Coming Out of Hibernation

Regarding Staying Another Year

Although I occasionally have my 'what was I thinking' days, I consider my decision to stay another year a good one. Though it certainly isn’t all roses over here. Winter was rough and stagnant was the word. According to the JET handbook, I'm at the bottom of the one year culture shock curve. Obviously a curve with happiness on one axis is going to be oversimplified but does function to conveniently explain away the stagnation feeling. I do tire of the minimal degree of communication I can achieve with people every day and the required phrases every morning, afternoon, and departure. It can be lonely. The nearly inescapable cold certainly played a part, too.

And while on the subject of complaints, the job is too easy. It's like back at the tennis courts for me. I have so much free time while other teachers prepare lessons, spend weekends at club sports practice, and whatnot. They'd never act like it towards me, but there’s got to be at least some resentment. I’d feel begrudged if some unqualified kid was getting paid as much as I for spending 2/3rds the time and being able to mess around during that time. Some of the teachers are fond of me, but it wouldn’t surprise if others weren’t. And the students have mixed feelings, too. One assignment was to make a poll to ask classmates, and one girl used “Who do you like better, Evan or Chuck (my predecessor)?” This brought up some feelings of inadequacy over my skills at teaching and getting along with teenagers.

Elementary school is still a bit of a challenge, but not so stressful like it was in the beginning. This is where I get to actually be a teacher, and I usually have a genuinely good time. I just play games that use English every day. It's the only part of my job that’s truly rewarding, and the kids are much more open to talking even though they barely know any English.

Learning a language is still fun. I certainly have a new appreciation for language in general. I am speaking Japanese more often in school, extending my social sphere in preparation of the change-up that occurs. The school year actually ends this month. In Japan, many teachers are forced to switch schools. Yamaguchi-sensei, one of the English teachers I work with, is leaving. Ayumi, another assistant teacher who became a good friend and sits right next to me, (and also speaks great English) is also moving on.

The 9th graders have already left in a ceremony full of tears, songs, and bowing. The graduating class has been together since 1st grade but will branch out into high schools across the region. They have been studying for and taking stressful entrance exams for practically the whole year in order to get into the best schools around. Some are even moving away from their parents to live in dorms.

Back to me, and on to the Good News!

A few weeks ago, while still suffering through winter I was expecting big things out of spring, and it looks like my optimism was right on. I’m starting to do more exciting things on weekends.

I went to view the plum blossoms in our prefectures capital city three weekends ago. The next weekend I went snowboarding for the first time in Japan. It was so nice hanging out with the other ALT’s, and snowboarding was fun, too. I’ve still got some skills but I was unbelievably sore for days after. Last weekend was a biggie. Dinner with a Brazilian family Friday night, then into Tokyo for Toyo’s going away party. Three hours of all you can eat and drink with a bunch of cool people. After that I had my first awesome time out clubbing in Japan, up until 6, woke up in a stifling hot capsule. And now I’ve got South Korea coming up, visiting some people I met in Taiwan, Tokyo again, and a camping road trip of some sort in late April. Hopefully I'll also buckle down into some new hobbies (painting, keyboard, surfing again) to make weekday life a bit better.

I did have a 8 day respite from the working world when my parents came to visit. A facebook album is coming soon which will have accompanying anecdotes.