on, ran my bus card through their machine and then went to the front to talk to the driver. (I'm a cautious person by nature). I asked him if I was on the bus that went near the Deaf school. He said no, *mini heart attack*, so I pulled out my bus schedule and showed it to him. He informed me that I was indeed on the wrong bus and that I needed to take the bus that had left 2 minutes earlier. I needed to be at the school by 8h20 and the next bus was at 8h15. *cue REAL heart attack* Oh man, it was awful. I wanted to cry. The office told us that we can get reimbursed for taxi rides but that we have to get them approved. So I called my branch manager and told him the bad news. At first he was like, "You missed your bus?" Then I said, "Well, yes but no. I got ON the bus I was told to take but the bus driver told me it's the wrong bus." He then asked to speak to someone at the bus station. Well, it was 7h25 and the station (the windows) wasn't open yet. So he asked me if I could find a taxi, I said yes as I was sure I could and headed to go across the street to the shopping center. Sure enough there was a giant line of taxis. When I got in I asked to be taken to the Choukaku Shien and the driver had NO idea where that was. Luckily Sato-san (the branch manager) was calling just then and I explained that the driver didn't know where to go and then handed my phone to the driver so that Sato-san could tell him where to go. The driver nodded and said, "Hai" a bunch and then gave me back my phone. Sato-san informed me he thought I would be on time but that he would call the school to let them know that I was on my way by taxi. -- That was really frustrating for me. And really when it comes down to it, if you're late it doesn't matter the reason. It's on you. The driver made me nervous that he wasn't going the right way, but eventually we got to the school and I paid for the ride ($40!). He gave me a receipt - I'm sure Sato-san told him to do so and thank goodness as it would be awful to have that rough a morning AND be out $40. In any case, I got to the school at 8h05 and all was well.

Well, when I got to the school they asked me what had happened, I explained and then they rushed me to a meeting that was already in progress. That was surprising to me as I had arrived on time but then the meeting had already started. *sigh* In any case, I gave a two-line introduction and watched the Japanese interpreter (as several of the instructors here are Deaf). After that I was taken back to my desk and sat through a HS teachers meeting. Then I gave out my omiyage to the HS teachers and made it down to the jhs teachers before I felt I should get back since I was teaching first period. I found out I have 4 students in each class. o.0 I wasn't expecting hundreds but for such a large facility it's very empty! I changed my introduction a little bit as I was told to speak slowly and loudly and clearly. I was also told that my first class was very low level. In any case, it was very different from Minami but I was pleased with the way things were going. I'm not sure the school's goals regarding English though so having them repeat after me and having them talk to one another made me wonder if I was helping them or not. Many Sim-Com'ed (signed while they spoke) so it makes me wonder if this is of any use to them at all. THEN, my worst moment this week. I made a student cry. It broke my heart into thousands of pieces. I wanted to cry with her. I asked for her question and she had not written one and the teacher told me afterwards, "It's ok. She hates English - she can't hear." AARGH! That is EXACTLY the reason I am against teaching Deaf children spoken language. Man if they want to learn written English and English grammar, teach it to them through their native language. These poor kids. They are being taught a foreign language while Deaf! I tried to be really positive and said, "Sorry, sorry. It's ok." And tried to smile reassuringly. As I said, I wanted to cry. I DID cry when the same thing happened in "Le pays des sourds." The little boy is Deaf and cannot say what the teacher wants him to say as he can't hear her. He starts to cry because he's so frustrated and miserable (at least that's what I assume he was feeling), and the teacher starts getting mad at him and calling him a baby. It hurt my heart so very much to see. Then here I am doing the same thing. :,c (Well I didn't ridicule or yell at her - I touched her hand and tried to be positive and reassuring. Thinking about it makes me want to cry. :c *sigh*) I'm not sure what to do change what I'm doing. That is, I don't care whether or not this girl loves or hates English. I DO care whether or not she feels successful. As I walked out of the classroom I was praying in my heart that she would give me a second chance and that the Lord would tell me how to teach these classes. Feel free to add your prayers to mine. I never want to make a student cry ever again.

During my prep time between periods (I taught first period and then I taught third and fourth period), I made a color crossword puzzle. I'm not sure if I will get to use it, but I'm glad I have it! It's awesome! I made in paint since I need that cord to connect to the net.. oh wait! No I don't. *facepalm* I can use my phone as wifi! The only danger is running the battery out. Doh. Well, I know what I will be doing for the rest of my prep time at the school. Doh, doh, doh!

During lunch, one of the teachers who sits near me talked to me. We conversed in our relatively small amount of English and small amount of Japanese. At first it was nerve wracking then I remembered that the last couple nights I've been praying for help learning Japanese. So I see her great interest in me and talking to me as one of mmm (my many miracles). I learned some new Japanese words and wrote them down. I also got to explain and pantomime what had happened to me that morning. Also at lunch, Funny Man found me. He told me that he had bought popcorn for me! So he took me to the junior high school teacher's lounge and gave me a bag of caramel corn. I shared with the other teachers in there, which made him exclaim in false indignation. I was then invited to sit down and brought tea (offered coffee which I refused). Funny Man (whose name I THINK is Nagano-sensei) sat down across from me and had another teacher come over who speaks English to do translation work. (The vice-principal told me that he'd been waiting for me to get there all day - he was so excited to give me the popcorn! Aww!) We had a short chat and then they had to go teach. While this was going on, junior high school students who had seen me through the window came into the teacher's room to meet me. Here I've been waiting all week for my students to come talk to me during lunch and these students I won't even meet until next week all came in to see me. It was so touching to me. :)  What can I say? (Other than: I love being loved!)

So after I finished teaching, I was working on prep and then the teacher sitting next to me engaged me in conversation again. Then another teacher joined in. They asked me about the bus home. I checked the schedule and saw that one was coming 20 minutes from then (at 14h47) and the next one after that was at 17h56. Oh man! Another teacher saw that and told me just to go home. I'm supposed to call and make sure so I called Interac and eventually connected with them and they said go ahead and go. YAY for an early out day on Friday! :D -- Typically I get home around 17h30 so to get home around 15h30 is crazy early! Unfortunately I got home to a GIANT spider-centipede. Bigger than the one I saw in Utah - about twice the size. I started crying and shaking and I tried to smash it with a box but then it crawled down my pillow into my sheets. I finally was able to chase it out of my bed and out the front door. But it's taken me almost 3 hours to stop shaking. :c I hope that I don't see any more insects. I don't know how it got in and I can't spend too much time thinking about it or I will FREAK again. Ick! Other than that I had a really good evening. I was in the midst of getting 2 new pictures of myself when I the movement of thousands of legs caught my attention. I still got the pictures though! A lot of icky things happened today but some really good things too. Today was a win! I had a wonderful day. :) Hello from Japan:

Happy face! Thank goodness it's Friday! :D

Oh I am so full of attitudes!

Now I'm freezing in my apartment. I was grateful for the cold thinking it kept the insects away. But if I'm getting cold AND insects!? .... that's not fair! Just sayin... Anyway, love to you all! And today makes 4 weeks I've been in Japan. I can't believe it! This week went very slowly but the 4 weeks were very fast! XOXO, A

I have to do it again: the day I use a Japanese toilet!

Ya, that's right... I did it again. I feel very accomplished. Once again, did not pee on myself or the floor. *pats self on back* And funny thing happened on the way to the bathroom... but I'll put it in funny moments.

So, today was really good. I ran around a bit crazy this morning because I was quite tired when I woke up and was a bit sluggish. Part of the problem is needing to lug so much stuff to school with me. I brought my computer, the cord to charge it, my phone's cord so I could use the interwebz, my lunch, umbrella, other personals, and omiyage (gift from America for the teachers, vice-principal, and principal). I gave the principal a little cork board plaque (I think it may be meant to be a coaster) that had a cartoon picture of Los Angeles with 2 small peanut butter cups and 2 Dove dark chocolates in a nice bag. To the vice-principals I gave a little plaque (the other ones were San Francisco, the Capitol Building, Hollywood, Chicago, and ... oh! The Empire State Building) each and 2 peanut butter cups taped to it with a little ribbon around them. Just sec, I will take a picture of the ones I'm giving to my other school to show you ...Ok so that's done and hopefully it will be ready to go by the time I'm done writing.. can't wait to have real speed internet again! In any case... I gave the teachers a peanut butter cup each. There is quite a large faculty. I brought 60 peanut butter cups. I felt sort of ridiculous going around to each teacher, but I wanted to thank them for letting me come to their school and I wanted to respect Japanese culture.. it was just hard to have no idea what they said back to me unless it was, "Thank you."

Today I taught my last first grade class and third grade classes (the ones I had not yet met this week). My first graders were so bright! They asked me the largest range of questions this week and were the fastest, by far, at the alphabet relay! They were quite reserved and I think I worried them (as they weren't sure whether they should laugh or not), but I'm so excited to teach them! Ok.. confession time: I'm excited about teaching all my classes. Tomorrow I go to the Deaf school and I can't wait!!

(Last night I got a call from my head teacher Ann asking how everything was going. I told her I loved the school, loved the students, I was just in love with this position. Then she asked about lesson plans in the works. I told her I had a lot going already and was just waiting to get word on the last ones. Ya I had no problems to report - other than that last minute class addition and that wasn't really an issue - more of a bureaucratic detail. Anyway, it was a nice chat and she's very English so it's really fun to speak with her. -- What I mean by that, for example is when the call was over she said goodbye 5 or 6 times. Really. In her adorable accent, "Goodbye! Goodbye! Goodbye! Goodbye! Goodbye! Goodbye!" I'm not sure why I consider that English - some movie or tv show I'm sure. In any case, It was nice to have a chat with her and I'm so glad I had nothing ill to report (mmm).)

So I taught my classes (one of which I only got 15 minutes to introduce myself then was ushered out. :/ I joked with Oikawa-sensei that I was being kicked out, but he said the students were going to work on an extracurricular test preparation.. so ya I was sent back to the teacher's room. Really it was a blessing as during all my prep periods (I finally got my SLP for next week from Interac for Minami) I was making worksheets like crazy. I made 7 worksheets today! I have to see if I can find a printer on Saturday and if not, print them out at 7-11. Yes my American friends, yes. There are copy machines at the 7-11s here! It's something that I'm STILL not used to seeing even though they're ubiquitous here. Just crazy! I don't know about Russia...

So, I got a TON of stuff done today. I was working like crazy just about every minute. I hope the students like the worksheets I made. I worked really hard on them and tried to make them fun. I also have word on a lesson plan for the week after next so I will start making a worksheet for that too (they love giving out worksheets here) when I'm caught up with next week. During lunch I pulled out a Sudoku puzzle reasoning to myself that this was my lunch period and I could relax a little. The other teachers were working when they finished eating so I started to feel a little guilty. I don't want to get in trouble, but my brain needed a break/fun! I put it away after one puzzle even though lunch wasn't over. Still, my brain got a small break and I didn't get in trouble (mmm) - of which I know that is. LOL

I meant to pull some chicken out (of the freezer) this morning for dinner and had just forgotten so when I got home I pulled out some chicken out anyway and thawed it with some cool and then warm water. I made Japanese White Stew. It was SOOO good. It was hard to not just eat it all though I technically don't have the stomach space! LOL I brown some onions with butter, cooked the chicken and the added the water and milk and white stew mix. MMMM I had a little milk left over and though I don't care for milk and Argentine milk was so horrifying I was afraid to try foreign milk again, I drank the rest of it. It was pretty good. :) I can't see myself becoming a milk-drinker but I definitely have less of an aversion to it. Oh! Also, on the way home I stopped at that bakery again. I was determined to get some crusty bread and... I found some! The name of it? (LOL) Huransu Pan. (France Pan - which is the Spanish spelling and pronunciation but I believe it originally came from the French - pain) It's meant to be a baguette and it was SUPER cheap! Well, it was a couple dollars, but it's cheaper than the pastries that are a quarter its size. So I had some nice crusty bread with my stew. Also, once again, it was hard not to just eat it all though I wasn't hungry after having dinner. Oh! I brought some Cajun spice with me to Japan (and mmm as they don't care for spicy food here) and I added a big sprinkling to my white stew. The white stew was already delicious and the cajun made it to-die-for. I'm trying to make my time at home relaxing and significant. Right now my days are DRAGGING. When I teach, it's seconds long. But everything else goes on forever. It feels like 4 weeks should have passed by now. I suspect after a while it will get like my mission - the days are long but the weeks are short. Right now, the lessons are short and everything else drags its feet. I was seriously just sitting here thinking I had missed them reading my name in on Sunday at church but then realized it hadn't been Sunday yet. *shakes head* It's not that the week has been super awful (I mean, I've been down about feeling lonely and wanting someone here with me but I've been coping as best I can)... I don't know what it is. So I'm trying to make my nights good so that I won't hate the weekend. I often felt in the US that my weekends were far too short. I felt cheated and not ready for the next week so I'm trying to avoid that situation. I don't want to start dreading work! I don't know if that's possible for how much I love those students and how well I get on with most of the teachers. It makes me wonder about my predecessor. No one has said to me, the way I was told in previous positions, "You're so much better than the last person!" But most of the JTEs have been very welcoming and kind. Kanamori-sensei, who teaches second graders, told me that we will be teaching together in October. (That's when they will add the other second graders.) I'm not sure if I said so yesterday but she is the one who told me about the Boston Marathon bomb. In any case, she goes out of her way to talk to me and today she said, "I very much look forward to team teaching with you. I can't wait to see your pictures!" Uh... pictures? Maman? Could you delegate to one of the kids a job of scanning pictures from our time in California? She said that to me after I told her I was from California and Utah. Then she asked me all about California (she's been there once) and then the line about photos.

So that was my day. I got so much done today - and though I have to get up extra early tomorrow I am very excited to meet the Deaf kids! Although I'm a little worried about how they expect me to teach them spoken language. I will be supplementing my speaking with signing (as I have been doing a lot already!). Love to you all! XOXO, A

Funny moments:

As I was going around handing out the chocolates, I got to Suzuki-sensei (the male one,) and just reflecting: the more I work with him, the more I like him. He's just a cute, little, old Japanese man. He's very sweet and has a very good sense of humor. So once I got to him, I handed him the chocolate and he asked me, "What is today?" (I thought he was asking for lesson planning and team-teaching purposes.) "Uh.. the 18th I think? No wait.. the 19th? I'm not sure." Then he pointedly looked at the chocolate and I realized what he was asking. "Oh no! That's for omiyage!" -"Oh! Thank you!" -- Oh and did I tell you, the math teacher seems to really like me. Well, he often practices his English with me. It makes me happy though that he's comfortable talking to me because most teachers are afraid to talk to me - worried they'll embarrass themselves. Well, I feel the exact same way!

So, on the way to the bathroom, I was walking behind Suzuki-sensei (m). It was the tail-end of lunch and a group of girls was eating at a table 30 or so feet from the faculty bathroom. The girls all waved and called out, "Hello!" to me. I hear it often but it never fails to warm my heart. In any case, just as I was waving back and saying, "Hello!" Suzuki-sensei calls back to them as well. AHAHAHA! He thought they were talking to him. He hadn't known that I was behind him. He hung his head and went and sat in a corner of the room. LOL He was so cute about it and made us all laugh. :) One girl called me over and said, "I'm Spongebob!" --Because Japanese students in jhs and hs have to wear uniforms, they express who they are through their bags and pencil cases. A few girls this week have had Spongebob cases - I remarked to all of them as I walked around that I loved Spongebob. So she is one of those girls. :) I know 2 student's names and I'm not sure I could pick them out of a crowd. *stricken face* Oh man... I WANT to learn all the kid's names, I'm just not sure how to go about it. There are rolls for each class but all the names are in kanji. *facepalm* ... Anyway, sorry that was my other funny moment with Suzuki-sensei.

The balloon bag is the one for the principal - the one for Minami's Principal was clear but I couldn't find another clear one.. so ya balloons. :D Then the 2 vice principal gifts. The other teachers get a loose peanut butter cup (it's my understanding that the gifts have to have levels... if not, oops!) - I bring the candy to school in a nice bag so it looks good. :)

The day I use a Japanese toilet

I wanted to name this post that.. and I can!! But more on that later...

P.S. (p means pre in this case rather than post..) It's crazy - I have a little over half the views on this blog compared to my last one and less than 15% as many posts (14.7 to be precise)! So thank you to my readers - it makes me feel like this endeavor is meaningful to more people than just me. Love you all!

This morning I woke up feeling very hopeful and am very grateful for that feeling (mmm). I got up, got ready, made sure to grab my ohashi, and went off the bus stop. Today was a beautiful day - by Ann standards! It was rainy, grey, overcast... I loved it. It, however, came with side effects. Being in Japan, on an island, humidity is a given. Today was the first day that the humidity was sort of choking me in the classroom. However, I said a quick prayer of thanks that I could handle it (it was hot and sticky but not unbearable) and kept teaching. In fact, now I know why the heater was left on during the warm months at Timpview! The Lord was preparing me for this. I was teaching on hot days in a room full of 40 students with no humidity in Utah. The sweat was pouring off me and it was miserable, but I found a way to cope. So now I feel slightly more prepared for summer here. Still, your prayers for cool weather and no spiders/insects would be greatly appreciated. So, back to the bus. I had lots of emails when I woke up but firmly left them alone so I wouldn't make myself miss my bus. So when I got on the bus I took the opportunity to write back and delete the spam and ads. I reached out last night to a couple friends from whom I haven't heard in a very long time. So I was pleasantly surprised to have an email back from Dagny! It was really fun to hear from her and I learned she and her husband have a little 2 year old boy and she is 3 weeks from giving birth to their second son. That's so crazy to me. My most salient memories of her include Brittany and getting ourselves in trouble in their basement! (When we were all little kids.) Then I arrived at the school.

At the school I discovered Hashimoto-sensei was in! I hope he had a word with anyone in authority who wondered about me getting there later than everyone else. I'm sort of stuck to the bus routes. :/ Then one of the teachers approached me and asked if I knew about the explosion in Boston - no I did not, o.0. I had an email from Joanna with a link that said something like that but as my internet is slow and I thought, "Bomb the Boston Marathon? Nooo.." She told me a little bit about it and said I should look it up. Well, if I had reliable internet I would do so! She said there were 3 dead and hundreds injured. I will pray for all those people. :/ I remember in my mission when I got an email from my parents who had been a little worried about me because of night club fires in Argentina. I had had NO IDEA there were fires in Buenos Aires and that's exactly what happened today. It's not as though I'm TRYING to turn my back on my former country of residence, I just get busy with life here and don't think to check the news. So that was a shock. And then I had another shock that was a bit closer to home, Hashimoto-sensei reviewed our team teaching schedule today and mentioned a class that isn't on my SLP. I was slated to teach 4 classes today and then suddenly I was slated to teach 5. I told him that the class hadn't been on my SLP and he said they had changed it that morning. Well protocol says they have to call Interac and Interac calls and informs me as Interac is my employer, not the school. I didn't have time to call Interac so after my first class I dashed into the women's locker room (for teachers) and sent an email to Tsukasa (the scheduler for NSs). Really, I could do the lesson and it was fine, but I wanted to follow protocol AND I wanted this to not happen to me again. I don't mind if the schedule changes, however last minute changes are hard for me. In any case, I taught every period today but one. It would have been two, but suddenly school was over earlier than any other day and I was totally confused and shocked. I walked over to Oikawa-sensei and asked, "Is school over?" -"Oh yes! Sorry! There are first club meetings today." Oooh. So I worked on some worksheets for a little while then asked if I could go hang out with the clubs. It was funny passing the kids in their club rooms. Some would wave energetically and many called out, "Hello!" I asked if I could sit in on Soft Tennis (Girl's Tennis). I have no idea what was going on other than introductions and even that.. I tried to catch a name and they spoke too quickly and softly. I stayed as long as I could then bowed myself out to get to my bus. I was so exhausted it was hard not to nod, but I'm so glad I got to go!

So, back to my classes today. I had 2 classes that were super calm. And then I had one class that was almost entirely composed of boys. Oh man.. It was great! They have so much energy. However, they talk and talk and talk. I stood and waited (refusing to shout over them) but then the JTE dashed up and down the rows shushing them. I had so much fun today. And it turns out that Hashimoto-sensei doesn't dislike me (at least I don't think so anymore), he's just very stoic and serious. That's fine, it's just not me. I made sure to pay special attention to what he did and how he interacted with the students and how he reacted to things that I did. Some things seemed to bother him so I made sure not to do them again later. I was still myself, but it's important to me to have a good relationship with the students and the teachers.

Lunch was great, teaching was great, the bus ride home was short though I was starving... I folded and put away my laundry when I got home, ate dinner, finished my book, got my omiyage ready for tomorrow and now I'm writing. :) (I find myself saying that and I know it's a given for you, but it's still the truth!) After I'm done writing I will make curry rice for my lunch tomorrow and hard boiled eggs for breakfast. YUM!

Funny moments:

One bright student asked me today, "Who is your favorite comedian?" I said, "Probably Bill Engvall, or Jeff Foxworthy." Ah dang it! I forgot Mitch Hedberg! Anyway, he then changed to "Japanese comedian." Ya, I admitted I didn't know any. Then he asked if he could do a short routine. "Sure!" He then recited a short sketch in Japanese that got a big laugh from the class. Ya... I have no idea what he said! But it ended in, "Madagascar!" LOL

I did this yesterday too and forgot to tell you - one of the things I did with most classes was a secret code name game. I had them write the alphabet on the board and then wrote 1, 2, 3 next to a, b, c and then gave them number codes to solve. I start with a Japanese person or character first, then I tell them my name is next and put up a superhero. I've used Wolverine, Spiderman, Superman, and Batman. Batman is my favorite to use thus far. I wait for them to figure it out and then I say, "Class, who am I?" -"Batman?" I then nod and say, "I am Batman!" I bring my forearm up across my nose then I say, "Please listen. *clears throat* Where is she!? (Batman - Christian Bale Batman - voice)" Oh man, only one class didn't respond to that. LOL One of my calm classes just blinked at me. The others have gone wild. They LOVE my Batman impression. One boy in one class went wide-eyed and said, "Yes! Batman!" It gets a big reaction and a big laugh. Also I used Superman today and got a great reaction. The class was awed and I pretended to fly and they all cheered. :D My job is so great!

You had to know this would be in funny moments: I used a Japanese toilet today! I couldn't hold it at school, and really I was eager to use the floor toilet so off I went to the bathroom during lunch. I took my pants completely off one leg as it wasn't worth risking peeing on my pants. Then I used their toilet! I managed not to pee on myself or the floor! This is a great achievement, I hope you know that. I was tempted to email everyone I know to tell them the good news. :D All I would have had to send to my family and close friends is, "Guess where I am!?" LOL Japanese toilet? Check! I came, I saw, I peed! WIN!

XOXO, A

Just in case you forgot what these look like - I conquered THAT! As a girl! (side note: this picture is from the interwebz, not the school)

Mr. Toki

First: Happy Birthday to Shannon Borcherds! Love you and hope your birthday is amazing!

Today all 3 of the classes I taught were with Mr. Toki. He sits across the room from me (well, I'm in the middle and he's near one of the ends) so I didn't really know much about him. I had met him but that was it. MMM, he was very nice and funny!

My 3 classes with him today went so well! After the first one, he told me, "That was really fun!" During the third class he went in and out which made me feel great as it communicated to me that he trusted me and knew that I would do fine without him there. (If there is any disciplining to be done, the JTE - Japanese English Teacher - does it. That is, I have whatever authority is given to me. If that makes sense. If they wanted me to observe every class, that would be what I would have to do!) One student in my third hour was kind of a punk, but I look forward to bantering with him and using him as an example (as he seems to have no timidity about him!). Today that class asked me my age and I answered the way I have for every class who has asked me that, "Secret! Secret! Come ask me at lunch and I will tell you." I don't care if they know my age. I'm trying to convince them to use English outside the classroom! In any case, when I gave my answer they all laughed and "ahhed" but this kid goes, "BOOOOO!" And they all laughed at him, as did I.

In the between class stages I was going crazy. Luckily one other teacher came by and asked me about next week and gave me something I could prepare. (And I miscounted before. I had 8 lessons planned INCLUDING that self-intro.) So NOW I have 9 lessons planned for next week. I still need to make worksheets for them but I have them all planned out. It's just a matter of sitting down with a computer and doing it. They said they were lending me one at the school so I've been waiting on them. If not, I will put them together Saturday. That will at least give me something to do.

This is off topic but it's important to me that I say it: Everyday, twenty times a day the song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" plays in my mind. It makes my heart hurt but it also makes my heart hope. Hopefully the hope will win out!

So, back to school, during the times I wasn't planning, I tried to study Japanese. I would have been more successful if I were less tired. I just feel BEAT during the day. I hope my body/mind adjust to this schedule soon. I was going to use last week to become accustomed to my schedule but instead I slept less, cried more, and couldn't eat. Ya it didn't help me prepare. Anyway, all the classes I had today were 3rd graders (seniors) and the second class was especially spunky and fun. They are Toki-sensei's homeroom. So the atmosphere of the class was already one of fun and that helped me a lot.

So I got on the right bus, I taught 2nd, 4th, and 6th period. I saw more chanting and singing (so cool)! It's raining - yay! And now here I am at home. :)

Funny moments:

One teacher, when he passed my desk at lunch, shook his head and laughed at me. I forgot my chopsticks at home and was eating my lunch with a spoon. I think he thought I'm not able to use chopsticks (it's almost always the first question I'm asked by Japanese people I meet). I wanted to get him back and be like, "Listen, I just forgot my ohashi at home!" But the only word I knew in the sentence in Japanese was "ohashi: chopsticks." Wait... wasuremashita is I forgot (I believe). Anyway... dah!

After cleaning today the other vice-principal came over to talk to me. I don't know if I was in trouble or he was saying nice things to me. :/ I have no idea what he said. Then he asked how I came to school, "By bus." So I'm wondering if he was asking why I've been late to the morning meeting both days. I get there as soon as I can and I was told I could come later! Hashimoto-sensei hasn't been here so ya... that's why I think I may have been in trouble. He was smiling the whole time, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's just a Japanese, "softening the blow" technique. Makes me feel anxious. I take the earliest bus and I get up to the teacher's room as fast as I can. :c Hopefully Hashimoto-sensei is here tomorrow and can tell them he told me I could come a little later and that I could leave at 16h00 (though I've been leaving around 16h30). It's so hard to want to be able to explain myself and not have one word come to mind. *sigh* Still I'm sure it was comical for outsiders to see him come up to me and start talking to me and be nodding and I stand there and listen for 5 minutes and at the end I say, "I don't understand." LOL Dang it - I even know how to say "I didn't understand" and could have done that!

On the bus home I thought about what I wanted for dinner (soup and I had some) and then I just started craving a crusty bread. There's a bakery, "Michel," 2 blocks from my place. So when I got off the bus, I stopped there first. Imagine my delight when I found crusty cheese bread! I worried a little at the color of the cheese and the semi-melted appearance but my craving won out and I got it. Ya... NEVER eat Japanese cheese bread. They used cheese that tastes like Velveeta, American Cheese... chemical cheeses. (No wonder they didn't melt!) The crust of the bread was good, the insides were bad. Here's a picture of it:

Why do you torture me thus!?

 Good, crusty breads are hard to find here as is cheese. I hoped I'd hit the jackpot, but it was not to be. So glad I didn't buy more of it! Anyway, my love to you all!

XOXO, A

My first day

First things first: Happy Birthday Aiden!!! :D

Also, hello to my reader(s) in Russia!

Before I get into my first day, I forgot a funny moment from yesterday. After we watched the first session and ate, the second session started. Suddenly the branch president was running in and said something rapidly to the zone leaders and they got up and followed him. Ya, something happened with the satellite and suddenly the audio was in Chinese instead of Japanese! Really I had listened to the first session in English through headphones, still it was funny and awesome because for the first time since getting here, I was on equal ground, language-wise, as the Japanese! We were all shrugging our shoulders and laughing about it. (The resolution was to send me to another room - alone :/ - and they put in the DVD of the Japanese. So I had to watch the second session in a cold room by myself. But it was funny how I got there!)

(Funny moments included:) Today started with me falling asleep after midnight. Luckily my mom got up early and skyped me. (I had thought she had school and just forgot that everyone over there is BEHIND me rather than in front. :/ Sorry mom!) I was up late last night panicking about today. And my worst case scenario I imagined: the kids booing me out of the room, didn't happen! (I know, I dream big.) My mom's: missing the bus: didn't happen *huge sigh of relief.* So I got up this morning - I actually woke up 15 or so minutes before my alarm went off. It was annoying but I'm very grateful it wasn't 16 or more. I just need all the sleep I can get! The past 3 days have shorted me! Anyway, I got up and I got ready.

After that, I walked to the bus stop. I was 7-8 minutes early (I was not about to miss my bus) and I got to see and talk to Bruce for a minute. That was nice for me. He speaks Japanese pretty well (he's been here for 4 years) and so I was quizzing him about buses. In any case, his bus came before mine so he had to jet. I saw mine coming (by number), and I saw 2 boys in uniform getting on, but I still turned to one of them and said, "Morioka Minami ni?" He nodded and on I got. Everyone was making the little machine beep so I sheepishly set down my bag and grabbed out my bus card. I was told you pay when you get off, and that's true, however for the bus card, it needs to know how many stops you've been riding so it can charge your card correctly. Because I had heard beeping, I pressed the barcode against the machine and sat down. Luckily I managed to get on the bus that went straight to the school. (Hashimoto-sensei told me last week that there was one that did and to ride that one. Uh... ok. As if I know where to find it, how to get on it, etc. Sheesh!) But as luck would have it (truly mmm), I was on that bus. It saved me a 10 minute walk up to the school and dropped me off right at the door. So I approached the driver and I had seen people run their cards through this machine but I was sitting too far to see the details. So I held my card as I thought it should go and made a noise like, "Hmm?" To show I was asking if I was doing it correctly. He pointed to the right slot (I think I had been hovering over the bill feeder, oops) and I sent my card through. BEEEEP! So he asked me a question in which I didn't understand a word but I assumed it was, "At what stop did you get on?" So I said, "Basu Sentaa." (Bus Center) That was the right answer and he programmed it in and asked me to send my card through again. I apologized profusely and he politely waved it off.

I walked into the front doors (for the teachers - the students can go in that way, but then they can't go anywhere as their shoe changing stations are through another doorway) and found my locker and changed shoes. I went up to the teacher's room to find it.. locked. Doh! I waited and after a few minutes 2 Japanese women showed up and started talking at me. I just pointed to the teacher's room and one of them tried to let me in when she found it locked as well. However, someone unlocked the door to the copy room that is off the teacher's room. It was the morning meeting. Hashimoto-sensei told me that it was ok if I got to the school between 8h30-8h45 because I'm taking the bus and so I'm at the mercy of the city's bus schedule (originally he asked me to be there in my seat, ready by 8h20 - I got there, at the front door, at 8h22). So I sort of sneaked by hoping no one thought I was rude (I'd been told I could come at that time!) and sat down. I have NO IDEA what was going on. Then Oikawa-sensei (one of the 8 English teachers) crept over to my seat and asked if I would be able to give a self-introduction. I was completely surprised (as I assumed they would have me do it at this lunch party Hasimoto-sensei said they were throwing for me), but agreed. I, literally, turned back to face the front and there was a mic in my face. Daaaah! I started to walk to the wrong side and they ushered me the other way (doh!) and all the while I murmured, "Sumimasen!" (Excuse me!) This is what I said in my introduction (it was all in Japanese): Good morning! (They all saluted me back) I am called Ann Carlisle. My family is big (don't ask, I had no idea what to tell them, lol). I want to learn Japanese, but I understand a little. Happy (then in English I added: I am happy to be here, in Japan). I respect Japan and Japanese people (then I said that again in English just in case I had said it wrong). Please accept me. --- In retrospect I'm not sure why I said the things I did and I hope that they weren't like, "Suuuure you respect us, you showed up late!" I didn't! I came as soon as the bus brought me! And it's the earliest bus too. :/ Anyway...

They kept having announcements and then split into 2 groups. Oikawa-sensei motioned that I could stay at my desk and so I did. I didn't feel badly in fact I was a little relieved. Then Fujieda-sensei, oh btw Hashimoto and Oikawa are men and Fujieda is a woman, asked me if I needed help with anything, "Yes, I need to make copies!" So she showed me how to use the copier. I was with her the first class period so I'm glad she helped me. She showed me where the count of students in each class is and I made copies for the following 2 classes as well. Oikawa-sensei said he was going to take me around the school so he gave me a quick tour. He showed me the bathrooms (another woman had shown me the girl's locker room), and he pointed out the girl's locker room and was like, "I can't take you in there! I don't know what it's like!" lol He showed me where the classes were and the signs that showed what number they were and then took me back to the teacher's room. (Side note: in Japanese high school, they start the numbering over again. So the "first graders" are sophomores. Second graders are juniors and the third graders are seniors. It was nuts because everything they told me wouldn't happen at a school did. That is, we were told, "You won't get third graders as new teachers." "They may not let you use the copy machine." "No computers or internet!" - Hashimoto had already said I could bring my computer so I did so. "You can't print at the school!" - I was offered a printer. I said that was ok as I am being given a small "copy allowance" by Interac so I will buy a printer and then print my masters here and do the copies at school. They're also going to lend me a computer so I can use the internet. I'm not allowed to connect mine to their internet (well their lan) and no USBs because of proprietary information, however, yay! They were SO nice to me. Many teachers talked at me today and I felt badly that I had to say so many times, "Wakarimasen." I don't understand. Anyway, there are 6 first grade classes, 6 second grade classes, and 7 third grade classes. I checked my schedule and I have ALL the third graders, all of the first graders (though one of the classes is scheduled next week) and only one of the second grade classes. Hmmm Oh also - the kids stay in the same room all day. Well, until gym or maybe a music class. I guess that's another thing they have in common with elementary schools in the US, other than their grades.)

So I started out early but was called back and asked to walk with Fujieda-sensei. Oops! I just was going early so I wouldn't be late! In any case, I was SUPER nervous and forgot one of the papers I needed. *facepalm* I punted and it wasn't GREAT, but I did the best I could. I could tell that a few students really warmed up to me, the rest were pretty stone-faced and not energetic. However, I made up for them with extra enthusiasm and energy. I'm pretty sure a few of those students think I'm insane. *shrug* What can I say? When they're right, they're right. :D (Those were 3rd graders)

Then I went back and had a prep period in the teacher's room. I tried to be and look busy, but I had my self-introduction already ready and was just killing time. Then off I went to see my first group of 1st graders. Oh man! THEY WERE AWESOME! They all were like, "Eeeeeeehhh!?" When I walked in so I made the same sound back and they reacted in shock and I laughed, and then they all laughed. They were SO much fun. When I yelled, "GAME TIME!" They all cheered loudly. - I forced the third graders to cheer, hahaha! - They were so energetic it was invigorating. They made it so easy for me to be myself. I changed my self-introduction a little for the different levels - really I think the only difference is that for the 3rd graders I played "Au Parc Monceau" and asked them what language it was. Then I talked a little bit about French and English, France and the US. In all the classes I gave them a one page sheet that asked 1. What is a popular and unusual animal in my country? (a skunk, a bald eagle, a raccoon, a bear, a whale --> I chose raccoon as they have an animal called "Tanuki" that looks like a red raccoon and I talked about rabies (not by name) and how they eat trash.) Then 2. What is my favorite food? (vegetables, cheeseburger, sushi, crêpes, popcorn -->popcorn) Then 3. It gave them lines to write a question to ask me. Some of the questions were yes/no - which is fine, but sort of unproductive. I was asked, "Do you like food?" Hmm, yes. :) They asked me some great questions though: What's your favorite kind of music (I like everything, but what do I like the most? Hard rock and punk), how old are you (secret! Come ask me at lunch and I will tell you - I would have too but no one came by - well 4-5 girls came by to say hi to me but no one asked my age), what's your favorite color (black), what's your favorite dessert (she had asked food, but I answered that so I said, "Let's do dessert." I hope she didn't feel badly - I tried to be really positive about it - "crêpes"), etc. I wish I had been more encouraging like they taught us in training (Good English! Great job! Etc) But I'm a smiler and a nodder, so I hope they knew that my beaming face meant I thought they were doing great!) No one would volunteer (and we were warned about that), so I called out pairs of numbers (row and then seat) and then I found dice in my desk and used those. Bwahahaha. After the food question I put them in partners and had them ask each other, in English, their favorite foods. Then after I got 3 volunteers to the front, I would tell them, "Ask me a question." After they did, I would repeat it to the class and say, "Class, please ask me 'What is your favorite color?'" And then they would ask, I would answer and after all 3 kids were done (I didn't want anyone to have to stand alone at the front), I would write the key words on the board and then had them again practice with their partners. --Because MM is well known for their sports, they all asked me if I liked sports and what were my favorites.

So, right after that class, I had my third and final class for the day (right before lunch) and oh man I was starving! And in the second class two boys kept saying to me, "I'm hungry!" And all I could say back was, "Me too!" The third class was also third graders and I was with Oikawa-sensei. (My second class was with a male teacher named Hosokawa-sensei.) Oikawa only wrote me in for the first 15 minutes. It was both nice and not nice. The burden of time wasn't on me, however 15 minutes!? So I did a short introduction and at the end of 15 minutes, I'd just gotten to the question section. I asked Oikawa-sensei if he wanted the class but he said I could finish. So I ran through 3 questions with them (and having them practice with partners) and then turned the class over to him. To me that means I won points. Although he kept translating what I was saying into Japanese. I learned today that I need to be more visual and give more examples. I thought I had chosen fairly easy English, nope. In any case, I observed the rest of the class and then left with him. After that I wolfed down my lunch. I was SO hungry. I didn't even eat everything I brought though! And it wasn't much. And 2 pairs of my pants are already falling off me. My watch barely stays on, and none of my rings fit anymore! I'm packing a little less for tomorrow.

So after lunch I was BUSHED. It was TORTURE to try and stay awake. I did everything I could to look busy and to actually be busy. I made notes about the temperaments of the classes I met, I made notes on what I had learned today, I organized and reorganized my stuff. I discreetly wrote a grocery list (as I had already planned on going grocery shopping and do laundry after work today) - and I felt really guilty about that but I was doing ANYTHING to stay awake. At one point, I felt I needed to go to the bathroom so I went to the ladies room. Yaaaa, they only had the Japanese squat toilets. Well, I had told myself I would try one. So I TRIED. I pulled my pants half down, then all the way down, pulled them forward out of the way, back out of the way... I had no idea what to do with them to not pee on them. In the meantime my bladder said, "Just kidding! I don't have to pee! Run, run, run!!!" So I didn't end up going there (I went as soon as I got home!). So I went back to my desk and went back to trying to stay awake. I even started to write some poetry. Luckily either Oikawa and Fujieda-sensei are psychic, prepared, or saw me struggling but they came over and talked to me about lessons for the coming week. They asked if I could make true-false questions for reading comprehension (I did and we're going to play the alligator/crocodile game), and if I would make a "fill in the blank" for listening comprehension. - I didn't type that up yet as I didn't have internet access so making a google doc for it was sort of out of the question. I was so grateful to them (mmm) for giving me something to do. Although after all the warnings we got during training when they asked me to do these things, I said, "Great I will! Please make sure it's in the lesson plan (SLP - Scheduled Lesson Plan that they send to Interac and then Interac sends to me). So what they did was print out the schedule they had so far for me for next week (it was blank for all the teachers but the two of them) and they gave it to me. Technically I'm not supposed to have it - because of proper channels and all that, but I was grateful for something to do, and I was grateful to be able to plan ahead. So thanks to them I have my schedule for next week (and I am teaching 14 lessons to this week's 13 - 16 total including the Deaf school)! (mmm) - So I am now prepared for 8 of my 14 lessons next week. Take that! Feels great to be able to get ahead. Scratch that - I have one more self-intro for next week so make that 9 lessons for which I am already (ABW - all but worksheet) ready! :D I'll say it for my mom since she'll be reading this rather than hearing it right from my mouth and saying it.. "I am a star!" :D

After all my planning and putting the schedule in my book, I had about 20 minutes until school ended. So I puttered around a little until the bell rang. Everyday the students are responsible for cleaning the school. I had heard about teachers helping with this (English teachers - ALTs and NSs - ALT is elem, NS is jhs/hs) and I wanted to do the same. I wandered a bit (because I thought for sure the students would show up at the teacher's room and I would help them) but after 5 minutes no one was there. So I approached Fuijieda-sensei and said, "I would like to help clean. What can I do?" She seemed surprised and said I could help with cleaning the teacher's room when the students came. She then went over to a vice-principal and I'm assuming told him what I had said as she had this shocked voice and they both laughed. I'd like to think it was a joyous laugh and not a "Sucker! She doesn't know it's only the students!" LOL So I was able to help empty trashes eventually with some girls. Hashimoto-sensei wasn't in today at all but he had told me last week I was off at 16h00 so after cleaning it was around 16h10 and I got my stuff together and asked Oikawa-sensei if there was anything I could do to help him. I explained what I had been told but also that my bus didn't come until 16h45. Well I was instructed to go ahead and leave and to tell the vice-principal I was going (ya he doesn't speak any English, I don't speak much Japanese - it was a crap shoot! And I couldn't tell him that I had been instructed I could leave and that I wasn't just taking off early... *sigh* Anyway) On my way out, I ran into Oikawa-sensei and he said he was going to cheerleading practice. I asked if I could come and went around the main building to the courtyard to see all the students lined up with their classes. In Japan, only the boys are cheerleaders. And not only that, they are literally "cheer leaders." They would yell something in Japanese and then the student body would respond. They sang the school song, they chanted, they yelled what sounded like battle cries... it was SO cool to watch! I wish I could have taken pictures! At 16h30 I bowed out (literally) to make sure I got to the bus stop on time. I took 2 pictures of the school (they're below) and waited freezing as the bus was a little late. In any case, I got home, I did laundry, I shopped (I bought grapefruit! And get this, they made Aloe flavored yogurt! I wasn't daring enough to buy it.. well at least not 4 cups worth. If I find a single I'll grab one and taste it. Aloe is really good for you ... topically. lol) and I read a book to destress and ate some popcorn for dinner (I had the remainder of my lunch when I first got home). Now here I am writing. Hope you all had a great day like I did. I feel nervous about tomorrow, and truth be told I felt nervous about teaching at Walden for about a month, sheesh, but I'm excited and much less intimidated. :) YAY! Tomorrow will be as good or better than today. :)

XOXO, A

This is Davyn! He got a bath today (with the laundry - he was looking a little dirty)!

Post-work pics!

hmm?

why so serious?

finally dropped my shoulders

you can happy face like this!

or you can happy face like that!

other happy face!