Okay kids, I’m going to keep this one short as I’ll be
home in a few days and will be able to catch up with you all then. My classes started back up again after a week
of sitting around the office. The kids
are on summer break but most of them still stop by our branches to keep us
company from time to time. Actually our
schools are extra busy and open extended hours.
One branch was so full I taught four classes of “English conversation”
to junior high kids in the office. Like
the teacher’s office with the copy machine and the ringing phone and all. I think the kids deserved a refund for that
one. At one branch my high school
classes are canceled for the summer. At
another branch I have high school classes, but with different random students
each week. My elementary kids get the a
special summer course called “Popcorn S” where the anthropomorphic popcorn man
in the Power Point now wears sunglasses and a summer hat.
This weekend there was another festival in town. This one was the “water city festival” where
people make little paper lantern things that float, and then send them down the
river. The first float to go was a huge
one with a giant picture of the face of the city planner guy who is in charge
of the festival. I put a picture of it
on Facebook.
The festival also featured a group dance called Bon
Odori. Somehow I lived in Japan for
three years without getting roped into doing it once. Basically everyone just dances in a huge slow
moving circle to some slow 50 year old pop songs. It’s kind of fun, but I could never remember
when I was supposed to go backward, so I the people behind me were a little
uncomfortable.
Well tomorrow is our “English Days” camping trip. About 20 staff members take 70 elementary
aged kids on an overnight trip to a rustic nature center. I
have to up at 6am the next two days, and literally every hour of both days is
filled with scheduled activities that we get to run. My main activity for the first day got changed
at the last minute, so now I’ll be in the video room showing Pixar shorts. I am lucky not have to be outside in 90
degree heat.
The trip ends Tuesday and I’m flying home Thursday for 10
days. See you soon!
