God, I loved it so.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
The previous post was one found in the DRAFTS folder and -- while lacking in flowing prose -- provided a light chuckle and fond (?) trip down the lane. Was it so long ago? Back in New York for quite a few years now I still feel like Maki was yesterday; its frightfully unforgiving winter chills matched in ferocity only by mercilessly oven-like summers...
God, I loved it so.
God, I loved it so.
You might be in Maki if...
Sit back, nuzzle your favorite blanket, and sip that cocoa... It's time for another episode of:
'Oh my God, I'm inside and I can see my own breath!'
Mr. Foxworthy strides up to the microphone, clears his throat, and delivers the following rendition to his side-splitting act that has charmed America for years.
The audience leans in, anticipating his legendary harp-like delivery:
"If room temperature provides a nice frosty beer, you might be living in Maki..."
"If the penguins you invited to dinner leave because of the 'chill in the air...,' you might be living in Maki..."
"If the electric company starts sending you weekly 'Thank You' letters and pictures of their new company cars, you might be living in Maki...
Ok...I appreciate his artistry -- those things ain't easy to write. But the energy with which he composes these gems is completely identifiable by the common person. For all intents and purposes, I will play that common (male version) role for this post. All apologies for any typos in this one, by the way; my fingertip-less gloves have yet to arrive in the mail (Debbie Downer music plays in background -- that one was for the folks on Asher...who loves ya...).
What serves as normal mad-cap, high adventure material for this web journal pales in comparison to the feat of locating a consistent source of heat these days (without spending your entire paycheck, of course). Hours on top of hours sitting in front of - or next to - a comically small heating device does little to encourage the spirits of the 'chilled.' It is at times like these that one must remember the faithful...
I must take this moment, publically, to apologize to 'Rice Cooker,' my faithful steed that gets me from here to there on a daily basis. I may have taken liberties with the 'acutal size' jokes in previous posts, but my little Subaru has turned out to be a majestic champion of warmth; especially during the early morning crawls from my 'Fortress of Ice-a-tude' to Maki's various institutions of learning.
As I readied for a Sunday morning escape, I noticed that the daily clouds and rain which had recently become as reliable as the rising sun in which they block looked different; in fact, they looked like...snow.
"The first snow!! Ain't it purty?"
'Oh my God, I'm inside and I can see my own breath!'
Mr. Foxworthy strides up to the microphone, clears his throat, and delivers the following rendition to his side-splitting act that has charmed America for years.
The audience leans in, anticipating his legendary harp-like delivery:
"If room temperature provides a nice frosty beer, you might be living in Maki..."
"If the penguins you invited to dinner leave because of the 'chill in the air...,' you might be living in Maki..."
"If the electric company starts sending you weekly 'Thank You' letters and pictures of their new company cars, you might be living in Maki...
Ok...I appreciate his artistry -- those things ain't easy to write. But the energy with which he composes these gems is completely identifiable by the common person. For all intents and purposes, I will play that common (male version) role for this post. All apologies for any typos in this one, by the way; my fingertip-less gloves have yet to arrive in the mail (Debbie Downer music plays in background -- that one was for the folks on Asher...who loves ya...).
What serves as normal mad-cap, high adventure material for this web journal pales in comparison to the feat of locating a consistent source of heat these days (without spending your entire paycheck, of course). Hours on top of hours sitting in front of - or next to - a comically small heating device does little to encourage the spirits of the 'chilled.' It is at times like these that one must remember the faithful...
I must take this moment, publically, to apologize to 'Rice Cooker,' my faithful steed that gets me from here to there on a daily basis. I may have taken liberties with the 'acutal size' jokes in previous posts, but my little Subaru has turned out to be a majestic champion of warmth; especially during the early morning crawls from my 'Fortress of Ice-a-tude' to Maki's various institutions of learning.
As I readied for a Sunday morning escape, I noticed that the daily clouds and rain which had recently become as reliable as the rising sun in which they block looked different; in fact, they looked like...snow.
"The first snow!! Ain't it purty?"
Friday, April 08, 2011
Sorting it all out?
After (checks watch) 4 years of neglect, I felt it necessary to post a few words in response to what has been the worst disaster to hit the Japanese shores since the final days of World War II. While none of my friends or wife's family were near the more devastated areas, they are all feeling the emotional stress of uncertainty. Leaking radiation... Random power outages... Food and fuel shortages along with the accompanying price hikes... The fear of another mercilessly hot summer was heightened as the government announced that air conditioners would only be used in certain areas throughout the country. Noting that Japan's population numbers lean greatly toward the elderly suggests the death toll from March's earthquake and Tsunami may be increased by late September.
Friday, March 16, 2007
It was fun at the Sho...
Hi everyone -
Today was my final elementary school visit and I was able to snag a few pictures from the teacher.
The kids I am working with in these pictures will be entering Maki Higashi Junior High School in April and were primed and ready for my 'Elvis-ly' driven exercises for the afternoon... It's amazing how much you can impress a bunch of 13 year olds with two chords. I'm halfway to The Ramones' status in these parts.
I battled with titling this post, 'Chunky Cold Medina,' given the seemingly less than svelte frame I'm sporting. But in truth, I was wearing 4 layers under the day's turtle neck/cargo pants getup...it was slightly chilly today.
In keeping with the theme of my most recent post, the kids I've met -- from both the junior high schools and elementary classes -- have all viewed graduation as be being bittersweet.
The 6 (roku) nenseis (nen-say-zzz) treated me to a rehearsal of their graduation song which will be performed during the ceremony next week. Much like the graduating class from both junior high schools, the kids at Urushiyama (today's stop) showed strong emotion in wishing that all those who listened would not forget them...
THAT would be quite difficult.
Keep surfing,
Brendan
Today was my final elementary school visit and I was able to snag a few pictures from the teacher.
The kids I am working with in these pictures will be entering Maki Higashi Junior High School in April and were primed and ready for my 'Elvis-ly' driven exercises for the afternoon... It's amazing how much you can impress a bunch of 13 year olds with two chords. I'm halfway to The Ramones' status in these parts.
I battled with titling this post, 'Chunky Cold Medina,' given the seemingly less than svelte frame I'm sporting. But in truth, I was wearing 4 layers under the day's turtle neck/cargo pants getup...it was slightly chilly today.
In keeping with the theme of my most recent post, the kids I've met -- from both the junior high schools and elementary classes -- have all viewed graduation as be being bittersweet.
The 6 (roku) nenseis (nen-say-zzz) treated me to a rehearsal of their graduation song which will be performed during the ceremony next week. Much like the graduating class from both junior high schools, the kids at Urushiyama (today's stop) showed strong emotion in wishing that all those who listened would not forget them...
THAT would be quite difficult.
Keep surfing,
Brendan
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Remember me...please.
Graduation Day has come and gone here in Maki, bringing with it several tears and leaving everyone with heavy hearts. I was asked to attend the ceremony at Maki Nishi (my base school) and was unfortunately unable to say goodbye to many of the students at Maki Higashi.
While I certainly remember the emotions that were brought up during high school graduation in New York, I can't recall anything worth a thought at the end of junior high school. But in a country where life is experienced in groups, any occasion which causes a group to be splintered is often quite solemn and always memorable. The fact that after all their time together, many students will go on to different high schools across the Prefecture, makes the idea of graduating all the more emotional.
For three years the 3 nenseis at both junior high schools spent countless hours together in class, on sports teams, and in after school clubs (meeting on weekends as well). They grew up under the rigid Japanese educational system and succeeded by working together. Whether through seemingly endless sessions of cheering during sports day or relying on three or four cohorts in helping to answer 'how are you?' in English class, they are rarely alone and thrive in numbers. That teamwork is what got them up there on stage, accepting a diploma from a beaming principal while being surrounded by hundreds of admirers.
As sempais (senior students), they served as role models for the two grades below. Of course, this is the case in most schools around the world, but in Japan, these kids were considered to be gold.
I was not a frequent witness to interactions between students from different grades but when it was visible, it was obvious that the kohais (junior students) were completely enamored with the 3 nenseis. All the respect...all the love that they had for the graduating class came out after the ceremony in a very emotional farewell under snowy skies.
Traditionally, teachers and students stand outside to say goodbye to the graduates as they leave school grounds for the last time. The 3 nenseis take their time cleaning out shoe cubbies, their class rooms, and scouring the walls for mementos. When all are ready, they walk out of the genkan (entrance/exit) and into a mob of admirers who jockey for position, hoping to score a keepsake from their heroes.
Three boys from the baseball team were the first to leave.
They strolled out amidst camera flashes and wishes of good luck. As they approached a group of 2 nenseis, one boy was being shoved to the front. He looked like he was going to break down and cry before the captain -- whom he would be replacing -- put his arm around the kid's shoulder. They took a few steps away from the crowd and words were exchanged briefly. After a few energetic nods, the kohai smiled and led his hero back to the group. A big smile was on his face because he had received a very important button from the captain's uniform; the one which had been next to his heart.
It seemed like a million of these types of interactions were happening around me; there was energetic laughter and heavy sobbing in any direction I turned. I was fortunate to seek out and find a few students including this fellow -- all 185 CM of him. How nice is this kid? He even bent his knees for the picture.
After an hour or so, the chilly weather began to thin the crowds and the 3 nenseis waved their final goodbyes and left the grounds. A large space where their lunch tables used to be will be left unfilled until the beginning of the new school year in April -- the symbolism and its overall effect on the school brought about many new tears.
Today at Maki Higashi, I was able to see how the school picked itself up and began to move on after saying goodbye to its own kids. My class load was very light, but I didn't take advantage of free time until the cleaning period when students sweep the halls and classrooms for 20 minutes. I took a quick stroll while the teacher's room was being swept. It was just long enough to soak in the emotion which had been weighing heavily on everyone’s shoulders; it was now beginning to take its toll on me.
Familiar faces greeted me as I passed, but as much as I cared for them as my students, they were not the ones I wanted to see. The stairwells, hallways, and classrooms were being tended to by different hands; new kids were flying down the halls pushing damp rags to clean the floors.
I didn’t bother stopping by the stairwell that leads up to the 3 nensei class rooms… Chie and Miho wouldn’t be there to greet me with big smiles and warm hellos. Aya wouldn’t be strolling by, begging my forgiveness for the delay in her latest letter. Fumika wouldn’t be waiting for me to help her practice for the upcoming speech competition. Rie wouldn’t be beaming as she asked well-practiced questions in English.
Back to my desk and memories.
Out of all of this, the one thing I can write with confidence is that all these kids did a wonderful job in creating a group; a very memorable one. Although it might seem to be a daunting task now, there is another group out there for each of them, waiting to be born.
Keep surfing,
Brendan
While I certainly remember the emotions that were brought up during high school graduation in New York, I can't recall anything worth a thought at the end of junior high school. But in a country where life is experienced in groups, any occasion which causes a group to be splintered is often quite solemn and always memorable. The fact that after all their time together, many students will go on to different high schools across the Prefecture, makes the idea of graduating all the more emotional.
For three years the 3 nenseis at both junior high schools spent countless hours together in class, on sports teams, and in after school clubs (meeting on weekends as well). They grew up under the rigid Japanese educational system and succeeded by working together. Whether through seemingly endless sessions of cheering during sports day or relying on three or four cohorts in helping to answer 'how are you?' in English class, they are rarely alone and thrive in numbers. That teamwork is what got them up there on stage, accepting a diploma from a beaming principal while being surrounded by hundreds of admirers.
As sempais (senior students), they served as role models for the two grades below. Of course, this is the case in most schools around the world, but in Japan, these kids were considered to be gold.
I was not a frequent witness to interactions between students from different grades but when it was visible, it was obvious that the kohais (junior students) were completely enamored with the 3 nenseis. All the respect...all the love that they had for the graduating class came out after the ceremony in a very emotional farewell under snowy skies.
Traditionally, teachers and students stand outside to say goodbye to the graduates as they leave school grounds for the last time. The 3 nenseis take their time cleaning out shoe cubbies, their class rooms, and scouring the walls for mementos. When all are ready, they walk out of the genkan (entrance/exit) and into a mob of admirers who jockey for position, hoping to score a keepsake from their heroes.
Three boys from the baseball team were the first to leave.
They strolled out amidst camera flashes and wishes of good luck. As they approached a group of 2 nenseis, one boy was being shoved to the front. He looked like he was going to break down and cry before the captain -- whom he would be replacing -- put his arm around the kid's shoulder. They took a few steps away from the crowd and words were exchanged briefly. After a few energetic nods, the kohai smiled and led his hero back to the group. A big smile was on his face because he had received a very important button from the captain's uniform; the one which had been next to his heart. It seemed like a million of these types of interactions were happening around me; there was energetic laughter and heavy sobbing in any direction I turned. I was fortunate to seek out and find a few students including this fellow -- all 185 CM of him. How nice is this kid? He even bent his knees for the picture.
After an hour or so, the chilly weather began to thin the crowds and the 3 nenseis waved their final goodbyes and left the grounds. A large space where their lunch tables used to be will be left unfilled until the beginning of the new school year in April -- the symbolism and its overall effect on the school brought about many new tears.
Today at Maki Higashi, I was able to see how the school picked itself up and began to move on after saying goodbye to its own kids. My class load was very light, but I didn't take advantage of free time until the cleaning period when students sweep the halls and classrooms for 20 minutes. I took a quick stroll while the teacher's room was being swept. It was just long enough to soak in the emotion which had been weighing heavily on everyone’s shoulders; it was now beginning to take its toll on me.
Familiar faces greeted me as I passed, but as much as I cared for them as my students, they were not the ones I wanted to see. The stairwells, hallways, and classrooms were being tended to by different hands; new kids were flying down the halls pushing damp rags to clean the floors.
I didn’t bother stopping by the stairwell that leads up to the 3 nensei class rooms… Chie and Miho wouldn’t be there to greet me with big smiles and warm hellos. Aya wouldn’t be strolling by, begging my forgiveness for the delay in her latest letter. Fumika wouldn’t be waiting for me to help her practice for the upcoming speech competition. Rie wouldn’t be beaming as she asked well-practiced questions in English.
Back to my desk and memories.
Out of all of this, the one thing I can write with confidence is that all these kids did a wonderful job in creating a group; a very memorable one. Although it might seem to be a daunting task now, there is another group out there for each of them, waiting to be born.
Keep surfing,
Brendan
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Guess who I was last Sunday...
This was NOT in the contract...
Hey folks -
Last Sunday I was, indeed, Santa Claus for an afternoon. A private English tutoring company (with locations throughout Japan) was holding their annual Christmas party and listed me as a special guest. It is traditional for the local public schools to introduce their ALTs to the owners of these tutoring centers; much like the Junior High Schools, having an ALT in the classroom does a lot to beef up their lessons. So I met and had lunch with the owner of one of the tutoring centers in October. It was then that she asked me to attend the Christmas party. It was only recently that I learned I would do more than sip soda and sing 'Frosty the Snowman.'
(Please take a moment to look at the photo above once more for effect.)
(Thank you.)
The persona I adopted did not resemble my Uncles Bill, Bob, or Jack whose portrayal of St. Nicholas rivaled the real deal -- it was more in tune with Billy Bob Thornton's version.
After a few rounds of "Hey there, little fella! Merry Christmas!" and having not one, but all of the wonderful tykes attempt to remove my "beard," I was brought immediately to the checkers scene in 'Bad Santa.' Enough said...
But truthfully, it was a fun day; especially during 'Santa Says!' This was a marginally sadistic rendition of 'Simon Says' where Santa (that's me, if you recall) gets to spend about 25 minutes inside an extremely warm suit and beard trying to outwit 5 year olds. A real confidence booster, let me tell you.
After I dropped the 14th pound and finally got the last kid out, I looked over at the host, Y sensei -- my eyes projecting, "Mercy?" It's possible there was a slight miscommunication because for some reason I heard, "Let's play again!"
Mommmmmmmmm!!!!!
The amount of weight I lost was testimony to how smart those kids were...
But that was the worst of it (^-^)b
The actual party and activities were great. There were snowball fights (crumbled up paper) and sing-a-longs to name a couple. I was so impressed by how well the kids were speaking and the confidence they showed while introducing themselves. The teachers did a great job -- it's no wonder their classes are so popular.
My only moment of true panic was when I noted (in very small print, mind you) that Brendan sensei would be singing 'Last Christmas' for everyone! You all know this tune, right? George Michael's 1980s ditty? Well, as soon as I saw that, my voice started to go mysteriously out of tune during 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,' ala Peter Brady. What was even stranger is that (as a life long musician) I was somehow unable to find the right key for the rest of the songs featured that afternoon. Y sensei, as eloquently as possible (and perhaps mercifully so) ended the party without forcing the audience to endure what would have undoubtedly been a 'memorable' experience.
Now Mr. Michael won't have to sue!
I will take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and a safe and kickin' New Year!
Keep surfing!
Brendan
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Ode to the Heater
Dear little heater, won't you be my
True friend...
Please keep me from freezing until the
Night's end!
For Maki's winds are The Wolf
Who might blow this house down,
As I scour the closet for a warm
Sleeping gown.
A blustery November ushers in this new trend
Of icicles forming on noses' end.
For moments repose I squint my eyes
Wishing...
"It's best for this new cold to leave, yes!" that's what
I was thinking.
Old Jack Frost has headed east and brought with
Him tidings. No, not of 'joy' but of coughing and of
Sniffling.
"You've stayed long enough," though winter's months
Are still pending. They're lingering, hovering,
Cavorting, and planning...
So beneath this blanket I sit, against a chill
I can hardly fight.
Please little heater, won't you keep me warm
Through the Night?
Keep surfing (but wear a winter wetsuit)
Brendan
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
These are the Daze of Our Lives
Hi folks –
Just in case you were wondering about ways in which to make your day embarrassing, appear longer than it actually is, or just down right awful, here’s the first installment of:
Brendan’s Wacky Classroom Mishaps!
A Reader's Guide to Getting the Least Out of Your Day
(Author's note: While I can’t guarantee truly awful results, I will tell you that, by following each step to the end for this particular exercise, you’ll definitely develop a sense of woe that’ll carry well into the next morning. Fear not if you don’t plan on standing in front of a class full of 8th graders any time soon. It is my belief that the lessons to be learned in this post are universally friendly therefore adaptable to anyone's life! Let’s get started, shall we?)
Part one -
Screw Up Reading Comprehension Exercises
(So far in this episode, our hero has been given a task in which he is to create a reading comprehension worksheet based on an extremely short passage in the 8th grade reading textbook.)
First off, make sure to under-emphasize the importance of the assignment. I cannot stress enough the importance of not getting a head start – especially if you have an entire week to prepare; it just takes you away from the fun stuff, like browsing new SKYPE icons or checking out incomprehensible telecasts on NHK (which appeared to be devoted to fish…I thought. It could have been about blue jeans; like I said…it was pretty incomprehensible).
While this approach may seem a bit risky, professionally speaking, it is (in my experience) the best way to achieve a quality amount of embarrassment upon the day of reckoning. You can’t make an omelet without skinning a cat…yeah. Something like that.
Let’s assume that the students’ responsibility is to carefully review the content of the passage and be able to answer simple questions as provided by the teacher. As the teacher, preparing for such a task can be quite simple if you have all the necessary tools within reach.
Well, forget that!
Here’s my philosophy: It is very important that you not – I repeat: NOT, have a copy of the textbook at home. Who wants such a cake walk? Booooooorrrinnng! Leave it at work, I say! This is to insure that ‘thrill-factor’ rush when putting the worksheet together the morning of the class. Remember: Nurturing the burn of responsibility breeds feelings that might convince you to get off of the couch.
My recommendation is to not read the assigned passage in its entirety. Doing so will only cause confusion if you find that, upon completion of your worksheet at the 11th hour, what you have written conflicts with the content in the textbook. It’s better to assume that everything matches up nicely. It’ll be more like a surprise birthday party when you realize your wacky mistakes! Oh, there’s just so much to write!
Now that you've gotten everything down on paper, let's head to the copy room!
Make a master copy of your worksheet, then (prior to making SEVERAL copies for your classes and to tease yourself) contemplate seeking approval from the teacher with whom you will be working in class. Don’t devote too much time to this, though; it’s just a mood-setter. There’ll be plenty of time for consultations AFTER you finish making copies. Do ya see where I'm going with this?!
I recommend about 70 to 80 copies of your document just to make the trees cry in protest a little bit louder when your mistakes are revealed.
*For those of you seeking an elevated sense of dread, I suggest the following copying options: Wait until there is an extensive line at the copier to achieve maximum giggles – it’s a hoot, I tell you, and well worth the sweats! Even more, choose the line for the copier that will run out of ink when it’s your turn! Ah, me…
OK – with 5 minutes to class time, you’ve waited long enough…
Show the finished product, along with the copies you were somehow able to make, to the teacher. For extreme satisfaction, when he or she questions you about the worksheet, throw in a few babbling sounds and gasps for air prior to offering lame excuses for your mistakes – remember: you worked really hard to not do this thing right. Milk the experience for what it’s worth!
Finally, EMBRACE THE IRONY! You just made a READING COMPREHENSION review sheet...with content mistakes! I believe this specific type of irony falls under the, “specially placed mood candle burning down your home,” variety. (Thanks to SM for inspiring that one...)
So what have we learned about messing with your day?
Feel free to jot down your own ideas -- I'd be happy to mull them over with you on the unemployment line.
Notes section:
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
In truth, I made a typo on an exercise for one of today’s classes…but what is life if you’re not able to dramatize trivial matters for the entertainment of others? At the very least you develop your skills of embellishment.
"NEVER TRUST SPELL-CHECK!" he cried from up on high.
And THAT’S today’s lesson.
Keep surfing!
Brendan
Just in case you were wondering about ways in which to make your day embarrassing, appear longer than it actually is, or just down right awful, here’s the first installment of:
Brendan’s Wacky Classroom Mishaps!
A Reader's Guide to Getting the Least Out of Your Day
(Author's note: While I can’t guarantee truly awful results, I will tell you that, by following each step to the end for this particular exercise, you’ll definitely develop a sense of woe that’ll carry well into the next morning. Fear not if you don’t plan on standing in front of a class full of 8th graders any time soon. It is my belief that the lessons to be learned in this post are universally friendly therefore adaptable to anyone's life! Let’s get started, shall we?)
Part one -
Screw Up Reading Comprehension Exercises
(So far in this episode, our hero has been given a task in which he is to create a reading comprehension worksheet based on an extremely short passage in the 8th grade reading textbook.)
First off, make sure to under-emphasize the importance of the assignment. I cannot stress enough the importance of not getting a head start – especially if you have an entire week to prepare; it just takes you away from the fun stuff, like browsing new SKYPE icons or checking out incomprehensible telecasts on NHK (which appeared to be devoted to fish…I thought. It could have been about blue jeans; like I said…it was pretty incomprehensible).
While this approach may seem a bit risky, professionally speaking, it is (in my experience) the best way to achieve a quality amount of embarrassment upon the day of reckoning. You can’t make an omelet without skinning a cat…yeah. Something like that.
Let’s assume that the students’ responsibility is to carefully review the content of the passage and be able to answer simple questions as provided by the teacher. As the teacher, preparing for such a task can be quite simple if you have all the necessary tools within reach.
Well, forget that!
Here’s my philosophy: It is very important that you not – I repeat: NOT, have a copy of the textbook at home. Who wants such a cake walk? Booooooorrrinnng! Leave it at work, I say! This is to insure that ‘thrill-factor’ rush when putting the worksheet together the morning of the class. Remember: Nurturing the burn of responsibility breeds feelings that might convince you to get off of the couch.
My recommendation is to not read the assigned passage in its entirety. Doing so will only cause confusion if you find that, upon completion of your worksheet at the 11th hour, what you have written conflicts with the content in the textbook. It’s better to assume that everything matches up nicely. It’ll be more like a surprise birthday party when you realize your wacky mistakes! Oh, there’s just so much to write!
Now that you've gotten everything down on paper, let's head to the copy room!
Make a master copy of your worksheet, then (prior to making SEVERAL copies for your classes and to tease yourself) contemplate seeking approval from the teacher with whom you will be working in class. Don’t devote too much time to this, though; it’s just a mood-setter. There’ll be plenty of time for consultations AFTER you finish making copies. Do ya see where I'm going with this?!
I recommend about 70 to 80 copies of your document just to make the trees cry in protest a little bit louder when your mistakes are revealed.
*For those of you seeking an elevated sense of dread, I suggest the following copying options: Wait until there is an extensive line at the copier to achieve maximum giggles – it’s a hoot, I tell you, and well worth the sweats! Even more, choose the line for the copier that will run out of ink when it’s your turn! Ah, me…
OK – with 5 minutes to class time, you’ve waited long enough…
Show the finished product, along with the copies you were somehow able to make, to the teacher. For extreme satisfaction, when he or she questions you about the worksheet, throw in a few babbling sounds and gasps for air prior to offering lame excuses for your mistakes – remember: you worked really hard to not do this thing right. Milk the experience for what it’s worth!
Finally, EMBRACE THE IRONY! You just made a READING COMPREHENSION review sheet...with content mistakes! I believe this specific type of irony falls under the, “specially placed mood candle burning down your home,” variety. (Thanks to SM for inspiring that one...)
So what have we learned about messing with your day?
Feel free to jot down your own ideas -- I'd be happy to mull them over with you on the unemployment line.
Notes section:
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
In truth, I made a typo on an exercise for one of today’s classes…but what is life if you’re not able to dramatize trivial matters for the entertainment of others? At the very least you develop your skills of embellishment.
"NEVER TRUST SPELL-CHECK!" he cried from up on high.
And THAT’S today’s lesson.
Keep surfing!
Brendan
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Uneasy Rider
Greetings folks -
I am now the (reluctant) driver of (drum roll)
A BRAND NEW SUBARU PLEO!
It's sleek! It's stylish! It's the size of a rice cooker!
HELP ME! EVERYONE DRIVES ON THE LEFT! I really shouldn't be typing this while I'm driving -- note to self...
Anyway, here's a picture of daddy's little trooper (actual size):
It's pretty much sink or swim when it comes to learning how to drive in Japan -- this concepts undertones come dangerously close to reality given the near miss I had with a bog the other day... Watch out for those farmers! I had no idea that the inhabitants of rural Japan were so well-versed in the ancient art of New York style obscene finger gestures... I was pretty sure I caught a, "Go back to 'Jersey, ya moron!" too.
Aside from roadside detractors and the occasional street sign that, through no fault of my own, ends up in my grill, things have been marginally, somewhat, OK, sort of, behind the wheel. But my skills were hard earned, with hours of work, determination, and sweat put into just getting inside the darn thing...
Imagine my surprise when I hopped in the car the first time and saw this:
Seriously? I was whisked away to Seinfeld's 'Bizzaro World' episode.
"Boy! This driver's side sure is roomy for such a little car!"
"You're in the passenger side, sir," the attendant offered meekly, his cohorts stifling their guffaws in the background.
"Right, right... Of course. I just wanted to make sure that...never mind," I blurted out lifelessly.
This is the scenario I played out in my head in anticipation of a nightmarish first experience. But reality's writers could have worked for the original Saturday Night Live line up.
I turned every single feature on and off twice before getting the thing into drive. I'm pretty sure they didn't laugh and point at me at the same time until I ran over the curb exiting the place; but I can't vouch for the time I spent trying to unjam the window-spritzer thing.
Conveniently, the car rental place was 45 minutes away from Maki, so getting home alive was VERY interesting.
What amazes me (and my Japanese friends will get a chuckle about this) is the utter disregard the obaachans (grandmother/older ladies) have for the rules of the road. It's sort of that, "I'm backing up and I don't care what people say!" mentality. I can't tell you how many times one of those geriatric hellions has come tearing out of a side street, not once looking to see if anyone is coming. Like I don't have enough problems behind the wheel?! I'm already freaking out enough about backing into a parking space. Now I have to worry about Old Mother Hubbard and her jidenshya (bike) missle heading for me at 100 MPH? See! I can't even handle the mph/kilometer conversion yet!
Picture a Japanese version of the "Where's the Beef?" lady atop one of those bikes from the Wizard of Oz, and you've just purchased front row seats and service for two in my brain.
I'm ready to start riding my bike again, thank you.
More to follow...hopefully.
Keep surfing!
(with a seatbelt and a helmet!)
Brendan
I am now the (reluctant) driver of (drum roll)
A BRAND NEW SUBARU PLEO!
It's sleek! It's stylish! It's the size of a rice cooker!
HELP ME! EVERYONE DRIVES ON THE LEFT! I really shouldn't be typing this while I'm driving -- note to self...
Anyway, here's a picture of daddy's little trooper (actual size):
It's pretty much sink or swim when it comes to learning how to drive in Japan -- this concepts undertones come dangerously close to reality given the near miss I had with a bog the other day... Watch out for those farmers! I had no idea that the inhabitants of rural Japan were so well-versed in the ancient art of New York style obscene finger gestures... I was pretty sure I caught a, "Go back to 'Jersey, ya moron!" too.
Aside from roadside detractors and the occasional street sign that, through no fault of my own, ends up in my grill, things have been marginally, somewhat, OK, sort of, behind the wheel. But my skills were hard earned, with hours of work, determination, and sweat put into just getting inside the darn thing...
Imagine my surprise when I hopped in the car the first time and saw this:
Seriously? I was whisked away to Seinfeld's 'Bizzaro World' episode. "Boy! This driver's side sure is roomy for such a little car!"
"You're in the passenger side, sir," the attendant offered meekly, his cohorts stifling their guffaws in the background.
"Right, right... Of course. I just wanted to make sure that...never mind," I blurted out lifelessly.
This is the scenario I played out in my head in anticipation of a nightmarish first experience. But reality's writers could have worked for the original Saturday Night Live line up.
I turned every single feature on and off twice before getting the thing into drive. I'm pretty sure they didn't laugh and point at me at the same time until I ran over the curb exiting the place; but I can't vouch for the time I spent trying to unjam the window-spritzer thing.
Conveniently, the car rental place was 45 minutes away from Maki, so getting home alive was VERY interesting.
What amazes me (and my Japanese friends will get a chuckle about this) is the utter disregard the obaachans (grandmother/older ladies) have for the rules of the road. It's sort of that, "I'm backing up and I don't care what people say!" mentality. I can't tell you how many times one of those geriatric hellions has come tearing out of a side street, not once looking to see if anyone is coming. Like I don't have enough problems behind the wheel?! I'm already freaking out enough about backing into a parking space. Now I have to worry about Old Mother Hubbard and her jidenshya (bike) missle heading for me at 100 MPH? See! I can't even handle the mph/kilometer conversion yet!
Picture a Japanese version of the "Where's the Beef?" lady atop one of those bikes from the Wizard of Oz, and you've just purchased front row seats and service for two in my brain.
I'm ready to start riding my bike again, thank you.
More to follow...hopefully.
Keep surfing!
(with a seatbelt and a helmet!)
Brendan
Sunday, October 08, 2006
"It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood..."
Keep surfing!
Brendan
P.S. - Sorry Dad...you know I love you.
Friday, October 06, 2006
"Sho" me the way...
Hi everyone -
Long time no blog! I really wish we were allowed to post pictures of teachers and students, because today was wonderful...
I visited Maki Kita Shogakko, which is one of the local elementary schools. My mission: have fun.
The kids there were completely energized which was a welcomed reprieve from some of the sleepy classes I've endured at the JHSs. Of course, relative pronouns with a dab of present participles on the side are not always a guarantee of yuks. No, I got a break from the rough stuff and had fun with greetings, Simon says, and SpongeBob stickers.
The morning started with me pedaling, once again, through Maki's back streets, only this time through a torrential downpour that Noah might have been impressed by -- and that dude saw some rain! I made it to the school, two-stepped the steps, and was greeted by a cherubic-faced teacher, Mr. A (because of the new blog limitations I will refer to him from an alphabetical perspective). He guided me to the teacher's entrance and showed me my shoe locker for the morning. Impressed by the fact that I had brought by my own shoes, Mr. A smiled and called the vice principal over to say hello. Mr. VP graciously took my sopping wet coat and led me up the stairs where I was to meet my new teaching colleagues.
But the room was empty. It was then that I noted a thundering barrage of cheers and stamping feet coming from the belly of the building. But a moment was all I was afforded as the VP ushered me in to meet the principal.
The aisatsu went as tradition dictated; Mr. P offered me his business card, I offered a poor excuse in Japanese for not having one, all involved break down in laughter. But he was great. An Aikido enthusiast in college, Mr. P asked me several questions about my past and what types of interests I had in Japan. I did my best to answer coherently, but he got the gist of what I was saying.
In the room seated already were three folks, sipping on sencha. They were part of a camera crew that was filming for a Niigata television program -- specifically the Maki Kita Undokai. They chatted with Mr. P for a few more moments and then left the room. As I watched them leave, I noticed a beautifully crafted 'Hannya' mask on the wall above the door. This mask in particular was one that scared me to near death as a child -- a representation of it hung in a similar position in my Uncle Dave's old room. That Hannya mask has since gone missing; I have since conquered my fears and intend on getting one for him in the near future -- keep it a secret, will ya?
Anyway, I simply said, 'Hannya,' and Mr. P's face lit up with amazement at my recognition -- we then chatted away like old school chums, all the while me wishing there was a warm cup of sencha in hand to wisk away the slight chill I had brought along with my travels. But time would not allow this luxury...
Enter Ms. I. She was to be my contact at the school, as per the staff at one of the JHSs... She took a moment to talk about some of the ideas for the classes, but I noticed a lack of English being used.
Uh oh.
It was then that I reached down in to the depths of my soul and extracted the will to teach SOLO!!! I nodded my approval of her ideas and immediately began to think of ways to change her mind.
As we headed out, I began crafting ideas all the way to the gymnasium -- the location of the thundering yells and stamp. Wait. Why wasn't I going towards a classroom?
It became quite obvious that I was being led into the Colloseum of sorts, except all of the lions and tigers where small children dressed in matching athletic clothing. As soon as I reached the door, 300 faces stopped in unison and turned my way -- they had been in the middle of what appeared to be a jazzercise routine which the TV folks were filming. But the MC got them back in to rhythm and the stamping continued.
"I'm sorry, what was that you said?"
Ms. I had been yelling something into my ear.
"Garble garble garble SPEECH IN FRONT OF EVERY ONE garble garble rrrrreeerrrererrrr..."
Can I curse on this thing?
She led me up along the wall ask the kids began missing beats in order to catch a glimpse of this new sacrifice. Before I knew it, I was standing in from of all the kids with a microphone in hand. I decided to ad-lib this time around...
While the other ones were painful, this speech was actually A.O.K. and set the tone for the rest of the day. I was charismatic, smooth, and I didn't even trip walking up this time!! Stupid in door shoes! Sorry...
I proclaimed my love for Doraemon, all things washoku, and kaki choko, to booming applause. At least, I'm pretty sure it was applause, but it might have been laughter.
I spent my few free 'thought' moments walking out of the gym getting back to the lesson plan issue; but once we reached the classrooms it was obvious that out of all four classes I was to teach, all of the teachers were more than happy to hand me the microphone. So I ran with it.
Never before have I acted out adjectives with such passion...such drive...such a disregard for my own pride. But the kids were great. They bellowed 'happy!' when I bellowed 'happy!', wimpered 'sad' and wiped a tear when I did, and most importantly shouted, "LET'S GO METS!"
(I had to offer SpongeBob stickers at first, but they got the idea quickly.)
There was no way I could have brought enough pencils, stickers, or whatever for the day. They seriously went nuts for the stuff. But the kids ended up having fun despite the final 'lack of supplies' I experienced during my final class.
As a parting gift they peeled a sticker off of one of the crayon cans in class and presented it to me proudly -- I bowed my thanks and then signed several autographs -- this is teaching, right?
The best part of the day was as I was leaving one of the students ran up and gave me an acorn after which my heart was an ice cream cone in the sun.
SEND PENCILS!
(^ ^)
Keep surfing!
Brendan
Long time no blog! I really wish we were allowed to post pictures of teachers and students, because today was wonderful...
I visited Maki Kita Shogakko, which is one of the local elementary schools. My mission: have fun.
The kids there were completely energized which was a welcomed reprieve from some of the sleepy classes I've endured at the JHSs. Of course, relative pronouns with a dab of present participles on the side are not always a guarantee of yuks. No, I got a break from the rough stuff and had fun with greetings, Simon says, and SpongeBob stickers.
The morning started with me pedaling, once again, through Maki's back streets, only this time through a torrential downpour that Noah might have been impressed by -- and that dude saw some rain! I made it to the school, two-stepped the steps, and was greeted by a cherubic-faced teacher, Mr. A (because of the new blog limitations I will refer to him from an alphabetical perspective). He guided me to the teacher's entrance and showed me my shoe locker for the morning. Impressed by the fact that I had brought by my own shoes, Mr. A smiled and called the vice principal over to say hello. Mr. VP graciously took my sopping wet coat and led me up the stairs where I was to meet my new teaching colleagues.
But the room was empty. It was then that I noted a thundering barrage of cheers and stamping feet coming from the belly of the building. But a moment was all I was afforded as the VP ushered me in to meet the principal.
The aisatsu went as tradition dictated; Mr. P offered me his business card, I offered a poor excuse in Japanese for not having one, all involved break down in laughter. But he was great. An Aikido enthusiast in college, Mr. P asked me several questions about my past and what types of interests I had in Japan. I did my best to answer coherently, but he got the gist of what I was saying.
In the room seated already were three folks, sipping on sencha. They were part of a camera crew that was filming for a Niigata television program -- specifically the Maki Kita Undokai. They chatted with Mr. P for a few more moments and then left the room. As I watched them leave, I noticed a beautifully crafted 'Hannya' mask on the wall above the door. This mask in particular was one that scared me to near death as a child -- a representation of it hung in a similar position in my Uncle Dave's old room. That Hannya mask has since gone missing; I have since conquered my fears and intend on getting one for him in the near future -- keep it a secret, will ya?
Anyway, I simply said, 'Hannya,' and Mr. P's face lit up with amazement at my recognition -- we then chatted away like old school chums, all the while me wishing there was a warm cup of sencha in hand to wisk away the slight chill I had brought along with my travels. But time would not allow this luxury...
Enter Ms. I. She was to be my contact at the school, as per the staff at one of the JHSs... She took a moment to talk about some of the ideas for the classes, but I noticed a lack of English being used.
Uh oh.
It was then that I reached down in to the depths of my soul and extracted the will to teach SOLO!!! I nodded my approval of her ideas and immediately began to think of ways to change her mind.
As we headed out, I began crafting ideas all the way to the gymnasium -- the location of the thundering yells and stamp. Wait. Why wasn't I going towards a classroom?
It became quite obvious that I was being led into the Colloseum of sorts, except all of the lions and tigers where small children dressed in matching athletic clothing. As soon as I reached the door, 300 faces stopped in unison and turned my way -- they had been in the middle of what appeared to be a jazzercise routine which the TV folks were filming. But the MC got them back in to rhythm and the stamping continued.
"I'm sorry, what was that you said?"
Ms. I had been yelling something into my ear.
"Garble garble garble SPEECH IN FRONT OF EVERY ONE garble garble rrrrreeerrrererrrr..."
Can I curse on this thing?
She led me up along the wall ask the kids began missing beats in order to catch a glimpse of this new sacrifice. Before I knew it, I was standing in from of all the kids with a microphone in hand. I decided to ad-lib this time around...
While the other ones were painful, this speech was actually A.O.K. and set the tone for the rest of the day. I was charismatic, smooth, and I didn't even trip walking up this time!! Stupid in door shoes! Sorry...
I proclaimed my love for Doraemon, all things washoku, and kaki choko, to booming applause. At least, I'm pretty sure it was applause, but it might have been laughter.
I spent my few free 'thought' moments walking out of the gym getting back to the lesson plan issue; but once we reached the classrooms it was obvious that out of all four classes I was to teach, all of the teachers were more than happy to hand me the microphone. So I ran with it.
Never before have I acted out adjectives with such passion...such drive...such a disregard for my own pride. But the kids were great. They bellowed 'happy!' when I bellowed 'happy!', wimpered 'sad' and wiped a tear when I did, and most importantly shouted, "LET'S GO METS!"
(I had to offer SpongeBob stickers at first, but they got the idea quickly.)
There was no way I could have brought enough pencils, stickers, or whatever for the day. They seriously went nuts for the stuff. But the kids ended up having fun despite the final 'lack of supplies' I experienced during my final class.
As a parting gift they peeled a sticker off of one of the crayon cans in class and presented it to me proudly -- I bowed my thanks and then signed several autographs -- this is teaching, right?
The best part of the day was as I was leaving one of the students ran up and gave me an acorn after which my heart was an ice cream cone in the sun.
SEND PENCILS!
(^ ^)
Keep surfing!
Brendan
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Red Tape...
Hi everyone -
I hope all is well with you and yours...
A bit of annoyiong news from Maki, but it has been decreed by the higher-ups that all blogs must not contain pictures of students/teachers. This means that I will be removing pictures with these types o' folks very shortly. I'm very sorry about this, but it's a safety/privacy issue that (although annoying and labor intensive) makes sense.
I will do my best to provide some decent pictures and will follow the old, "All names have been changed to protect the innocent," school of thought in future posts.
It's too bad, because I was just about to post about a Kendo tournament I attended last week -- great action shots!!
As a concession, here's a picture of me getting ready to surf! (Getting permission to post this shot was a pain in the neck.)
Keep surfing!
Brendan
I hope all is well with you and yours...
A bit of annoyiong news from Maki, but it has been decreed by the higher-ups that all blogs must not contain pictures of students/teachers. This means that I will be removing pictures with these types o' folks very shortly. I'm very sorry about this, but it's a safety/privacy issue that (although annoying and labor intensive) makes sense.
I will do my best to provide some decent pictures and will follow the old, "All names have been changed to protect the innocent," school of thought in future posts.
It's too bad, because I was just about to post about a Kendo tournament I attended last week -- great action shots!!
As a concession, here's a picture of me getting ready to surf! (Getting permission to post this shot was a pain in the neck.)
Keep surfing!
Brendan
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Looking for that Stride to Hit...
Hi all -
Once again, I apologize for the lapse in posting recently. School is really kicking into gear right now and I am finally being exposed to last minute lesson plans, test preparation, and printers in my apartment breaking down during the wee hours of the morning. As a result, things have pretty much been a blur; I am hoping life will settle down a bit so I can observe and report with some regularity.
Outside of school, I have been fortunate enough to take in some cultural events recently. A coworker at the BOE is a member of a local dance team that participated in a festival in Niigata over the weekend:
The festival lasted for three days, featuring dancers, crafts, and many delicious foods such as okonomiyaki and takoyaki.
People of all ages participated which added a lot of viewing enjoyment for onlookers. Granny strutted her stuff along with some younger folks:
All in all a great experience. This website provides infomation about all of the groups (sorry folks -- It's all in Japanese). I'll try to dig something up in English...
Gotta run right now, but I'll post something more substantial soon.
In the meantime, some of the Nishi kids wanted to say "hi!"
Keep surfing!
Brendan
Once again, I apologize for the lapse in posting recently. School is really kicking into gear right now and I am finally being exposed to last minute lesson plans, test preparation, and printers in my apartment breaking down during the wee hours of the morning. As a result, things have pretty much been a blur; I am hoping life will settle down a bit so I can observe and report with some regularity.
Outside of school, I have been fortunate enough to take in some cultural events recently. A coworker at the BOE is a member of a local dance team that participated in a festival in Niigata over the weekend:
The festival lasted for three days, featuring dancers, crafts, and many delicious foods such as okonomiyaki and takoyaki.
People of all ages participated which added a lot of viewing enjoyment for onlookers. Granny strutted her stuff along with some younger folks:
All in all a great experience. This website provides infomation about all of the groups (sorry folks -- It's all in Japanese). I'll try to dig something up in English...Gotta run right now, but I'll post something more substantial soon.
In the meantime, some of the Nishi kids wanted to say "hi!"
Keep surfing!
Brendan
Friday, September 08, 2006
Let the Games Begin
Greetings all -
All apologies for the recent neglect.
I have just completed my first full week at the JHSs; one that was filled with self introductions and undokai (Sports Day) preparation. Both Maki Nishi and Higashi have scheduled their day-long competitions for September 10th as I have mentioned in earlier posts. I will be splitting my time between the two schools in an effort to support all 900 of my students.
Here is a shot of Maki Higashi's prep:
These folks are members of Higashi's red team, which is quite the force to be reckoned with. A large portion of the day's events is dedicated to team cheering, where students choreograph a 3-4 minute long dance / singing numbers. Their efforts are all the more impressive due to the conditions in which they must perform. Practices are held for hours on end outside on the fields under Maki's blistering sun and amidst it's unforgiving humidity. Heavy rains and thunder offer no reprieve as, under these circumstances, the students are corralled into the gymnasiums which feature little or no ventilation.
Here, Maki Higashi's blue team drills their dance number for, what seemed to be, the 20th time:
But torrential downpours and humidity with the consistency of pea soup have nothing on the tongue-lashings that come from up on high; referring to the teachers whose personalities seem to flip with almost Sybil-like "swiftness." The colleagues of mine who appear to be the most docile and kind-hearted have proven at times to be the most ferocious and unrelenting with students whose minds seem to drift from the task at hand.
Exhibit A:
Great blokes, but wouldn't want to show up late to one of THEIR meetings...
That being said, these kids have earned my respect.
Sunday will feature not only the much anticipated undokai, but an endokai (drinking party) which will be held during the evening hours at an onsen on Mt. Kakuda, just 10 minutes by bus from Maki station. If my understanding is correct, these types of parties are an opportunity for the Japanese to let their hair down and -- during this one in particular -- pepper the new guy with a WIDE array of questions; some of which are probably best not mentioned on this website (^^).
More later...
Keep surfing!
Brendan
All apologies for the recent neglect.
I have just completed my first full week at the JHSs; one that was filled with self introductions and undokai (Sports Day) preparation. Both Maki Nishi and Higashi have scheduled their day-long competitions for September 10th as I have mentioned in earlier posts. I will be splitting my time between the two schools in an effort to support all 900 of my students.
Here is a shot of Maki Higashi's prep:
These folks are members of Higashi's red team, which is quite the force to be reckoned with. A large portion of the day's events is dedicated to team cheering, where students choreograph a 3-4 minute long dance / singing numbers. Their efforts are all the more impressive due to the conditions in which they must perform. Practices are held for hours on end outside on the fields under Maki's blistering sun and amidst it's unforgiving humidity. Heavy rains and thunder offer no reprieve as, under these circumstances, the students are corralled into the gymnasiums which feature little or no ventilation.
Here, Maki Higashi's blue team drills their dance number for, what seemed to be, the 20th time:
But torrential downpours and humidity with the consistency of pea soup have nothing on the tongue-lashings that come from up on high; referring to the teachers whose personalities seem to flip with almost Sybil-like "swiftness." The colleagues of mine who appear to be the most docile and kind-hearted have proven at times to be the most ferocious and unrelenting with students whose minds seem to drift from the task at hand.
Exhibit A:
Great blokes, but wouldn't want to show up late to one of THEIR meetings...That being said, these kids have earned my respect.
Sunday will feature not only the much anticipated undokai, but an endokai (drinking party) which will be held during the evening hours at an onsen on Mt. Kakuda, just 10 minutes by bus from Maki station. If my understanding is correct, these types of parties are an opportunity for the Japanese to let their hair down and -- during this one in particular -- pepper the new guy with a WIDE array of questions; some of which are probably best not mentioned on this website (^^).
More later...
Keep surfing!
Brendan
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Welcome to the Jungle
Hi everyone -
Summer is over here in Maki!
Yes, it's true. The kid is back in school. Only this time I'm the one GIVING detention as opposed to the one getti...you get the idea.
Today was quite a thrill, as I was caught up in a whirlwind of last minute lesson plans and Japanese lunchroom etiquette. Plus there was the minor setback of having to give a speech in front of the entire school in both English and Japanese.
Here's my impression of how THAT went (I would be the gent on the left):
(^ ^)
Actually, aside from the speech, today went very nicely...
I hopped on my bike at 7:45 AM and pedaled off towards Maki Higashi JHS amidst a drizzle which kept the daily heat mercifully at bay; the nearby mountain range was quite picturesque, dusted with a light cloud coating and delicate pin holes of morning sunlight. But the drizzle became a bit more steady, causing me to focus on the here and now (or at this point in the evening, the 'there and then'). "How to keep dry?" I pondered. But dealing with such situations is not always cut and dry (heh heh heh)...
To avoid an international incident I had to think of some alternatives to using an umbrella in keeping my books and extra shoes dry during the ride to school; using an umbrella while riding a bicycle is frowned on in Japan. The mere mention that I had an umbrella in my bag for emergency use brought out the 'sucked in air' response from normally docile and unexpressive faces -- a mental note was made.
So my Uoroku bags did the trick and books and shoes were saved!
A few girls I normally see on the road were not in their normal blue shorts and white t-shirts, rather more formal long skirts and blouses. Around the bend some boys from the other direction rolled up in dark pants and buttoned down shirts. Before I knew it, I was engulfed in what seemed like a giant school of fish in formal wear accompanied by bicycles and a sea of white helmets, if you can picture THAT one. Note the nautical theme...it WAS raining.
I had long since learned that iPods should not be used while being in these types of situations given the frequency of 'Hi!' and 'Good morning! How are you?'s I attract. But these greetings are far more enjoyable than listening to tunes repeated on some playlist, albeit a tad more dangerous when I'm trying to maneuver around tricky terrain on my bike -- like a pebble or something. Hey! I'm still getting used to the roads here!
Anyway, once we reached the school, the kids ditched their rides and scrambled up into the student's entrance, most of them running to change into less formal clothing. Even though it was the first day, they were still responsible for working as a group to clean the hallways, classrooms, and bathrooms after homeroom. And I complain about cleaning the drain in the sink...
I continued acknowledging (and encouraging in some cases) 'Good morning!'s as I put on my indoor shoes and headed up to the teacher's room. On my way I noticed that a few students had filled in some questionnaires I had pinned to the English Corner wall. "He shoots, he scores!" cried the announcer. One day and I've already got them developing prose! Ok, I just asked them to fill out their names, grades, and favorite hobbies. Gotta start somewhere.
The air in the office was even more energized with teachers running about, making last minute copies in between hurried sips of green tea. So as to not cause a fright, I whispered a slight 'good morning' to Kuwabara sensei (oh Lady of Limitless Patience -- it's a bit of a lengthy nickname, but I'm working on it), one of MH's English teachers. She and I had an 1 nensei class (1st grade in Japanese JHS, 7th grade in the States) together, where I presented a 'Brendan Bingo' game I had crafted the night before. She replied in the like but assured me that she was not that busy. Something in her step suggested otherwise.
It was at that point where I started wondering why I didn't look as if I was being chased by some monster like the other folks in the room. "Ah," inner me felt, "there we go." The nerves took their cue and settled in nicely.
I mentioned above that the speech was slightly...awkward. You get a bit stressed when all foreign language ability flies out of the window the second the mic gets tested -- the peak came when I looked up and noticed that the school of fish with whom I had traveled not 30 minutes before were staring up at me...and they brought friends. Thankfully I recovered mid-gasp and started speaking V_E_R_Y S_L_O_W_L_Y in English. This approach, however, even had some of the 1 nenseis looking like there was something seriously wrong with me. The rest was a blur... But since no one asked for my letter of resignation after the fact, I went on determined to make up for it during class.
My very first 3 nensei (9th grade) class at Maki Higashi included several of the girls who have welcomed me every morning as I ride up to the front entrance and struggle to get my indoor shoes on -- remember the band members from an earlier post? Right!
So we were old friends...
Unlike Maki Nishi (who want me to come up with my own self introduction), MHJHS had their 3 nenseis prepare questions geared towards my life in the US, as well as statements which would fill me in on some of Maki's local traditions. It was a very welcomed format given all the energy I had expensed up until that point of the day. I brought out some photos of the folks at home, did a little bit of drawing, and gave them a quick memory test at the end of class (3 questions in all) based on some of the information I had shared. All three who gave it a shot (and answered correctly) received Big Apple key chains for their efforts -- it was obvious after the dispensing of the goods that the others in the class made up their minds to take a shot at the bonus round during the next class.
One girl, Rie, who remembered my favorite team and won one of the key chains came running up to me at lunch, thanking me profusely for the gift. I said she should be proud because she earned it by having a good memory. She shook my hand firmly, promising to do her best, and with that gave me one last big smile and disappeared into the jungle of kids heading off to various rooms throughout the school.
Gotta get more of those key chains (^ ^).
Keep surfing!
Brendan
P.S. Here's a shot of some of the kids at this morning's assembly. They were receiving awards for excellence in summer sports -- sorry for the quality of the picture!
Summer is over here in Maki!
Yes, it's true. The kid is back in school. Only this time I'm the one GIVING detention as opposed to the one getti...you get the idea.
Today was quite a thrill, as I was caught up in a whirlwind of last minute lesson plans and Japanese lunchroom etiquette. Plus there was the minor setback of having to give a speech in front of the entire school in both English and Japanese.
Here's my impression of how THAT went (I would be the gent on the left):
(^ ^)Actually, aside from the speech, today went very nicely...
I hopped on my bike at 7:45 AM and pedaled off towards Maki Higashi JHS amidst a drizzle which kept the daily heat mercifully at bay; the nearby mountain range was quite picturesque, dusted with a light cloud coating and delicate pin holes of morning sunlight. But the drizzle became a bit more steady, causing me to focus on the here and now (or at this point in the evening, the 'there and then'). "How to keep dry?" I pondered. But dealing with such situations is not always cut and dry (heh heh heh)...
To avoid an international incident I had to think of some alternatives to using an umbrella in keeping my books and extra shoes dry during the ride to school; using an umbrella while riding a bicycle is frowned on in Japan. The mere mention that I had an umbrella in my bag for emergency use brought out the 'sucked in air' response from normally docile and unexpressive faces -- a mental note was made.
So my Uoroku bags did the trick and books and shoes were saved!
A few girls I normally see on the road were not in their normal blue shorts and white t-shirts, rather more formal long skirts and blouses. Around the bend some boys from the other direction rolled up in dark pants and buttoned down shirts. Before I knew it, I was engulfed in what seemed like a giant school of fish in formal wear accompanied by bicycles and a sea of white helmets, if you can picture THAT one. Note the nautical theme...it WAS raining.
I had long since learned that iPods should not be used while being in these types of situations given the frequency of 'Hi!' and 'Good morning! How are you?'s I attract. But these greetings are far more enjoyable than listening to tunes repeated on some playlist, albeit a tad more dangerous when I'm trying to maneuver around tricky terrain on my bike -- like a pebble or something. Hey! I'm still getting used to the roads here!
Anyway, once we reached the school, the kids ditched their rides and scrambled up into the student's entrance, most of them running to change into less formal clothing. Even though it was the first day, they were still responsible for working as a group to clean the hallways, classrooms, and bathrooms after homeroom. And I complain about cleaning the drain in the sink...
I continued acknowledging (and encouraging in some cases) 'Good morning!'s as I put on my indoor shoes and headed up to the teacher's room. On my way I noticed that a few students had filled in some questionnaires I had pinned to the English Corner wall. "He shoots, he scores!" cried the announcer. One day and I've already got them developing prose! Ok, I just asked them to fill out their names, grades, and favorite hobbies. Gotta start somewhere.
The air in the office was even more energized with teachers running about, making last minute copies in between hurried sips of green tea. So as to not cause a fright, I whispered a slight 'good morning' to Kuwabara sensei (oh Lady of Limitless Patience -- it's a bit of a lengthy nickname, but I'm working on it), one of MH's English teachers. She and I had an 1 nensei class (1st grade in Japanese JHS, 7th grade in the States) together, where I presented a 'Brendan Bingo' game I had crafted the night before. She replied in the like but assured me that she was not that busy. Something in her step suggested otherwise.
It was at that point where I started wondering why I didn't look as if I was being chased by some monster like the other folks in the room. "Ah," inner me felt, "there we go." The nerves took their cue and settled in nicely.
I mentioned above that the speech was slightly...awkward. You get a bit stressed when all foreign language ability flies out of the window the second the mic gets tested -- the peak came when I looked up and noticed that the school of fish with whom I had traveled not 30 minutes before were staring up at me...and they brought friends. Thankfully I recovered mid-gasp and started speaking V_E_R_Y S_L_O_W_L_Y in English. This approach, however, even had some of the 1 nenseis looking like there was something seriously wrong with me. The rest was a blur... But since no one asked for my letter of resignation after the fact, I went on determined to make up for it during class.
My very first 3 nensei (9th grade) class at Maki Higashi included several of the girls who have welcomed me every morning as I ride up to the front entrance and struggle to get my indoor shoes on -- remember the band members from an earlier post? Right!
So we were old friends...
Unlike Maki Nishi (who want me to come up with my own self introduction), MHJHS had their 3 nenseis prepare questions geared towards my life in the US, as well as statements which would fill me in on some of Maki's local traditions. It was a very welcomed format given all the energy I had expensed up until that point of the day. I brought out some photos of the folks at home, did a little bit of drawing, and gave them a quick memory test at the end of class (3 questions in all) based on some of the information I had shared. All three who gave it a shot (and answered correctly) received Big Apple key chains for their efforts -- it was obvious after the dispensing of the goods that the others in the class made up their minds to take a shot at the bonus round during the next class.
One girl, Rie, who remembered my favorite team and won one of the key chains came running up to me at lunch, thanking me profusely for the gift. I said she should be proud because she earned it by having a good memory. She shook my hand firmly, promising to do her best, and with that gave me one last big smile and disappeared into the jungle of kids heading off to various rooms throughout the school.
Gotta get more of those key chains (^ ^).
Keep surfing!
Brendan
P.S. Here's a shot of some of the kids at this morning's assembly. They were receiving awards for excellence in summer sports -- sorry for the quality of the picture!
Friday, August 25, 2006
Additional 'Sports Day' prep pics as promised...
Hey everyone -
I thought I'd send a few more pictures from yesterday's Sports Day preparations as well as one of the new English Corner board at Maki Higashi Chu (I tried to use Met colors for the EC sign, but they look a little off -- oh well):
And here we have members of the yellow team, doing prep on their 'Fighting Eagle" motif (these kids are seriously talented):
Finally we have the red team whose artistic intensity matched the ferocity of their mascot:
I've heard that the competitions can get pretty serious in these parts, so hopefully I can get a seat in the bleachers. In honor of my Nishi squad, I went out and -- amazingly enough -- found and purchased a 5oo yen mustard yellow shirt at uoroku (one of the competing grocery stores in the area). Who knew?
Anyway, a happy weekend to all!
Keep surfing!
Brendan
I thought I'd send a few more pictures from yesterday's Sports Day preparations as well as one of the new English Corner board at Maki Higashi Chu (I tried to use Met colors for the EC sign, but they look a little off -- oh well):
And here we have members of the yellow team, doing prep on their 'Fighting Eagle" motif (these kids are seriously talented):
Finally we have the red team whose artistic intensity matched the ferocity of their mascot:
I've heard that the competitions can get pretty serious in these parts, so hopefully I can get a seat in the bleachers. In honor of my Nishi squad, I went out and -- amazingly enough -- found and purchased a 5oo yen mustard yellow shirt at uoroku (one of the competing grocery stores in the area). Who knew?Anyway, a happy weekend to all!
Keep surfing!
Brendan
Thursday, August 24, 2006
It's Official, Folks...I'm an Alien
Hi all -
I was planning on posting a picture of my new Alien Registration (Gaijin Card) Card for all to marvel at, but unfortunately can't get my new scanner to work (> <). Oh, well...
And so it begins! After one month of adjusting to my new life here in Maki, I've finally started to see students. Most recently I've been visiting Maki Higashi (East) Chu where the kids are preparing for the annual Sports Day. The anticipation for the competitions can be felt throughout the town as school kids prepare large banners in support of their team's colors. Each school has a blue, red, and yellow team; I have been assigned to Maki Nishi's yellow team and Maki Higashi's blue team -- what this actually entails concerning my participation is news to me at the moment.
Here is a picture of some of the kids working on the red team's banner:
I decided to split the day in half so I can visit both schools during the competition -- can't play favorites, of course...
JET's lure, depending on how you look at it, is a kind of 'rock star' status for the successful candidate. Up until this week, the benefits of this have been up to interpretation. On several occasions folks have stared at me with jaws agape (yeah, I wrote 'agape'), crossed to the other side of the street to avoid me, and walked/ran away if I ask for help at the train station -- all before 9 this morning!! Just kidding...
But many of these experiences (if not all) have been with older folks who may have never seen a pasty fellow such as myself roaming their chartered streets. At first I decided to buy a lot of food all at once and hibernate, but eventually realized that the stares would continue if I took the weenie route. It was all the more easy to forget those feelings of social awkwardness as soon as I received my first wave and group 'Hi!' from the kids at school, and will no doubt sustain me at least through my next Shimizu experience -- although the folks at Challenger have seriously low prices and a very accommodating staff...but I digress.
This brings me to MHC and the smiling kids who usher music and youthful exuberance through its halls. During my first full (half) day at MHC, I was actually able to do a bit of spot teaching/editing. While many of the kids were at school doing prep for Sports Day, two 3nensei English Club members were taking time out to write thank-you letters to some ALTs whom they had met while attending a recent English Language Camp. It is customary for students to visit the office (which is -- thank God -- ACd!) to seek out advice/extra help from teachers when necessary. Students come to the door, sign their names, write the time, and wait for the next available slot. When appropriate, they would enter the room, announcing their presence with a big 'shitsurei shimasu!' (pardon the interruption) and approach the teacher they wanted to see.
Ms. Kuwabara, whose conversational English skills were the Tylenol for the Japanese language headache I've been stricken with, was there to help the kids out. However, as soon as they produced the letters for editing, she defaulted to my curiosity and pointed the way to my desk. I felt so official! If only Paul Sheehey could see me now...(BG, did I get the spelling right on that one?)
Mere mention of the camp the kids had visited sends tingles through the spines of ALTs who have been "asked" to attend as soon as they reach their host prefectures after Tokyo Orientation -- never seeing their apartments. But the smiles on the kids' faces would surely act as the handkerchief to wipe away sleep dust from jetlagged eyes. The girls took a few moments to describe the camp, sounding very satisfied with the experience.
It had been quite a while since I had done any actual teaching, so I was glad for the opportunity. Do you think Barry Bonds would have been able to hit so many homeruns without hours and hours of hard wo... Wait, scratch that...
So after a few suggestions and words of encouragement they walked away smiling, bowing their thanks, while I was completely happy in finally getting a chance to do some work.
In an effort to continue the 'teaching high' I took to the halls and decided to "Share" a bit of myself (pun intended, chortle, chortle) on the English language board which was set up by my predecessor, Melissa. She had posted a picture of me and one of my students from JALC up on the wall opposite the auditorium. Thankfully I had thrown a few photos into my back pack which ended up coming in quite handy (pictures to follow).
All in all it has been a fun week, especially since I was able to sneak out of the office and mingle in the halls. When it was time to go, I was approached at the teachers exit by a group of giggling students who gave me another big, "Hello!" After the delivery, one of the girls stepped up to the front and, in her best speech contest English exclaimed, "You are handsome!"
The immediate blush that had lost me several games of poker in the past provided the kids with a big laugh. As I waved off the sentiment and proclaimed my obvious dopey looks in Japanese, they laughed again and began informing me of there status as members of the school band. My immediate interest caused more giggles, so I interviewed each, asking for their grade and what instrument they had mastered, then listened intently to their answers. They all seemed to be as happy answering my questions as I was asking them. THIS was the type of interaction that I had been greatly anticipating before arriving in Japan. Chalk up another success.
Before riding off on my bike, I applauded their abilities in English and promised to cheer very loudly during Sports Day. In turn, they promised to do their best -- I thought to myself that it was time to do some shopping.
Keep surfing!
Brendan
P.S. All the kids are great, but gotta support the team! Let's go BLUE!:
I was planning on posting a picture of my new Alien Registration (Gaijin Card) Card for all to marvel at, but unfortunately can't get my new scanner to work (> <). Oh, well...
And so it begins! After one month of adjusting to my new life here in Maki, I've finally started to see students. Most recently I've been visiting Maki Higashi (East) Chu where the kids are preparing for the annual Sports Day. The anticipation for the competitions can be felt throughout the town as school kids prepare large banners in support of their team's colors. Each school has a blue, red, and yellow team; I have been assigned to Maki Nishi's yellow team and Maki Higashi's blue team -- what this actually entails concerning my participation is news to me at the moment.
Here is a picture of some of the kids working on the red team's banner:
I decided to split the day in half so I can visit both schools during the competition -- can't play favorites, of course...
JET's lure, depending on how you look at it, is a kind of 'rock star' status for the successful candidate. Up until this week, the benefits of this have been up to interpretation. On several occasions folks have stared at me with jaws agape (yeah, I wrote 'agape'), crossed to the other side of the street to avoid me, and walked/ran away if I ask for help at the train station -- all before 9 this morning!! Just kidding...
But many of these experiences (if not all) have been with older folks who may have never seen a pasty fellow such as myself roaming their chartered streets. At first I decided to buy a lot of food all at once and hibernate, but eventually realized that the stares would continue if I took the weenie route. It was all the more easy to forget those feelings of social awkwardness as soon as I received my first wave and group 'Hi!' from the kids at school, and will no doubt sustain me at least through my next Shimizu experience -- although the folks at Challenger have seriously low prices and a very accommodating staff...but I digress.
This brings me to MHC and the smiling kids who usher music and youthful exuberance through its halls. During my first full (half) day at MHC, I was actually able to do a bit of spot teaching/editing. While many of the kids were at school doing prep for Sports Day, two 3nensei English Club members were taking time out to write thank-you letters to some ALTs whom they had met while attending a recent English Language Camp. It is customary for students to visit the office (which is -- thank God -- ACd!) to seek out advice/extra help from teachers when necessary. Students come to the door, sign their names, write the time, and wait for the next available slot. When appropriate, they would enter the room, announcing their presence with a big 'shitsurei shimasu!' (pardon the interruption) and approach the teacher they wanted to see.
Ms. Kuwabara, whose conversational English skills were the Tylenol for the Japanese language headache I've been stricken with, was there to help the kids out. However, as soon as they produced the letters for editing, she defaulted to my curiosity and pointed the way to my desk. I felt so official! If only Paul Sheehey could see me now...(BG, did I get the spelling right on that one?)
Mere mention of the camp the kids had visited sends tingles through the spines of ALTs who have been "asked" to attend as soon as they reach their host prefectures after Tokyo Orientation -- never seeing their apartments. But the smiles on the kids' faces would surely act as the handkerchief to wipe away sleep dust from jetlagged eyes. The girls took a few moments to describe the camp, sounding very satisfied with the experience.
It had been quite a while since I had done any actual teaching, so I was glad for the opportunity. Do you think Barry Bonds would have been able to hit so many homeruns without hours and hours of hard wo... Wait, scratch that...
So after a few suggestions and words of encouragement they walked away smiling, bowing their thanks, while I was completely happy in finally getting a chance to do some work.
In an effort to continue the 'teaching high' I took to the halls and decided to "Share" a bit of myself (pun intended, chortle, chortle) on the English language board which was set up by my predecessor, Melissa. She had posted a picture of me and one of my students from JALC up on the wall opposite the auditorium. Thankfully I had thrown a few photos into my back pack which ended up coming in quite handy (pictures to follow).
All in all it has been a fun week, especially since I was able to sneak out of the office and mingle in the halls. When it was time to go, I was approached at the teachers exit by a group of giggling students who gave me another big, "Hello!" After the delivery, one of the girls stepped up to the front and, in her best speech contest English exclaimed, "You are handsome!"
The immediate blush that had lost me several games of poker in the past provided the kids with a big laugh. As I waved off the sentiment and proclaimed my obvious dopey looks in Japanese, they laughed again and began informing me of there status as members of the school band. My immediate interest caused more giggles, so I interviewed each, asking for their grade and what instrument they had mastered, then listened intently to their answers. They all seemed to be as happy answering my questions as I was asking them. THIS was the type of interaction that I had been greatly anticipating before arriving in Japan. Chalk up another success.
Before riding off on my bike, I applauded their abilities in English and promised to cheer very loudly during Sports Day. In turn, they promised to do their best -- I thought to myself that it was time to do some shopping.
Keep surfing!
Brendan
P.S. All the kids are great, but gotta support the team! Let's go BLUE!:
Friday, August 18, 2006
ooooops
Edit to yesterday's post:
On 8/17, Teikyo was defeated in the 9th by Wakayama -- NOT Waseda. Waseda played today, and I am not sure of the outcome of that game...
I could blame the heat or, more accurately, my attention span.
All apologies!
The lightning storm I mentioned yesterday knocked out my Internet service until about 10 minutes ago, otherwise I would have made the edit sooner...
Keep surfing!
Brendan
On 8/17, Teikyo was defeated in the 9th by Wakayama -- NOT Waseda. Waseda played today, and I am not sure of the outcome of that game...
I could blame the heat or, more accurately, my attention span.
All apologies!
The lightning storm I mentioned yesterday knocked out my Internet service until about 10 minutes ago, otherwise I would have made the edit sooner...
Keep surfing!
Brendan
Thursday, August 17, 2006
The Boys of Summer
Hi everyone,
Throughout Japan there is an excitement in the air stirred up by the National High School Baseball Championship (or zenkoku koutou gakkou yakyuu senshuken taikai -- Ok, Americans! Say that 10 times fast!). This annual event captures the nation's attention, offering a brief reprieve from the infamous summer heat and humidity which normally has folks clamouring for shade or a spot directly under their ACs.
Fortunately, my TV is located in said spot so I have been able to enjoy the games in a nice cool room. I've been lending my support to Waseda Jitsugyo as one of its former players provided me with a very special autograph; Sadaharu Oh (thanks, Dad).
As I write this, another game which featured Teikyo and Waseda high schools has just ended. Teikyo high school's squad is standing behind the lines with mud on their uniforms and tears in their eyes. They are bravely watching their competition, Wakayama, run wildly across the field towards the home fans, sceaming jubilantly because of an almost insurmountable run deficit they were somehow able to make up.
I feel like I can relate to the pain these Teikyo kids are feeling only because the Mets have gotten smacked around a heck of a lot recently... The orange and blue are not exactly in the basement, but any true fan has to be a bit concerned with Petey going on the DL and bench guys in the outfield.
So let's focus on what's here and now (^ ^)
At school today, where most teachers are on vacation because of Obon, I met a few of Maki Nishi's fly shaggers; three kids, bronze because of long hours in the sun, were lounging in the genkan (entrance) of the school after a rigorous 3 hour practice. They pepped up immediately as I walked down the stairs, blushing because of what was, potentially, an on the spot 'English conversation' quiz. I noted their angst and tried not to throw them any curveballs (ha ha ha....sorry).
To my pleasant surprise, the blushes turned to beaming smiles as they were somehow able to converse with this immensely pale foreigner, with minimal mistakes. The absolute best was when the pitcher introduced himself and his catcher as, "The Battery!" Big smiles and laughter ensued.
So I will visit a shrine soon with best wishes in my heart for those young chaps and their dreams of one day entering the tournament, representing Niigata.
But as my Mets are struggling (and I'm not there to cheer them on), I'll lend my support to the other gents who don the orange and blue: Niigata's J League (soccer) representatives, The Niigata Albirex!
Here's a shot of their stadium, which is nicknamed, "The Swan":
The two folks in the shot are Naomi and Tsuyoshi from the B.O.E. who were kind (and patient) enough to act as tour guides in my adoptive home. We visited Niigata on Sunday and strolled around the shop-filled streets of the Furumachi district and traversed Bandai Bridge over the Shinano River. This city reminds me so much of Boston and the Charles River.
Sorry for the limited amount of pics recently. For some reason they don't want to upload as much as in the past. I'll try to figure it out and add some city shots soon.
Unfortunately there's a pretty big lightning storm at the moment, so I'll have to finish this at another time.
Keep surfing!
Brendan
Throughout Japan there is an excitement in the air stirred up by the National High School Baseball Championship (or zenkoku koutou gakkou yakyuu senshuken taikai -- Ok, Americans! Say that 10 times fast!). This annual event captures the nation's attention, offering a brief reprieve from the infamous summer heat and humidity which normally has folks clamouring for shade or a spot directly under their ACs.
Fortunately, my TV is located in said spot so I have been able to enjoy the games in a nice cool room. I've been lending my support to Waseda Jitsugyo as one of its former players provided me with a very special autograph; Sadaharu Oh (thanks, Dad).
As I write this, another game which featured Teikyo and Waseda high schools has just ended. Teikyo high school's squad is standing behind the lines with mud on their uniforms and tears in their eyes. They are bravely watching their competition, Wakayama, run wildly across the field towards the home fans, sceaming jubilantly because of an almost insurmountable run deficit they were somehow able to make up.
I feel like I can relate to the pain these Teikyo kids are feeling only because the Mets have gotten smacked around a heck of a lot recently... The orange and blue are not exactly in the basement, but any true fan has to be a bit concerned with Petey going on the DL and bench guys in the outfield.
So let's focus on what's here and now (^ ^)
At school today, where most teachers are on vacation because of Obon, I met a few of Maki Nishi's fly shaggers; three kids, bronze because of long hours in the sun, were lounging in the genkan (entrance) of the school after a rigorous 3 hour practice. They pepped up immediately as I walked down the stairs, blushing because of what was, potentially, an on the spot 'English conversation' quiz. I noted their angst and tried not to throw them any curveballs (ha ha ha....sorry).
To my pleasant surprise, the blushes turned to beaming smiles as they were somehow able to converse with this immensely pale foreigner, with minimal mistakes. The absolute best was when the pitcher introduced himself and his catcher as, "The Battery!" Big smiles and laughter ensued.
So I will visit a shrine soon with best wishes in my heart for those young chaps and their dreams of one day entering the tournament, representing Niigata.
But as my Mets are struggling (and I'm not there to cheer them on), I'll lend my support to the other gents who don the orange and blue: Niigata's J League (soccer) representatives, The Niigata Albirex!
Here's a shot of their stadium, which is nicknamed, "The Swan":
The two folks in the shot are Naomi and Tsuyoshi from the B.O.E. who were kind (and patient) enough to act as tour guides in my adoptive home. We visited Niigata on Sunday and strolled around the shop-filled streets of the Furumachi district and traversed Bandai Bridge over the Shinano River. This city reminds me so much of Boston and the Charles River.
Sorry for the limited amount of pics recently. For some reason they don't want to upload as much as in the past. I'll try to figure it out and add some city shots soon.
Unfortunately there's a pretty big lightning storm at the moment, so I'll have to finish this at another time.
Keep surfing!
Brendan
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