First day of class!

Well, first of all, thanks to my friends who commented. Love you guys, makes me feel closer to you all even though I'm so far away. Except Steve and Aaron, I've never liked them.

I can't believe I have time to type again. Or mabye this is just a lot more fun than other things I could be doing.

Well, first day of classes was today. Teaching here is so different than what I thought it would be like. After the orientation where I was told that everyone would be shy of me and super respectful, neither has been completely the case. So far I've taught in the Junior High School, the ni-nen-sei. In Junior High 7th 8th and 9th grades are called 1st, second, and third grades repectively, since Junior High is it's own school in and of itself. I taught 2nd grade, or ni-nen-sai (ni = 2, nen =year, sei = student), and there was a "slow" class and a "fast" class. Actually, I think it would be better to say it was an undisciplined class and a disciplined class, or maybe a attentive class and an inattentive class. It was definitely a huge difference between the classes, but I don't think it has anything to do with intelligence. I had a self-introduction class. I basically had lots of pictures of me, my family, boston, my friends, Kung Fu, all that good stuff, and spoke about me. I think most of the English went over there heads. But it's hard to prepare for a class when you haven't taught the students yet, and not just that, but when you haven't even taught a class yet! One thing I knew I should have done but didn't was bring more "realia." Realia is any real object that I may have. I wanted to pass stuff around so the kids actually have something. Some of them definitely looked bored out of their minds while I was giving my "speech." Oh well, next time.

After my two classes, which really isn't anything, I had lunch. The really good part about Japanese schools is that they instill a real sense of responsibility. All the kids help serve each other in a real ordered formation. The senseis all sit with a grade and class, and rotate throughout the year. There's cleaning time at the end of the day, where all the kids must clean the school. They basically have to take care of things, while in America that stuff is left to the janitor. Maybe that's why when I went to college in America the dorm kids would crap in the toilets and not flush. Some of them would even throw unwrapped TP in the toilets, all my (guy) friends from College Park know what I am talking about. I still can't get over how retarded you have to be to do something like that.

But the kids, and Agematsu-machi in general, like I said in the previous post, is a lot more relaxed than perhaps other places. The cultural formalities are still there, but people are just very laid back. And kids are kids.

Sorry to all my readers, my blog might be a lot about teaching, not necessarily cool stories of canyoning in the Japanese Alps. Oh well, I'm sure there will be some of those stories too.

After lunch, I saw two kids in the hallway that I see all the time. They are phillipino, so I believe they've been exposed to lots of English, and there English is good. They asked me if I wanted to go to the gym, my mind was like thank God, I really spend too much time in the teachers room, and we ran ball. I taught them 21. Refreshing.

I really think I am going to like teaching. And this might turn out to be my career choice. I feel like I've made a difference, and I get to interact with kids. It can be fun too. We'll see, but I might end up doing this when I get back to America.

It's raining outside. I brought my umbrella yesterday and it didn't rain, I didn't bring my umbrella today and it's raining. Maan...

School has started!!!

Formalities:

Rishi Sidhu, on the JET program, which stands for Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. Assistant English Teacher (AET) at a Junior High School (Choogakko) and Elementary School (Shogakko) in Agematsu-machi, Kiso-gun (gun = county), Nagano-ken (ken= prefecture), Japan!!! Town of 6,000, everybody remarkably kind and welcoming, as well as giving.
Small, lots of hills, I wish I had a car, my apartment is really nice. Pictures coming soon.


Alright, you can tell I'm finally getting into the swing of things because I'm posting on my blog. Soon I'll have internet at home, a phone, all the stuff I need and should have bought in America (an electronic dictionary, a usb min-drive (Why the heck didn't I buy that before!!!), a watch (I know I know...). What I've learned the most so far is how necesary it is to speak the language of the place you are going to before you go there. It's the difference from having a good experience and having no experience.

So far, I gave my elementary school speech yesterday, and my junior high school speech today (only an hour ago). I was nervous for both, but I didn't freeze or anything like that. So I'm still alive. I wonder what they kids are thinking? I expect that I am going to like the elementary school so much better. Young kids are just so much more enthusiastic and earnest, it's just a much more relaxing environment. The teachers are in sweats and what not. In the chugakko, which is junior high school, i.e. grades 7-9, everyone is in a tie. Forget that nonsense, I just want to have fun and teach English. I think I should be an elementary school teacher.

We had a sake party after the elementary school day yesterday. Except there was no sake (except at the very end), it was all Asahi. Just like in the Netherlands, where the Heineken tasted so much better, the Asahi, and oh my God, the Kirin tastes so much better here. I'm starting to like beer, earnestly for the first time. Oh, I forgot, most of you guys don't know. In Japan, people have drinking parties after work. I think they are called enkai. Not all the time, but once in a while. Nothing too crazy, or at least in my small town of 6000 it hasn't been too crazy. So I started to like sake too, which I never thought I'd like. My area is actually famous for it's sake, so I don't think it's only the psychological experience of being in Japan, I think sake is just better here. Did I mention I really liked elementary school?

While I was starting to get drunk, I was thinking of a "You know your Japanese when..." list. You guys probably won't think this is funny, but those on the JET program will. I'm writing in now so I don't forget. Sooo, 1) You know your Japanese when you can't wait to give a speech at an enkai. 2) You know your Japanese when you get ready to refill someone's drink for them even as they are reaching for their first sip. 3) You know your Japanese when...aah man, i was tipsy and don't remember now. I'll write them down at the next party : )

Of course, since I've been here for 2 weeks, there's so much more to write, I wrote stuff on a notepad, so I may post them later. It's actually pretty interesting stuff. In the first couple of weeks which there are just so many first impressions and every experience, from opening the fridge to catching a train, is like the first time. But I should get back to the stuff I need to get done for today. Will update soon! My first real class is on Friday, and next Monday I'm going to Nagoya on a school trip!! The food here's fantastic, I'm loving it, and I actually went to Ehime which is on the island of Shikoku for our Chugakko's soccer tournament. They are really good, all-japan tounrament it was. We lost though : ( They really have been treating me so well, I don't know how much you guys know about Japanese culture, but my impressions so far is that it's one of the best I've ever experienced. For example, yesterday I told my supervisor I was running low on money, but I kind of said "no money" while I made an "X" with my arms (In Japan that means no) since that was the best way around the language barrier and making sure my point got accross. Then it became a big thing, which is usually does, where everybody is concerned for your well being, and she told me that I would get paid tomorrow. Cool, no sweat, it was actually my mistake because I still had dollars and I knew I should have exchanged more when I went to the bank in the beginning. (I was actually asking her to take me to ryokai - to exchange money) But that night, she (Miura-san, my supervisor) rang the bell, and she was their with a bag full of food, since she was worried I might not have any food for tonight (which I did). Its actually the best meal I've had at home so far. Talk to anybody on this program, they all have similar experiences. There's just lots of experiences like that.

To all my friends and family, I miss you guys. I only wish you could share in my experiences. Love,

-Rishi