Two more interview tests today, and Mr. Hayashi didn’t show up for either one. He was doing some work for the guidance department, so we covered for him by interviewing more students. It actually works well with just two teachers – maybe I’ll try to give more people a period off this week.
As always the reactions from the students were interesting, and I have to remind myself that for some of these students it’s the first time they’ve sat right across from a foreigner face to face and had to speak English without any Japanese help. Some of them crack up, some giggle, and some just speak Japanese. One girl waited until the interview was over and then told me that I was very handsome. One boy didn’t understand that the interview was over, so he sat there in front of me until I finally said “Goodbye” and pointed at the classroom door.
I mentioned the other day about the rule that states that we can’t run the air conditioners until July 1st. This had a few people a little upset because it has been really hot lately, and it seems silly to have the power to make our lives easier and not to use it. Anyway, the principal and vice-principal came up with a clever way to solve the problem.
Today they announced that we would be testing the air conditioning system for the next few days to make sure that they are working properly. They said that the testing would likely continue until July 1st, and then we would run them normally. Ha! A slap in the face of bureaucracy!
I had my first bad food experience in the cafeteria today – I ordered katsudon for a change, because I’ve had zarusoba for three meals in a row now. The katsudon tasted a little different, and after a few bites I figured it out… it tasted soapy. I didn’t know how to say soap in Japanese, so I just tossed it and skipped lunch. Maybe my palate is more sensitive to this kind of stuff. Next time I’ll stick to zarusoba. Maybe it’s a sign.
After school we had a mandatory seminar. The seminar happens every few months, and they have different topics. It’s sponsored by the board of eduacation with the idea that it will get us to learn about various things. Mostly it’s a chance for the teachers to take a nap. Today’s topic was about safe internet practices, and I had to sit through a bunch of common sense – if it was in English I would have slit my wrists in boredom. Luckily it was in Japanese, so I could work on listening practice and deciphering the kanji in the guy’s Powerpoint presentation.
The seminar made me late for my train, so I had to sit around in the station for a little while. It was closer to rush hour, and there were a lot of people running around – more than when I usually go home. The train going the other way stopped, and two ladies sitting next to each other looked out the window at me. I looked over and they both smiled and waved. I tried to figure out if I knew them, but I didn’t recognize them. I smiled and nodded back, and then the train left. Just a few minutes later a lady walked by and smiled at me, and then when I sat on the train another woman sitting across from me smiled at me and blushed at the same time.
As soon as I got home I checked in the mirror to see if I had a booger on the side of my nose or something – nope. Some days when I walk around I get just stares, sometimes I get smiles, but today I got a lot of attention. I have no idea why.
I had a bowl of chili with cheese on top for dinner tonight. A bowl of chili is hard to come by in Japan, so I really enjoyed it. I didn’t put any extra spices in it, I wanted to get the pure flavor. I’ll have to pick up another can or two at Carrefour before it closes up.
