I just read this again on some site. Lots of JETs have probably heard of a game called "the telephone game" - we know it better as "Chinese whispers" in some parts of the world. Considering what it involves (passing a message by whispering), the JET name seems to make sense...until you consider where it comes from ( Read more... )

Just about every ALT has experienced this I'm sure, the dreaded reflection speeches that feature at parties after any major school or teachers' event. The opening words of the MC signal the start of a time of small bites, sipping and periodic "kanpai!" (i.e. "cheers"), lasting anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Some of my teachers don't like them ( Read more... )

...beautiful ( Read more... )

61 of my second years left on their school trip this morning. I woke up a bit too late to see them off, though it may have been for the best, really, for this was the year I'd really been hoping to go with. No only are they the most well-behaved students I've had, they're also the bunch I get along best with (admittedly, many of the ones I often ( Read more... )

Starting in April, students in Japan will no longer have to pay ￥10,000 (about $100) a month to attend a public high school. Until this year, the annual fees have been ￥118,800 (about $1200), but under a manifesto of the Hatoyama Government, these fees will now be borne by the country and each area's local governing bodies. Furthermore, private ( Read more... )

I wish I'd been more prepared, that I'd thought of more of the questions they'd ask. I probably should have tried applying last year too, just for the experience (I think most of us knew who was going to get it)...but too late for that now. I don't even know for certain who else applied (apparently 4/5, so maybe 25% chance), but all I can do is ( Read more... )

One of my pet peeves with testing in Japanese schools is the use of scrambled sentences in workbooks and tests. I haven't liked them since I was in primary (elementary) school, where I vaguely remember them being an important part of Chinese language tests. Whilst learning more Japanese over this last year, I've come to think that constructing ( Read more... )

It's not that I have nothing better to do...but looking for pictures and information on Japanese school uniforms actually turned out to be fairly interesting.

( Cutting for length )

About 2 weeks ago, I celebrated Halloween "properly" for the first time. That's to say, I dressed up and went to a party. (Sorry, no trick-or-treating at my age!) Australia has never been that big on this ostensibly fun festival - a childhood friend also dressed up for the first time this year, strange considering that she cosplays at least three ( Read more... )

The seminars, at least ( Read more... )