Wow…

In that word, I express many things:

I express how different it is to be a teacher instead of the student, and how all of you should ask for forgiveness for all the mean things you ever thought about a teacher. (Believe me, I already have.) It is hard to be a teacher in general, but if one desires to be an EXCEPTIONAL teacher, one must first surrender all hopes of sanity, sleep, and pride. (I have also learned there is a fine line between being the cool teacher, and being the teacher that makes you hate coming to class even more because they are SO dorky.)

I express how a typhoon larger than Katrina swept over the southern part of Japan and while the day of the arrival kept getting pushed back, it FINALLY chose to come its closest to Awaji last night at 10 pm, making sleep impossible due to the wind howling and things banging ect ect… not to mention typhoon #14 was my first experience with an ocean formed natural disaster.

I express how, even though school was canceled this morning for students due to ‘insanely strong winds that will rip your hair out’ (at least that is what I THINK the Japanese newsperson said) that just because school is canceled for students (for ANY reason, typhoon, tidal wave, earthquake, the rapture…) Teachers are STILL EXPECTED TO COME* (*footnote: unless, and I quote ” It is absolutely impossible for you to get to school”) . Can SOMEONE please explain how this makes sense?? Yes students must walk or ride their bikes to school which could prove dangerous, and most teachers drive to school (I am the one and ONLY exception to that rule, but I live pretty close to the school) BUT, it is mathematically more probable (due to surface area of a vehicle) that something would prevent the teacher from not making it to school.

I express how the school then decided it was ok for students to come back to school and we spent the afternoon doing a lot of standing and then picking weeds…. For like an hour.

I express how I was told today about an after work party that costs 5,000 yen and will be held Saturday after being at school all day long…. in the sun… on a SATURDAY. I mean ARE YOU SERIOUS?

I express how surprised I was when I felt a personal victory when a girl named Aya, who I thought hated me due to her frown/growl that she had on her face as I taught my first class last Friday, smiled at me and came over to pick weeds with me and answered me when I asked her a question.

And finally I express how even though so many things don’t make sense, how much I dread eating Japanese food (for fear of throwing up whatever raw thing it may be…), and as much as I am looking forward to coming back to Colorado for vacation in December… that I really love it here.

WOW.