First day (in the new school year) back at Kirita. Kocho-sensei (principal) has requested that my JTE (Japanese teacher of English) and I work towards reaching a 50/50 split in terms of teaching (being the "main").
I really do have the "dream" placement for a JET. ^__^
(With this development, I'm tempted to start thinking about a fifth year--and my fourth hasn't even started yet!)
It's exciting, but also a little intimidating. I admit that I've developed a bad habit of using far too much Japanese with students (because it's so much faster/easier to explain in Japanese), but Kocho-sensei really wants me to do my best to use only English, particularly during extra English (自主学習). @_@;;
So my goal for this year is to revert a little to my first year self and to use 85-90% English, and only 10-15% Japanese. (100% English would be ideal, but I don't think that's realistic, so...)
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Monday, April 5, 2010
Spring break travels (part 1)
It's going to take hours (if not days) for me to upload photos, etc. from my trip, so here's the short version (part 1):
TOWADA (/HACHINOHE)
3/20 (Sun):
- picked up Jen, Syv & Justin from Misawa station in the afternoon
- we all go to the JTB in Towada to book train tickets for the rest of the trip
- head to Shimoda Jusco to kill some time before dinner
- chanko nabe dinner at Sumo Jaya Tsukimitei (相撲茶屋月見亭）
3/21 (Mon):
- stopped off at the Towada Museum of Folklore & History（十和田湖民俗資料館）/Former Kasaishi Family Residence (heritage house)（旧笠石家住宅） on the way to...
- Oirase Gorge （奥入瀬渓流） & Lake Towada （十和田湖）
- lunch at the restaurant (千の花)at the Towada Chamber of Commerce & Industry (商工会議所)
- Towada Art Center (十和田現代美術館)
- Towada Jusco (ate taiyaki, shopped for breakfast, bought snacks, etc.)
- yakiniku dinner at Gyu Kaku （牛角）
3/22 (Tue):
- short visit to my base school, Kirita JHS （切田中学校）; they toured the school and helped two students practice for their Canada home stay interviews
- visit to my office; they met my supervisor, Kacho, Hosa, Maita-Kyoikucho, most of the other Shidoka teachers as well as fellow BOE ALTs
- met up with M-san and we all went for super fresh and delicious kaiten sushi (八食市場寿司) at the Hachinohe Hasshoku Center （八食センター）
- went to the ferry wharf to see the sea (there were a bunch of cows in trucks waiting to be transported somewhere, so it was a weird juxtaposition of sea sounds and cows mooing...)
- my (and Jen, Syv & Justin's) first onsen experience at a rotenburo (outdoor/open-air bath) at Yakeyama (野の花焼山荘); I'm still not an onsen "convert" but since it was just the three of us in the girl's side, it was nice to get some "girl time" ^_^
- horse meat nabe and sashimi dinner at Kicchou (吉兆）
- last trip to Towada Jusco to pick up breakfast and train food/snacks for their 3/23 morning departure for Tokyo
OSAKA/KYOTO/HIMEJI/KOBE
3/28 (Sun):
- arrived in Osaka in the early afternoon, and after checking into our hotel, hit up the Osaka Museum of History （大阪歴史博物館）
- walked around Osaka Castle (大阪城) and had takoyaki from one of the vendors just outside the castle
- okonomiyaki dinner at the BOTEJYU Dotonbori Head Restaurant (ぼてぢゅう総本店）
- walked around Dotonbori （道頓堀) before heading back to the hotel
3/29 (Mon):
- headed out for Kyoto first thing in the morning
- weirdest weather ever: occasionally sunny, cloudy, rainy and snowy!
- went to Kinkakuji aka the Golden Pavilion （金閣寺） and Kiyomizudera (清水寺) by bus
- had a quick lunch at Kyoto Station before heading to Fushimi-Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社) by JR train
- back to Kyoto Station for souvenir shopping (which turned into a bit of a tea tasting) and another quick dinner in the station before heading back to our hotel (in Osaka)
3/30 (Tue):
- headed out to Himeji Castle (姫路城) first thing in the morning; we were really lucky as the weather was gorgeous (sunny and cool) and we made it before: a) the main tower was covered by a giant tent for renovations (starting in April 2010); and b) before the masses of people arrived (when we left, it was a 30min wait to get to the admission gate, and another 90+min wait to get inside)
- bought bento lunches to eat in a nearby park
- took a bus and a cable car ride up to Mt. Shosha (書写山) to see Shoshazan Engyoji, (書寫山圓教寺) a temple complex where parts of The Last Samurai (as well as various Japanese period dramas) were filmed
- since it was on the way back to Osaka, we stopped in Kobe for dinner; Justin stopped a random guy on the street near Sannomiya Station so we (I) could ask for a recommendation for a good but not too expensive Kobe beef restaurant and he directed us to Steak Land Kobe (ステーキランド神戸)
- it was still fairly expensive (around 5000-6000 yen) but much cheaper than the starting at 8000yen place the Lonely Planet Japan guide recommended (the guy on the street also mentioned a couple of 10,000yen places before he remembered Steak Land...)
- we were all pretty much in a "meat coma" after dinner, so it was straight back to the hotel without any further sightseeing/souvenir shopping, etc. in Kobe
TOWADA (/HACHINOHE)
3/20 (Sun):
- picked up Jen, Syv & Justin from Misawa station in the afternoon
- we all go to the JTB in Towada to book train tickets for the rest of the trip
- head to Shimoda Jusco to kill some time before dinner
- chanko nabe dinner at Sumo Jaya Tsukimitei (相撲茶屋月見亭）
3/21 (Mon):
- stopped off at the Towada Museum of Folklore & History（十和田湖民俗資料館）/Former Kasaishi Family Residence (heritage house)（旧笠石家住宅） on the way to...
- Oirase Gorge （奥入瀬渓流） & Lake Towada （十和田湖）
- lunch at the restaurant (千の花)at the Towada Chamber of Commerce & Industry (商工会議所)
- Towada Art Center (十和田現代美術館)
- Towada Jusco (ate taiyaki, shopped for breakfast, bought snacks, etc.)
- yakiniku dinner at Gyu Kaku （牛角）
3/22 (Tue):
- short visit to my base school, Kirita JHS （切田中学校）; they toured the school and helped two students practice for their Canada home stay interviews
- visit to my office; they met my supervisor, Kacho, Hosa, Maita-Kyoikucho, most of the other Shidoka teachers as well as fellow BOE ALTs
- met up with M-san and we all went for super fresh and delicious kaiten sushi (八食市場寿司) at the Hachinohe Hasshoku Center （八食センター）
- went to the ferry wharf to see the sea (there were a bunch of cows in trucks waiting to be transported somewhere, so it was a weird juxtaposition of sea sounds and cows mooing...)
- my (and Jen, Syv & Justin's) first onsen experience at a rotenburo (outdoor/open-air bath) at Yakeyama (野の花焼山荘); I'm still not an onsen "convert" but since it was just the three of us in the girl's side, it was nice to get some "girl time" ^_^
- horse meat nabe and sashimi dinner at Kicchou (吉兆）
- last trip to Towada Jusco to pick up breakfast and train food/snacks for their 3/23 morning departure for Tokyo
OSAKA/KYOTO/HIMEJI/KOBE
3/28 (Sun):
- arrived in Osaka in the early afternoon, and after checking into our hotel, hit up the Osaka Museum of History （大阪歴史博物館）
- walked around Osaka Castle (大阪城) and had takoyaki from one of the vendors just outside the castle
- okonomiyaki dinner at the BOTEJYU Dotonbori Head Restaurant (ぼてぢゅう総本店）
- walked around Dotonbori （道頓堀) before heading back to the hotel
3/29 (Mon):
- headed out for Kyoto first thing in the morning
- weirdest weather ever: occasionally sunny, cloudy, rainy and snowy!
- went to Kinkakuji aka the Golden Pavilion （金閣寺） and Kiyomizudera (清水寺) by bus
- had a quick lunch at Kyoto Station before heading to Fushimi-Inari Shrine (伏見稲荷大社) by JR train
- back to Kyoto Station for souvenir shopping (which turned into a bit of a tea tasting) and another quick dinner in the station before heading back to our hotel (in Osaka)
3/30 (Tue):
- headed out to Himeji Castle (姫路城) first thing in the morning; we were really lucky as the weather was gorgeous (sunny and cool) and we made it before: a) the main tower was covered by a giant tent for renovations (starting in April 2010); and b) before the masses of people arrived (when we left, it was a 30min wait to get to the admission gate, and another 90+min wait to get inside)
- bought bento lunches to eat in a nearby park
- took a bus and a cable car ride up to Mt. Shosha (書写山) to see Shoshazan Engyoji, (書寫山圓教寺) a temple complex where parts of The Last Samurai (as well as various Japanese period dramas) were filmed
- since it was on the way back to Osaka, we stopped in Kobe for dinner; Justin stopped a random guy on the street near Sannomiya Station so we (I) could ask for a recommendation for a good but not too expensive Kobe beef restaurant and he directed us to Steak Land Kobe (ステーキランド神戸)
- it was still fairly expensive (around 5000-6000 yen) but much cheaper than the starting at 8000yen place the Lonely Planet Japan guide recommended (the guy on the street also mentioned a couple of 10,000yen places before he remembered Steak Land...)
- we were all pretty much in a "meat coma" after dinner, so it was straight back to the hotel without any further sightseeing/souvenir shopping, etc. in Kobe
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Inflatable bed (a haiku)
Four in the morning
Going one by one by one
To the cold bathroom
A memory from Jen, Syv & Justin's visit to Towada. For some reason we all kept waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom... The most memorable was Monday night, when all four of us went (first it was me, then Justin, then Syv, then Jen, I think) at 4am!
I think it was the inflatable bed (or maybe the cold?) that was the culprit... The first night Syv & Jen were sleeping on the bed and both had to get up twice. Justin got up once, too, I believe. I heard everyone getting up, but didn't need to go myself.
The second night, I moved to the bed with Jen (and Syv took the couch) and even *I* had to. And of course since we were all in the same room (there's really only one in my apartment), once one person got up, everyone else did too... As a result, we were all giggling at 4am about our collective late night (early morning) bathroom break. =P
Going one by one by one
To the cold bathroom
A memory from Jen, Syv & Justin's visit to Towada. For some reason we all kept waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom... The most memorable was Monday night, when all four of us went (first it was me, then Justin, then Syv, then Jen, I think) at 4am!
I think it was the inflatable bed (or maybe the cold?) that was the culprit... The first night Syv & Jen were sleeping on the bed and both had to get up twice. Justin got up once, too, I believe. I heard everyone getting up, but didn't need to go myself.
The second night, I moved to the bed with Jen (and Syv took the couch) and even *I* had to. And of course since we were all in the same room (there's really only one in my apartment), once one person got up, everyone else did too... As a result, we were all giggling at 4am about our collective late night (early morning) bathroom break. =P
Friday, March 26, 2010
Graduations
I love the ceremony and solemnity of Japanese graduation ceremonies. It never fails to impress me how smooth and well-orchestrated everything is. (As it should be considering how long they spend practicing beforehand! But that's another story...)
Apart from the Kirita graduation ceremony, I also went to two elementary school ceremonies this year. The first one was at a large school, with 113 students graduating. With that many students, I was really impressed at how in sync they were as the picked up their graduation certificates, moved their chairs to face the audience instead of the stage, and then sat down again--pretty much all in unison.
The other nice thing about elementary graduation ceremonies is that they have a sort of choral reading combined with their song presentations. It's hard to explain, but it's kind of like a conversation between the graduating students and their underclassmen. A few students stand up at a time and one by one they say phrases/sentences recollecting memories from their six years at the school, or giving words of advice to their underclassmen/upperclassmen. For some lines all of the students say it together--like "arigatou gozaimashita" or "sayonara" ("thank you," "goodbye").
And occassionally intermixed with that are songs. At the larger school, one of the songs even had a part for the teachers to sing! Since I was sitting with the teachers and the lyrics were printed in the program, I did my best to sing along, too.
Even though I didn't spend nearly as much time with the elementary school kids as I did with my Kirita students (usually I only saw them once a month), the elementary school ceremonies were nonetheless moving at parts. (Or maybe I'm just turning into a sap?) I found it quite touching how all the students really put their hearts into the choral readings/songs.
And at the second elementary graduation I attended--at a small school this time--I was really moved by the 感謝の言葉 (kansha no kotoba--words of thanks). Since there were only 10 graduating students, they had enough time to include messages of thanks from all of the students to their parents. Each student stood in front of their parent(s) and one by one they read aloud thank you messages.
Seeing the parents (and sometimes the students themselves as well) sniffling and wiping away tears, I couldn't help but get a little watery-eyed as well. (I was already feeling a bit teary just from listening to the messages, but I'm also a sympathetic crier--when I see people crying, my eyes water, too.) Of course, that day just happened to be the day that I completely forgot to put any tissues or a handkerchief in my bag (whereas I had both for the Sanbongi graduation and didn't use either), so it was a bit of an effort to hold my sniffling back.
At most schools they have some sort of send off--or at least the students go off somewhere for an after party, but the students at the small school had their lunch/party in the school gym, so instead of just seeing them off, I went up to the classroom to say my farewells. I was really happy that I also got a chance to take a photo with all of them (and the fifth graders as well, since it was a split 5/6 class). ^__^ They were definitely one of my favourite classes of all time to teach. (You can probably guess why just from looking at the photo.)
Apart from the Kirita graduation ceremony, I also went to two elementary school ceremonies this year. The first one was at a large school, with 113 students graduating. With that many students, I was really impressed at how in sync they were as the picked up their graduation certificates, moved their chairs to face the audience instead of the stage, and then sat down again--pretty much all in unison.
The other nice thing about elementary graduation ceremonies is that they have a sort of choral reading combined with their song presentations. It's hard to explain, but it's kind of like a conversation between the graduating students and their underclassmen. A few students stand up at a time and one by one they say phrases/sentences recollecting memories from their six years at the school, or giving words of advice to their underclassmen/upperclassmen. For some lines all of the students say it together--like "arigatou gozaimashita" or "sayonara" ("thank you," "goodbye").
And occassionally intermixed with that are songs. At the larger school, one of the songs even had a part for the teachers to sing! Since I was sitting with the teachers and the lyrics were printed in the program, I did my best to sing along, too.
Even though I didn't spend nearly as much time with the elementary school kids as I did with my Kirita students (usually I only saw them once a month), the elementary school ceremonies were nonetheless moving at parts. (Or maybe I'm just turning into a sap?) I found it quite touching how all the students really put their hearts into the choral readings/songs.
And at the second elementary graduation I attended--at a small school this time--I was really moved by the 感謝の言葉 (kansha no kotoba--words of thanks). Since there were only 10 graduating students, they had enough time to include messages of thanks from all of the students to their parents. Each student stood in front of their parent(s) and one by one they read aloud thank you messages.
Seeing the parents (and sometimes the students themselves as well) sniffling and wiping away tears, I couldn't help but get a little watery-eyed as well. (I was already feeling a bit teary just from listening to the messages, but I'm also a sympathetic crier--when I see people crying, my eyes water, too.) Of course, that day just happened to be the day that I completely forgot to put any tissues or a handkerchief in my bag (whereas I had both for the Sanbongi graduation and didn't use either), so it was a bit of an effort to hold my sniffling back.
At most schools they have some sort of send off--or at least the students go off somewhere for an after party, but the students at the small school had their lunch/party in the school gym, so instead of just seeing them off, I went up to the classroom to say my farewells. I was really happy that I also got a chance to take a photo with all of them (and the fifth graders as well, since it was a split 5/6 class). ^__^ They were definitely one of my favourite classes of all time to teach. (You can probably guess why just from looking at the photo.)
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