For many a reason, March is the month with the most suicides in Japan.
So Japan this year has put up all these depressing posters to bring awareness to it and reach out to people with numbers and urging neighbors and relatives to check on people.
The reasons are primarily due to the changing of the year. I don't mean the actual year, or the year of the emperor I mean the fiscal year. April 1st is when all the kids level up in their schooling and go to their new schools or new classes. It is also when the working men get evaluated, laid off, and transferred. It causes a lot of stress to all parties involved. Say your wife still works in that city, but you got transferred 7 hours away. You have to leave your home and family just to satisfy having a job. And changing jobs is really out of the question. Japan isn't that progressed yet where you can change jobs on a whim. Normally you get a job out of college or high school and then you never change again, until you can retire. Kids might be moving with their dad leaving all their friends behind or perhaps they are going on to high school or college, but they just didn't get into their first choice and the stress and pressure of an undesired place, one where possibly none of your friends attend. Sometimes to these depressed minds, suicide seems like the better answer.
This is likely ingrained into their minds since the samurai, Edo period. Where suicide was a noble way to die when put in such a situation that called for it. I am talking about being captured by enemy forces, not changing schools. This process was called seppuku or harikiri where they take their own blade and cut open their stomach while a trusted man stood by to cut off their head when they were done. Yeah pretty twisted. So it is like their culture set their nasty predecessor that they all still feel like is ok. It isn't.
There was a scandal last year where an Otsu kid was forced into suicide by the punks and bullies of his school. That kid was just reported graduated by his school. An empty title. Bullying is very not ok. Don't let more people become like that kid. Prejudice against gays and the bullying and hate crimes that continue there and also very not ok. Don't stand around until it is too late. Reach out and be that persons happiness, be the friend that these people need. And to everyone feeling depressed, or if you know someone who might be, reach out. It has got to be the loneliest scummiest feeling in the world to contemplate and go through with suicide. Alone in your apartment. Not checked on for days. And then think of the ones who find you. Scarred forever and always thinking what they should've could've done. And if you are in it for revenge, what revenge? you are dead, nothing, there is no more to your feelings, thoughts and emotions. Beat the system by becoming awesome, becoming happy. People you can't stand, cant stand you to be happy. So do just that.
Some of the most popular ways to die in Japan are jumping from tall buildings, hanging, pills, and possibly the worst, getting hit by a train. The last there is really expensive. There is really grand clean up fee as well as a late passenger fee because it holds up the trains for quite some time. I am talking like a hundred thousand or more dollar fee here. That your relatives and friends would have to pay. So if financial problems are the cause, probably not the best solution for everyone else involved in your life. So just don't do it. Don't do any of them. And promote awareness that you really just create a bigger mess for everyone involved in your life or not. That train conductor or apartment manager did nothing to you.
As far as places are concerned, I am sure many people are aware of the suicide cliffs and the suicide forest, there is actually a pretty interesting documentary on them you can find here for the people with morbid curiosity like myself.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Spring is here!
In America we determine spring by when the robins return. Always noted for their bright red chests as they scavenge the ground for worms to be pluck in the morning. 'Ahhhh spring' is what you tell yourself at the much welcomed sight of them. No more frost covered mornings, the shucking of those heavy winter jackets, and of course the diets for the following bikini season that begin to get underway. Yup. Spring.Well, there are also groundhogs, but that is just for fun really.
In Japan, they have sakura trees as the most world wide notable season changer, they have festivals and parties and picnics. But before that, just as the weather changes, they have a little birdie indicator as well. As Japan has a bit of a shortage of robins, none to be exact, they rely on a little bird they call uguisu. So I don't see any of those red breasted birdies plucking worms from the ground bright and early in the morning. Instead there is a little guy called uguisu.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
White-out
First off, congratulations to my 3rd year students who walked across the stage this morning and were released from their duties of junior high school. I couldn't be more proud.
In addition to graduation, today is also White Day. White day is the day that occurs one month after Valentines day. It is the day where Japan's (and Korea's!) gentlemen get to reciprocate all their love from Valentines day. If you remember, the ladies are the givers on Valentines Day, making the men the givers on White Day.
As in the given name for the holiday, items given are generally white. This has the slight undertone that wedding dresses have, signifying purity and whatnot.
I was actually kind of under the impression that you only receive White Day gifts from either your significant other or from those wishing they were your significant other. But apparently friends and social obligations such as those I laid upon the coworkers desks a month ago could also lead people into returning the favor. A month ago I gave all of the teachers at my school, man and woman alike some American candy.
Today I actually was returned white days gifts much to my surprise. Definitely not expecting it. Also I was not exactly sure of the protocol, but seeing as they are coworkers and the majority of them married and with kids, I think it might have been most polite to accept them. I mention protocol here since at least on Valentines day, some gentlemen will refuse intimate chocolate from persons they are uninterested. An example would be if a woman showed up at a single guys apartment to gift him with chocolate being an intimate situation. And yes, it happens. The gentlemen , not wanting to lead said person on, will refuse the chocolate, though sometimes the women are exceptionally persistent Additionally they don't want to obligate themselves for White Day, as once given chocolates, most men will feel some sort of social obligation to return the favor.
I have not experienced a situation where a woman would refuse chocolates from a man in an intimate situation, because come on...were women (I mean refuse chocolate? You must be joking). But jokes aside, I get the feeling that not so many favors are returned on White Day. Mostly because men here are not so romantic and probably a little shy. Women on the other hand are pretty aggressive romantics and will go after men without so much hesitation. Adding to the fact, women will often hand make their chocolate on valentines day, but on white day, men mostly buy their products.
Last year, I had a rather unique White Day and was taken on a small fancy cruise liner for desserts and tea with music and dancing as we sailed out to Awajima on an afternoon trip. There was actually a wedding happening on the upper deck. The event sailed out from Kobe and was probably a two hour affair. The thought process behind it was that chocolates were cheap and to show the proper amount of affection, we went for an outing on a boat. In addition, the gift was supposed to be white as was the boat.
So the gift on these days does not necessarily have to be chocolate, it can be material consisting of jewelry, plushes, dinner, clothing, or pretty much anything, most often being white or having some sort of white accessorized accomplice.
In addition to graduation, today is also White Day. White day is the day that occurs one month after Valentines day. It is the day where Japan's (and Korea's!) gentlemen get to reciprocate all their love from Valentines day. If you remember, the ladies are the givers on Valentines Day, making the men the givers on White Day.
As in the given name for the holiday, items given are generally white. This has the slight undertone that wedding dresses have, signifying purity and whatnot.
I was actually kind of under the impression that you only receive White Day gifts from either your significant other or from those wishing they were your significant other. But apparently friends and social obligations such as those I laid upon the coworkers desks a month ago could also lead people into returning the favor. A month ago I gave all of the teachers at my school, man and woman alike some American candy.
Today I actually was returned white days gifts much to my surprise. Definitely not expecting it. Also I was not exactly sure of the protocol, but seeing as they are coworkers and the majority of them married and with kids, I think it might have been most polite to accept them. I mention protocol here since at least on Valentines day, some gentlemen will refuse intimate chocolate from persons they are uninterested. An example would be if a woman showed up at a single guys apartment to gift him with chocolate being an intimate situation. And yes, it happens. The gentlemen , not wanting to lead said person on, will refuse the chocolate, though sometimes the women are exceptionally persistent Additionally they don't want to obligate themselves for White Day, as once given chocolates, most men will feel some sort of social obligation to return the favor.
I have not experienced a situation where a woman would refuse chocolates from a man in an intimate situation, because come on...were women (I mean refuse chocolate? You must be joking). But jokes aside, I get the feeling that not so many favors are returned on White Day. Mostly because men here are not so romantic and probably a little shy. Women on the other hand are pretty aggressive romantics and will go after men without so much hesitation. Adding to the fact, women will often hand make their chocolate on valentines day, but on white day, men mostly buy their products.
Last year, I had a rather unique White Day and was taken on a small fancy cruise liner for desserts and tea with music and dancing as we sailed out to Awajima on an afternoon trip. There was actually a wedding happening on the upper deck. The event sailed out from Kobe and was probably a two hour affair. The thought process behind it was that chocolates were cheap and to show the proper amount of affection, we went for an outing on a boat. In addition, the gift was supposed to be white as was the boat.
So the gift on these days does not necessarily have to be chocolate, it can be material consisting of jewelry, plushes, dinner, clothing, or pretty much anything, most often being white or having some sort of white accessorized accomplice.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Small time Gangster
Low level punks, the kind that you were when you were in high school are called yankees in Japan. And no, they are not from New York.
They are the kind of kids who would cause mischief in all your classes and would often drop out and work at McDonalds. Well the McDonalds thing is less true here as it is seen as a slightly more respectable job (like I swear they all speak a little English and know just what to say when my Japanese comprehension fails for 'would you like to eat this here or is this take out?'). Also there are less McDonalds on average so it would make sense for the most degrading job to be something that is extremely common. Which just so happens to be convenience stores. I would say that working at the local 7-11, Lawson, or FamilyMart would shame me to pieces, but it is actually a really convenient job for the elderly without any higher education. And in Japan it is very different from America in terms of higher education. It really does separate blue collar from white collar, but also there is no astigmatism here that blue collar is demeaning or bad in anyway. Ok, maybe a small one. But kids can go straight into the blue collar work force from high school and start earning money, which can be a heck of a lot more appealing to them than another 4 years of education with an uncertain future career. Really, the job market in Japan is truly wretched right now; I think last year there was more than 30% of the graduates without jobs.
But that is not what we are talking about is it? We are talking about yankees today. The term actually originated from the Yankee that you are all familiar with, being northeastern Americans. They have since borrowed it and changed the meaning just a bit. They are pretty much just delinquents. The school skipping, cigarette smoking, disheveled looking punks. They are trademarked by differences from cultural norms, such as dyed hair, piercings and ...odd clothing. They are often seen smoking, sometimes (often) underage, and will hang out in groups. They are not all that wealthy and will normally ride around on this type of cheap little bike. It looks like a shortened version of a motor cycle but it rides a lot slower. It is kind of like trying to still look cool at 1/3rd the price. Apparently these bikes are also pretty easy to hot wire and steal as well, meaning that the bikes might not always belong to the person riding it. More expensive versions that are becoming popular are actually a a legit moped. And they are huge. I think you could easily fit 3-4 people on it. They are often decorated by LEDs, much louder speaker system (you can actually hear them coming from their music) and have a really plush padding for seating. I call them boats. Nothing I can say can really describe these accurately enough. More adult versions might be seen driving one of those tattooed cars with the dragons and anime characters on it.
The dress code can vary it seems, but a pretty common look is baggy sweats and trainers with the odd pant leg rolled up and a t-shirt or sweat shirt. But don't think of new sweats with the tags still on as you might see in Brooklyn on a night out, they care less about fashion than that. A stereotyped school girl, as they still have to attend school, is said to be trademarked by the longer skirts and possibly less make up than most. Though I have never really been witness to that. What I have been witness to is wearing their trainers/sweats under their skirts, which is not really acceptable by school standards. Most girls in school will actually roll up their skirts and belt them up high, pretty standard across the world right? I still remember rolling up my ugly maroon jersey shorts for middle school gym class that they didn't bother differentiating between guy and girl styles or sizes, and still not managing to really appeasing either.
As far as their accessories go, I feel like hair dye is a mandatory. It doesn't have to be flamboyant, just the orange or brown, a fading yellow as is most common. And then piercings or tattoos. Most are still too young for the tattoos, but I know that they can manage to get the piercings I have two boys in my schools with some ear cartilage ones. Personally I have two cartilage ones in one of my ears and my students like to jokingly call me a yankee. I have had to explain to them that in western culture this is actually exceedingly normal and tattoos are also pretty much downright common now. They were shocked to learn this. And then I showed them a group normal American girls and pointed out that one had a foot tattoo, one had a shoulder one and then the various piercings.
These yankees have a decently rude attitude and use really bad language. Though keep in mind, there are several forms of language in Japan going from formal to super slangy and only spoken amongst friends. Pretty much you can expect them to use this casual language with anyone, which comes off as rude, and where one might say obaasan in reference to an old lady (variations being obaasan, obaachan, obaa, sobo, obahan roughly from most polite to least polite), they would go with obahan which is really not so respectful and you should never really say it to a person (also it is kansai dialect).
It is said that these punks are kind of territorial kind of like how gangs used to be(?) in the United States and that they are rough with each other and will get in fights fro said territory, or possibly over a girl (my image of them is based on primal needs). I have never really seen them do anything except for hang out and smoke late at night by the kamogawa (river in Kyoto). Oh, and play their music kind of loud over crappy speakers on their modified bikes, or much nicer ones from their boats. But again this all gives them a bad image.
Overall they are harmless and if you are nice and polite to them, they will return the favor, but of course if you come off superiorly, they will mock you mercilessly.
 |
| short bike. notice the street tires |
 |
| for size comparison against a more normal sized (though still small) rice rocket. |
Friday, March 1, 2013
A Day in the Life
So following a common suit, I decided to give you my schedule to show you what a day in my life is like.
6 am
Wake up in a leisurely cacophonous fashion with multiple alarms about half way through the hour. Proceed to dress in business casual attire, which right now is a nice sweater and slacks. Simplistic make up and brushing of hair follows suit. Warm up breakfast which is normally either onigiri or toast. After another two alarms, one warning me departure time is approaching and the next telling me to get of out the house, wherein I then bike a few kilometers to the bike garage near the station. And then walk to the station
The bike garage is normally an official place with some sort of covering where bikes in the hundreds are kept for your return. These places often will cost. Mine is either 200 yen a day or 4000 yen a month. Living in Kyoto has its expenses and this is one of them. Other places will be cheaper. My former city was about 2400 monthly for the bike parking, and I have even heard of some places being free. Either way, you typically need a bike parking garage elsewise you bike might be stolen or impounded. There are regular people who walk around to ticket or take your bike, so be careful!
Notice how I said most places above? My bike garage is some lady's house. The station is use is old and many of its features have been grandfathered into the new rules and regulations. This is because it is an extremely busy intersection, and to tear it up would be to wreck havoc with the city-goers. Also because it is so built up, there is no room for an official parking garage, so a few of the residents decided to make some easy money by using their first floors are bike garages for the commuters. There are 3 that I know of and they actually all very in price depending on who is closest. Mine is the cheapest.
7 am
I have just parked and getting to the station. I take a pretty early train for a bit less than half an hour to the city where I work. By choice, I do not live in that city, nor in a closer city, of which there are several. There is really good transportation in Japan therefore I can really have my pick of the pie in terms of where I live. And thus I live in Kyoto. Who wouldn't right?
From the station, I have a choice of walking or taking the bus. The bus always seems like a hassle; you have to make sure you are on the right bus, you have to figure out the times and the routes, it is all in Japanese, and then you have to wait for it and it actually ends up being about the same amount of time as walking. So I typically walk. Also as a side note, that is totally unlike Kyoto buses, which was much better organized and in English. The walking is just a few kilometers and I figure is a a good exercise and whatnot, at least that is what I tell myself.
8 am
Actually just before it, I arrive at school. There is not really a point for me to get to school this early other than that I like it. I just come in, get settled, open the laptop and plan if needed. I make/print my handouts if I haven't already, touch up power point, write in my blog, you know just anything. At 8:20 everyday there is a small morning meeting with the principal and all the teachers in the office. It lasts less than 5 minutes. Only my junior high school (aka middle school) does this. The bells rings and home room starts for the kids. The first official class is not until 8:45. I may or may not have class at this time. It all depends on my schedule.
Class mostly means me teaching a designated lesson/topic of the day. They usually make it a point to make my lessons to be conversation lessons so that the students can practice and hone their speech to a better perfection.
In my junior high school, I act as the main teacher and have complete run of the class. I teach the entire time on the designated subject, but you would be asked to do any number of things. One common complaint among foreigners is that they are merely a walking tape recorder for the lessons. Meaning they just repeat the words at the Japanese-English teachers command. A person might also be assigned to only one portion of the lesson, like a game, or activity, or maybe only even a 5 minute warm up. It totally depends on what a school needs you for.
My typical lesson will be something like a small warm up, the focal point of the lesson, perhaps a small bit of practice, and then an activity or game that I have designed to make the kids want to participate more as well as to better support the focal point of the lesson. For example a warm up might be some shiritori in English, followed by a page in the book where we discuss a dialogue where I will go over it the first time doing both parts and different voices depending on the day, and then we will go over it in English and then the more difficult points in Japanese. From there we will review the key phrase and I will make them come up with example of how to use it and change it (like would you like ~~?) and then I will have an activity or game for them utilizing that phrase. The Japanese-English teacher will be there the whole time and will support me when asked, but more or less leaves everything up to me. The aid of this teacher varies upon the teacher, some teachers are very supportive and some are pretty non-existent. I even have one who sleeps on occasion. Grading and Reading during my lessons is pretty normal. They are there though to handle the classroom behavior. I am no disciplinarian and since I am a gaijin, if something or dispute happens, it is always better to have another teacher there to mediate the problem and to be able to convey the problem to any other authority if necessary. For example is a fight breaks out between students, I can try to stop it but it is best that I leave it to the Japanese teacher, also my limited Japanese can't convey to the principal what happened. And of course they are there to make sure I don't do anything too ridiculous or our of order.
In my elementary schools, classes run more or less the same. I again have the run of the class and teach the entire time. Some classes have books we teach out of, others don't. The Japanese-English teachers try to be as helpful as they can, getting the students to pay attention, behave, and participate, or if there is a special student, helping them be entertained with me lesson. These teachers often do not speak much English, but are very genial. The English level does vary though and so does their help and input in my lessons. You kind of just learn to adapt for who does what. I have one teacher who follows my every word and helps to translate difficult words like 'brave' from the story in the book.
My elementary lessons are a pretty much the same as my junior high school ones, but at a much lower level. I will have a warm up, the lesson topic or book topic, a short review and a game. For example a warm up is a chant or song often provided by the book, or as compliments of Youtube, and then I will get into the lesson and we will go over all the vocab for that lesson, if it is in the book, there are often some accompanying listening exercises that I will also do. I will then move into some review where I will change the words to ones not in the book so they might try to give some original answers. At this point I might call on some students to answer the question (example: what fruit do you like?) and then will progress into a game or activity that is simple and repetitive so they can remember and easily practice the target phrases.
12:15 pm; 12:35 pm
Lunch time! At this time, the first four class periods are complete. If I am at my elementary school, I get fed the school lunch for a grand total of 208 yen. If I am at my junior high school, I often bring my own lunch, or if I forget, I can order the bento from the bento shop that all the teacher order from for 400 yen. At my JHs, most teacher do not order the bento, preferring cheaper or more delicious food, but there are a few people who are constants on the daily order.
After this, but at no designated time, students have recess, which is greatly diminished in JHS.
The earlier time follows the elementary schedule with their 45 minute classes, and the latter time is the JHS schedule with their 50 minute lessons.
1:20 pm; 1:45 pm
Here, the earlier time signifies when JHS students hit the books for 5th period, and the latter time is elementary. See I told you they had an awesome recess. Elementary students even sometimes go home after lunch, which is not too unusual, and then come back for 5th period. Or if they are a very young grade in elementary, they might only have 4 classes and then the day is over for them. Elementary classes tend to vary between 5 and 6 periods throughout the week. At mine, I think most days are 5 classes and then they can go home, but on days when the first period is scheduled reading time, they have 6 periods.
3:10 pm
Classes are finished and then they have homeroom again to wrap up the day at JHS. Them some students go home, but the vast majority will have some club to attend to. They will go to this club until about 4:30 or 5. I am not really sure if there is a designated time for them to leave. I will occasionally attend the cooking club and the just come and go whenever. Sports teams are perhaps a bit more rigorous.
Since classes are over at this time, I would spend time preparing for the next day, or if I have already, I would spend it as I see fit. Sometimes I visit the clubs, who are always happy to have me, but recently I just study.
4:30 pm
This is my departure time. I am now allowed to go home. And unless I am wrapping something up, or in the middle of something, I am more often than not leaving right about this time. If you have an awesome school, or elementary school, they might let you go home a bit earlier.
From now, I will walk back to the station.
5 pm
I get on the train to head home. Typically during my commute, I listen to music, audiobooks, or more recently, podcasts like japanesepod101. Once I arrive at the station, I return to the garage, pick up my bike, and bike back home.
6 pm
Arrive home and be lazy for some time. Video games, checking the computer, reading, catching up on a TV series. And then if it is not Tuesday or Thursday I will go to the grocery store to get some things for cooking. Something very different in Japan is that I go to the grocery store every day. The refrigerators are much smaller here and it is actually not so common to buy in bulk. I am almost surprised to see 12 packs of toilet paper being sold. It is extremely typical to want to cook with fresh ingredients, thus there are many grocery stores to support everyone's daily visit. There are of course a few super stores, or at least in Kyoto, where they sell things that you might want to stock up on since those products wont be sold in you more local stores. Those stores are also usually a bit farther away. I am talking like a 10 minute drive. Yeah. That, is considered far away here. The normal grocery stores are usually about a 2-3 minute bike ride from my apartment, and I have 3 of them in that range to give you an idea of how convenient they are.
7 pm
I am cooking, or running if it is a Tuesday or Thursday. And following suit, I am eating. On my running days, dinner is still cooked, but usually a more simple affair.
8 pm
More relaxing, or possibly studying.
9 pm
Shower time. Like the Japanese, I have been showering mostly at night. This is actually largely due to I hate waking up early and to wake up any earlier and shower just seems like hell. I still believe that morning showers are way better though. When I lived closer to my schools, I would shower in the mornings, so this is purely because I live farther away and have longer to commute now.
Following is doing whatever I want time, unless it is my one day a week where I clean and do laundry, in which case I do that.
11 pm
Roughly. Its bed time.
6 am
Wake up in a leisurely cacophonous fashion with multiple alarms about half way through the hour. Proceed to dress in business casual attire, which right now is a nice sweater and slacks. Simplistic make up and brushing of hair follows suit. Warm up breakfast which is normally either onigiri or toast. After another two alarms, one warning me departure time is approaching and the next telling me to get of out the house, wherein I then bike a few kilometers to the bike garage near the station. And then walk to the station
The bike garage is normally an official place with some sort of covering where bikes in the hundreds are kept for your return. These places often will cost. Mine is either 200 yen a day or 4000 yen a month. Living in Kyoto has its expenses and this is one of them. Other places will be cheaper. My former city was about 2400 monthly for the bike parking, and I have even heard of some places being free. Either way, you typically need a bike parking garage elsewise you bike might be stolen or impounded. There are regular people who walk around to ticket or take your bike, so be careful!
Notice how I said most places above? My bike garage is some lady's house. The station is use is old and many of its features have been grandfathered into the new rules and regulations. This is because it is an extremely busy intersection, and to tear it up would be to wreck havoc with the city-goers. Also because it is so built up, there is no room for an official parking garage, so a few of the residents decided to make some easy money by using their first floors are bike garages for the commuters. There are 3 that I know of and they actually all very in price depending on who is closest. Mine is the cheapest.
7 am
I have just parked and getting to the station. I take a pretty early train for a bit less than half an hour to the city where I work. By choice, I do not live in that city, nor in a closer city, of which there are several. There is really good transportation in Japan therefore I can really have my pick of the pie in terms of where I live. And thus I live in Kyoto. Who wouldn't right?
From the station, I have a choice of walking or taking the bus. The bus always seems like a hassle; you have to make sure you are on the right bus, you have to figure out the times and the routes, it is all in Japanese, and then you have to wait for it and it actually ends up being about the same amount of time as walking. So I typically walk. Also as a side note, that is totally unlike Kyoto buses, which was much better organized and in English. The walking is just a few kilometers and I figure is a a good exercise and whatnot, at least that is what I tell myself.
8 am
Actually just before it, I arrive at school. There is not really a point for me to get to school this early other than that I like it. I just come in, get settled, open the laptop and plan if needed. I make/print my handouts if I haven't already, touch up power point, write in my blog, you know just anything. At 8:20 everyday there is a small morning meeting with the principal and all the teachers in the office. It lasts less than 5 minutes. Only my junior high school (aka middle school) does this. The bells rings and home room starts for the kids. The first official class is not until 8:45. I may or may not have class at this time. It all depends on my schedule.
Class mostly means me teaching a designated lesson/topic of the day. They usually make it a point to make my lessons to be conversation lessons so that the students can practice and hone their speech to a better perfection.
In my junior high school, I act as the main teacher and have complete run of the class. I teach the entire time on the designated subject, but you would be asked to do any number of things. One common complaint among foreigners is that they are merely a walking tape recorder for the lessons. Meaning they just repeat the words at the Japanese-English teachers command. A person might also be assigned to only one portion of the lesson, like a game, or activity, or maybe only even a 5 minute warm up. It totally depends on what a school needs you for.
My typical lesson will be something like a small warm up, the focal point of the lesson, perhaps a small bit of practice, and then an activity or game that I have designed to make the kids want to participate more as well as to better support the focal point of the lesson. For example a warm up might be some shiritori in English, followed by a page in the book where we discuss a dialogue where I will go over it the first time doing both parts and different voices depending on the day, and then we will go over it in English and then the more difficult points in Japanese. From there we will review the key phrase and I will make them come up with example of how to use it and change it (like would you like ~~?) and then I will have an activity or game for them utilizing that phrase. The Japanese-English teacher will be there the whole time and will support me when asked, but more or less leaves everything up to me. The aid of this teacher varies upon the teacher, some teachers are very supportive and some are pretty non-existent. I even have one who sleeps on occasion. Grading and Reading during my lessons is pretty normal. They are there though to handle the classroom behavior. I am no disciplinarian and since I am a gaijin, if something or dispute happens, it is always better to have another teacher there to mediate the problem and to be able to convey the problem to any other authority if necessary. For example is a fight breaks out between students, I can try to stop it but it is best that I leave it to the Japanese teacher, also my limited Japanese can't convey to the principal what happened. And of course they are there to make sure I don't do anything too ridiculous or our of order.
In my elementary schools, classes run more or less the same. I again have the run of the class and teach the entire time. Some classes have books we teach out of, others don't. The Japanese-English teachers try to be as helpful as they can, getting the students to pay attention, behave, and participate, or if there is a special student, helping them be entertained with me lesson. These teachers often do not speak much English, but are very genial. The English level does vary though and so does their help and input in my lessons. You kind of just learn to adapt for who does what. I have one teacher who follows my every word and helps to translate difficult words like 'brave' from the story in the book.
My elementary lessons are a pretty much the same as my junior high school ones, but at a much lower level. I will have a warm up, the lesson topic or book topic, a short review and a game. For example a warm up is a chant or song often provided by the book, or as compliments of Youtube, and then I will get into the lesson and we will go over all the vocab for that lesson, if it is in the book, there are often some accompanying listening exercises that I will also do. I will then move into some review where I will change the words to ones not in the book so they might try to give some original answers. At this point I might call on some students to answer the question (example: what fruit do you like?) and then will progress into a game or activity that is simple and repetitive so they can remember and easily practice the target phrases.
12:15 pm; 12:35 pm
Lunch time! At this time, the first four class periods are complete. If I am at my elementary school, I get fed the school lunch for a grand total of 208 yen. If I am at my junior high school, I often bring my own lunch, or if I forget, I can order the bento from the bento shop that all the teacher order from for 400 yen. At my JHs, most teacher do not order the bento, preferring cheaper or more delicious food, but there are a few people who are constants on the daily order.
After this, but at no designated time, students have recess, which is greatly diminished in JHS.
The earlier time follows the elementary schedule with their 45 minute classes, and the latter time is the JHS schedule with their 50 minute lessons.
1:20 pm; 1:45 pm
Here, the earlier time signifies when JHS students hit the books for 5th period, and the latter time is elementary. See I told you they had an awesome recess. Elementary students even sometimes go home after lunch, which is not too unusual, and then come back for 5th period. Or if they are a very young grade in elementary, they might only have 4 classes and then the day is over for them. Elementary classes tend to vary between 5 and 6 periods throughout the week. At mine, I think most days are 5 classes and then they can go home, but on days when the first period is scheduled reading time, they have 6 periods.
3:10 pm
Classes are finished and then they have homeroom again to wrap up the day at JHS. Them some students go home, but the vast majority will have some club to attend to. They will go to this club until about 4:30 or 5. I am not really sure if there is a designated time for them to leave. I will occasionally attend the cooking club and the just come and go whenever. Sports teams are perhaps a bit more rigorous.
Since classes are over at this time, I would spend time preparing for the next day, or if I have already, I would spend it as I see fit. Sometimes I visit the clubs, who are always happy to have me, but recently I just study.
4:30 pm
This is my departure time. I am now allowed to go home. And unless I am wrapping something up, or in the middle of something, I am more often than not leaving right about this time. If you have an awesome school, or elementary school, they might let you go home a bit earlier.
From now, I will walk back to the station.
5 pm
I get on the train to head home. Typically during my commute, I listen to music, audiobooks, or more recently, podcasts like japanesepod101. Once I arrive at the station, I return to the garage, pick up my bike, and bike back home.
6 pm
Arrive home and be lazy for some time. Video games, checking the computer, reading, catching up on a TV series. And then if it is not Tuesday or Thursday I will go to the grocery store to get some things for cooking. Something very different in Japan is that I go to the grocery store every day. The refrigerators are much smaller here and it is actually not so common to buy in bulk. I am almost surprised to see 12 packs of toilet paper being sold. It is extremely typical to want to cook with fresh ingredients, thus there are many grocery stores to support everyone's daily visit. There are of course a few super stores, or at least in Kyoto, where they sell things that you might want to stock up on since those products wont be sold in you more local stores. Those stores are also usually a bit farther away. I am talking like a 10 minute drive. Yeah. That, is considered far away here. The normal grocery stores are usually about a 2-3 minute bike ride from my apartment, and I have 3 of them in that range to give you an idea of how convenient they are.
7 pm
I am cooking, or running if it is a Tuesday or Thursday. And following suit, I am eating. On my running days, dinner is still cooked, but usually a more simple affair.
8 pm
More relaxing, or possibly studying.
9 pm
Shower time. Like the Japanese, I have been showering mostly at night. This is actually largely due to I hate waking up early and to wake up any earlier and shower just seems like hell. I still believe that morning showers are way better though. When I lived closer to my schools, I would shower in the mornings, so this is purely because I live farther away and have longer to commute now.
Following is doing whatever I want time, unless it is my one day a week where I clean and do laundry, in which case I do that.
11 pm
Roughly. Its bed time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)