Wednesday Writeup September 29, 2010
Posted by Earthdragonette in Student Moments.Tags: clemente, fall term, Japan, mr. bayblade, new friends, othello rap, The Child
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So, after the somewhat intense events of Tuesday I’m happy to say that Wednesday has been more positive and gratifying. Specifically, three things happened that give me reason to hope that I’m on an upswing.
1) The Child was in one of his, “Hello Julie, I love you” moods. He was affectionate and talkative before class, and went on to be both engaged and interested in the Stevie Wonder PowerPoint that I showed. After class, he took me by surprise and brought up the Othello rap that I’d tried to get him to do with me back in May. The conversation kind of went like this:
The Child: So, we’re not doing that stupid rap thing, right?
Me: No … because you said you didn’t want to do it.
The Child: Exactly. I don’t want to do it. It’s stupid and boring and embarrassing.
Me: Okay. We don’t have to do it.
The Child: Good. Because I don’t want to do it. I definitely don’t want to do it. I couldn’t do it, anyway.
Me: Yes, you could do it. I’m not sure we have enough time to prepare it for the festival, but you could definitely do the rap.
The Child: Except I don’t want to do it. … … … … But you think I could? Not that I want to.
You get the idea.
The Culture Festival is on October 30th and I really don’t know that we have enough time to put it together. Still, it sounds like he may want to give it a try, so I’m going to bring in the script next week and see if I can do a run through with him and Clemente. Who knows? My crazy idea born of Spring Fever and Big Dreams may in fact produce something interesting.
And you know, speaking of Clemente
2) I had lunch with him today. Or, rather, I had lunch at his table. This is something that I haven’t done in a while, and I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder because he was super enthusiastic about talking with me. We discussed Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, the lyrics to We Are the World and how he can go about memorizing them, the Japanese band Monkey Magic, and (of course) soccer. I think it’s probably one of the most thorough conversations I’ve ever had with him, and it was even nicer because I totally wasn’t expecting it. It reminded me why I like this kid so much.
3) We have a new character! I’m going to call him Mr. Bayblade, after his favorite comic. About a month ago, one of the first year boys did something kind of unfortunate to his leg and so he was on the sidelines a lot during all of the sports festival preparations. I took the opportunity to talk to him and get to know him better and now I have a new friend. He likes to talk to me before and after class, and he’s also started to come and talk to me during lunch time. He usually comes with his friends and they like to teach me about whatever it is that they’re obsessing over. I now know more than I ever thought I would about Bayblade, as well as the different spinning tops that each character controls within the Bayblade universe.
What’s extra nice about my new friendship with Mr. Bayblade is that he’s using the opportunity to practice his English. He tries to explain his interests to me in English, and I’ve noticed that he’s become one of the more vocal and active participants during class. This is a big surprise because he wasn’t all that interested in the subject when he was in elementary school, and he began the year … creatively.
Still, it’s nice to see him opening up to me and how, along with him, I’m getting to know a group of the first year boys that I’ve never had many opportunities to interact with. They’re good guys, and setting up this level of camaraderie with them has been a lot of fun.
O-oreo
What’s in the middle?
The white stuff
Tuesday: The Good, The Bad, The Ridiculously Funny September 28, 2010
Posted by Earthdragonette in Lessons Learned.Tags: English nuances, fall term, humiliations galore, the good bad funny, the gym, the super young guy, the world is his oyster
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One of the things about living outside of one’s comfort zone and beginning new routines is that the added pressure of trying to do everything right heightens whatever emotions that are present. For me, this means that a state of happiness rivals the Bliss of Eden. Accomplishments aren’t just wonderful, they are superbly wonderful. Moments of insight become FULL BLOWN REVELATIONS. Slightly awkward gaffs become mind numbing moments of mortification (that replay in my mind on a convenient loop for the following week and a half).
This is more or less what Tuesday was like.
First, The Good. Although this technically took place on my Wednesday, it was Tuesday in Germany. Yes, my friends, Bayern has once again climbed out of its recent quagmire of mediocrity to WIN A GAME because they SCORED TWO GOALS. We have Schweinsteiger to thank for both of them, and for justifying my request that his name be on the Bayern Jersey that I want for Christmas. It wasn’t a pretty game and some would argue that we just got lucky. Still, a win is a win and after last weekend’s travesty I will take what I can get.
Second, The Bad. Argh. The Horribly Bad.
Actually, it’s not quite so awful but it was incredibly public and so that’s what makes it so difficult for me to deal with. So, I’ve been doing this hip hop class at The Gym for the last few months. Last night was the last class for the summer/early fall session (the class schedule and teachers will change starting October 1st) and I really wanted to be there. I ran into some time issues after work though, because I had to stop by my elementary schools and then run some errands. I got to the gym at about 6:43 (class starts at 6:45) and changed into my workout clothing as quickly as I could. When I got back down to the floor, I saw that the class had just started and the students were still standing around. Thinking that I was relatively safe (this being the last class, me only being a few minutes late, the fact that I go every week), I opened the door to the room and thus violated one of the most sacrosanct rules of The Gym:
Thou Shalt Not Enter The Studio Once A Class Has Started
(Nevermind that I’ve seen The Lady Who Will Hurt You wander in and out of the studio as she pleases.)
The Super Young Guy was the one who caught me on this and who came to tell me that I couldn’t join the class. The students and teacher just sort of looked on with helpless (yet intense) interest as I tried to quickly stifle the American Urge to say, “Are you serious? I don’t pay over $100 a month so that I can be kept from a class under ridiculous circumstances. By the way, I hate how you always catch me breaking the rules but never chastise others for doing the same.” There wasn’t much I could do when confronted with a Hard and Fast Rule That Everyone Knows and that I Guess Really Can’t Be Broken (By Me). So, I apologized for interrupting the class and then retreated to the treadmills to run out the emotion.
In this instance, I actually don’t have a problem with the part where I made a mistake. Everyone does, and now I know never, ever to try to use my “I’m just about on time” reasoning to get to a gym class. The part that makes the whole situation a mind numbing moment of mortification is that it literally stopped the gym in its tracks; everybody turned to watch the incident. This includes TGTIDNLBIDLHE, and although I love giving him more reasons to treat me like a substandard gym member, I was hoping to keep a tidbit like this out of his paws until at least the end of November. Also, I am not fond of when The Super Young Guy takes me to task for something because I’ve been going to the gym far longer than he has and it’s just not right to be schooled by the youth. He made up for it later by apologizing about forty-two times and then lavishing compliments on me during our standard LOLZing session.
Still, acute embarrassment. I hate embarrassment.
Now, The Ridiculously Funny.
So, on Tuesday I decided to sit with The World Is His Oyster during lunch. We haven’t had a chance to chat for awhile and I wanted to catch up with him and argue about international soccer. During the course of lunch, he was playing with some new English phrases and words that we’ve been studying and he came up with this gem:
“Easy! Easy! I’m easy! Hey, I’m easy!”
My response to these statements was kind of like this:
O rly?
I then decided that even though the subject matter was slightly risque, I should probably tell him the reasons that he shouldn’t wander around making those declarations in front of native English speakers. Specifically, I told him that it means that “Anybody is O.K.”
His response was a bit like this:
Ya wai!
This then prompted rollicking laughter for the remainder of the lunch period. Once the other students understood what was going on, that is.
And so, there you have it. Tuesday. Terrifically Intense. Never boring. Thankfully over and done with. ^o^
Goodbye my Coney Island
Goodbye my Coney Island
Goodbye my Coney Island Baaaaby
I think The Scorpions said it best… September 27, 2010
Posted by Earthdragonette in Cultural Exchange, Dance Troupe, Enkai Aftermath, FC Bayern Munich, Student Moments.Tags: changes, fall term, fc bayern fangirl, Japan, Japanese, kanemoto, penelope, sports festivals, The Band, The Child
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Or at least they said it well:
I follow the Moskva
Down to Gorky Park
Listening to the wind of change
An August summer night
Soldiers passing by
Listening to the wind of change
The world closing in
Did you ever think
That we could be so close,like brothers
The future’s in the air
I can feel it everywhere
Blowing with the wind of change
Chorus:
Take me to the magic of the moment
On a glory night
Where the children of tomorrow dream away
In the wind of change…
Setting aside, for the moment, references to the former Soviet Union, there is a lot about the imagery in this song that works for me during these cold, misty early days of autumn. It’s occurred to me more than once over the past week that with this changing of the seasons, it’s going to be a very long time before I again have the chance to enjoy a warm summer day in Mie, Japan.
This is going to be a shorter post than I’d originally intended. After I got home from work on Monday, I sat down at the computer with the intention of cranking out a first-class, comprehensive, previous post-referencing gem of an update for you. The next thing I knew it was 10:30 and I’d fallen asleep on my keyboard. So, you could say that things didn’t go according to plan.
Still, I’ve been quite busy since we last touched base on Wednesday. Here are the highlights:
~ Thursday: Had another draining, but productive practice with The Band. As usual, Mr. Coke was at the center of all humor and there was extensive discussion as to whether or not he would be wearing his Spiderman costume for our concert on October 3rd. (He will not.)
~ Friday: Helped the elementary school set up chairs and tables for the sports festival. I found a job for myself on the second floor of the gm, where I took chairs and tables down from high places and passed them to the children who then carried them down to the athletic field. I was amused to see that something of my work ethic has rubbed off on the girls, because they were determined to carry at least three chairs on their own because “Julie can carry six.”
Julie: Not just for English anymore.
~ Saturday: My last sports festival! My first enkai with the staff of an elementary school! If time permits, I’m going to try to write a longer, more comprehensive post about this day. (Please stop laughing, I can hear you.) I must say that I kept myself well occupied throughout the day, from baking fresh bread for the staff members, to taking pictures, to entertaining students, to interacting with the parents. What was also pleasant, and particularly memorable about this day (besides not doing the mukade race!!) was that I felt I had a chance to interact with the other teachers in a way that we hadn’t before. It felt friendlier, more relaxed, and quite welcoming.
~ Sunday: This was a pretty standard Sunday for me. I worked out in the Gym in the morning, went shopping in the afternoon, and caught up with family in the evening. FC Bayern did not play well on Saturday night, and I have to say that it left a bit of a shadow on my Sunday. Still, I don’t blame The Guys for the current state of affairs. The team’s been decimated by injuries and the manager is having some … managerial issues. We have a game mid-week and I’m hoping that things will go more smoothly.
~ Monday: Good things about this day: a letter from Kanemoto, absurd lunch conversations with Penelope, a relatively successful speaking check with the second year students, and reminders as to why I really like this first year class (even if they’re hyperactive to the point of being dangerous to themselves and others).
Not so good thing: Being the object of The Child’s emotional turbulence after school.
Monday was the day when all of the third year students officially retired from clubs and student committees and passed the reins on to the second year class. I think that The Child was feeling really sensitive about this ceremony, and the prospect of having to leave middle school. As such, when I went out to the bicycle racks to say goodbye to the third years, he used me to vent his frustrations and told me that I was a bothersome and annoying person who needed to just be seen in English class.
It’s been a long time since he’s turned on me in this way, and so I really wasn’t prepared to respond to such an aggressive tone. I knew that although he was serious, his words weren’t genuine. Still, they did kind of sting and I retreated to the second years to give him his space.
I’m certainly not upset with him for his behavior; The Child is in fact, a child, and I know that he is still learning how to control and handle his emotions. Because of his intelligence and sensitivity, this is particularly challenging for him. The only thing I can do is go back into class on Tuesday and treat him as I always have. I think that the best thing I can give him is constancy and stability, even if he is determined to lash out against it.
Ah, teaching. And people say that this is an easy job?
Walking down the street
Distant memories
Are buried in the past forever…
Westside Wednesdays September 22, 2010
Posted by Earthdragonette in Cultural Exchange, Dance Troupe, Just Bizarre.Tags: Dance Troupe, fall term, fc bayern fangirl, Japan, Japanese
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Arguably, the most important event of Wednesday was my previous post about The Mighty Power of FC Bayern Munich. Still, that topic is more “Fan Girl” than “Japan Girl” in content, and so it’s probably in my best interests to reexamine the day’s events with the idea that I’m supposed to be using this blog to savor my dwindling time in The Land of the Rising Sun.
I think that the best part of the day happened near the end, during dance practice. We only have one more practice until our October 2nd performance and, unfortunately, we still have a bit of work ahead of ourselves. I’m feeling more confident with my part in the dance, but I’m still worried about the prospect of dancing and singing. It’s a little difficult for me right now because I don’t have the chance to work on both skills at the same time. I sing during dance practices, but it’s with a CD and using a regular version of the song so it’s easy for me to cheat and let Avril take care of the vocals. On the other side of the situation, I can practice singing during band practices but there isn’t a lot of room for me to dance.
I suppose what I’m saying here is that this whole performance is a juggling act of mass proportions. I also feel a tremendous responsibility to execute both singing and dancing as well as I can, since I feel that both the Dance Troup and The Band are putting their reputations on the line so that I can play Pop Idol. Never mind that putting me front and center wasn’t my idea in the first place; the responsibility remains.
Still, in spite of these difficulties, I enjoyed last night’s practice. We had almost all of the members in attendance – even some that have been MIA because of a new baby. We worked on the dance, joked about some of the more unusual moves, fussed over said new baby, and complained about the weather (so. hot.). There was even one moment when we compared a particular dance move to sequences in Cool from Westside Story (more or less the section starting at 2:11). In a moment of what can only be termed as “pure sillyness,” we halfheartedly acted out the first part of this video, relying on their memories of the movies and my memories of the lyrics.
Never assume that the countryside of a given nation is not cultured or without the ability to mock itself using international movies.
Boy, boy, crazy boy
Get cool, boy
Got a rocket in your pocket
Keep cooly cool, boy
I have been up since 2:30 this morning… September 21, 2010
Posted by Earthdragonette in FC Bayern Munich.Tags: fc bayern fangirl
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… so that I could see FC Bayern come back from an incredibly tense situation (score of 1:1, significant injury to a significant player) to essentially hand Hoffenheim their pride and dignity in the last crucial minutes of the match.
You know what this calls for:
Please enjoy the techno version of the best team song for the best team. Ever.
And now back to Morpheus for another hour.
FC Bayern Deutscher Meister
Ja, so heisst er mein Verein
Ja so war es, und so ist es, und so wird es immer sein!
Social Calls and Kevin Bacon September 21, 2010
Posted by Earthdragonette in Cultural Exchange, Gym Adventures, Japanese GET, Just Bizarre.Tags: cast of characters, dance class, fc bayern fangirl, six degrees from kevin bacon, TGTIDNLBIDLHE, the amazing purple pants guy, the guy who looks like hugh jackman, the gym, the lady who will hurt you, the super young guy
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First, before we get to today’s memory worthy of future nostalgia, I want to let you all know that I reorganized the Cast of Characters section of the blog. I noticed that we were getting so many groups and individuals that even I was having problems finding people to remember what their nicknames were. Some of the information was also embarrassingly out of date, so that has also been corrected. Please enjoy browsing through the pages and (re)familiarizing yourself with individuals that you are separated from by a mere two degrees!**
I have to get up early to watch Bayern Munich play 1899 Hoffenheim. Hoffenheim is currently holding 2nd place in the Bundesliga (one of the most important association football leagues in Germany). This is a very important game, and missing it is out of the question. Lucky for me, I only have two classes on Wednesday and then Thursday is a holiday. Thus, there will be ample opportunity to sleep later – when my favorite team in the world is not battling for much-needed goals and Bundesliga points.
Today was a day where I feel as though I spent most of my time reinforcing and strengthening social connections. I took my car in for an oil change this morning, and had a nice chat with the mechanic. He’s a very sweet man who speaks a significant amount of English and always gives me discounts and sound advice.
After the much-needed car checkup, I went to my regular gas station and stumbled into a hilarious conversation with the Mom and Pop that run the stand. Their son is a college student who is back in town to do a month of teacher training at Thursday’s elementary school. He’s shadowing the fifth year class, so I’ve worked with him a lot over the last two weeks. Most of this morning’s conversation involved my diligent attempts to sneak out of some rather ardent matchmaking attempts on their part. I was flattered that they consider me a viable candidate for the position of future daughter-in-law, but it’s probably not what needs to happen at this point in my stay in Japan.
The afternoon saw me reconnect with one of my regular restaurants, and then of course I was at the gym this evening. I joined the hip hop class, which was particularly enjoyable because we’re learning a slightly modified version of the dance from Michael Jackson’s Bad. Many of us would have preferred Thriller, seeing as we’re going into the Halloween season, but the class was still a lot of fun. The Super Young Guy, TGTIDNLBIDLHE, The Guy Who Looks Like Hugh Jackman, The Lady Who Will Hurt You, and The Amazing Purple Pants Guy were all present and accounted for. I was particularly happy because the ladies in the locker room all pulled me into a conversation about the dance class right as I was finishing for the night. It felt nice to leave the gym with the lighthearted banter still ringing in my ears. Even though I’ve said this before (and you’re undoubtedly sick of this sentiment), I cannot stress enough that there is nothing quite so pleasing as, when living in a very group-minded culture, to become part of a group. Goodness knows there are still days when I’m on the outside looking in.
Today, though, I was in the middle of it. And that’s a memory that’s worth holding on to.
And with that recap, I’m off for a short nap before the game. The Offside: Bayern Munich website predicts a victory for Bayern with a score of 2:1. I’m hoping for about the same myself.
Por amarte juntaria la lluvia
Con el fuego
Por amarte daria la vida
Solo por besarte
**Also, just so you know: Julie saw Josh Groban in concert, who used to date January Jones who is in X-Men: First Class with KEVIN BACON.
You’re welcome.
Thoughts Before Bedtime September 20, 2010
Posted by Earthdragonette in Culinary Pursuits, Cultural Exchange, Gym Adventures, Japanese GET, Just Bizarre, sports festival, Student Moments, Taking Initiative, Weekend Recap.Tags: beyond marshal, countdown, David Bowie, Elementary Enkai, enkai, evil endorphins, fc bayern fangirl, Joey, mukade, New Kids on the Block, sports festival, TGTIDNLBIDLHE, the guy that i like a lot, the gym, the super young guy, Ultimate Win
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Who needs clever titles? Not this Dragonette. I simply call it like it is.
So, given the rather volatile (read: packed like sardines) nature of my schedule, I think that you can probably anticipate updates on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and the occasional Saturday. Thursdays are rough because I usually spend the early evening feverishly writing letters to my Friday elementary school students. Late evening is reserved for band practice. Fridays are also a bit troublesome because I go to the gym right from work and don’t get back home until 10 o’clock. By that point, I’m barely awake enough to find my toothbrush, much less write a coherent and even remotely entertaining blog post about the day’s activities.
So, thereyago. Monday – Wednesday and quite possibly a day on the weekend. Perhaps even two if I am feeling particularly inspired. Consider this my promise to you.
So, it’s Monday, and we have serious recapping to do.
Thursday
There are two new students at Thursday’s elementary school. They’re brothers, with one in the third grade and the other in the sixth. For some mysterious reason I have made it my mission in life to get the third grader to laugh by whatever means I deem necessary. It’s still early in the term and he’s having some problems adjusting and making friends. He and I also did not get off to the best start because my English class is a lot more advanced than anything he’s ever experienced before and he was super lost when we had our first lesson a couple of weeks ago. Since that (slightly unfortunate) experience, however, I do believe he’s begun to warm up to me. I find that saying really random and absurd things works well with him, because it gives him something to react to and then I can challenge his reaction.
Observe:
Me: Hey. Do you know why the swings at this school are so great?
Him: No…?
Me: Because the ones at the other elementary school are too small for my butt. But the swings here are just the right size!
Him: O_o I can’t believe you just said that.
Me: Why not?
Him: Nobody says that kind of stuff.
Me: But I just did.
Him: But, your butt isn’t big.
Me: Really? Why, thank you! You’re so nice! But, that makes me wonder: how big does a butt have to be to be a big butt?
…Etcetera.
This isn’t exactly the conversation for the intellectual elite, and perhaps it does cross into the realm of vast absurdity, but it gets him talking and laughing, which is the whole point. I suppose we should go ahead and give him a name, since I feel that he will come up again in future posts. I think we’ll call him Joey, since he was also a New Kid on the Block.
(Don’t judge. All girls have their boy bands and that one was mine.)
(Even though I was only five.)
(Shall we move on?)
Friday
Friday was a day that will go down in the annals of my time in Japan. It was a day that I experienced an event so momentous, so significant, and so utterly unbelievable that even as I type these words I have to remind myself that it wasn’t a dream.
On Friday, September 17th, 2010, after over four years working in my town, I was invited to an elementary school enkai.
For those who don’t remember, an enkai is a dinner held by a group of people (usually office workers or people who do some kind of extracurricular activity together). There is often a significant amount of celebration (think alcohol and karaoke) associated with these events, and although I regularly attend these functions with my middle school, the Board of Education, the dance troupe, The Band, or the gym group, I have never (NOT ONCE) been invited to one at either of my elementary schools. It has been a point of frustration and depression for me over the last four years.
But no longer!
This enkai will take place next Saturday which, fittingly enough, will be the day of my 17th and final sports festival in Japan. I suspect that I’m going to be feeling rather sentimental and emotional, so it’s nice that I’ll have the opportunity to mark the occasion in a special way. The whole day will be a mark of achievement for me and I’m really looking forward to it.
BREAKING NEWS: I have spoken with this school and we have come to an understanding. This understanding being that this year I do not have to participate in the mukade championship relay race. Imagine being told that you have to subject yourself to joint injury, unwanted and uncomfortable bodily contact with your teammates in front of parents and students, and public humiliation for the fifth year in a row. Now imagine that you don’t. That is my world right now, and what a wonderful one it is.
Saturday
I had a sports festival on Sunday and so I chose to go to the gym on Saturday so I wouldn’t miss the entire weekend. I’ve never been on a Saturday night before, and I was pleasantly surprised to find both The Super Young Guy and The Guy That I Like A Lot both working. In addition, TGTIDNLBIDLHE was nowhere in sight, and so that helped me to relax. I wouldn’t go so far as to say that he and I are Having Issues, but I won’t say that we’re not having issues. He still greets me with a tone that is more appropriate for the phrase: “Please go away!” as opposed to “Welcome! Please enjoy your stay!” This is of course assuming that he greets me at all, which he often doesn’t do.
Ah, international relations. How I love you. How you love me. How much we love each other.
Moving on.
Anyway, I spent the evening working out and chatting with my favorite trainers, as well as some other gym personas that showed up for the evening aerobics classes. It was fun. The Super Young Guy tried to convince me to stay until the gym closed, but I had to get back home to bake dessert for Sunday’s festival and watch the FC Bayern Munich VS FC Köln game. It was, unfortunately, not the glorious display of Bayern glory that Wednesday’s game was, but at least we didn’t lose. I will take a tie versus a defeat any day of the week and twice on Saturdays.
Sunday
The day of my second to last sports festival. To be honest, this was a very low-key day for me. I went, I took over 400 pictures, I talked with everyone from students to parents and I lent my strength to the after-festival cleanup. The weather was gorgeous – sunny with a slight breeze – and everything went off without any problems whatsoever. I’m going to risk sounding cliché and say that I feel that this day will remain in my mind forever as a snapshot of perfection. I understood everything that went on around me and (dare I say it?) I felt a part of it all.
Monday
Today is a national holiday in Japan, and so I didn’t have to go into work. Thanks to Sunday’s sports festival, I also don’t have to go in on Tuesday and so I am relishing the prospect of a very easy week. Next week will be a different story, but let’s stay focused on the present.
So, today was kind of interesting because I tried a class at the gym that I’ve been thinking about joining for a while. The class is called “Beyond Marshal,” and it’s a combination kickboxing/karate/aerobics class. Normally, TGTIDNLBIDLHE is the instructor for this class and so my fear (disdain?) has kept me away despite my interest. Tonight though, another (kindler, gentler) trainer was in charge and so I decided to give it a try.
Now, going into this class after already having worked out for two hours with weights and a cross trainer was probably not one of the most intelligent things that I’ve ever done. This goes to show you that endorphins can be nasty, tricky, and deceitful little beasts.
After my thirty minutes on the cross trainer, they were the ones saying, "GO FOR IT! WE CAN DO IT! WE AAAAAAAAAAARE POOOOOOOOOOOWEEEERRRRRRRRRRRR!"
I’m happy to say that despite the less than accurate ability of my endorphins to judge how much energy I honestly have left in my body, I think I did well with the lesson. After class, the trainer told me that starting in October she’ll be running this class every Saturday night. Since now we now know that Saturday is a time when I can see lots of people that I like, I think that this class will fit in to my schedule quite nicely.
That brings us to now, which is truly the time right before bedtime. The last five days have been rather busy (when it is not?), but now with David Bowie on iTunes and a nice breeze coming in from my balcony, I think that it’s time to rest.
And The Countdown? Yes, well, we have 190 days to go.
Sailors fighting in the dance hall
Oh man! Look at those cavemen go
I got up at 3:20 this morning… September 15, 2010
Posted by Earthdragonette in Cultural Exchange, Dance Troupe, sports festival, Student Moments.Tags: bayern munich, fc bayern fangirl, practices, sleep deprivation, The Band, The Child, the dance troupe
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… so that I could watch FC Bayern Munich teach AS Roma how to play quality soccer.
Granted it took us until the second half to make it happen, but with goals by Thomas Muller at 79′ and Miroslav Klose at 83′, we certainly dominated. Some of our passes were absolutely spectacular, and towards the end of the game it was a total onslaught against Roma’s goal.
This is, quite simply, a FANTASTIC start to my day.
Going back to Wednesday, I have to say that the most entertaining portion of the day came from a class I had with The Child. He’s recently decided that he wants to go to high school, and he has a lot of really tough exams that he needs to pass in order to make that happen. As a result, although I wouldn’t go so far as to say that he’s become a hard worker, he has been more manageable in class lately. It only takes me about five minutes to get him on task as opposed to, say, fifteen.
Wednesday was one of his less productive days, though he was cheerful enough.We worked through a series of drills together for almost the entire class period, with bursts of productivity closely (and invariably) followed by long stretches of banter. Some things I did not know about him: he wants to join the Japanese version of the navy (what they have of one at any rate) because he wants to protect people, he is still pining for the girl he was infatuated with at the beginning of the summer, he prefers his women to have hourglass figures (don’t even ask how that topic came up), and he can play the drums. What particularly pleased me was that he really tried to speak to me in English. He may fail most of his tests, and he may be borderline illiterate when it comes to English, but he certainly can communicate. For me, that ability counts for a lot.
Wednesday was also noteworthy because of dance practice. Our next performance is on October 3rd, and this will be our debut of the Band + Dance Troupe version of Girlfriend. I’ve been having a lot of problems executing the last part of the song (as usual…), but I think that I made some real progress last night. Generally speaking, I feel as though the group is in a good place at the moment. We still have about three weeks until we perform and so there are opportunities to commit the dance to memory and to work on making things look sharp. This extra time is particularly helpful for me because there are a lot of things that I need to do to clean up my dancing and singing. Still, like I said, we have about three weeks.
And that’s more or less what’s going on here. Epic Bayern soccer matches. Battles with students. Singing. Dancing. Merry making. The usual. My elementary schools are still in sports festival-mode, and so the rest of the week will be taken up with those preparations. As always, September is proving to be an incredibly active month.
And the set list, you stole off the stage
Has red and purple lipstick all over the page
Hey Julie, come on! September 14, 2010
Posted by Earthdragonette in Gym Adventures.Tags: free weights, making friends, Spartan Workshop, the guy who looks like hugh jackman, the gym, the super young guy
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That being a phrase to get my attention if there ever was one, and a phrase that was used to get my attention several times on Tuesday. My students used it in the hallways and classrooms after lessons, the school nurse used it to invite me to a Lady Teacher’s Dinner at a French restaurant in November, and The Guy Who Looks Like Hugh Jackman used it to call me over to the free weights area so that he could give me a lesson in responsible bar bell use.
The Guy Who Looks Like Hugh Jackman and I were on friendly terms before, but after my night out with the other gym members a couple of weeks ago, we’re now buddies. He gave me his sunglasses (in probably a slightly less than sober gesture of mentor-like affection), I asked him about his wife and children, he showed our group a side of the town that we weren’t entirely familiar with, and I give him lots of chances to practice his English. As of yesterday, the harmonious nature of our friendship has added on extra tones to include the occasional workout.
The free weights area of the gym is a place that I’ve been interested in for some time. When I was in college, I spent two years participating in a physical training program called Spartan Workshop. The teacher was a stern taskmaster that prompted equal portions of adoration, respect, and snark from me. I credit him with correcting some gross misconceptions that I had about nutrition and exercise and setting me on to the path of a healthy lifestyle. Anyway, during my time in this program, I got to know the free weight area of my college gym rather well. At the sports club, though, it’s always filled with lots of super tall, super muscled guys who listen to their iPods, grunt and scream at regular intervals, and generally terrify me. So, I have opted to stick to the weight machines and the cross trainer.
Thanks to The Guy Who Looks Like Hugh Jackman, though, I feel as though this diplomatic gap has been bridged to some extent. At least I now have some suggested exercises and more of an idea about what kind of routine I should be following. We also talked about diet and nutrition a little and he had some really interesting ideas for me.
My evening session at the gym was rounded out nicely with some other social interactions. Before I began my workout I saw some of my regular acquaintances in the locker room, and we discussed the hectic nature of our days. While on the treadmill I caught up with this one lady who loves to travel to the States and always has great information about the recent happenings in Japan. As I stretched out at the end of my workout, The Super Young Guy came over and we chatted for a good twenty minutes. The Super Young Guy is probably one of my favorite people at the gym right now, because not only does he treat me with the same friendliness and courtesy that he shows everyone, he does it while speaking English that just makes me smile. It’s not riddled with mistakes or anything, but there’s just a tone and a kind of expression that he uses and it cracks me up. Also, considering that my Japanese is leaps and bounds better than his English, I really respect him for choosing to abandon himself to the immersion method and only speak to me in English. I haven’t heard Japanese from him in weeks.
So, those are some memories, some moments, from Tuesday. Tuesdays tend to be very gym-oriented, and I think you can begin to see why. The people that I encounter there are absolutely fascinating, and rapidly becoming significant reasons why leaving here in six months is going to be quite difficult indeed.
You got a tan and I got a sunburn
I’m still here, Chief. September 13, 2010
Posted by Earthdragonette in Apologies, Hear Ye.Tags: fall term, Jyona33, my japanese sister, reflection good, summer vacation, the gym, The Japanese Best Friend
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First and foremost, although logically troublesome, Frequency is an astoundingly fun movie.
So, my slow climb towards Blogger Redemption was sidetracked by my shenanigans in Tokyo with The Japanese Best Friend. Then, after returning from that little adventure I melted into a Puddle of Summer. Then there was the trip to Osaka with My Japanese Sister and her children. That was soon followed by a day in Nagoya. Last weekend I went out clubbing with a group of friends that I made at the gym, and now we’re into the Sports Festival Season. Between these trips, dance practices, band practices, and hitting the gym at least four times a week, I really haven’t been home all that much.
To be honest, in addition to the way that my schedule has exploded, I suppose part of me has been reluctant to blog over the last few months because I’ve been steadfastly avoiding the phenomenon of Deep Reflection. Analysis I’ve partaken of in spades, and goodness knows where I’d be without the almost 24/7 availability of Jyona33 and his counseling services. Still, for a variety of reasons, I’ve been unable/unwilling to sit down and write about what I’ve been doing. As I said, the reasons for this are various, but I think the most compelling explanation has to do with us rapidly approaching the 6 month mark in our countdown. In a similar vein, I made a lot of progress on my graduate school applications over the summer and some of my social groups are starting to plan farewell parties. These events are alarming to say the least; I had a small mental breakdown when I realized that I would be watching the end of the current soccer season from my father’s apartment in Maryland (or, providing that I can find one, a German pub in D.C. ).
At this point, I’m not questioning the need to leave Japan and return to the United States. Although my social life has literally increased by 500% in the last four months, there are still ways in which I feel limited in my current circumstances. When I think of my longterm plans and goals, I don’t see them happening here. I really want the opportunity to work with American children. I want to run my own classroom and do so with the resources available in the Washington D.C. area. I miss Latin American culture, coffee shops, organic foods, and not being stared at when I walk into stores. Not to mention that I yearn to see my family and friends, and I’d relish the opportunity to sincerely and faithfully practice some form of my actual religion. (This isn’t to say that I am fantastically religious, but I do like going to early Sunday masses and listening to choirs sing beautiful hymns. )
I’ve talked about this double-life syndrome before, and it’s not a burden that gets easier with the passage of time. In fact, it’s only become more difficult lately because it seems as though every week brings a new level of comfort in my Celebrity Role, a new depth of understanding about my circumstances, or a new sign of acknowledgement and acceptance from those around me. Since I went out with my gym friends that night a couple of weeks ago, I’ve had nights where I’ve spent more time at the gym talking to people than actually working out. Several of the families from my schools have also opened up lines of communication recently, and I feel as though there are days when I do nothing but run around in cycles of dialogue focused on my students and their personal lives.
I suppose that, given how busy things are inside of my head, I’ve chosen to dive into my circumstances and not look back at the size of the splash. Although I’m still planning my move back to the States in a logical, calculated fashion, there are ways in which I have chosen simply to embrace each day as it comes and to do what I feel will make me happy in the here and now. I’m giving all my activities everything I’ve got, if only because I really don’t have that much time left to do them. I don’t want to linger overmuch on my departure, because I think it will restrict what I feel comfortable doing in the present.
So, that’s more or less where I am now. The question then becomes, how do I continue to make use of this blog, which is something that I’ve already put a lot of work into and that I feel can help me stay balanced over the next six months and seventeen days. I shouldn’t be afraid to stop and take stock of what I’m doing, and I think that since there are so many things happening now, this is still a great opportunity for me to share some of my experiences with all of you.
To that end, my intention is to go back to the original premise of this blog. I’d like to stay a little away from the philosophizing, and instead focus on collecting significant memories from now until March 30th. I think you can expect a tremendous increase in our number of Characters, especially once I start to explain more about the Gym Community and the people who have come to play more prominent roles in my life. We also have some pretty interesting events on the horizon, including a school-wide Halloween activity at Friday’s elementary school, Thanksgiving with The Japanese Best Friend and … The Mentor (!!!), and of course a trip back to the States for Christmas break. Hopefully along the way, I’ll have memories to share of getting into Graduate School (let’s all send positive energy for that) and another few nights out with the Gym Folk.
In the meantime, I apologize again for the long break. I’m back for the present, and I will do my best, as always, to try to stay on track. I really feel as though we’re about to enter a very interesting period in this long, 4+ year-long adventure and … you know … I’d really like you guys along for the ride.
No I can’t recall anything at all
Oh baby this blows them all away
It’s got what it takes
So tell me why can’t this be love
