A is for Apple

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My first two weeks of actual teaching here could best be summed up as 'busy'. I leave school most nights sometime between 6 and 7 (classes end at 4:05) and find myself going to bed earlier and earlier each night. It hasn't taken long to slip into the Japanese over-working lifestyle (I say this while I'm at school on a Saturday to steal their internet connection....).

For all the work though, it has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I love my students. They amuse me endlessly in the classroom and when I'm reading their papers. They are incredibly eager to learn. Hell, I even like the ones who just don't give a rats ass about learning English.

The other day I had one student bring in some cookies she had baked herself for me because in my self introduction to her class I had mentioned that I loved to bake. The cookies were delicious - some version of shortbread with poppy seeds in it. They were shaped like animals too which made them that much cuter. I've already had a few students tell me they love me and whenever I say hello to them in the halls little giggles of 'kawaii' seem to follow. It's really adorable and it almost feels like you have quasi-celebrity status.

The classes are really interesting too and I am amazed with how much leeway the teachers are willing to let me have. Two of them basically leave it up to me to plan the lesson, which is fantastic! It's so much easier that way and it gives me the opportunity to get used to this sort of thing for when I have my own classes down the road. The other two teachers are more independent. They like to plan their own lessons and have my input on certain activities here and there which is just fine too. It's good to have a balance. Right now I'm working on a Powerpoint presentation for my 3rd years about infidelity and having those sorts of relationships. Some of the topics in this textbook are really surprising, but it's great that the students have the opportunity to learn about them at the same time.

After school each day I've been spending a couple hours with the English club working on their play - the big presentation is this week! They are some of my favourite students. I was referring to them originally by their character names since I didn't know their actual names, but the other night they all decided to tell me their names and show me the kanji to explain what each one meant.

One of the girls told me about this onsen that is apparently really nice and just a short train ride from here. I'm going to have to look into it because apparently on Sundays you can learn how to make soba noodles for free! They have a hotel too so as long as it's not too expensive I think it'd be a nice place to go with the boy for a romantic weekend 😊

The school asked me to help out with their speech competition too so once the play is done I think a lot of my nights will be focused on that. They seem to conveniently arrange the practices from 4-5:30 with no mention of OT pay...Hmmm

Anyway, it's pouring ran today for the first time since I got here. It cooled things off rather nicely, actually 😊 I have a few older entries to post once I transfer them over from my PC about my sento (public bath) adventure and the ridiculous shit you see daily on Japanese TV. Stay tuned!

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Comments

[kaori]

I'm glad you are doing good job and enjoying them.