The Late Miso's Epitaph

Monday, March 27, 2006

Shoes


These are my shoes.
They're new.
I like them.
I use them to play basketball.
Last week I dunked (a small apple size ball).
Next week I'm going to dunk over Yao.

Sunday, March 26, 2006

MuscleMan

In response to the expected overflow of request for an explanation about my imminent (<-- sp?) danger at my next school, I am writing this.

It's called 'Kouryou', the school that is. It's like the inner-city of Seto, apparently. I've never been there, but only heard stories. Most of the stories are about fights between students, students attacking teachers, or the police be called to the school.

My opinion is a little different. I expect that attitudes towards learning will on average be much lower, and disruptions during class (talking, tapping fingers, walking around the class, etc.) will be much higher.

Looked at in perspective:
a) students talk in class at every school
b) they walk around and disregard the teacher on a fairly regular basis at my old school too.
c) police coming to your school in this country doesn't mean a thing. Police respond to anything in force (like the team of two who called in three backup units to filled out my stolen bicycle report.)
d) students fight with each other as a response to the lack of attention paid to teaching to the needs of the individual, which is replaced by an overwhelming pressure from society to acheive academically at a young age which requires the student to keep pace with the learing rate of the entire class, or be outcast from any possibility of a happy life.

so... don't worry about me.

People Nicer Than Me

Now you're thinking to yourself (after reading the title,) "well that's just about everyone now then isn't Graham. Couldn't you come up with a more original, and certainly more descriptive title than that?"

No, I coudn't.

I want to talk about the people I've worked with over the past two years. Although I make fun of their nasty door opening habits, they really have been wonderful to work with. I have secured a new contract to work for another year in Seto city, but will be changing to two new schools.

In the first picture you will see thank you cards and letters from a number of classes that I taught (although not all of them.) While the thought is nice, and I'm sure some of the students would have written me a thank you note even if weren't forced to write a thank you note to me in last weeks English class, where students were forced to write a thank you note to Mr. Taylor, it was of course the teacher's idea.

In the second picture you will see some lovely flowers. This was part of a huge boquet that I recieved from the teachers at one school on my last day.

And finally, in the third picture you will see a set of dumbells, an individual present from one of the English teachers at the same school. The attached note reads something to the extent of "I'm worried about you next school. You are in danger! Please use these to train your body and become a muscleman." (I'll post an explanation about that later.)

Anyways it was a lovely and unexpected surpise that really capped off two wonderful years of working together. (I also had fun biking with a large bouquet of flowers, and an additional 6 Kg on my way home, through the pouring rain.)

Thanks so much guys!

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Certified



... Insane
... Nutt
... Random
... Lanky

I know a lot of you were thinking of those as the words to follow this title. Sorry to dissappoint. In truth I am now a certified level 2 (Business Level Equivalent) speaker of Japanese!

That does not mean I would actually be hired for a business position. Or that if hired I would do a very good job. In fact I would probably say many rude things to important people without knowing. That's a big problem, especially here in Japan. But on the other hand... I say rude things to important people everyday already, so maybe it doesn't matter after all.

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

Painting 101




Everyday for 15 minutes after lunch, all the students in the school take part in cleaning time. This consists of anything from sweeping the floors, dusting the trophy case and gardening, to sweeping the sports field (it's gravel - there is no grasss - and I have seen them doing this), wiping the floor, or carrying wheelbarrel loads of dirt to different places.

Although half of the time, at least half of the kids are just standing in groups talking, it does seem to keep the place in OK shape. There is no janitor, and so the schools probably end up saving a little bit of money.

But things got crazy today! As the pictures here show, the kids are painting the school. The hallway walls, the stairwell, and the insides of classrooms were getting a touch up from 200 kids. In terms of efficiency, you sure can't beat a labour force of 200 that costs absolutely nothing. Heck with all the money they are saving you'd think they could afford to buy grass for the sports field, or then again maybe not. Afterall, the front doors to the school are still open, and even though all the kids in these pictures are in shorts, it's about 4 degrees inside the school.

Most of the kids seemed to be having an OK time. There were the occasional paint fights, so my Armani suit and I stayed in the staff room (Armani... Graham... rigggghhhht) except for to take these pictures. And I guess the kids now have experience as painters, that they can slap on their resume some time in the future.