Pogo sticks and unicycles….why?

(Me and Kika climbing Mt Tsukuba (Sophie came too). Well we did not really climb it, but we ate lunch at the top.)

(YES...that is a Totoro doughnut. He was cream filled and delicious)

So I have had my first two days. They have been interesting. I have not actually taught yet, I have just interacted with the staff and worked in the staff room, but boy has it been something else.

Yesterday, after my first day, I had a meltdown. Yesterday was really heard. I had my first case of sever culture shock and home sickness. It was crazy. I just felt like my school and the people that worked there were really unfriendly. They weren't really that bad, but this was my day.

Yesterdays experience:

I came in and barley got a hello. The entire day I sat at my desk and fiddled around because I did not know what else to do. No one ever told me what I was meant to be doing and really I had no idea. I read over the previous ALTs lesson plans that had been left for me. That was interesting and helpful, but it only took up a few hrs. The rest of the time I farted around. The people at my school don't speak English so they barely spoke to me. I guess no one had been given charge of me because no one looked after me, showed me around the school or introduced me to everyone. I was left on my own all day. And I guess that's just how they do it here (I later found out that is totally normal here for ESL teachers). I was so surprised though!!!! Anyway after spending the day pretending to write lesson plans and being talked over, I was a bit on edge. By the time I arrived home I was so home sick and feeling lonely and lost. I had a tantrum and could not get in touch with anyone. It sucked. But after a time I cooled down with the help of friends and boyfriend.

Today was so much better. I guess I knew what to expect today. And…I brought candy so at least they had to talk to me!!!hahahahahah

Yeah today was so much better. I brought stuff, work to do and I worked on some Japanese phrases to use and I think the teachers felt a little more comfortable so they used the little English they know. That all made it better.

Now….here is my little story: I have read a lot about peoples experience teaching in Japan. They all talk about how the Japanese ask the English teacher to do this really last minute, like pull games and activities and entire lessons out of there ass's. Well I experienced that fist hand today.

I was sitting in the teacher's lounge doing work, when I looked up and all the teachers were gone except for me and the other new teacher (a women who teaches 3^rd grade) she turns to me and says "I so nervous, you too?" hummmmm…..nervous about what I think to myself…?? Suddenly the vice principle runs over and say to me "you make speech now?" What? WHAT?????!!!!!

I get up and he leads me and the other teacher into the gym where everyone…EVERYONE….the students, teachers, staff, moms….everyone is sitting patiently waiting for me. I think OK, this will be OK. Then he leads us onto the stage!!!!A series of bowing ensues with each speaker. The proper hierarchical order is followed with me last (obviously) so I get up and do just as the other teachers have done. Bow to the others on stage, bow to the stage, walk, bow to the podium, walk forward, bow to the students (and almost hit my forehead on the mike, wish I had, it would have been really funny) I stumble through a Japanese introduction of myself (which the Japanese are always impressed with, even if you spit out "hi, I Marjorie. Good days", they think you're a genius). So then I go into this cheesy speach about learning English!!! YEAH!!!! (No one claps, which was weird) then I do the whole bowing ritual again and go back to my seat. (Note: I am a bowing freak now, anytime anyone bows at me, it is like by body takes over and we do this dance of bowing deeply then the bows become smaller and smaller until it's just a nod. I bow a lot in the day.)

The whole thing was pretty hilarious; I wish you all could have seen it. Here is the thing though. How could I have not seen that coming? Like I said I know they do this. I got totally blind sided though. WHY!!!????

Other things about school: Snack time. It's AWESOME! AWESOME I TELL YOU! At about 3:30 all the teachers start to rush around grabbing cups from your desk. (I drink about 8 cups of green tea a day, not by choice mind you!) They start making the rounds, they drop off your tea (they always make mine weak, I don't know if they think I can't handle it, which I can't, or if they just don't like me) Then they start dropping of little individually wrapped snacks. There is always 'osembee' (Japanese rice crackers which I LOVE!!!!) and cookies, and then there is always something really strange and awful which I eat anyway and then spend the rest of the day trying to figure out what on earth it was!!! But it's pretty wonderful; there are usually about 5 different snacks on my desk by 4:00. What a great thing.

OK, all Japanese children can ride a unicycle. What is with THAT?? All day while I am at my desk and I looked up and like little girls in pig tails ride slowly by the window on unicycles followed by a boy or two on a pogo stick. They all look in at me and wave and yell "hellllooooo". Their play grounds here are pretty bleak. It's a gravel field with an ample supply of unicycles and pogo sticks and then this strange jungle gym that goes way too high and looks really dangerous and that is it.

Overall I am loving it all. Even though I don't get to talk to anyone EVER, I rather like just observing all the Japanese behavior and rituals. It's the sociologist in me I guess. Sometimes I even take notes. DORKY! At some point I will either lose my mind or become a mute if I continue to be unable to communicate things like "I am going to the bathroom"

I wish I could send pics but we are not allowed to take pics except for on festival days.

Well wish me luck for my second week. I will be teaching finally. I am so nervous. And on Friday I have my first staff drinking party to attend. I hope we Karaoke. My new favorite to do is Stevie Nicks 'Dreams' HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH…………. it is though.

I will write again about my weekend which was also really interesting.

Love you all,

Byeeee