My schedule today was wide open – no classes whatsoever. I spent the morning reviewing vocabulary, and around eleven o’clock I decided to walk over to the bank to get some money, and pick up some cheap sushi from the supermarket on the way back.
On my way to the bank I walked by a small cafe, and Keiko-san (the older lady that loves speaking English) popped out of there and asked me to come in. I dashed in for a little bit and chatted with her and three of her friends. They wanted me to stick around, but I told them that I had to get back to school soon. She told me that this week her husband is in America, so she wanted me to have dinner with her and the other ladies sometime soon. I laughed at her description of the situation, but agreed to have dinner with them on Wednesday. They are always nice to talk to, and I’m sure that my descriptions of the wedding plans will drive them crazy with excitement.
Back at school I worked through the afternoon on grammar, and I’m trying to figure out a strategy on studying it. I think I have enough time, I just need a way to get it in my head and retain it. The obvious answer is to use it, so maybe I’ll just have to spring it on some people.
Mori sensei came by around 4:30, and drove me to a junior high school for what she described as a “tea party”.
The reason I was going to the junior high school with Mori sensei is interesting. I guess we are trying to be more active in recruiting students to come to our school, so we’re doing a dog and pony show to try to impress the students. We’re going to do a lesson for this school’s top students, and hopefully we’ll stick in their mind when it comes time for picking a high school.
Mori sensei was really nervous about the tea party because she was afraid that they would be evaluating her English. Mori sensei’s English isn’t that hot – the longer she speaks it, the worse it gets – just like my Japanese.
When we got to the school we sat in a conference with two other teachers, and Mori sensei explained what she wanted to do, we found a date that would work for them, and then we left. No tea, no party. I didn’t quite understand what we did that couldn’t be accomplished with a phone call, but maybe that’s a Japanese face to face meeting style. On our way out we bumped into three Takasago Minami students who were back there visiting their old school. I also got a chance to talk with a bunch of junior high students who weren’t shy at all. They asked me my name, and everyone waved goodbye as we drove off.
I’m looking forward to teaching the junior high class – it’ll be at a different level of English, so I’m wondering if I’ll enjoy it as much. I hope so!
Tomorrow I do have some classes, so it’ll be nice to get in front of some exhausted students and entertain them and myself!
