I arrived at the elementary school and we had a welcome back assembly. I stood on the side of the gym with some of the other teachers as the children filed in. After a few talks and some bowing I was escorted to the front of the crowd and I briefly introduced myself. When I finished, I went back to the sidelines and waited as the assembly finished. At the end of the 25 minute assembly I went back to the teacher's room and looked as busy as I could until my one and only class that day. Two children from the class came and summoned me to their class room. This would become the norm, I would find out later. In class I played a PowerPoint presentation I had prepared the night prior in about 2 hours. I discussed my name, age, country of origin, brother, sister, animals, vegetables from my garden, my favorite activities, and my food preferences. Afterward we had a Q&A session, then we sang "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes". We moved on to a game next where the purpose was to identify body parts on a face. The kids paired up and one was blindfolded. They then had to apply one body part each to the face of either Doraemon, Pikachu, or Anpanman. They didn't do to well at first, but the second time the pictures looked wonderful. After class I went back to the teacher's room and we had lunch together. Lunch was tuna with carrots and peas, miso soup, and rice. The lunch lady kept piling more food onto my plate, even taking it from other teachers plates. I was stuffed. After lunch I went from the elementary school over to the middle school.
At the middle school I learned the students were taking a test that day so I didn't have any classes to teach. I spent my time in the teacher's room. I met with one of the English teachers and he talked to me about what my job would be like and what was expected of me. Then he showed me a speech one of the kids had written and was going to give at a English Competition. He asked me to proofread it and correct it as I saw fit. I started off only correcting the big mistakes but as I went on I began to realize what I was really supposed to be doing. I was to re-write the speech in perfect English. I thought this was weird, but I didn't question it. I was requested to bring the speech home to finish it up, then record myself giving the speech so the student can hear the correct pronunciation. I even got some help proofreading it! Thanks J!
But I'm getting ahead of myself now...
After school was over, I was about to leave when the VP started asking me questions. He asked if I had my own chopstick set. The teachers and students bring their own utensils from home everyday. They have a little blue plastic box the inside contains a fork, spoon, and pair of chopsticks. I told him I didn't yet have one but was planning on purchasing one in the near future. He said that was nonsense because the Principal was going to buy me one. The VP then offered me a ride home. Even though I live less than a ten minute walk away, I accepted. On the way to the car, the VP asked if I had a bicycle. When I told him I didn't, I think he said he was going to gift me one. I'm not sure because my Japanese isn't so good and neither is his English. We drove to a small shop and he went in and bought me the chopstick set as I waited in the car. He then dropped me off at home and I went in to change. That day, I was going to the gym!
The gym is about an hour and a half work from my apartment. I didn't know this. I tried to run to the gym, but I didn't make it. I ended up walking about half of the way after I almost completely exhausted myself running. As I walked, one of the other ALTs met up with me on his bike, closely followed by another ALT on his bike. We got to the gym and I worked out for about and hour. The gym is free if you are a teacher! The gym closes at 4:30 everyday! I get off work at 4:30 everyday. That was the last time I would probably see that gym. After the gym I walkd home. Tired.
Thursday morning, I woke and went to the elementary school. I had a full day of classes and I was excited! I was told to sit in the teacher's room and wait. Two children from my first class came down and escorted me to the classroom. Each class consisted of me giving my PowerPoint presentation and then answering questions. After the class ends, I go back to the teacher's room and wait for two more children to escort me back to the classroom. The second period teacher is a really cool guy. Some of the teachers didn't seem to know what they were doing, but he did and he was nice a friendly. I ate lunch with a class on that day: Sweet bread, pasta of some sort, a soup of some kind, and a frozen jello thing. A girl sitting across from me had students coming up to her and giving her their pasta dish. I could tell it happened quite often, unfortunately. After lunch was cleaning time. I swept in the teacher's room. Two more classes and I was done for the day. I walked down to the bank to cash some travelers checks, but the bank was closed. I then walked to my neighborhood discount grocery store. I bough some soba noodles, some Calorie Mate bars, some Yakult, a box of tiny chocolate ice cream bars, and some popcorn for watching movies.
Calorie Mate is a balanced nutrition bar for people on the go. It is also 88cents for a box of two. I eat them for breakfast and dinner, with school lunch in the middle. I like chocolate(Red box) and maple(Green box) so far. Fresh(Black box) is okay, and I have not yet tried cheese(orange box).
Friday I woke and went to do a full day at middle school. I gave a longer version of my PowerPoint to the first class of the day, then I went around the room and had each student ask me a question about myself. After class it was time to begin practicing for the school's sports festival, happening on Sept 11th. I forgot to bring some outside clothes so I had to run home. The shortest way to my house had a locked gate keeping me from utilizing it. Yay, I get to run around the whole block to get home and the whole block to get back. I changed and went out to join the kids. It was really fun! I saw the kids were going to perform a dance routine and I decided to join in and learn the choreography. The dance was conceived by one of the students and was the first dance they would ever do at the sport's day beginning ceremony. It was a hard dance to learn but I made quick friends with the student who designed the dance and we practiced all the rest of the day. The kids also practiced making level human pyramid and some drills they would be participating in. After school I chatted with some of the teachers and then went home. I am so exhausted! I have next Monday off but I have to be at the middle school next Saturday, so it's a wash.
This has so far been totally awesome! I can't wait to go back to school next week!
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