This and that
OH GOD I HAVE A BLOG.
I'm planning on doing some massive posts about the things I've been up to, but that'll require going through and editing pictures and what not.
Until then, have some random thoughts.
I went to Susukino at night for the first time in well over a month last week. I was supposed to meet my friends at the main intersection at 8. After stomping around Tokyo for two weeks, I kind of thought Sapporo would seem dull and boring to me. And then I came up from the subway into the middle of Susukino and remembered "oh yeah. Susukino is a pretty weird ass place sometimes".
Seriously, the main intersection of Susukino is a sea of hosts, and I forgot that that really isn't common in the rest of Japan.
http://media.cnngo.com/media/gallery/host_clubs/numa39.jpg
In case you're wondering, these are hosts and this is basically what a typical street corner in Susukino looks like on a Friday or Saturday night. I wish I was exaggerating.
There's also a bizarre lack of hostesses. I don't know why. It's mostly guys.
Weird.
ON A RELATED NOTE, my students are entertaining.
I was checking my phone in the teachers room. A couple of my students spot me and come over.
Girls: GASP! Allie-sensei has a Japanese cell phone! Let me see, let me see!!
Me: Haha, you can look but I'm not letting you hold it.
Girls: *coo over my phone straps and then notice the interface* Ah! It's all in English! Muri(impossible/incredibly difficult)!
Me: Huh? The only writing on there is the date and time.
Girls:....
Me: Those are NUMBERS. You guys can read numbers. You do it all the time, everyday.
Girls:....MURIIIII!!!
I like when Japanese see something and identify it as "an English thing", they're brain shuts down, regardless of the actual content.
Working on "have you ever":
Boy: Have you ever....been to Japan?
Me:....No, I haven't.
Boy: ........huh?
Me: I have never been to Japan.
Boy: .....wait, huh? I don't understand.
Boy #2: You asked her if she's ever been to Japan, and she said no, she hasn't.
Boy: ......I don't get it.
Me: I'm not here right now.
Boy: .....???????
Me: ...It's a joke. I'm joking.
Boy: Yeah, I got that part. It just...wasn't funny.
Ouch. Tough crowd. D:
During class, I was going around helping the kids with their worksheets. This one girl waves me over.
Girl: Allie-sensei! I have a question!!
Me: OK, what is it?
Girl: Do you like me???!
Me: Haha, well, yes, of course.
Girl: Yaaay! What is it about me do you like?(Please note that she tried to say this in English and it took me a while to figure out what she meant. At first she said "which me do you like?" and then said "where do you like me?" eventually I got it)
Me: Well...your personality.(she actually is quite the character, and I find her to be really entertaining)
Girl: Oooh! And what else??
Me: um....your hair.
Girl: And what else??
Me: Your eyes....?
Girl: And what else?????
Me: I'm....gonna go help the other students.
Girl: AND WHAT ELSE????
Me: Walking away now.
Girl: Wait! Come back! What else??!!
Me: *flee*
After a test, we decided to kill time by letting the students ask me questions. The theme was supposed to be "summer vacation", but the students decided themes were for suckers and just asked me whatever they felt like.
Boy: Which is more beautiful, American girl or Japanese girl?
Me: Why, AMERICAN girls, of course!
Boys: *murmurs of approval*
Me: *realize I'm getting some icy looks from the girls in the classroom, so I try to take the heat off me by turning to my JTE, who is a guy* Um, which do you think is more beautiful?
JTE: Hmm.....yes, I think American girls are much more beautiful.
Boys: Yeah, definitely! Much more beautiful than Japanese girls!
Girls: *DEATH. GLARE.*
I made many enemies that day. D:
I'm planning on doing some massive posts about the things I've been up to, but that'll require going through and editing pictures and what not.
Until then, have some random thoughts.
I went to Susukino at night for the first time in well over a month last week. I was supposed to meet my friends at the main intersection at 8. After stomping around Tokyo for two weeks, I kind of thought Sapporo would seem dull and boring to me. And then I came up from the subway into the middle of Susukino and remembered "oh yeah. Susukino is a pretty weird ass place sometimes".
Seriously, the main intersection of Susukino is a sea of hosts, and I forgot that that really isn't common in the rest of Japan.
http://media.cnngo.com/media/gallery/host_clubs/numa39.jpg
In case you're wondering, these are hosts and this is basically what a typical street corner in Susukino looks like on a Friday or Saturday night. I wish I was exaggerating.
There's also a bizarre lack of hostesses. I don't know why. It's mostly guys.
Weird.
ON A RELATED NOTE, my students are entertaining.
I was checking my phone in the teachers room. A couple of my students spot me and come over.
Girls: GASP! Allie-sensei has a Japanese cell phone! Let me see, let me see!!
Me: Haha, you can look but I'm not letting you hold it.
Girls: *coo over my phone straps and then notice the interface* Ah! It's all in English! Muri(impossible/incredibly difficult)!
Me: Huh? The only writing on there is the date and time.
Girls:....
Me: Those are NUMBERS. You guys can read numbers. You do it all the time, everyday.
Girls:....MURIIIII!!!
I like when Japanese see something and identify it as "an English thing", they're brain shuts down, regardless of the actual content.
Working on "have you ever":
Boy: Have you ever....been to Japan?
Me:....No, I haven't.
Boy: ........huh?
Me: I have never been to Japan.
Boy: .....wait, huh? I don't understand.
Boy #2: You asked her if she's ever been to Japan, and she said no, she hasn't.
Boy: ......I don't get it.
Me: I'm not here right now.
Boy: .....???????
Me: ...It's a joke. I'm joking.
Boy: Yeah, I got that part. It just...wasn't funny.
Ouch. Tough crowd. D:
During class, I was going around helping the kids with their worksheets. This one girl waves me over.
Girl: Allie-sensei! I have a question!!
Me: OK, what is it?
Girl: Do you like me???!
Me: Haha, well, yes, of course.
Girl: Yaaay! What is it about me do you like?(Please note that she tried to say this in English and it took me a while to figure out what she meant. At first she said "which me do you like?" and then said "where do you like me?" eventually I got it)
Me: Well...your personality.(she actually is quite the character, and I find her to be really entertaining)
Girl: Oooh! And what else??
Me: um....your hair.
Girl: And what else??
Me: Your eyes....?
Girl: And what else?????
Me: I'm....gonna go help the other students.
Girl: AND WHAT ELSE????
Me: Walking away now.
Girl: Wait! Come back! What else??!!
Me: *flee*
After a test, we decided to kill time by letting the students ask me questions. The theme was supposed to be "summer vacation", but the students decided themes were for suckers and just asked me whatever they felt like.
Boy: Which is more beautiful, American girl or Japanese girl?
Me: Why, AMERICAN girls, of course!
Boys: *murmurs of approval*
Me: *realize I'm getting some icy looks from the girls in the classroom, so I try to take the heat off me by turning to my JTE, who is a guy* Um, which do you think is more beautiful?
JTE: Hmm.....yes, I think American girls are much more beautiful.
Boys: Yeah, definitely! Much more beautiful than Japanese girls!
Girls: *DEATH. GLARE.*
I made many enemies that day. D: