Vacation Intermission
Neither I, nor you, could possibly imagine how busy I’ve been lately. So many vacations. It really tires a guy out. Maybe I can be President some day.
Let’s catch up. At 4:15, Monday afternoon, July 24, 2006, I officially ended my year as a member of the JET Programme. It’s been fun, I’ll have to write more about that later. Last Thursday was the last day before the students’ 6 week summer vacation, so for most, it was their last chance to see James Sensei in action. Summarily, I was expected to give a speech. Here’s the desk I wrote it at.
I’ll miss that desk. It’s been my workspot for 1 year now. Oh, the hours I’ve spent at that desk, working, preparing, studying, sleeping, hiding from students. As well as eating. At schools here, you eat at your desk, the students in their respective homerooms, the homeroom teachers in their respective homerooms, and me at my desk, so I can actually get some food in my mouth instead of constantly fielding questions about what I’m eating, whether or not I like it, and dealing with comments about the health benefits of the food I chose from 7-11 that morning.
The teachers only took about 5 months to stop doing all that.
And if you think my desk looks messy, I should post a shot of the desk next to mine. The dude has stuff stacked up at least 2 feet high all over it. Seriously. It’s dangerous.
So the speech I gave to the students- I wanted it to be uplifting, while at the same time a little chastising given their dedication to studying anything that doesn’t involve a ball. Which is nonexistent. I wish I could have gotten out of assignments by simply saying to the teacher “This is difficult.”
Wow. I’ve become one of THOSE people.
“When I was your age….”
Cruel fate, why do you mock me so?
Not long ago, a friend showed me how to download stuff that would allow me to type Japanese on my computer. It seriously made my life so much better, which is a fact so sad that I have trouble typing it. If what’s below looks like gibberish, or if your computer can’t show it, you probably cancelled the option to install Japanese characters on your computer. Given work rules, I have no idea what to tell you. But here it is.
James’s Totally Awesome Goodbye Speech
おはようございます。一年前にみじかいあいさつをしました。玉川中学校のとてもしんせつな先生は私にたすけました。しかし、今、この話しは自分のならった日本語を使った、書きました。すべてのしっぱいが私のです。私は下手な日本語が上手です。
きょう年も今年もきょうみぶっかいい年でした。日本語も日本の文化もべんきょうをしたことがあります。たくさんをならいました。それからたくさんをならいたいです。生徒たちはもっと英語もアメリカの文化についてならってほしいです。私はアメリカでもっと日本語のべんきょうをしたいです。もっと英語のべんきょうをしなさい。英語のれんしゅうをして。英語を使って下さい。一日生徒たちの何人かは英語をしゃべる国にべんきょうをしてことができます。
八月のすいたちにアメリカへかえります。おみやげ、しゃしん、思い出をたくさんを持って行きます。生徒たちは私に思い出をくれました。アメリカにかえて、アメリカ人のともだちに私の玉川の年のものがたりを言いたいです。
さいごにじょげんしたいです。前文のじゅぎょうによくはたらいて下さい、英語, 社会、国語、数学、何でも。むずかしいはできないじゃない。
きょうねんも、今年も、ありがとうございます。
And now the translation.
Good morning. One year ago, I gave a short greeting. The kind teachers here at (the Maximum Security) Junior High School helped me. But now, this speech was written with only the Japanese I’ve learned. All the mistakes are mine. I’m very skilled at using bad Japanese.
Both last year and this year were very….interesting. I’ve studied Japanese as well as Japanese culture. I learned a lot. But I want to learn more. I hope you students want to learn more about English, as well as American culture. As for me, I want to study more Japanese in America. Study more English! Practice English! Use English! Maybe one day, some of you can study in an English-speaking country.
On August first, I will return to America. I’ll take back souvenirs, pictures, and memories. You students have given me many memories. In America, I look forward to telling my friends the stories about my year at (this school).
Lastly, I want to give you a little advice. In all your classes, work hard. English, Social Studies, Japanese, Math, whichever. “Difficult” does not mean “impossible.”
As for last year, and this year, thank you very much.
The End
I know the English reads a little awkwardly, but I don’t want to give the impression that I’ve become a poet in another language this year. And the teachers told me that it was understandable. While not ecstatic, I’m somewhat satisfied with the Japanese I’ve learnt. I mean, I can carry on a conversation and whatnot, and if I don't know a word, I can usually adequately describe it, which I sometimes have to do in English. Given that, critical comments from Japanophiles who learned Japanese from manga aren’t welcome. I’ve seen the manga here, and my opinion of you has hit rock bottom.
Manga is Japanese comic books, and no, I will not bring any back. I’m not getting caught with that at customs. And yes, I know that not all of it is pornographic (an unsettling amount is), but, still. Tentacles. That's all I'm saying.
Let’s catch up. At 4:15, Monday afternoon, July 24, 2006, I officially ended my year as a member of the JET Programme. It’s been fun, I’ll have to write more about that later. Last Thursday was the last day before the students’ 6 week summer vacation, so for most, it was their last chance to see James Sensei in action. Summarily, I was expected to give a speech. Here’s the desk I wrote it at.
I’ll miss that desk. It’s been my workspot for 1 year now. Oh, the hours I’ve spent at that desk, working, preparing, studying, sleeping, hiding from students. As well as eating. At schools here, you eat at your desk, the students in their respective homerooms, the homeroom teachers in their respective homerooms, and me at my desk, so I can actually get some food in my mouth instead of constantly fielding questions about what I’m eating, whether or not I like it, and dealing with comments about the health benefits of the food I chose from 7-11 that morning.
The teachers only took about 5 months to stop doing all that.
And if you think my desk looks messy, I should post a shot of the desk next to mine. The dude has stuff stacked up at least 2 feet high all over it. Seriously. It’s dangerous.
So the speech I gave to the students- I wanted it to be uplifting, while at the same time a little chastising given their dedication to studying anything that doesn’t involve a ball. Which is nonexistent. I wish I could have gotten out of assignments by simply saying to the teacher “This is difficult.”
Wow. I’ve become one of THOSE people.
“When I was your age….”
Cruel fate, why do you mock me so?
Not long ago, a friend showed me how to download stuff that would allow me to type Japanese on my computer. It seriously made my life so much better, which is a fact so sad that I have trouble typing it. If what’s below looks like gibberish, or if your computer can’t show it, you probably cancelled the option to install Japanese characters on your computer. Given work rules, I have no idea what to tell you. But here it is.
James’s Totally Awesome Goodbye Speech
おはようございます。一年前にみじかいあいさつをしました。玉川中学校のとてもしんせつな先生は私にたすけました。しかし、今、この話しは自分のならった日本語を使った、書きました。すべてのしっぱいが私のです。私は下手な日本語が上手です。
きょう年も今年もきょうみぶっかいい年でした。日本語も日本の文化もべんきょうをしたことがあります。たくさんをならいました。それからたくさんをならいたいです。生徒たちはもっと英語もアメリカの文化についてならってほしいです。私はアメリカでもっと日本語のべんきょうをしたいです。もっと英語のべんきょうをしなさい。英語のれんしゅうをして。英語を使って下さい。一日生徒たちの何人かは英語をしゃべる国にべんきょうをしてことができます。
八月のすいたちにアメリカへかえります。おみやげ、しゃしん、思い出をたくさんを持って行きます。生徒たちは私に思い出をくれました。アメリカにかえて、アメリカ人のともだちに私の玉川の年のものがたりを言いたいです。
さいごにじょげんしたいです。前文のじゅぎょうによくはたらいて下さい、英語, 社会、国語、数学、何でも。むずかしいはできないじゃない。
きょうねんも、今年も、ありがとうございます。
And now the translation.
Good morning. One year ago, I gave a short greeting. The kind teachers here at (the Maximum Security) Junior High School helped me. But now, this speech was written with only the Japanese I’ve learned. All the mistakes are mine. I’m very skilled at using bad Japanese.
Both last year and this year were very….interesting. I’ve studied Japanese as well as Japanese culture. I learned a lot. But I want to learn more. I hope you students want to learn more about English, as well as American culture. As for me, I want to study more Japanese in America. Study more English! Practice English! Use English! Maybe one day, some of you can study in an English-speaking country.
On August first, I will return to America. I’ll take back souvenirs, pictures, and memories. You students have given me many memories. In America, I look forward to telling my friends the stories about my year at (this school).
Lastly, I want to give you a little advice. In all your classes, work hard. English, Social Studies, Japanese, Math, whichever. “Difficult” does not mean “impossible.”
As for last year, and this year, thank you very much.
The End
I know the English reads a little awkwardly, but I don’t want to give the impression that I’ve become a poet in another language this year. And the teachers told me that it was understandable. While not ecstatic, I’m somewhat satisfied with the Japanese I’ve learnt. I mean, I can carry on a conversation and whatnot, and if I don't know a word, I can usually adequately describe it, which I sometimes have to do in English. Given that, critical comments from Japanophiles who learned Japanese from manga aren’t welcome. I’ve seen the manga here, and my opinion of you has hit rock bottom.
Manga is Japanese comic books, and no, I will not bring any back. I’m not getting caught with that at customs. And yes, I know that not all of it is pornographic (an unsettling amount is), but, still. Tentacles. That's all I'm saying.