Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Solution: Buy a couch.
Yesterday I was in a fitful rage at my supervisor. Solution: Buy a couch! I was so angry on my drive up north after school yesterday that I actually walked into a furniture store, pointed at a couch and said, ‘I’ll take it.” It’s a nice couch. I think. It was all over with so fast that I can’t really remember what it looks like. It’s ivory. A 2-person couch. To be delivered on Sunday afternoon. I’m very excited!
So, the reason I’m so upset at my supervisor… It’s stupid, really. We had a radio show disaster. I have my Wednesday interviews and I’m down to the last 3-4 teachers who haven’t been on the show yet, plus the principal and vice-principal. I asked the vice-principal two weeks ago if he’d be on the show and he was hesitant, but true to Japanese form, didn’t directly say he would not do it. And I used my poor Japanese skills to my advantage, not “understanding” how to except no for an answer. He needs to be a good example for the students. Finally Tuesday he told my supervisor to tell me that he couldn’t do it—using the excuse that he’s too busy during lunchtime. (The show is all of two minutes long and everyone’s busy but they all find two minutes to do it.) So I invited an English teacher on the show and we improvised cause I didn’t have time to make up a script for another teacher.
After my show, I’m notorious for coming out of the broadcasting room and propositioning my victim for the following week’s show. Everyone knows to look out for me as I enter the staffroom at 12:35 p.m. on Wednesdays. “Who will it be this time?” they all wonder. The principal happened to be in the office so I decided to ask him. EVERYONE says they can’t do it at first. Everyone is hesitant and embarrassed but with a little prodding they all agree. So, of course, kocho-sensei said, “Ah… well, muzukashii, ne?” And my supervisor stomped up to me and said, ‘It’s rude to ask kocho-sensei to be on the radio show. He’s too busy like kyoto-sensei! You had better not ask him.”
(She always says, "You'd better~" with me and I really hate it.)
Agh! I was so annoyed. It’s none of her business and was it necessary that she talk to me like that in front of the principal!!! Kocho-sensei has wanted to do the show since last year. He actually had agreed to a date last year, but because of a canceled school day, it had to be postponed until this year. But I still expected him to say no at first. Every week I handle the next guest on my own, except in this rare case with kyoto-sensei, and now all of a sudden she feels the need to get her nose in the middle of it. I was mostly embarrassed that she spoke to me that way in front of the principal. It was so rude and made me feel like a complete fool for even considering him. I think it would be rude NOT to ask him. Why SHOULDN’T he get the chance to do it, at least the offer!! His English is not bad and he loves trying to speak with me.
The thing is, kocho-sensei and I have a great relationship. He always invites me down to his office to have tea and chat about life. Yeah, he’s busy, but he really cares about me and wants to offer as many English opportunities for the students as possible. I’m sure he could have done it (even wanted to do it) but now my supervisor interrupted my invitation and made it very clear that I can’t ask him again.
So you wanna play tough, do you?
My solution? (No, not really buying a couch.) When I was calm enough to approach my supervisor again I said, “I’m quitting the radio show.” I told her every week I had to struggle to get someone on the show and I’m sick of doing it. (It's not quite that dramatic, but it's not my favorite thing to do.) Monday’s show I have a student help me read some Japanese and it’s sometimes IMPOSSIBLE to get someone. All I ask them to do is read 3-4 lines IN JAPANESE for Pete’s sake!! Everyone is too shy, too embarrassed! Enough of the struggle, I’m quitting.
My supervisor’s response was, “I’ll talk to the teacher in charge and see if you can stop.”
I was so tempted to say, “I’m not asking you, I'm telling you,” but I didn’t ‘cause that would be really rude and I don't WANT a war with her. But I was furious and even today I’m having a hard time sitting next to her.
And her English sucks.
I had to get that off my chest.
Enough negativity. I have some really great news too! End with the good news, right? I’ve been asked to start attending elementary schools on a regular basis!! There are three schools in Wakamatsu that have no ALT and I’ll rotate through them every week! I think I’ll start going on Wednesdays because I can switch my two Wednesday classes at the high school to other days pretty easily. I can’t believe how lucky I am. I’m going to be so busy!! Teaching at Wakamatsu Junior High School last year was one of the highlights of my week and the occasional trips to elementary schools was being on Cloud Nine. I’m very excited to start visiting these kids every month.
I mentioned a little in the last post, I went to Aokata’s (Kerry’s old) eikaiwa last night. There were just five adults, three women, two men, but three of them spoke pretty good English. As Kerry warned I received loads of food—chocolate omiyage and a home-made cheesecake!! I’ve got to start being careful about my diet! I told them all I was trying to loose weight and the woman said, “It’s okay, it’s small.” and promised to bring me something healthy next week. An older woman who has very basic English wanted to know all the foods I couldn’t/wouldn’t eat as well as my favorite fruits and vegetables listed in descending order!! What a sweetheart. She asked if I like watermelon and when she saw my watermelon-is-to-die-for-expression she was so happy because her husband grows them on his farm!! Jackpot!! I think I’ll start going to this eikaiwa every week especially during the growing season!
Had my swim lesson with Tanabe yesterday and he was happy to hear about the triathlon. I said, “I did it! Thanks to you!” and he got all embarrassed and said, “No, no, I didn’t help at all,” but he saw how awful I was before lessons with him. I think saying that really made him happy. (*Thanks, Peter! Okagesama de!)
I’ve also invited some school-related wives over my house for a mini, informal eikaiwa tonight. Just three or four women—don’t know what I’m going to do yet, but having people over is always inspiration to clean my apartment so that’s what I’ll be doing this evening before 7 p.m.
I’ve got a karate test coming up. Two weeks, I believe. It’s the second level of the purple belt. san-kyu (third level). I think this may be the first test that I take alone. Koichiro and I have progressed together up until now. He’s studying so hard for his teacher’s exam in the end of July that he rarely goes to practice anymore. I don’t think he’s very ready for the next test, but maybe he can still do it. It’d be funny if I ended up passing him, but I’d hate it if he stopped going completely.
Things are good between us, by the way. He didn’t go to last night’s school enkai anyway, so there was no need for me to not go to avoid him. I had more fun at the eikaiwa than I probably would have had at the enkai anyway. Consumed less empty-calories anyway. I hope he passes his teacher’s test this July. He’s been studying so hard and he is a really good teacher. I still stare at him longingly in the staffroom (carefully not to let him notice) but I think if he ever tries anything again I’ll be straight up with him—I’m not interested. Of course, I say that now, but I’m such the hopeless romantic I’d probably turn optimistic when the opportunity presents itself.
“Tima vil sho,” as a certain Viking always told me.
This weekend I’m going to Ojika to visit Dawn. It’s my first time to her island and I’m very excited to see it. She even has a cat! I’m needing to pet an animal—I miss them so much! I want a cat!!
I’ve written this whole thing at school today and I’m really needing to get off the computer and do some real work!
Love, Sierra
So, the reason I’m so upset at my supervisor… It’s stupid, really. We had a radio show disaster. I have my Wednesday interviews and I’m down to the last 3-4 teachers who haven’t been on the show yet, plus the principal and vice-principal. I asked the vice-principal two weeks ago if he’d be on the show and he was hesitant, but true to Japanese form, didn’t directly say he would not do it. And I used my poor Japanese skills to my advantage, not “understanding” how to except no for an answer. He needs to be a good example for the students. Finally Tuesday he told my supervisor to tell me that he couldn’t do it—using the excuse that he’s too busy during lunchtime. (The show is all of two minutes long and everyone’s busy but they all find two minutes to do it.) So I invited an English teacher on the show and we improvised cause I didn’t have time to make up a script for another teacher.
After my show, I’m notorious for coming out of the broadcasting room and propositioning my victim for the following week’s show. Everyone knows to look out for me as I enter the staffroom at 12:35 p.m. on Wednesdays. “Who will it be this time?” they all wonder. The principal happened to be in the office so I decided to ask him. EVERYONE says they can’t do it at first. Everyone is hesitant and embarrassed but with a little prodding they all agree. So, of course, kocho-sensei said, “Ah… well, muzukashii, ne?” And my supervisor stomped up to me and said, ‘It’s rude to ask kocho-sensei to be on the radio show. He’s too busy like kyoto-sensei! You had better not ask him.”
(She always says, "You'd better~" with me and I really hate it.)
Agh! I was so annoyed. It’s none of her business and was it necessary that she talk to me like that in front of the principal!!! Kocho-sensei has wanted to do the show since last year. He actually had agreed to a date last year, but because of a canceled school day, it had to be postponed until this year. But I still expected him to say no at first. Every week I handle the next guest on my own, except in this rare case with kyoto-sensei, and now all of a sudden she feels the need to get her nose in the middle of it. I was mostly embarrassed that she spoke to me that way in front of the principal. It was so rude and made me feel like a complete fool for even considering him. I think it would be rude NOT to ask him. Why SHOULDN’T he get the chance to do it, at least the offer!! His English is not bad and he loves trying to speak with me.
The thing is, kocho-sensei and I have a great relationship. He always invites me down to his office to have tea and chat about life. Yeah, he’s busy, but he really cares about me and wants to offer as many English opportunities for the students as possible. I’m sure he could have done it (even wanted to do it) but now my supervisor interrupted my invitation and made it very clear that I can’t ask him again.
So you wanna play tough, do you?
My solution? (No, not really buying a couch.) When I was calm enough to approach my supervisor again I said, “I’m quitting the radio show.” I told her every week I had to struggle to get someone on the show and I’m sick of doing it. (It's not quite that dramatic, but it's not my favorite thing to do.) Monday’s show I have a student help me read some Japanese and it’s sometimes IMPOSSIBLE to get someone. All I ask them to do is read 3-4 lines IN JAPANESE for Pete’s sake!! Everyone is too shy, too embarrassed! Enough of the struggle, I’m quitting.
My supervisor’s response was, “I’ll talk to the teacher in charge and see if you can stop.”
I was so tempted to say, “I’m not asking you, I'm telling you,” but I didn’t ‘cause that would be really rude and I don't WANT a war with her. But I was furious and even today I’m having a hard time sitting next to her.
And her English sucks.
I had to get that off my chest.
Enough negativity. I have some really great news too! End with the good news, right? I’ve been asked to start attending elementary schools on a regular basis!! There are three schools in Wakamatsu that have no ALT and I’ll rotate through them every week! I think I’ll start going on Wednesdays because I can switch my two Wednesday classes at the high school to other days pretty easily. I can’t believe how lucky I am. I’m going to be so busy!! Teaching at Wakamatsu Junior High School last year was one of the highlights of my week and the occasional trips to elementary schools was being on Cloud Nine. I’m very excited to start visiting these kids every month.
I mentioned a little in the last post, I went to Aokata’s (Kerry’s old) eikaiwa last night. There were just five adults, three women, two men, but three of them spoke pretty good English. As Kerry warned I received loads of food—chocolate omiyage and a home-made cheesecake!! I’ve got to start being careful about my diet! I told them all I was trying to loose weight and the woman said, “It’s okay, it’s small.” and promised to bring me something healthy next week. An older woman who has very basic English wanted to know all the foods I couldn’t/wouldn’t eat as well as my favorite fruits and vegetables listed in descending order!! What a sweetheart. She asked if I like watermelon and when she saw my watermelon-is-to-die-for-expression she was so happy because her husband grows them on his farm!! Jackpot!! I think I’ll start going to this eikaiwa every week especially during the growing season!
Had my swim lesson with Tanabe yesterday and he was happy to hear about the triathlon. I said, “I did it! Thanks to you!” and he got all embarrassed and said, “No, no, I didn’t help at all,” but he saw how awful I was before lessons with him. I think saying that really made him happy. (*Thanks, Peter! Okagesama de!)
I’ve also invited some school-related wives over my house for a mini, informal eikaiwa tonight. Just three or four women—don’t know what I’m going to do yet, but having people over is always inspiration to clean my apartment so that’s what I’ll be doing this evening before 7 p.m.
I’ve got a karate test coming up. Two weeks, I believe. It’s the second level of the purple belt. san-kyu (third level). I think this may be the first test that I take alone. Koichiro and I have progressed together up until now. He’s studying so hard for his teacher’s exam in the end of July that he rarely goes to practice anymore. I don’t think he’s very ready for the next test, but maybe he can still do it. It’d be funny if I ended up passing him, but I’d hate it if he stopped going completely.
Things are good between us, by the way. He didn’t go to last night’s school enkai anyway, so there was no need for me to not go to avoid him. I had more fun at the eikaiwa than I probably would have had at the enkai anyway. Consumed less empty-calories anyway. I hope he passes his teacher’s test this July. He’s been studying so hard and he is a really good teacher. I still stare at him longingly in the staffroom (carefully not to let him notice) but I think if he ever tries anything again I’ll be straight up with him—I’m not interested. Of course, I say that now, but I’m such the hopeless romantic I’d probably turn optimistic when the opportunity presents itself.
“Tima vil sho,” as a certain Viking always told me.
This weekend I’m going to Ojika to visit Dawn. It’s my first time to her island and I’m very excited to see it. She even has a cat! I’m needing to pet an animal—I miss them so much! I want a cat!!
I’ve written this whole thing at school today and I’m really needing to get off the computer and do some real work!
Love, Sierra
Rainy season? What rainy season?
