Pictures to Share

 Some pictures I have taken since moving to Yokohama:

Zushi Beach! Prettier, much cleaner than Momochi in Fukuoka.

 

 Minato Mirai's Landmark Tower

I like the "no skateboarding" sign with someone doing an awesome trick.

Part of a kids festival somewhere near Kannai

 

More pictures to come soon!

Anniversary

Today marks the almost 1 month anniversary since moving to Yokohama and starting life in Japanese elementary schools. I still can't believe i'm doing this. If you know me, than you know that I never ever ever ever considered doing this.  Of course, life happens and decisions must be made. Aside from all the lesson planning and feeling like I don't know what I'm doing, every day is filled with interesting experiences.

Whether it's the kid's reactions to games in the classroom or walking down the hall and never failing to hear "omg Michael Jackson Sensei!!" one thing is for sure, when I'm not "teaching" I feel like im getting a second chance at reliving my childhood. Living my childhood again through a Japanese lens.  Its a delicate mix of knowing what I am doing and not knowing what I am doing. 

As a kid I was never really aware of what I was doing in the class room, mainly just messing around and not caring about grades or whatever. And now, when ive finally gotten kids to understand a game iv'e introduced, it may only be 15 min, but sometimes I just jump in and participate in the game too.  In a way its reliving being a kid, but its hard to know exactly whats goin on cuz the kids are speaking a different language. I'm not talking about Japanese or English, but when I was a kid the adults were speaking a different language.

I realized that my main function is not to "teach" these kids English. It's to make sure they have fun and keep an interest in English that will prepare them for the all the technical baggage to come when the hit JHS. At any rate, I know I still have a damn long way to go as far as teaching and figuring out what I really want in this life. For now, the highlights are keeping me interested this job.

I do like watching kids come up with their own creative ways of dealing with a "shopping game".  Ive had kids who for some reason decided they wanted to buy up all the bananas in class, name their own store... or even start haggling other students.  You could even tell which kids were greedy with money.

Sitting in and participating in club activities is a blast too. Last week in one of the schools science clubs, they made some sort of sweet and salty candy in one of the lab rooms. I don't think my elementary school had a science room!  Yesterday I played cops and robbers in the schoolyard with the "survival" club. 

Anywhoo.. thats my update for the week.

Ps. Japanese Coke sucks.  I don't even know why I bought some. I never drink that stuff...  Somehow I always convince myself to make poor decisions with food.

Late night craving for tacos?

Late night craving for tacos? (Taco = Octopus in Japanese)

Why not head to your local.....

Taco Bitch!!!

What????!!  Haha, I saw this shop on the bus ride home from one of my schools.  Oh the crazy English that Japanese people use.  I love it.

Hello! Hello Hello Hello!!! Goodbye!

２４年４月：Hello Fukuoka!

２４年８月：Well that lasted long... Goodbye Fukuoka!... Hello Yokohama!

What can I say?? Life threw me a few surprises.  Yes, curve-balls really.  Some people say everything happens for a reason. I'd like to believe in some divine plan if there is one. Sometimes its difficult to know what I am doing out in this country.  Yet my struggle is I tend to believe in coincidence. However, if I may say... these are damn good coincidences.

Things in Fukuoka did not work out exactly how I planned them. I intended to stay for about 3 years, yet my previous boss asked "why not 5?"  

All things were good right? ... I couldn't have been more wrong!!  Twas in deed a dream job or so it seemed. Importing beer from around the world, satisfying bellies, turning six-packs into kegs.. and saving Belgian Christmas for the Japanese.

While I am still praying for something ridiculous and impossible to happen, I do have to take note that not only was I blessed with a job in Fukuoka.  When it was time to end it, God must have known this was going to happen.. cuz he gave me another one.  Of all places... in Yokohama. The only other place in all of Japan where I know friends.  My good friends Jinggo and Ken. Glad to be a part of your beautiful city.

Yes, I went from being an alcohol importer to... educating children. I have a newfound respect for teachers, good teachers. After about a week of crash course teacher training, I realized, being a good teacher who constantly keeps students engaged is hard! Even if you are an "Assistant English" teacher.  Yes, I am an "Assistant" teacher, yet we are expected to plan everything for every lesson.  

The irony is that I took so much pride in not being an English teacher when I first got here.  After a few months of trying salaryman work at a small office and realizing how much that sucked, God must have been laughing at me as he let me find ads for all kinds of jobs on Gaijinpot, specially the English instructor ones. 

Learning to communicate with kids in general is challenging.  Even more so with kids that don't speak your language. Teaching them how to do things and play games without explaining, just modeling.. that is indeed challenging.

Ive spent the last few days just going out of my mind with this.  Dealing with kids is an important job! Also, I get to see where all the culture learning happens.  These kids are being instilled with the very essence of what people will see in years and have been seeing... oh what it is that makes Japan the way it is.  Wacky Japanese culture and things we know as Japanese come from... guess what.. Japanese people!  And i get to witness it right in front of my eyes.

This job is pretty exhausting so far, but its important. It is by no means boring like other jobs ive had in the past. Its pretty exciting, borderline nerve racking. But its an experience that hopefully Ill get to enjoy for more than a few months. 

Anyway, its time for me to sleep! School tomorrow... As long as I have strength, Ill keep doing what I can here until I find my true purpose here. Peace!!