Back from the Noto

Well, it's Wednesday morning here and I'm back from my trip to the Noto Peninsula. It was nice to visit rural Japan again and see old friends.  The trip did me good in that it helped me to remember that Kobe isn't all there is to Japan, thank god.  Monday was tough, though. 

Despite catching an earlier than usual subway, we were still packed in like sardines--and because it wasn't particularly hot, the air con was on very low, if at all.  I can't imagine spending 20 or 30 years of my life traveling to and from work this way.  At any rate, school was okay, but I feel under utilized in most class settings.  It's not uncommon for 90% of a class to be taught in Japanese or for half of the students in class to be sleeping.  In the after-lunch class on Monday, it was actually more like 3/4 of the students with their heads down.  Having lived in Japan before and taught at an agricultural high school, I wasn't under the naive impression that all Japanese students diligently study in a well disciplined, highly rigorous setting, but I wasn't quite prepared for this either.  It's still early for me, though, and perhaps things will improve in the classroom, or perhaps I'll play a more integral role, but like I said in an earlier post--I'm the assistant, and they've never had one of us stay for more than a year, so it's hard to create buy in.  But I'll keep trying.

Sports Day

Well, yesterday was my junior high's sports day, and the students did well.  They really came together when it counted and gave their best effort to form their human pyramids and dance routines.  Unfortunately, there was a huge downpour that cancelled the last half of the afternoon session and left me and the other teachers slugging around it mud puddles and wet sand trying to get everything back in order.

My daughter's preschool sports day was today, and the weather cooperated, but as I said before, so much about Japan has to do with enduring monotony.  We stood around for four hours to watch her participate in about 10-15 minutes worth of activities.  Worse, still, the poor kids sat still in their chairs waiting for their turn.  I suppose it's a bit like a track meet or wrestling meet--lots of sitting and little action.  At any rate, it's done and over with, so I should stop complaining now...

Sports Day Preparations

So, like I said yesterday, the Sports Festival is at least as much misery as fun.  Today, I spent the first four and a half hours of the day with students sitting under the hot sun while small groups of various students were called out and lead through the routine of how things would go once the big day actually arrives.  I wore sunscreen and a hat, but the students weren't even allowed to use their towels to cover their heads or laps to protect from sunburn, which most of them were quite obviously getting as time wore on.  Again, the whole event is meant to teach camaraderie and endurance, so they were cheerfully encouraged and sometimes scolded, but for "the second worst school" in the city, I thought they did a pretty good job of taking it all in stride.  As for me, I stayed inside after lunch and read my book.

Hot & Muggy Sports Festivals

Despite the fact that we're midway through September, the weather here continues to be hot and muggy.  Some days it seems like living here is nothing more than some kind of an endurance test in redundancy and discomfort, and that I'm really just some unassuming foreign schmuck on a low-budget reality TV show called "Let's Gaman Together". 

My school and thousands of others across the country are preparing for their Sports Festivals.  In fact, it wouldn't be considered very festive in many places on Earth, but given the daily drudgery that kids here have to endure, it seems like a nice tangent, I suppose.  Some of the activities seem more like rudimentary military training than fun.  For example, the boys have to strip down to their gym shorts, get on their hands and knees, and form pyramids in the dirt (no grass fields for schools here).  It's meant to build camaraderie and endurance, and maybe it does, since people flock to watch them do it.  Personally, it seems more like an ongoing form of hazing from one generation to the next. Hopefully, the day of the actual festival will be more enjoyable than training for it.

There's Always Hope

After my first couple days of classes, I was a bit disappointed in student behavior and their attitude toward learning, but the last couple of days have gone much better.  I'm not too annoyed by ability, but, man, can a crappy attitude dampen the spark to teach.  I've noticed the Japanese teachers I work with feel more comfortable in the lead role, which is fine, given the fact that the foreign assistants have yet to stay or be assigned at their school for more than a year.  I find that I'm also a lot more relaxed playing the supporting role, helping out those kids that care, and being able to play "good cop."  There's no point in trying to come in as the Great White Savior, stir things up, and then leave someone else to clean up the mess when I leave next summer.  Best to assist where I can, bring what I can to the table, and make a difference where possible without stressing about the things I can't change. So, two days of good classes in a row... There's hope!

First Day at Elementary

Today was my first day at elementary school, and it was absolutely refreshing.  The kids were genuinely friendly and excited about learning English.  They did their best to be respectful and to participate, and it was nice to be in front of a classroom and feel like there was actually some learning going on with the majority of students.  Many of the kids at my junior high came from the elementary that I was at today, so it makes me wonder what happens that changes them so much once they enter junior high.  Perhaps it's when they mix with the kids from the other schools, or when the older students set the tone at the junior high.  I'm sure I'll have a few theories by year's end, but for now I'm just glad that I'll have an oasis of sanity once a week.

Weathering the Typhoon

It's been an inside kind of weekend as a typhoon hit Kobe and dumped rain all day Friday and Saturday.  Today was mostly a light drizzle, and so we were able to get out for a bit and do things.  It's not like the weather in Montana during the winter doesn't keep people holed up inside, but it's a lot nicer when you have more space and the rooms aren't so close that being in a different room doesn't really matter.  The upside of being hit by the typhoon is that it was nice and comfortable inside instead of hot and muggy as it generally is throughout summer.  Luckily, fall is on its way and the foliage here is lovely to see come October and November.