Whoopsies...

It looks like i've gotten almost three weeks behind on this blog, and since I'm skipping town for a weekend trip I probably should get everything all caught up....

Though honestly, I don't have much to say. My life has finally settled into a routine. Work is going well, my weekends are all the same... Oh goodness, have I become boring already?!

Well lets start with weekends: I hung out with one of my Japanese co-workers outside of work for the first time. It was really fun, and its nice to expand my social circle. We went to a movie, and then met up with Briana later for dinner. I hope to do that more with her, and other JTs from work. They can show me more things this has to offer, and I get to practice my Japanese more.

On another occasion is was invasion of the foriegners at Miroku. I swear, there were eight of us, and maybe like... four Japanese customers. It was insane! All of us English teachers for various companies. Briana and I had met a few of them before, and made friends with the others. Craziest part? There were three black people. THREE!!! In a small bar in a small town int he middle of Japan. All three of us were really baffled. I might have also seen a pig with wings... We had a lot fun! Though a crazy old Japanese mad tried to have a conversation with us at one point that was very awkward.... He just kinda... sat down at our table outside and began muttering about how we are all the same. That's nice dude, your drunk, go home... haha. 

Inversely last time I was at Miroku with Briana, we were the ONLY ones there. It ended up being one of my  funnest (if not the funnest) time that I had hanging out there. We talked with the bartenders, watched movies, and listened to music. It was also all Japanese all the time (I translated for Briana the whole night) so I really got to stretch those muscles. 

Last weekend Briana and I went to Gifu for dinner. And then got trapped there! The trains stopped running, cops were wandering around.... I have no idea what was going on. I asked a cop and she said she had no clue when the trains would be running again. We waited around for about 15min before deciding to just take a taxi home. Ugh, talk about an expensive dinner. The next day we went to Nagoya and explored the city more. She took me to Osu to an outdoor shopping mall behind this big temple. (I know, right?) We had the BEST pizza that I've had in Japan that has a guy working there that looks exactly like Yuta (a Miroku bartender). After a little shopping we went to a burger place in Nagoya proper that is run by a friend of Briana's. Apparently this place is so popular and exclusive that they sell out of burgers. She told him ahead of time that we were coming so he saved us one. He handcrafts each and every one from scratch, and I'm pretty sure that it was the best burger that I've had... like ever. 

So now for work stuff: Remember the class that I have that had two of my cousins in it? Well one of them has quit... sad. That class is still one of my favorites, they are still a lot of fun. And I think they  like me? Its hard to tell with teenagers... My slightly older teenager class has warmed up to me as well. I can laugh and joke with them a bit now. I still don't quite get them though.... They complain that something is too (insultingly) easy one moment, and then really struggle with something that I think will be easy for them the next... Ugh, i guess I just have to keep at it. 

I have two new students!!!! One has quickly taken the place of my favorite student of all. I'll get to why in a bit... the other is a cute shy kid, who was placed in a class with one of my crazier students. Its a mommy and me class, so I think they will actually help each other out. Well... here's to hoping, at least.

So about this other class... Its a P1 class like the other (meaning they are 4-5 years old) but its not a mommy and me. Including the new one (my favorite) there are four children. We'll call them H, I, R, and S. R is the average student. He can learn the target language, and knows the amity structure. He can repeat and knows what comes next, etc. etc. but he is a little kid, so he is easily distracted (especially by I), and gets antsy fast. H is a bit of a handful, she used to cry and refuse to come into the class. Now she comes in, but refuses to participate. She plays in a corner, or runs around with I, and gets into my props basket. Most of the time she is harmless, and sticks to herself, but I is a bad influence on her. I is a bully. He refuses to listen to anything I have to say. He screams and runs around me in circles. He pushes, punches, and kicks the other students when he thinks they are paying too much attention to me (or just when he feels like it). He takes my props (either out of my basket, or out of my hand while i'm trying to use them) and crumples them up/breaks them/throws them. He will also take the other student's backpacks and throw them into the middle of the classroom then proceed to jump and stomp on them. This child is out of control! I try picking him up (when he is running around me in circles) and holding him by my side, but he just wiggles until I drop him. When he messes with things that aren't his, or people, I grab his hands, look him dead in they eye, and tell him to stop. But he only stops for about 30sec, then he is right back to it. A couple weeks ago I had to call Manager into the classroom to try and handle I and H. They calmed down for her, but as soon as Manager left, it was chaos again. That class is the longest 40min of my life... 1st thing every Friday... But S, S is my knight in shining honor. I love this kid. He is super smart, super cute, super fun, and best thing? He stands up to I! S's first day in class, I tried to pull his usual with S and S was NOT having it. He even tells him to stop in English! Honestly, that class is mostly spent teaching S and R (when he isn't distracted by I's antics). And I am okay with that, cuz those two are cute, and manageable. Luckily after a particularly horrid class (that left me almost in tears) Manager decided it would be best to move I to another class. Specifically to one taught by Briana. Sorry Briana, but I am NOT sad to see him go!

On a more positive note, I had an amazingly heart wrenching feel good moment last week at work. You know how in a room full of mothers a child can call out "Mom!" and only one woman will answer? Well I'm sitting in a room full of teachers and a student came to the door and called, "Sensei!" (Japanese for teacher) and my head immediately popped up and I answered. No one else even twitched. When I realized what had just happened, I was grinning like a fool for the rest of the day, haha. 

In other news, I am supposed to be meeting up with a taiko group weekend after this to talk about practicing with them. That's super exciting! Next weekend Briana and I are taking a weekend trip to Kobe to visit a co-trainee of mine and see the ocean! The last weekend of the month we have a three day weekend, so Briana and I are headed for Kyoto and plan to hang out with Ayumi while we are there. September will be a fun month! 

Unfortunately for the last week and a half I have had a terrible chest cold. I'm constantly coughing, and there is all kinds of phlem.... gross. Some of my students are even like, "ummmm, sensei, are you okay?" in class. how embarrassing. And i'm sure I caught it from one of my students. KIDS. ARE. DISGUSTING. I'm gonna turn into a compulsive hand-washer/sanitizer just to avoid being sick once a month. I'm starting to feel better now though, so I'm pretty sure I'll be good to go for my weekend trip.

Well that's all for now! And to think, I didn't think I had much to say... haha

Later!

～寒 <-- that says Sam, btw