October 26th, 2006
1:25 am
Dirty mind
I must be turning really dirty minded, when I saw this picture on the Newsnight web site
I first read it as “Newsnight Players”.
October 25th, 2006
12:56 pm
Still sick
Still feeling ill today, however I got through this morning’s 2nd graders’ class at the elementary school quite well, they were all happy to see me and I think they all had fun. Just when I was entering the class room I heard
“Hi I’m Jun, I’m in California, it’s 2.30 in the afternoon on June 7th”
I turned around and saw little Tanaka saying it again
“Hi I’m Jun, I’m in California, it’s 2.30 in the afternoon on June 7th”
Apparently he heard his big brother at the Junior High reciting at home for the English Recitation Contest a few weeks ago, however “I don’t understand what it means” he said. I just thought it was really funny. And he said it again a few times when I joined the class for lunch.
It’s terrible being sick when you’re living alone, you just don’t have the energy to cook, and outside is way too cold. When I finished work today I walked passed the park as saw two young girls playing tennis, so I went near them, then I thought I should probably say something otherwise they might think I’m a dirty pervert. So I asked them if it’s ok if I watch, and after a brief pause one of them said ok. I got the feeling that they weren’t playing as well when I started watching them, it was kind of strange for them I guess, but I didn’t feel I could say much to break the ice since it was icy-cold outside, and actually I think I’m turning more and more shy everyday here.
October 24th, 2006
11:37 am
Got the cold
I’m not feeling too well today, got the cold when I was partying at Obihiro during the weekend for the Hokkaido Association of JETs (HAJET). Because it’s so official I get my travel expense from my Board of Education, it’s crazy what you can consider as work, mind you I did attend a workshop that lasted about…. an hour, so I guess it was a business trip.
It was tough getting up this morning, and I was so drained of energy, but I still managed to go to the junior high. I felt so sleeping during the class, I thought I could faint anytime, so I asked to go home after the 1st lesson (there weren’t anymore lesson that day), so I slept till 12 o’clock when I had to go to the elementary school, it was a difficult decision, I knew I wouldn’t be as genki as I am normally, and that I might infect them with my cold. On the other hand I really didn’t want to cancel the class since each year only gets one English class every three weeks, and I worked really hard preparing for things for the Halloween lesson. Anyway I think the class went ok, I’ll know what happened if there’s huge number o absent 3rd graders tomorrow.
When I was returning home, just when I was about to enter the main door some kids from the elementary school on their bikes saw me and quickly shouted my name so I went out.
“Do you live here?” one of them asked
“Yup”
“What kind of house is it?”
“It’s very small, designed for just one person to live in”
“are you not married?”
“what do you mean? I’m only 22 you know?”
It wasn’t the first time I was asked that question, but I could never get used to it, it’s just too weird for me, although I think some of the kids think it’s strange that I’m not married. I’ve been asked at most of my first classes whether I’m married, if I said no they’ll then ask if I have a girl friend, at that point I usually say “sorry my Japanese isn’t that good”, to which they’ll be very frustrated. Many of the kids have tried to ask me outside class, and they’re usually disappointed that I don’t give them an answer.
To be honest I’m not sure why I don’t give them an answer, i I think about it I doubt there’s any harm in telling them, however when I was first asked the question in the junior high, my JTE said
“oh, I think this is a personal question, you don’t have to answer it Joe”
so I took that as a hint that I shouldn’t answer it.