Let's Review
So, let me sum up this weekend for you.
Friday: Today was bus field trip with the ENTIRE school to what I believe is called Bamboo Wonderland. It was an hour and a half away I think. Took a while to get there. I was given the first aid bag, and Souta - a first grader/year - had fun grabbing at my hands from behind my seat the whole time.
I went around with team 1, as they told me to. We went to various points where they solved riddles or did some physical feat - like climb a bunch of steep stairs. YES I climbed them too and thought I would die because I am so out of shape. But my kids hustled me along with cries of "JESHIKA SENSEI HURRY UP! COME ON! HURRY HURRY!" See, the whole team has to be assembled before they get the stamp from the check point. Anyway we bustled around all over, and I refused to run (like half of my group did). We had lunch together, which was fun though the wind tried to carry us away. Then it was off to more check points.
The kids had a blast. Souta liked to linger, so I got in the habit of calling for him, and he would hold onto my hand. Most first years usually were glued to an older kids' side. Sixth years were team leaders so they had to make sure everyone was accounted for, no one got lost. Our leader was...over run by the fourth years, who promptly took over. XD But he made sure we were all together. Mr. Big, who I don't recall if I introduced him as that to you guys, is a fifth year who looks like a first year. He's TINY. His voice isn't. He wandered with us in tears for a bit because he got lost. But we soon found his team and he cheered up. The problem was some of the sixth years were in a rush to get to all the points and get all the stamps. They didn't always bother to make sure the smaller kids were keeping up. Some of them left their groups behind at lunch too - I had a girl come tell me her team leaders disappeared.
I guess being labeled as sensei means I have to be a real sensei, except I don't, because my company makes it clear I'm just hired English help...
One of my kids got hurt too, so I got to be nurse. I was kind of worried that I hadn't cleaned his scrape well enough but the real nurse said it would be fine. I hope it is. I worry about my kids.
Then we went back to school - it was a long ride back but the kids got to watch a movie on the bus. Souta still grabbed at my hands from time to time. (He also caught a huge bug which escaped but he had fun sticking it on me for all of 2 seconds.)
My kids, especially the sixth years, they know their English. Mii-chan, our "megane obasan" as the younger kids call her, spoke to me in English like 3/4 of the time. She also told me to "RUN! SENSEI RUN! RUN RUN!" because she was one of those in a hurry kids. I always told her NO. XD She also started the whole "Sensei should diet."deal and of course my team had to take turns punching my stomach. It tickled but really...the kids don't need to tell me I'm fat. Or that I am so fat I look pregnant.
A random guy who seems to know me but I don't know him told me in perfect English on the way to work that day "TOO FAT! YOU ARE TOO FAT!"
...I'm seeing a trend.
I also think two little boys copped a feel. D8
Putting that aside, the teachers threw me a small welcome party, at which we ate cake and had coffee. They misspelled "welcome" but it was still fun. Then we went home. So minus random old men and my students telling me I'm a walrus, it was a good day!
Walking home, I ran into a student and her mother. Her mom unloaded all her worries about the Australian kid she's hosting. Eating and communication issues. Well I did my best advice wise and turned her down when she asked me to translate letters she planned to write. It's not that I am horribly busy, I just don't want a whole town of host moms descending on me with letter translation requests. Not for free anyway.
I think I went grocery shopping and then just...did stuff on the computer. XD;
Saturday: I made pancakes. Did laundry. Went for an hour long walk because it was nice out and I wanted to FEEL autumn. Ran into more kids I teach, kids who know me but I don't know them. More English was spoken. Danced on the main street to Hairspray - could care less if people thought I was nuts. A box from my mom came so I unpacked all that. I HAVE A NEW TOOTHBRUSH. And medicines, and towels! <3 My Toshi towels!<3 So soft and fluffy. <3 And teas. Apparently something in it was not allowed but I have no idea what it was they took. =/ Also my bathroom door got fixed - sort of. It's better than before anyway. Then I did more stuff on the computer. And then Steph called so we went out to dinner. That was nice! Then home where I spent a good deal of time reorganizing my sales stuff. I plan to repost that soon. I need the money back home - got those damn student loans to pay.
Today: Neighbors woke me up by being noisy way too early in the morning. Fell back asleep two hours later where I had weird dreams involving my friends. Got woken up by the takyubin delivering me my TOSHI goods! X3 Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. His new CD, and T-EARTH goods. Since I preordered his CD I got a signed postcard. The man must have like a deadline - "Sign 1000 of these in 30 minutes." His signature has turned into the classic "No time, must sign" celebrity autograph. But the tour shirt is huge and warm and gah. HAPPPY.
As far as my plans go for today, I plan to maybe go across town and obtain a tea pot and more stickers for the kids. Not sure if I even want to go out as I am very fucking tired.
Yoshiki will be on tv tonight so I am here for that. <3
And the fishies are doing ell. Very active little things. I think they eat their food now, which is good.
And that's all I can think of. Sorry if I left stuff out - I'm sure I did. But my memory is only so big and my wrist hurts.
If you want my phone number here in Japan, send me an email.
Friday: Today was bus field trip with the ENTIRE school to what I believe is called Bamboo Wonderland. It was an hour and a half away I think. Took a while to get there. I was given the first aid bag, and Souta - a first grader/year - had fun grabbing at my hands from behind my seat the whole time.
I went around with team 1, as they told me to. We went to various points where they solved riddles or did some physical feat - like climb a bunch of steep stairs. YES I climbed them too and thought I would die because I am so out of shape. But my kids hustled me along with cries of "JESHIKA SENSEI HURRY UP! COME ON! HURRY HURRY!" See, the whole team has to be assembled before they get the stamp from the check point. Anyway we bustled around all over, and I refused to run (like half of my group did). We had lunch together, which was fun though the wind tried to carry us away. Then it was off to more check points.
The kids had a blast. Souta liked to linger, so I got in the habit of calling for him, and he would hold onto my hand. Most first years usually were glued to an older kids' side. Sixth years were team leaders so they had to make sure everyone was accounted for, no one got lost. Our leader was...over run by the fourth years, who promptly took over. XD But he made sure we were all together. Mr. Big, who I don't recall if I introduced him as that to you guys, is a fifth year who looks like a first year. He's TINY. His voice isn't. He wandered with us in tears for a bit because he got lost. But we soon found his team and he cheered up. The problem was some of the sixth years were in a rush to get to all the points and get all the stamps. They didn't always bother to make sure the smaller kids were keeping up. Some of them left their groups behind at lunch too - I had a girl come tell me her team leaders disappeared.
I guess being labeled as sensei means I have to be a real sensei, except I don't, because my company makes it clear I'm just hired English help...
One of my kids got hurt too, so I got to be nurse. I was kind of worried that I hadn't cleaned his scrape well enough but the real nurse said it would be fine. I hope it is. I worry about my kids.
Then we went back to school - it was a long ride back but the kids got to watch a movie on the bus. Souta still grabbed at my hands from time to time. (He also caught a huge bug which escaped but he had fun sticking it on me for all of 2 seconds.)
My kids, especially the sixth years, they know their English. Mii-chan, our "megane obasan" as the younger kids call her, spoke to me in English like 3/4 of the time. She also told me to "RUN! SENSEI RUN! RUN RUN!" because she was one of those in a hurry kids. I always told her NO. XD She also started the whole "Sensei should diet."deal and of course my team had to take turns punching my stomach. It tickled but really...the kids don't need to tell me I'm fat. Or that I am so fat I look pregnant.
A random guy who seems to know me but I don't know him told me in perfect English on the way to work that day "TOO FAT! YOU ARE TOO FAT!"
...I'm seeing a trend.
I also think two little boys copped a feel. D8
Putting that aside, the teachers threw me a small welcome party, at which we ate cake and had coffee. They misspelled "welcome" but it was still fun. Then we went home. So minus random old men and my students telling me I'm a walrus, it was a good day!
Walking home, I ran into a student and her mother. Her mom unloaded all her worries about the Australian kid she's hosting. Eating and communication issues. Well I did my best advice wise and turned her down when she asked me to translate letters she planned to write. It's not that I am horribly busy, I just don't want a whole town of host moms descending on me with letter translation requests. Not for free anyway.
I think I went grocery shopping and then just...did stuff on the computer. XD;
Saturday: I made pancakes. Did laundry. Went for an hour long walk because it was nice out and I wanted to FEEL autumn. Ran into more kids I teach, kids who know me but I don't know them. More English was spoken. Danced on the main street to Hairspray - could care less if people thought I was nuts. A box from my mom came so I unpacked all that. I HAVE A NEW TOOTHBRUSH. And medicines, and towels! <3 My Toshi towels!<3 So soft and fluffy. <3 And teas. Apparently something in it was not allowed but I have no idea what it was they took. =/ Also my bathroom door got fixed - sort of. It's better than before anyway. Then I did more stuff on the computer. And then Steph called so we went out to dinner. That was nice! Then home where I spent a good deal of time reorganizing my sales stuff. I plan to repost that soon. I need the money back home - got those damn student loans to pay.
Today: Neighbors woke me up by being noisy way too early in the morning. Fell back asleep two hours later where I had weird dreams involving my friends. Got woken up by the takyubin delivering me my TOSHI goods! X3 Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. His new CD, and T-EARTH goods. Since I preordered his CD I got a signed postcard. The man must have like a deadline - "Sign 1000 of these in 30 minutes." His signature has turned into the classic "No time, must sign" celebrity autograph. But the tour shirt is huge and warm and gah. HAPPPY.
As far as my plans go for today, I plan to maybe go across town and obtain a tea pot and more stickers for the kids. Not sure if I even want to go out as I am very fucking tired.
Yoshiki will be on tv tonight so I am here for that. <3
And the fishies are doing ell. Very active little things. I think they eat their food now, which is good.
And that's all I can think of. Sorry if I left stuff out - I'm sure I did. But my memory is only so big and my wrist hurts.
If you want my phone number here in Japan, send me an email.