Friday, August 6, 2010

bfg on "it is not my fault!"

It really isn`t.

Wi-fi here non-existant and it took me three days to find an internet cafe. I now understand why - this is luxury people. The manga library in this place is enormos, I am sitting in this lovely sofa chair and with a press of a button I can have any meal I want for under 500 YEN (about 5$ canadian). Not to mention a bar of unlimited drinks...

So much has happened. My apartment is really starting to look beautiful. The tub is getting a vinegar treatment while I am out here, but other than things needing a good scrub I love it! Without the ability to post pictures though it is hard for me to write. So much to say. So I thought for now I would tell you about my first day of school.

Mi-sensei is my supervisor. She looks thirty so I will allow you to figure out just how old she is in White People Years. Mi-sensei was kind enough to pick me up in her car; "Please dress すずし" (cool).

Driving to school was overwhelming. I was trying so hard to consentrate on how to get to school but the roads in Japan they make no sense. NONE ARE STRAIGHT even the ones that may seem to be. The worst part was when I asked what the street name is; "Street name? This is too small a road for the japanese to give it a name."

So off we go turning the bend me so afraid that she will run over a cyclist. This is not to say she is a bad driver, in fact there must be something in these peoples genetic code on reversing into a parking spot perfectly in one try (albeit they open their driver door to do it). At the MiniShi\op, Mi-sensei made a sharp left and up the hill we went, through the forest that felt so much like home if it weren`t for the bamboo so thick and beautiful.

I love this about Japan - it is so plush. The paint here is fresh, the road signs are so clean and the variety of  shades of green here are a wonder to behold. The only thing that ruined the moment was the realization in the back of my head that I will have to climb this baby with my bicycle. Me on a bike... a frightful image.

The school is kind of on a cliff overlooking the ocean. they have binoculars in the teachers room though whether they are for spying on naughty students or for the scenery, I am not sure. Even for someone like me who hates sand and sun, it takes my breath away.

The teacher`s staff room is big and open with the AC low but in comparison to what is `out there` a havan. Mi-sensei was so busy running around that I just plopped down on my seat and looked around. It felt so good to see the view from my desk... all this wondering about what awaits me in Japan and here I am in a desk chair. It is so normal and very welcome. It does de-romantisize the whole idea of Japan but this is one of the many reasons why I wanted to come. There are desks in Japan. No they don`t fly though they probably have so function where it gravitates.

Mi-sensei had to leave soon after for a doctors appointment so I was alone chatting it up with the senseis as best I could with my 200 word vocabulary list. Everyone says `jiyozu` and I feel such shame knowing they mean for a white fatso. I guess I am skilled if we think of it that way. The people were really laid back and relaxed with one teacher actually wearing jean capris. I felt like turning her in just to see what would happen.

All of a sudden - `Vanessa! Please follow` And out the door I go, to the back of school for the fire assimilation. Yup, on my first day I had to take control of a firehose and wield that baby myself. It felt great because I sucked so bad I got all wet which was a cool relief. Thank goodness for sports bras as I was wearing a white shirt. The teachers cheered and yelled and though I understood about 1.459273% of it, it was in that moment of craziness I fell in love. again.

The rest of the day went by quickly. No enkai for me which made me sad but I think they may be waiting for the other teachers on vacation before we go. I am looking forward to the day! Lunch time I went to a Thai restaurant with another JTE (Japanese English Teacher) and a Biology teacher. The owner scared the bejezzes out of me with rubber spiders, scorpians juimping out of boxes and a plasic snake crawling up my leg. I only screamed twice - be proud.

1 comment:

  1. wooooow! so cool! you have to take me to that manga library! ...and your school! ...and the restauran! AND EVERYWHERE! :)

    ReplyDelete