August 25th

[frellnik]

 

Today was the first official day of school after summer break.  There were no actual classes, just a school assembly and homeroom.  I arrived at school just after 7:45am and I was drenched in sweat.   I really hate how humid it is here.  It wouldn’t be half as bad if it was a dry heat. 

Anyway, I got all dressed up in my dark brown short sleeve suit and walked the 12 minutes to school.  In the morning I talked with some teachers and practiced my speech a bit.  At 8:20 everyone assembled in the school gym ( no AC, just open doors and windows) and we had our opening ceremony full of speeches.  First the Vice Principal spoke then the principle.  On the stage is a small platform and a microphone. Behind that on the wall is a big flag of Japan. When you go up onto the stage you have to bow to the flag.  Then you bow to the crowd of kids and teachers. Then you give your speech.  So that’s what I did, after watching the VP and the Principal do it. 

My speech went over very well.  All the teachers liked it and said that their students had enjoyed it and inferred from it that I was very nice and they are all looking forward to talking with me.

Every teacher I’ve talked to is very relieved and impressed that I can speak Japanese so well. They all seem surprised when I tell them that I want to improve my Japanese more.

At lunch today all the lady teachers had a special lunch together.  There was a lot of food.  There were some things I didn’t like so I just left them. There was enough food that even with not eating almost a quarter of it, I was still full when I finished eating.  And there was cake!   It was supposed to cost about 2000 yen, but they gave it back to me and told me they’d take it later…then they never did.  So I don’t know if I should try to give it to them again or not. oh well. I’ll find out later.

There was thunder in the distance this afternoon before I left school and I was really hoping it would rain here…but it’s now almost 7:30pm and it hasn’t rained yet.  So I guess it missed us…again.  Maybe rain would help cool things down….

After school I stopped in at the 7/11 to get dinner.  I need to do groceries on Saturday.  On my way home from 7/11 I pass by the park.  On my way, 4 girls from my school called out to me and ran over to me from the park.  So I talked to them for a few minutes and then I told them I needed to go home and change out of my work clothes.  So they said good bye and went back to the park…to get their things.  They followed me home. lol  They ran across the park and met me on the other street and then started chatting with me again (in Japanese) and then I finally asked them if they were planning on walking with me all the way home and they said yes.  So I said, Ok.   They knew where I lived once I said it was the pink building. Their response was…Oh Kasey’s house. hahah. yeah, I moved into Kasey’s old place.  Apparently Kasey didn’t have a problem with the kids following her home either. 

So when I got home I asked them if they wanted to play at the park and they were really happy that I wanted to play with them. So I got changed and then spent almost 2 hours playing at the park with the kids from school.  We started out just the 5 of us but at one point there were 10 of us.  I only learned 2 of their names, Miki, and Nana. Both are in grade 6.  So learnt a little more about Izumi and met a bunch of kids.  It was a good day!  Now I’m watching tv while writing this. I think I’ll go take a cool shower and get into my pjs and then have dinner.

Tomorrow I go to an elementary school in Yumoto to (eeeewww!!! A little fly landed in my hair and  just squished it on my head! eww.)  shadow one of the senior ALTs so I can see what it’s like teaching at elementary school.  I’ll be at Chelsea’s school tomorrow and Friday.  Then I start teaching on Monday at Izumi Kita.

And that’s it for today J