Touge Session

The fourth day..

Well today I taught 3 classes, all went well and I actually had to teach today instead of just having the kids ask me questions to get to know me better. This whole week I am supposed to be teaching the kids how to introduce themselves when the meet someone ie: "Hello, my name is ----, what is your name? Nice to meet you! Goodbye!" So today I had them play this card game after I had them write there names in Hiragana and Romaji. Also the kids and teachers were amazed I could write in Hiragana/Katakana as I did so on the board to demonstrate. Also some of the kids couldn't write in romaji so after they wrote their names in Hiragana I would come by and read their name and help write it for them. They were stunned that I could read there names in Hiragana lol. Almost all of them wrote the Romaji pretty well though, so that was very good. Today was a PTA day and basically all the parents come to the school and observe their child during his/her last period. Luckily I was done the period before hand so I only got watched by like 1 or 2 who were there early. I kinda met a few parents, not really a formal introduction but I walked around the school and did the standard bow and either konnichiha, or yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

My week is basically over, tomorrow I have work but I have no classes to teach, so its basically going to consist of lots of drinking coffee/green tea, hoping lunch is good, and studying japanese. I have dedicated a lot of my free time to studying because I have been lazy here at home. I am so tired by the time I get home I don't want to study anything lol. Just eat, shower, and lay down.

Tonight I ate sushi, a huge fried shrimp and fried piece of fish. It was sort of my gift to myself for a week of hard work :) Also I was so happy today at the grocery store they had a special thing going on and had all kinds of pie type stuff. I got what I hope was a piece of cheesecake, I say I hope because so many times I have gotten something and it wasn't what I thought it was at all lol. I will know tomorrow though because I am not eating it tonight.

This is just ranting now but it feels good to get my thought's out, I have noticed I write a lot more lately and that is predominantly because I don't get to talk hardly at all. On that note my Japanese has progressed tremendously. I mean I still don't know much but I do know a good bit more. Most importantly my pronunciation has a gotten so much better, and my confidence as well. When I got here I was nervous to try and say anything to anyone in Japanese, even if I knew how too. Now it almost flows out naturally, what little bit I know anyways. I am not hesitant to try and speak anymore just from being at work this week. Trying to talk to the kids in Japanese while I am not teaching as well as the staff. Few people speak English at my school so it helps me out a lot to try. My Kyoto Sensei is a real cool guy. He speaks very little English, probably equivalent to my Japanese, maybe less lol I duno. But its always fun because I can tell he wants to talk to me but doesn't know how and I feel the same way. I ask him questions in Japanese and he can rarely answer because he doesn't know how to answer in English, but at the same time I learn new Japanese. I always use my iPhone translator to figure out things he said and up my Kanji ability so I don't know what I would do without it.

To Mom and Dad: All the kids and teachers are amazed by your house. I have the picture I brought and people's eyes open so big when I show them. They ask how many rooms ect and are amazed by how big it is. Houses here are so much smaller so it is funny.

To Lourdes and Jordan: I show them pics from down by the river with with you (lourdes) and Chenelle in it and all the girls say Kawaii, which basically means super cute! So yea they said that both you and Chenelle are very kawaii lol... I just say yea but I am better looking, but they don't understand...Naw not really I don't say that but maybe I should it would be funny lol

I took some pics from out the window on my phone today as I walked around aimlessly. Here they are:







They love Obama here if you didn't already know, the first day I was here the kids would walk by me and say "Yes We Can!" and later I was asked if I liked Obama and I said yes I voted for him, that made all the kids happy.

Comments

  1. Congrats on a job well done! It seems like your 1st week of work went very well and we are proud of you. We are glad your Japanese is getting better. By the time you get home it should be very good. You looked great up at the head of the classroom. We think all those little Japanese girls will be having a huge crush on you! It's great to know that things seem to be going very well and that you really like it. That is just what everyone is hoping for you! Love and miss you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is cool, Sounds kinda fun teaching lol. Thats cool that they all like you, your making friends bud, I knew you could do it

    ReplyDelete
  3. hahah i like that $10 with obamas face! it literally made me laugh out loud! haha mk im writing you a message on myspace! so check there after this! =]

    ReplyDelete
  4. Awesome job Bud, we are so proud of you. Who knows maybe a career in teaching? The kids kind of grow on you don't they. I am so glad you are progressing so well with the language. Not only for yourself but the Japenese will be impressed by your effort and work ethic, and it will make it easier for us when we visit...lol. Maybe you should see if the kids have some easy learning to read books and you could practice reading. that would really help. Love U

    ReplyDelete
  5. Brian that really touches me how well you have already learned to relate to the children. It just a great big smile on my face seeing what they drew too haha. Obama on money is something that Ill remain hopeful to seeing one day. Man I want to come visit you, me and tori may cancel our august bermuda trip and make it japan. Love you Bro

    ReplyDelete
  6. so so proud
    Bud you do such an awesome job keeping
    us updated what an amazen wk u must have
    had.Like dad said keep a learnen so u can
    tour us all around there. Miss and love u
    tons. Lets talk at 9pm fri our time.
    love mom

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment