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Yesterday I had a really bad day of classes. These kids are HIDEOUS. Ugh. Junior high kids! Fucking terrible ( Read more... )

After today's meeting I headed over to Mister Donut with my girls. It was all smoky and stank inside so we got our sweets to-go and made our way to Kamo river (of COURSE we did a duck-poop/bubblegum check...just in case we sat in something nasty ( Read more... )

This was a text message I sent out last month during a slow day at work. I just thought I'd share:

man so i really had to fart so i made my way to the staff toilets、 but 2 4th graders saw me and stood in the door way、 asking me to sing head shoulders knees n toes、 then practicing it right then and there。 i waited for them to leave but then i ( Read more... )

In honor of this day, I bring you this heart-warming tidbit from my adventures in Japan ( Read more... )

I've always been aware of Japan's view of masculinity, particularly in how it differs from the US (I was almost a Women's Studies major, at one point). But one incident made it particularly clear ( Read more... )

Are you guys familiar with the author of GaijinSmash.net? I know derfremd is, at least (where are you?? drop me a line!!). Anyway, this guy is a Japanese school teacher like me (meaning that he came here on the JET program), and I've been reading about his exploits since I was a wee undergrad. In fact, you could say that part of the reason I became ( Read more... )

I began my career as an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) working at a junior high school, which, unlike an elementary school, has a set English curriculum and specialized English teachers whom I, erhm, assist.

Upon our first meeting they each sighed with relief, "Thank god you speak Japanese!" In fact two of the four insist on speaking to me in ( Read more... )

About a month ago I bumped into one of my teachers on my way to school in Kyoto. She taught Japanese, so I actually never really worked with her, and as such never really got a chance to talk with her (until that day I wasn't actually sure of her name ( Read more... )

The other day in one of the 3rd year classes we were supposed to be teaching "Would you like some ___?" "Yes, please!" "Would you like some more?" "No thank you, I'm full." And that sort of thing.

( They all want cake. )