Toga

Tomorrow, I go boarding in Toga!

In other awesome news... I just purchased my ticket home for March! I am very excited. Already starting my lists of things I need to bring home from Japan, and vice-versa. I have had a major craving for fig newtons lately. Steveo and I bought some in Australia, when we were road-tripping up north. They weren't the same, though.


Mmmmm... so delicious! Great, now I am hungry.

Yesterday was the last class ever with my favorite homeroom 3-6. I almost cried. It was sad. Doubley so, because I was told last week that we had two classes left together. I arranged a kickass, party lesson thingie for next week, and it was all for naught. Instead, we played games and guitar for the whole period. I told them that no one is supposed to learn on the last day of class. They were more than happy to oblige!

My what!?

Last night, I saw some of my friends that I haven't seen since I left in December. While we were driving home, I was asked to, "Please, be honest..." Ok? "Have you gained weight?" Ummm... not that I know of, why? "Because your bust looks like it is bigger. Maybe it is because you wear a blue shirt." Ummm...? Granted, this girl is a very close friend, so this conversation is kinda on par.

The strange part was this. Fast forward to the last class I just taught, my san-nensei home economics based class. "Rora-sensei, etooo... bigger... NICE!" I was convinced they meant they liked my shirt, until we clarified moments later. WTF Japan? Leave the ladies be.

Its amazing how every part of your body, from head to foot is up for discussion here. I do understand the cultural homogenity and whatnot, but they KNOW I am not Nihonjin. They know I am kinda weird, so why is it still suprising? When you dye your hair, it's as if you are standing on a soapbox and screaming for attention. Piercings are a great way to freak kids out, and/or have your high school boys think you are a magical badass. Those are rather bold statements in Japan, I know. But, seriously, NOTHING gets past these kids. They notice what socks I wear everyday, if I happen to have put on a bit of eyeliner, or if my sweater is a little baggier than the usual style I wear. Although they don't mention it, I am almost positive that they know when I trim my fingernails.

They even notice things that I haven't noticed myself. I could probably throw away all the mirrors and reflective surfaces in my home, and just walk through the hallway when I arrive to work in the morning! "Rora, you have a blemish." "Rora, your collar is tucked in." "Rora, your underwear is showing..."

Enough of that. In other news: I have been back from Australia for about a week now, and big thanx to Stevo, Satomi, and Ben for helping show me around, put me up, and show me kangaroos. Much love to you all!

kawaisou, tori

My 1-3 class had an interesting experience today. I was in the middle of a game of 20 questions, trying to help my JTE/friend, Yuta, discover that he was supposed to be Doraemon (he had a picture taped on his back). Somewhere around question 6, my eyes were drawn to the window, as per usual. I was looking at the sky, when I see a brown dart, and hear a "THWACK!"

I ran over, unlatched the window, and had to lean out dangerously to see if I could find the bird. It turns out that the poor thing died instantly. I wanted to go down to check if it was alive, but hitting a window at full speed, then falling 3 stories into a gutter full of leaves did him in. I was really sad, and the kids were all shocked. I had one of my girl's leaning out the window next to me, and Yuta on my right. I went home a little bit ago to pick up my laptop for English club, and it started raining. When I returned, I went to go find the bird (looked like a chickadee). He definitely broke his neck, because his eyes were still open. At least he didn't suffer.

Man... that was the saddest game of 20 questions I have ever played.

Whew!

I survived another week of madness, and the charity show is tomorrow. Thank GOD! After 9am tomorrow its all downhill. My supervisor informed me today that this is the beginning of our "break." That means the kids have no more serious classes. Good thing I arranged for a music/fun lesson next week. My kids would probably kill me if I gave them something they didn't want to pay attention to.

I love my kids. I love them more everyday. I know I sound like a sap, but seriously... I could be having the shittiest day in the history of feces-smothered days, and my kids can snap me out of it. I leave my house every morning and bike to school. I inevitably meet up with the same kids at the stoplight, and we chat a little.

Me - "Your bike tire is flat! Kiotsukete!" random-kun - "I know!" Or the usual, "RORA!?! Ohayo Gozaimasu!"

No matter how many times I run into them in the grocery store, on the train, outside of the conbini while I breeze by on my bike, they still have the same reaction. COMPLETE AND UTTER SHOCK. They have to be somewhat accustomed to me at this point. I live in their town, I do townish things, I am rather boring really. I often get, "hana!? EEeee!?" Yes, my nose is pierced. I cannot wear it in school. Secret. Secret! They like to touch it, and lately sticking pencils and (for the kindergarteners) paper ken (swords) through my 00 gauges is all the rage. Also, there is the "Oh hello! I love you!" from my baseball boys. The past few weeks I have ridden by them daily on my way home from eikaiwa, charity show practice, yoga, and or Japanese class. They are always passing me on their way to the station. I approach and notice that they are mine (Dalenna's school has nearly identical uniforms, so its hard to tell from far away), as I get closer one of them bellows, "OOOOOhhhh! Rora-sensei!" The rest follow suit. I have ridden blocks away before still able to hear their whoooping.

I don't know where I was going with this. I just wanted to talk about my kids. If some of them show up at the Charity Show tomorrow, I would be ecstatic!