Teaching just isn't my thing...

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I just had my first and only weekend of full-time work. I am EXHAUSTED. After two full days of running around playing games, my muscles hurt and my patience is gone. I'm not cut out to teach children. It was a fun weekend, but there's no way I could do that on a regular basis, and even serious doubts I would do another weekend of events like that.

My first full-day was in Iwaki, a city about 2.5 hours away from Fukushima by train. My day of work included a complimentary hotel stay because it took so long to get there and the trains did not run frequently. I arrived in iwaki in the afternoon, thinking that I would be able to spend some time exploring and visiting the local beaches. Unfortunately, the weather didn't look too promising so I set off to look around town. Other than a mall and McDonalds, not much was happening.

Saturday, my shift began at 8:30. I was running a field day for children who are taught english by a Japanese teacher in her home or communityh centre. These kids rarely get to meet foreigners, so the point of the field day is for them to play games, interact with native English speakers, and have fun. There were 2 of us running hte dayh's event which was categorized by different age groups over the course of the day. Everyone from 3 years old to 78 hyears old attended various programs. THings ran in an okay fashion- except that the room was small and there was no air-conditioning, which after running aroun dplaying games, really gets to you. The event took place at a marina on top of a fish market, which was unusual.

After a full and tiring day of that, it was back on the trian to Fukushima where I had to prepare to do it all over again at the event in Fukushima.

This time, we were in a gym, so there was more space for us, which also meant, I had further to run and had to yell louder. SUnday's event was much smoother and the students seemed to have fun. Their english and confidence was also better than the kids on Saturday, which is great since I teach most of their english teachers each week.

So today, my throat is dry and my muscles are sore. I'm glad I teach adults and not kids, and in case I had ever doubted my chosen career and education path in film and arts, this weekend reassured me that I will never consider a future career in teaching.

On Friday, I head back to Tokyo for the weekend to visit Tokyo Disneyland and the giant Buddha in Kamakura if the weather holds up.

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