I really //did// have a great weekend...
Mar. 6th, 2006 10:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
akujunkan...which is what makes the job seem so horrible.
I spent most of last Friday at another old folks' home. The visit was once again billed as a 'simple English conversation' class, but the old folks weren't having any of that, whoo boy. I later discover that only one or two of them even know how to say 'hello' or give their own name in English.
So what did I do since I wasn't teaching 'simple English conversation?' Well, I played Irish music. For a straight hour. And it was fabulous. Playing music is good for the soul. And these guys were into it like woah. Loads and loads of questions. It was great. There I was introducing a foreign culture to Japanese people - you know, doing my job.
Doing my job, incidentally, led to much hilarity (okay, you try explaining terms like 'air flow' and 'copper alloy' in a foreign language without prior preparation). One of the best things about the day was the woman in charge of the center, who was positively Western. By which I mean she was outgoing, confident, and had this big booming laugh that came out with great frequency, but never made you feel stupid. She was wonderful.
Lunch was served, and seeing as it was March 3rd, it was a special Girl's Day meal, complete with chirashizushi and this special jelly made from red wine. Center Lady was absolutely horrified at the thought of me sitting seiza, so she busted out a stool for me to sit on. Problem was, I was way too elevated about the table if I sat on the stool, so after she finished laughing she went and got a big tupperware box to put my food on.
The visit wrapped up, and the old people filed out. I stayed behind with the volunteers for cake and tea, and more discussion about What America is Like. They poured over my photo album and actually included me in all of their conversations, which was wonderful (and somewhat unusual for Japanese in groups). Then they gave me an absolutely gorgeous floral centerpiece and sent me on my way.Which is why I was so pissed to go waste my time at city hall later that day.
Yesterday was spent on top of a mountain, vastly correcting my horrendous snow boarding tecnique. I knew I should have got some decent instruction from the very beginning. 'Just figuring it out' is just another way to say 'creating and reinforcing a lot of bad mistakes' which I knew from the beginning. But still. If we get one more snowfall with some good powder, I think I'll actually be able to get down the slope with certified good tecnique.
That will be all.
I spent most of last Friday at another old folks' home. The visit was once again billed as a 'simple English conversation' class, but the old folks weren't having any of that, whoo boy. I later discover that only one or two of them even know how to say 'hello' or give their own name in English.
So what did I do since I wasn't teaching 'simple English conversation?' Well, I played Irish music. For a straight hour. And it was fabulous. Playing music is good for the soul. And these guys were into it like woah. Loads and loads of questions. It was great. There I was introducing a foreign culture to Japanese people - you know, doing my job.
Doing my job, incidentally, led to much hilarity (okay, you try explaining terms like 'air flow' and 'copper alloy' in a foreign language without prior preparation). One of the best things about the day was the woman in charge of the center, who was positively Western. By which I mean she was outgoing, confident, and had this big booming laugh that came out with great frequency, but never made you feel stupid. She was wonderful.
Lunch was served, and seeing as it was March 3rd, it was a special Girl's Day meal, complete with chirashizushi and this special jelly made from red wine. Center Lady was absolutely horrified at the thought of me sitting seiza, so she busted out a stool for me to sit on. Problem was, I was way too elevated about the table if I sat on the stool, so after she finished laughing she went and got a big tupperware box to put my food on.
The visit wrapped up, and the old people filed out. I stayed behind with the volunteers for cake and tea, and more discussion about What America is Like. They poured over my photo album and actually included me in all of their conversations, which was wonderful (and somewhat unusual for Japanese in groups). Then they gave me an absolutely gorgeous floral centerpiece and sent me on my way.
Yesterday was spent on top of a mountain, vastly correcting my horrendous snow boarding tecnique. I knew I should have got some decent instruction from the very beginning. 'Just figuring it out' is just another way to say 'creating and reinforcing a lot of bad mistakes' which I knew from the beginning. But still. If we get one more snowfall with some good powder, I think I'll actually be able to get down the slope with certified good tecnique.
That will be all.
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no subject
on 2006-03-06 03:13 pm (UTC)So. My question would be -- on the assumption that there's a central group or somesuch administering all this and assigning/placing people wherever -- why not contact them (or otherwise put out feelers) and find out if there's someone who's been CIRing elsewhere and is bored with it (or feels in over his/her head), and would rather be ALTing among the rugrats?
As in job swap. Would something like that be possible? It doesn't sound as though you've much left to lose at this point.
no subject
on 2006-03-06 10:09 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2006-03-07 02:41 am (UTC)Also, I'm going to be in your neck of the woods this afternoon. Fancy going out for some Indian?
no subject
on 2006-03-07 06:05 am (UTC)