Things in Japan are improving for me. My students absolutely love me, which is good, especially since I am not so much as trying to teach them english rather than to get them doing anything at all. Most Japanese students are robots. They read, momorize, and then take a test.... that is it. Their comprehension and involvement is low for english, but also other things; outside of the memorization a lot of times they are stuck. I have become very active in making them express themselves and it is starting to work. The teachers now say they are more interested in english, speak up and clearly (they mumble a ton), try even if they think they could be wrong, and participate. The main points I am pushing is speaking clear and directly mixed with pronunciation and implementation of what they actually are learning in everyday life. The Japanese teachers can focus on the grammar for now, all you need for that is a book, but flow and often times context is lacking in the text books.
I really have to distract myself due to recent events with Rachel. It's hard to say, but I am single now. It really has me at wits end. So there is the reason for the distraction. Everyone is now trying to hook me up with their daughters or friends, but I am not too interested at the moment, I appreciate their attempts to keep me out of the "gutter" though.
On a brighter note one of my schools that I will prolly talk a lot about in the future has taken a sure liking to me. Miyahara staff took me out to dinner on Friday. It was not a normal dinner, but a nomihodai (all you can drink) and a fancy meal of all you can eat. It was under 50 bucks too, however, I could not pay, they would not allow it. A gift. Was awesome, got hammered off beer and shouchu ( sweet potato vodka-like Japanses moonshine). Was good times all around. Then several teachers and I went and had a wake of sorts to mourn my relationships passage at a nearby pub. I am not sure if I remember everything from the rest of that night. Aren't you proud of me mom?!
A post or so back I commented on pigeons. Today I saw a group of them while I was waiting for the bus. They were milling around a big pile of crumbs. Then two for some reason got really pissed at eachother, puffed up and started pecking at eachother like hell. Feathers were flying, people avoided them by a good margin (prolly as not to lose a leg, hehe), and I think people were placing bets on the bench next to me. Then I think one lost an eye and flew off quick like, the victor held the field. I now know why pigeons don't flee from you in Japan, they could probably kick my ass. Japan pigeons = blackbelts.
It also turns out that I am now the stength training, high jump and shot put head coach for Miyahara Junior High and High School. I was worried at first because it has been so long since I last did it. I fortunately remembered enough and checked up with some books before practice today. I have a group of kids that are all great and two that really have promise. A girl high jumper Chiho and a boy who is a sprinter and shot putter Sataru. They loved my practice as it was hard and challenging, they learned a lot, and was very fun. I look forward to next practice.
I also get to go visit Hiroe in Fukouka next weekend.... I get to take a 700 shinkansen... bullet train baby! The 700's are the fastest kind too!
Oh P.S.: Apparently everyone at Miyahara JHS thinks Luke has played in the NBA. They asked if you did one day and I replied that you could have and that you did play college ball. I think there was a translation error, lol. Now no matter how many times I tell them otherwise, Luke is still an ex-NBA player. Uh, fan club got larger Luke. Sorry.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Things of Japan...
Today was an odd day at school. I was at Miyahara Junior High School. Some high school students were also there to act as mentors. Turns out Japanese kids get real crazy once they become comfortable with you. The formalities are still present around faculty, but I think I am a unique case that can play both sides of the game. The students have let their "guard down". The boys for the most part are pretty good besides being a bit unruly. If anything they are mean to eachother. One boy tried his luck on me and ran off with my towel; we use hand cloath size towels to keep the sweat at bay and usually hang them around our neck, making them easily accessable. Needless to say I ran him down and got it back promptly much to everyone's entertainment.
Girls on the other hand are a different beast. They seem so sweet and they really are but there is a dark side to them. I think it is from the behind the scenes oppression and overt male dominance in the culture that makes them absolute hornballs. I got my ass grabbed and slapped several times today. The first slap I thought was a boy because they have this practical joke they get as kids where they poke you in the ass with their index fingers, it has some wierd childhood significance of humor that I have not quite found. I also pretty much got molested by a pack of 9th, 11th, and 12th grade girls. Jabbing me in the sides and feeling my stomach or shoulders at all available opportunities. Somehow a few of them learned the words sexy and hansome and used them frequently. One level headed one that was doing something else would catch another and yell "Hentai" at them, which mean perversion, heh. It was akward and they always caught me by surprise or while I was doing somehting else. I am not a beer belly either anymore in case you were wondering what they found so appealing. I have lost 7kg and have got some abs back! In normal circumstances this behavior might be more flattering, but considering that I am a "teacher" and they are all young girls it makes me feel really uneasy. I would tell someone on staff about it, but the culture here is way different and I am better off just keeping my mouth shut on all grounds and practicing my evasion tactics ( I asked the other ALTs about it and they said it is wise to just keep quiet and hope it eventually ends.... and then they all laughed at me... apparently this happened to one of the other ALTs a few years ago as well). Either way I plan on being more vigilant in avoiding their ambushes... it will be hard though because they are always in packs and I usually have to get past them and your back is almost always to one of them when passing.
Cats and pigeons in Japan are reversed. At the slightest onset that you will appraoch a cat they bolt off very quickly. The clicking of the tounge does not even get them to come close, it scares them off more quickly. Pigeons on the other hand walk right up to you and peck at you for food instead of flying away. If you step towards them they either don't do anything or they come up to you and investigate. The only exception to this was with a cat I saw in my host family's neigborhood in Tenno while on a walk with the girls Saika and Seina a week or two ago. It was an old cat that was laying in the middle of the road, prolly hoping for a dump truck to run it over. It had cataracs in both eyes and appeared to be a little lame. I think it was more a nourishment issue because it was so very skinny and its hind legs were weak. It walked right up to me when I approached it and laid down on my leg and let me pet it, it was a dirty cat too. I felt badly for it and went to get it some food at the corner store. I returned with a small can of tunafish. The cat loved it and ate up, prolly its last meal since it was so weak. Thank god dogs are the same here! Ben, if you don't believe that either I can have the girls write you a letter about it, its all they talked about for like a week.
Heat is reletive here. 80F is like an icebox. I am starting to adjust to that scale. Humidity is the big factor.
I have also found lots of things to do here when anyone comes to visit. Students also go nuts when they hear how big my family is and that I am not the biggest... Luke-san, your fan club awaits.
More soon...
Girls on the other hand are a different beast. They seem so sweet and they really are but there is a dark side to them. I think it is from the behind the scenes oppression and overt male dominance in the culture that makes them absolute hornballs. I got my ass grabbed and slapped several times today. The first slap I thought was a boy because they have this practical joke they get as kids where they poke you in the ass with their index fingers, it has some wierd childhood significance of humor that I have not quite found. I also pretty much got molested by a pack of 9th, 11th, and 12th grade girls. Jabbing me in the sides and feeling my stomach or shoulders at all available opportunities. Somehow a few of them learned the words sexy and hansome and used them frequently. One level headed one that was doing something else would catch another and yell "Hentai" at them, which mean perversion, heh. It was akward and they always caught me by surprise or while I was doing somehting else. I am not a beer belly either anymore in case you were wondering what they found so appealing. I have lost 7kg and have got some abs back! In normal circumstances this behavior might be more flattering, but considering that I am a "teacher" and they are all young girls it makes me feel really uneasy. I would tell someone on staff about it, but the culture here is way different and I am better off just keeping my mouth shut on all grounds and practicing my evasion tactics ( I asked the other ALTs about it and they said it is wise to just keep quiet and hope it eventually ends.... and then they all laughed at me... apparently this happened to one of the other ALTs a few years ago as well). Either way I plan on being more vigilant in avoiding their ambushes... it will be hard though because they are always in packs and I usually have to get past them and your back is almost always to one of them when passing.
Cats and pigeons in Japan are reversed. At the slightest onset that you will appraoch a cat they bolt off very quickly. The clicking of the tounge does not even get them to come close, it scares them off more quickly. Pigeons on the other hand walk right up to you and peck at you for food instead of flying away. If you step towards them they either don't do anything or they come up to you and investigate. The only exception to this was with a cat I saw in my host family's neigborhood in Tenno while on a walk with the girls Saika and Seina a week or two ago. It was an old cat that was laying in the middle of the road, prolly hoping for a dump truck to run it over. It had cataracs in both eyes and appeared to be a little lame. I think it was more a nourishment issue because it was so very skinny and its hind legs were weak. It walked right up to me when I approached it and laid down on my leg and let me pet it, it was a dirty cat too. I felt badly for it and went to get it some food at the corner store. I returned with a small can of tunafish. The cat loved it and ate up, prolly its last meal since it was so weak. Thank god dogs are the same here! Ben, if you don't believe that either I can have the girls write you a letter about it, its all they talked about for like a week.
Heat is reletive here. 80F is like an icebox. I am starting to adjust to that scale. Humidity is the big factor.
I have also found lots of things to do here when anyone comes to visit. Students also go nuts when they hear how big my family is and that I am not the biggest... Luke-san, your fan club awaits.
More soon...
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Gaigin Traps, Homeruns, Eraser Clouds, and Flying Bikes...
So, two more days into the wonderful orgy of outrageousness that is Japan. Now some of you may be looking at the title of this and thinking to yourself, "WTF is a Gaigin Trap", and I am going to reassure you it is not some plan to lure foreigners into dark corners with hourly compensated women and then steal their kidneys. Gaigin Traps are what forigners call the ditches lining the street everywhere in Japan. When I say ditch I don't mean a small dirt depression that carries excess water away to protect a roadway, but more like a concrete cravass ranging from 6-16 inches across and anywhere from 6-40 inches deep in most cases. Now we refer to them in this way because foreigners do not expect such a dangerous gap to be right next to the roadways unmarked and often find themselves in some pain when they step in one at night or on a jog, ride their bike into them, or even their cars. I have had a couple close calls myself! However this particular story I am spared and I get to watch a few other poor bastards hit one at full steam. Several young men were running in a formation down the street and weaving around people walking on the side of the street. Often these Gtraps have grates or loose concrete blocks covering them; but on this street it was 50/50. The first runner lead the pack around a little old lady and then vered to head down an allyway... he was not looking where he was putting his feet though and his right leg went straight down and he hunkered to a painful sounding stop up to his mid thigh in the "ditch". The worst was yet to come, in quick succession his remaining buddies cascaded over him and all came to a very loud and rather hilarious yard sale of runners. You may be thinking, "Jesse you unsensitive son of a biscut, they could really be hurt and that is not funny", and you know what? You are right and I still found it funny because by all means it should have been me doing something like that. I did go help them up and none were hurt, just some scrapes and then they went on their way. It was just too comical though the way they ended up. Best part being they were Japanese, you figure they would know (maybe we should just change the name to man-eaters/traps or devil dikes).
Yesterday I went to Tenno Junior High School and taught five classes, all went well and my introduction lesson to the classes were sublime. They loved me. I did have a break at second period and I went and watched my first periods gym class. They were doing the high jump with mats and everything. I joined them, still in my suit, and showed em the fillsberry flop... you know the one where you arc backwards over the bar? I ended up clearing around 6ft! I think that is better than when I did it in school, haha! They all went crazy and loved it. At luch I finished quickly and joined one class that was playing a softball game out beside the school. The school is a 4 story concrete structure that wraps around the baseball diamond, so in the outfield there are the balconies from the seperate levels streatching the length of the field and big green nets hanging from the top of the school down so no balls break anything. They wanted me to hit some. I had already been playing catch for a bit on the side, but they put the game on hold to have a batting and fielding practice. I got a couple hits in that were all line drives and a couple pop outs. Students and teachers begain to fill the balconies coming out of class to watch. Then it happpened! I belted one over the top of the school! Now this is not a tiny field, its like a normal baseball field for highschool with a 4 story building hemming it in on two sides. The entire student body went absolutely apeshit! I was actually surprised I got such a good hit myself, it was awesome. It must have looked hilarious though, some 7 foot white dude in nice grey slacks, black dress shoes and belt, a nice deep purple dress shirt and matching tie with a beat up bat in the middle of a dirt baseball field with dust wipping up in the scortching heat belting a ball that some 14 year old hurled at him. It was like a russian ganster playing with small imporverished children almost. To the kid who was pitchins' credit he could bring some serious heat, I thought for sure he was going to strike me out! P.S. Tenno J.H.S. is also located on an amazing hillside overlooking the water! It was a pain walking from the train station up to it.
Today I went to Miyahara Junior High School and it was much like that of it's little sib the elementary school in Miyahara. Formal and orderly and in an crazy awesome spot. Though a few classes in the kids really started to warm up to me and were were kidding around and such. They would also let their guard down and tease eachother and whatever in the manner they would if I were not there. So a few of us were sitting down on a break showing eachother our favorite kanji and english words. There were a few others in the class and couple boys cleaning chalk boards and the erasers. They were being somewhat noisy but whatever, it was the break. Then I heard "thwump" and coughing almost immediatly. We all turned to the boys by the blackboards and one had smacked another one in the back of the head with a chalk laden eraser making a huge white cloud around the boys head. It was priceless because his spiky hair was all white, yellow, and pink form the kinds of chalk we had been using. No one told the main teacher when she returned so I also kept my silence because it was not that serious and it was all in good fun really. She really did not seem to care either and shared a laugh at him. The boy was a good sport and kept his hair wacky till cleanup time at the end of the day a few hours later. Turns out the other boy who smacked him was his twin bro and I had not recognised him because of the chalk!
Do you really think bikes fly? They do when they hit gaigin at 20km/hr! I was walking down the road tonight and out of nowhere a young man on a bike rams into my side after emerging from an allyway to my right. I barely had enough time to drop my shoulder a little for protection. He went off the bike and pretty much planted into my shoulder and his bike somehow sprung up in the air and flew to the side like ten feet! It was a lot like a old beetle running into a moose at high speed, you get the picture. Iwas fine, small bruise on the inside of my arm is all. I helped the young man up and helped him get his bike, he also appeared to be fine and so was his bike. He said he was sorry and to have a good evening and then rode off. About five or six other people nearby just watched with their jaws down, only a young girl came and helped get some things that had fallen out of the mans pockets. Heh!
Bonus material for those of you who have slogged your way though this series of stories. We had yet another earthquake this morning. I was in the shower and ran out stark naked to take cover in a concrete doorjam! That brings my tally up to 5 earthquakes, 2 typhoons, and numerous series of floods and landslides I have survived since comeing to Japan.
Take care all and I will update again soon!
Yesterday I went to Tenno Junior High School and taught five classes, all went well and my introduction lesson to the classes were sublime. They loved me. I did have a break at second period and I went and watched my first periods gym class. They were doing the high jump with mats and everything. I joined them, still in my suit, and showed em the fillsberry flop... you know the one where you arc backwards over the bar? I ended up clearing around 6ft! I think that is better than when I did it in school, haha! They all went crazy and loved it. At luch I finished quickly and joined one class that was playing a softball game out beside the school. The school is a 4 story concrete structure that wraps around the baseball diamond, so in the outfield there are the balconies from the seperate levels streatching the length of the field and big green nets hanging from the top of the school down so no balls break anything. They wanted me to hit some. I had already been playing catch for a bit on the side, but they put the game on hold to have a batting and fielding practice. I got a couple hits in that were all line drives and a couple pop outs. Students and teachers begain to fill the balconies coming out of class to watch. Then it happpened! I belted one over the top of the school! Now this is not a tiny field, its like a normal baseball field for highschool with a 4 story building hemming it in on two sides. The entire student body went absolutely apeshit! I was actually surprised I got such a good hit myself, it was awesome. It must have looked hilarious though, some 7 foot white dude in nice grey slacks, black dress shoes and belt, a nice deep purple dress shirt and matching tie with a beat up bat in the middle of a dirt baseball field with dust wipping up in the scortching heat belting a ball that some 14 year old hurled at him. It was like a russian ganster playing with small imporverished children almost. To the kid who was pitchins' credit he could bring some serious heat, I thought for sure he was going to strike me out! P.S. Tenno J.H.S. is also located on an amazing hillside overlooking the water! It was a pain walking from the train station up to it.
Today I went to Miyahara Junior High School and it was much like that of it's little sib the elementary school in Miyahara. Formal and orderly and in an crazy awesome spot. Though a few classes in the kids really started to warm up to me and were were kidding around and such. They would also let their guard down and tease eachother and whatever in the manner they would if I were not there. So a few of us were sitting down on a break showing eachother our favorite kanji and english words. There were a few others in the class and couple boys cleaning chalk boards and the erasers. They were being somewhat noisy but whatever, it was the break. Then I heard "thwump" and coughing almost immediatly. We all turned to the boys by the blackboards and one had smacked another one in the back of the head with a chalk laden eraser making a huge white cloud around the boys head. It was priceless because his spiky hair was all white, yellow, and pink form the kinds of chalk we had been using. No one told the main teacher when she returned so I also kept my silence because it was not that serious and it was all in good fun really. She really did not seem to care either and shared a laugh at him. The boy was a good sport and kept his hair wacky till cleanup time at the end of the day a few hours later. Turns out the other boy who smacked him was his twin bro and I had not recognised him because of the chalk!
Do you really think bikes fly? They do when they hit gaigin at 20km/hr! I was walking down the road tonight and out of nowhere a young man on a bike rams into my side after emerging from an allyway to my right. I barely had enough time to drop my shoulder a little for protection. He went off the bike and pretty much planted into my shoulder and his bike somehow sprung up in the air and flew to the side like ten feet! It was a lot like a old beetle running into a moose at high speed, you get the picture. Iwas fine, small bruise on the inside of my arm is all. I helped the young man up and helped him get his bike, he also appeared to be fine and so was his bike. He said he was sorry and to have a good evening and then rode off. About five or six other people nearby just watched with their jaws down, only a young girl came and helped get some things that had fallen out of the mans pockets. Heh!
Bonus material for those of you who have slogged your way though this series of stories. We had yet another earthquake this morning. I was in the shower and ran out stark naked to take cover in a concrete doorjam! That brings my tally up to 5 earthquakes, 2 typhoons, and numerous series of floods and landslides I have survived since comeing to Japan.
Take care all and I will update again soon!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
41 Days In...
So I thought I would finally get this thing started now that I have net and a predictable schedual. I have been here 41 days so far settling in and today being my first day of school. I will skip pretty much all the exciting preperations that took place until this point, otherwise I will be compelled to write a novel of rather ookii (big) proportions.
Today I had a fairly short day, but it was full of tension. I went to my first school, Miyahara Elementary School in Miyahara 4 Chome, a district of East Kure. Miyahara is absolutly beautiful! It is a seemingly small school nestled amongst the houses and tree line on a large hillside overlooking all of Kure> By hill I mean foothill that is the coastal mountains that pinch Kure up against the sea. To get an impression Miyahara is the district all the admirals and other officers had their houses and offices during WWII so that they possessed a commanding view of the inland waterways. The Yamato itself was built not more than 200m from where the school is. I arrived at school before eight in the morning and was shown by several teachers to various parts of the school as well as my very own oak desk! We then had a brief teachers meeting for about 25 minutes. Teachers meetings here are not like the states, it is incredibly formal and extremly steeped in traditional mannerisms. They spoke so fast I only really picked up on about a quarter of the agenda for the first week. I did pick out though that I had to give me jinkoshoukai or self introduction to the student body! I was a little surprised at this, but in time the meeting was over and we filed into the gym.
All the teachers were there first. Then one at a time from the oldest grade (6th graders) came in in soldier like formations marching, turning in step and sitting down on command... the process repeated till all six grades were seated in the same fashion equally spaced ont he floor. The discipline was unbelievable! The principle stood in front of the mic at the front, did some introducing of new students and faculty and then told them a little about me.. actually all.. and I was worried because he said exactly what I was going to say. They all stood and bowed to him and let out a loud "HAI!" (YES!) together and then remaind straight upright waiting for me. I walked up, gave my speech and then bowed and said the formal end greeting (dozo youroushuku onagaishimasu) in which they a half second later all at once returned the greeting and bowed in unison. HOLY F&^K*#G S%$* MAN! It was intense. By the way, there were over 1200 of them!
After that it was a few hours of meetings and lesson plans, which only took so long because my Japanese sucks and their English is nonexistant. We got through it though and had a good time. Also they like to force coffee into you all the time. I don't like coffee very much, but I have one at the schools every day... The other day I visited three schools in a single day and each gave me several cups of coffee each (impolite to refuse) and I was bouncing off the damn walls by the end of the day! I ran from like 9pm to 1:15 in the morning to tucker myself out so I could sleep! It also kept my mind off of other things that have been messing with my head emotionally, but ya'll don't need to hear about that.
Anyways,
More to come...
Today I had a fairly short day, but it was full of tension. I went to my first school, Miyahara Elementary School in Miyahara 4 Chome, a district of East Kure. Miyahara is absolutly beautiful! It is a seemingly small school nestled amongst the houses and tree line on a large hillside overlooking all of Kure> By hill I mean foothill that is the coastal mountains that pinch Kure up against the sea. To get an impression Miyahara is the district all the admirals and other officers had their houses and offices during WWII so that they possessed a commanding view of the inland waterways. The Yamato itself was built not more than 200m from where the school is. I arrived at school before eight in the morning and was shown by several teachers to various parts of the school as well as my very own oak desk! We then had a brief teachers meeting for about 25 minutes. Teachers meetings here are not like the states, it is incredibly formal and extremly steeped in traditional mannerisms. They spoke so fast I only really picked up on about a quarter of the agenda for the first week. I did pick out though that I had to give me jinkoshoukai or self introduction to the student body! I was a little surprised at this, but in time the meeting was over and we filed into the gym.
All the teachers were there first. Then one at a time from the oldest grade (6th graders) came in in soldier like formations marching, turning in step and sitting down on command... the process repeated till all six grades were seated in the same fashion equally spaced ont he floor. The discipline was unbelievable! The principle stood in front of the mic at the front, did some introducing of new students and faculty and then told them a little about me.. actually all.. and I was worried because he said exactly what I was going to say. They all stood and bowed to him and let out a loud "HAI!" (YES!) together and then remaind straight upright waiting for me. I walked up, gave my speech and then bowed and said the formal end greeting (dozo youroushuku onagaishimasu) in which they a half second later all at once returned the greeting and bowed in unison. HOLY F&^K*#G S%$* MAN! It was intense. By the way, there were over 1200 of them!
After that it was a few hours of meetings and lesson plans, which only took so long because my Japanese sucks and their English is nonexistant. We got through it though and had a good time. Also they like to force coffee into you all the time. I don't like coffee very much, but I have one at the schools every day... The other day I visited three schools in a single day and each gave me several cups of coffee each (impolite to refuse) and I was bouncing off the damn walls by the end of the day! I ran from like 9pm to 1:15 in the morning to tucker myself out so I could sleep! It also kept my mind off of other things that have been messing with my head emotionally, but ya'll don't need to hear about that.
Anyways,
More to come...
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