School Snippets

A number of people have been asking me how the whole teaching/school thing is going, and I realized I’ve mentioned very little about it on here. Mostly, that’s because I have only been visiting the schools for four days, and that doesn’t seem like enough experience to base any sweeping statements on. That being said, in those four days I have managed to happen upon some salient moments, so I can pass those on.

So, in chronological order…

Elementary / Shoogako

You haven’t properly lived until you’ve experienced the unmitigated wonder of a round little first grader in chef’s hat and apron serving lunch to you and his classmates—one concentrated ladleful at a time.

High School / Koko

One of the girls in my third-year class looks familiar, and, to make matters worse, she keeps looking at me and laughing behind her hand. Eventually, question and answer period roles around, and—through my JTE’s translation—she asks me if I remembered her from the Kombini in town—the ONLY Kombini in town.

And the only thing going through my mind is “oh crap. Did I buy beer from one of my students?”

Middle School / Chyugako (blogger ate the formatting, and I'm too lazy to try to fix it, so I apologize)

Junior High School kids
Playing badminton
with the ferocity of Tennis Pros.

Me, I thought it was a good idea to play with them.

And

Just like when I agreed to join an Ultimate Frisbee team,

back before I’d ever properly played the game

and I still wondered why Overly Athletic Ally was so into it,

when, already tired from running the length of the field,

direction of play switched on me,

and I had to run all the way back.

Just like then,

I realize I have severely underestimated

the potential intensity of this game—

nay

—this Sport

And all I have to look forward to today
is having my ass handed to me

by a fourteen-year-old

girl.