Something About Us

I was told today that I handle chopsticks as good as a Japanese child. I'm pretty sure it was directed as a compliment but was the comparison necessary? Perhaps it was in response to my teaching efforts today. That's right, today I taught English for the first time. It was a fairly basic lesson plan; say hello etc. Do a 10 minute introduction of myself and Australia and then have each individual student greet me, say their name, number and then three things they like and then I was to ask them a question.

Generally it went pretty well, some students struggled and some were so quiet they could easy have been repeating there name over and over again without me noticing. But as the classes went on it got easier and the students got better, but now they all know my name which means I am assaulted with 'Hello Kris' when I leave the teachers room. This is going to sound unusual but I imagine this is closest I may come to being a celebrity; everyone stares at me as I walk by and while most smile/bow/say 'Hello Kris' , others just gawp at me. It's weird to think they are so unaccustomed to seeing a white person but I suppose since Bato is considered quite country-esque then people like me wouldn't be that common.

Towards the end of the day Ms. Kishi (the head English teacher) and I went down to the local park with the students to look at the cherry blossoms and watch the students on the play equipment. The students decided that I was handsome and that I smelled nice (I honestly couldn't smell anything) so now as well as responding with 'Hello' I have to awkwardly thank them and smile and wave. I was asked to be part of several photos and had brief conversations with some students in Japanese and English.

We also cleaned today! I was sent to the roof to clean. The roof, of course, has a fairly large surface area (being a roof and all) but I had some of the 9th graders shouting out "Kris! Kris!, kakkoii..." which motivated me to do something at the very least. So I stood there idly sweeping my broom this way and that until I was called inside. I think I actually created more mess than what was originally there but apparently we clean every day so I might go back to it tomorrow.

I have a nasty habit of being stuck bored at my desk doing nothing of use. In the future I'll ask to go into other classes or I can create work sheets but until then I was stuck reading a clockwork orange (which they could never, ever decipher because I can barely do it) until I got some tea, or we had lunch or something else like that. The teachers are all really nice and they try really hard to speak some English but generally it takes a mix of Japanese and English to reach an understanding. The students don't really like to learn English (I know... I asked them) and they all give Ms. Kishi and I puzzled looks when we speak English to them but hopefully by the end of the year they will have learnt something other than my name and a greeting. Maybe I should teach them swear words.

I'm joking.

I now have 6 hours to sleep before I begin getting ready again. Blerg. But then it's Hanami on Saturday in Isesaki! Hana meaning flower, and mi meaning I'm going to get really really drunk.