Anyone for darts?

Now, I've never really played darts much, but when asked to come to a birthday party for another ALT playing darts, I figured that I might as well.

Surprisingly enough it was a lot of fun.  We went to a little "Dart Cafe".  It was rather small with tables along one side, a bar in the corner and three dart machines along the other wall.  The dart machines were pretty cool - they were electronic in the way that they did all the scoring and there was lots of games that could be played.  The darts were like regular darts except that they had a plastic tip that were designed to stick into the board.  

We played a few games just me and Daniel, a few with everyone in the group and other various games (Dan even found a game called 'Cricket').  Somehow the Aussies managed to win the pairs, Dan won the individual match (8 of us) and in all games we held our own.  Beginners luck was clearly on our side.  

Despite that the next time we play we will be gong without beginners luck, we are both keen to play again.  Which shouldn't be too difficult as they seem to go to a few places every weekend.  

I also discovered that I have the next week off work (I knew there were lots of public holidays coming up, but I wasn't expecting a whole week), so if was definitely worth going.   

Hope you all had a good Christmas and are enjoying watching the cricket - the real cricket!  Watching score cards just isn't the same as watching it on TV.  

Fun with Special Ed

Today I attended a pottery class with the special education class.  Last week when I had lunch with them the teacher and students showed me what they had been making in pottery classes.  The teacher then invited me to come along too!  I carefully blacked it out in my timetable so no-one could book me in for a class.   

I'm not sure if it was the pottery or communication that was more artistic - the teacher has as much English as I have Japanese!  But we did have fun!  The kids had lots of fun saying "very good" (in English) and encouraging me with my pottery.  They also offered me lots of looks at what they were doing, so I could say "very good" to them too!   

I'm not sure what I made - a bowl (of some description), a tallish cup/vase/toothbrush holder and a flatish plate.  I'll decide what they are when they come out and decide what I need in the house and name it accordingly.  

Hopefully we'll be able to arrange another time that I can go back and finish them off.   

My other class today went rather well too.  Today (and yesterday and the day before) we only had 3 periods of class because there are parent/teacher interviews for the last 3 periods.  I seem to think that the kids can go home, but they are included in the interview as well.  So, it has been a rather quiet few days.  And quite boring... but I'm getting plenty of reading done.  

Anyway, my other class today.  95% English spoken in Class!  This is the first class that has come anywhere near that.  I pretty much took the class and the teacher clarified things occasionally, but not very often.  I guess it also shows that the students are becoming more comfortable with me and are happy to try and work things out for themselves without everything being translated.  The language and explanations weren't that technical - months and dates etc, but it was ALL English!   

Hmmm, nup, nothing else interesting to tell you.  Daniel and I are going out for dinner with the English teachers for a little Christmas party tonight.  And no, just because they're English teachers, doesn't mean that they will speak English!  But you get that!  

The question is, can the postie read English?  He could be confused by the constant supply of tea.   One day in particular, we received two different packages, from two different people, both with "tea" on the declaration form. 

So, why are we importing all this tea?  We're in Japan, the land of green tea.  

Anyone who has known us for a while will know that reformed coffee snobs - turned Dilmah Jasmine tea drinkers couldn't possibly survive on Japanese tea alone!  So, our very kind and sympathetic mothers have been diligently been posting tea bags over for us.  We have even been recycling our tea bags to get as much as we can out of them!  (Before you all start feeling sorry for us and reach for a tea bag, envelope and our address, I recently told mum that she didn't need to send any for a while - we're beginning to build up a stockpile - all that recycling and stuff!). 

Anyway, I really just wanted to say thanks.  Thanks everyone for the assorted packages, tea bags, and more recently Christmas cards.  We really appreciate it!    

The plan...

It was great to see the family yesterday.  (Thanks Ben for setting it all up).  I'm pleased I got the chance to say hi, and hear some of  what you've been doing.   It was also a good reminder that I haven't written much lately.  I guess life becomes normal where ever you are, but I'll try and let you know some of the things that have been going on for me...

We had a little bit of snow last weekend.  Ok, it melted when it touched the ground, but it was definitely snow!  Apparently that's about as much snow as we really get in Kita Kyushu, but the kids do get really excited about it.  

We are currently trying to decide how long to spend in Japan.  We are looking at staying another year.  I'm thinking of doing some distance education - Graduate certificate in Special Education teaching through Flinders Uni.  This job provides me with lots of opportunities to do extra study.  Usually I will have an hour free when I'm not doing anything and sometimes I will have three or four hours of twiddling my thumbs and trying not to fall asleep.  During the school holidays I go to our main Board of Education office to amuse myself for weeks on end... Plenty of time for study.  We haven't decided yet, but seriously thinking of it.  Besides, it will mean that more people might get the chance to visit! 

Is it really Christmas time?

It's strange to think that it's Christmas time. It really doesn't feel that way. For one thing it has become rather cold. I noticed that it was 11 degrees in one classroom this week (and that was after lunch!) and 10 degrees in the corridors. Doors are left open in the corridors (the front door, the doors leading to other buildings) so basically it's the same temperature inside as outside. But not only that, there's none of the things that usually go on at Christmas. No Christmas parties are being organised (yes, there still will be a staff party – any excuse for a party), the kids aren't preparing for a end of year event, no Christmas lights bus trips, no Carols by Candlelight.... More than that, I guess that there is no feeling of urgency. It's not the end of the school or working year, so it's just a short winter break. There are a few Christmas trees and lights around the place and occasionally I will hear carols in a shop. But all the shops are advertising Christmas Cakes! What is a Christmas Cake? I hear you ask. Prettily iced and decorated sponge cakes. Everyone asks if we eat Christmas cakes.

The kids (and teachers) have been very interested to hear what we do for Christmas. I have been showing the kids some pictures about Christmas in Australia, which they have been very interested in.   Everyone has been fascinated about Christmas bonbons.  See, it's the little things that are most interesting!

Some Japanese people celebrate Christmas, (mostly by eating cake!), mostly families with small children. Sometimes they will have a plastic tree and parents will by presents for the children. But kids never buy presents for others. They will usually just have a special meal together, not a whole day like most of up commit to with our family.

In Japan Christmas is not a public holiday. To have the day off I have to use my annual leave. Which I am thinking of doing, especially as there is no double-time pay! New Years on the other hand is a very important time of year, they have lots of holidays and write New Years cards to everyone. Knowing Japanese people I'm also expecting lots of fireworks.

So, hope you are all enjoying the bustle and energy of Christmas. And the Christmas carols (I'm not missing them!). Remember to take some photos about the “ordinary things” we do over Christmas so I can show my students how it's done.

It will be very strange to be away from you over Christmas, but probably not too difficult as it doesn't even feel like the right time of year.    

Ok, just a little about me....

It has suddenly turned to winter and has become a little chilly.  The teachers now all cry "sumui, sumui" (cold, cold).  We had some sleet today and even a few snowflakes.    Last week I was a little cold so I bought a jacket on my way home, just in time it would seem.  

School has been going well.  I was finding I was getting bored during the day when teachers weren't taking me to their classes, but I have discovered that if I start reading my book someone always asks me to do something - even other teachers who don't speak English!  (The PE teacher invited me to watch the year 9 students' dancing performances).   So this week has been very busy.  I have also been doing more things in class and creating worksheets.  I guess it just took some time for the teachers to trust me.  The teachers seem happy with the worksheets I create (especially if there are pictures on them) and what I've been doing independently in class.  

It has been interesting marking student's work and identifying problem areas.  So many students don't leave any spaces between words.  There are no rules about leaving spaces, using full stops or capital letters in Japanese writing, so while I understand why these problems keep cropping up I still find it frustrating.  The teachers have really enforced using capital letters and full stops, but even they don't seem to recognise the importance of spaces between words.  When I briefly talked about the importance of spaces between words the teacher was surprised that I recommended they should leave a little finger's width between words.  I also tried to explain that if you write the words "to me" without leaving a space you get a completely different word.  I think a few students understood, but it's still a work in progress.  Soon I will start marking things wrong if there are no spaces between words.....

At home we're beginning to remember which days which rubbish goes out and remembering to take it out.  We're becoming more competent at using our electrical appliances and learning how to do to really tricky things like using the timer on the kettle and rice cooker so it's ready when I wake up in the morning.  Other people's noise is still frustrating at times, but we're probably not the quietest neighbours to live with either.  I haven't played the saxophone much, I really don't want to give the neighbours a good reason to complain about me, but I have discovered that I can play on the weekends without disturbing others.  At least, everyone else is really noisy on the weekends, so I figured that I can be too!  

I really miss you all, and I miss Australia, especially the space and clean air.  I'm sure that when I return I will have a new appreciation for those things which I've taken for granted.             

Enjoying the local spectator sport

If cricket is like a banquet, sumo wrestling is like a Japanese formal meal - lots of little bits with lots of tradition, ceremony and talking.  

Today we spent the day at a sumo tournament.  (1-6pm)

It was interesting, fun and I would even consider going again.  But next time we might go for one of those seats which are cushions on the floor.  I don't think the seats were designed for gaijin.  

The event was made up of lots of bouts.  The two sumos would be announced, get onto the platform, do some squatting exercises and a side kick in the air (they're surprisingly flexible and agile), glare at each other, prepare to start, then walk away.  The would wipe their face, throw some salt onto the floor and prepare again.  They could go through these steps a few times before they actually started wrestling.  (Apparently there is now a four minute restriction, but before that they could significantly delay the match).   The match begins when both opponents touch their knuckles to the floor.  The it's fast!  Often within a few seconds the game would be over.  A few times it ended spectacularly with one opponent being hurled out of the ring, other times, it was just a foot over.  But every match was fast and powerful.  

If you ever get the chance to see a game, take it!   Just remember to take your own snacks... we were a bit hungry by the end of the day.