I don't wanna go to school
Trip Start
Jul 26, 2008
1
68
110
Trip End
Aug 06, 2009
Tome,
Tohoku,
Japan
Thursday, April 9, 2009
I've never liked the first day of school, and even as a teacher now, it's true. Things are so relaxed in the holiday. The teachers come and go whenever, and everybody's not wrapped up in their own business. For example, one of the new teachers asked me where I was from and how long I have been here. He said my Japanese was "umai" instead of "jouzu", which is kind of the difference between "great" and "good". That's the best way I can explain it.
Not helping my mood was my omiyage mix-up. I should dedicate a blog post about omiyage, but basically you have to give it whenever you take time off of work and go on a trip. It bugs me that it's done out obligation/guilt rather than kindness. Yeah, I'm being cynical. Anyway, to make a long story short, I wound up buying twice as much as I needed because I can't count. All the stress over not having enough was for nothing when I discovered the second layer of cookies.
The opening ceremony for the new school year took place yesterday afternoon. Everybody was as dressed up as they were for graduation. The new 1-nen sei (formerly my 6th graders from Nearby Elementary) were introduced. There were lots of speeches about how today is the first day of the rest of your new life as a junior high school student. Kouchou-sensei who opened his with discussion of the cherry blossoms (hanami has not happened here yet). I tuned out most of them out because I was tired. The teachers got introduced, and for whatever reason, the 1-nen sei seemed surprised to see me. They seem more enthusiastic than I remember; I hope that sticks. Afterwards, the ginormous vase of flowers had to be moved. I don't know if you can call it a vase. It took 4 of the fittest male teachers to move it. 0_0
To add to my frustrations of the week, I still haven't received a schedule. -_-# I asked for one but was told that it's not the final copy. This is really troubling because my mother keeps bugging me about summer and I wouldn't have known that my elementary school visits start up again this week had my JTE not brought it up.
Today, the upper grades talked about junior high school life and presented the different clubs to the 1-nen sei. This was the first time I've seen all the clubs, and it was interesting to note who was in what. Everybody just kind of fits their club, which makes me wonder what I would be in if I went to junior high here...probably art club.
I'm glad I decided to drop by Nearby Elementary afterwards because everything has changed. Not only have two of my favorite teachers gotten transferred, but the new requirements instated by the government have me teaching only 5th and 6th grade. T_T I am so depressed. Luckily, the other teachers I like have hung around, and the new 5th and 6th grade classes are some of the best, but I never got to say goodbye to the teachers who left! Plus I am restricted to the textbook (though the teachers are open to my ideas).
Glossary
visual kei - a genre of Japanese rock that puts as much emphasis on appearances as their music; there is no Western equivalent because the bands range from sounding like pop-punk to goth-metal
umai and jouzu - good, skilled
omiyage - Wikipedia it...that will have a better explanation
1-nen sei - 1st year students; right now they're actually referred to as shinuusei ("new students")
kouchou-sensei - principal
hanami - cherry blossom viewing
