Can I Get an Otsu kama sama please?!

*Culture and Langauge note: Otsu kama sama deshita. This translates to "thank you for your heard work" roughly. It's said all the time. Usually said when you leave work or after a practise of some sort.

Today, I taught five classes all of which we're about Halloween. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, but by the last class of the day I was really trying to keep up my enthusiam for candy and costumes.

On Wednesday, I had to teach one of my 3rd year classes...by MYSELF! When my JTE told me, I swear I almost cried. The third years? On my own? The first few classes with them hadn't been very smooth. Probably noticing the instant change of expression on my face from very genki(enthusiastic) to super kanashii(sad), she assured me that I wouldn't be totally alone and that one of the assistant teachers would be in the classroom.

"Oh that's great," I thought. "If she can come out with some brilliant English in the next day to help explain Halloween to the students, then yes, I'd be okay."

Of course, no such thing happened. Nihongo Ganbare!

I prepared Halloween games for the class the week before, but Monday and Tuesday I was a silent wreck.

The day before, my friends who much more skilled in Japanese, despite what they say, helped me write the directions in Japanese to explain the game.

Then comes the day. A Wednesday. A particular sunny, yet cold day. I dawned my green dress and witches hat and prepared myself for what I thought would be the worse class ever.

Class begins. The students stroll into the classroom. Thank goodness for the announcement the JTE made about me teaching on my lonesome.

But, have ye a lil faith, sensei!

IT WAS AMAZING! Honestly, I don't give my students enough credit. I was having some trouble connecting with the third years before, but I think this class was just what was needed to break whatever layer of ice that remained. Before, they simple nodded at me with a quiet "konnichiwa" when I walked past them, now they won't leave me alone.

I shared my Halloween memories and traditions with them, showed a bit of the Nightmare Before Christmas, and gave out lots of candy. And Nightmare Before Christmas is a totally legitimate Halloween movie!

And with that...can I get an Ostsu kama same desu?!

Just Shut Up and Listen

It's easy to fall into this position as a teacher thinking that you and only you are the sensei.

I think it's especially easy when we're young and we've just cut the ribbon into the "real world." We're motivated and our friends are telling us that world isn't ready for us. There's so much motivation and that's good. We need that drive. At the same time, whatever position you may be in, it is important to keep in mind that teaching and learning is a two way streak.

Yes, I'm teaching, but I often fail to realize that these students are going to teach and broaden my horizons. As I teach, I'll learn and vice versa.

While JET has us here for internalization, it is important to keep in mind what Japanese culture can teach us and what we can learn from each other as we will be interacting with people from all over the world.

Sometimes we need to stop talking and just listen. Which is something I'm really learning now.

Just shut up for a minute or two and hear what people gotta say.

Katsumoto Festival

Not much to report about this particular event. I went to a festival this weekend in Katsumoto, which is the Northern part of the island. A good 30 minute drive from house. Some elementary schools, the Junior high school and other groups of the Katsumoto community danced in a parade and several, I'm guessing, the Iki fathers, in drag. All in all, it was another wonderful weekend followed by an "wild and extreme" Iki party.

Osaka! O,Osaka!

Last week, I went up to Osaka for a JETS of African Descent trip. Lemme tell yah! It was so wonderful to see all the different shades of brown and the different hairstyles and just be with people that looked like and understood where I was coming from. I could bring up race and it wasn't awkward! Yay!! Oh, I was a happy duck. I say it loud, I'm Black and I'm proud!

I took the Shinkansen for the first time and it does sort of feel like you're floating...very quickly. The ride was smooth and the days were chill. I made friends with a native Osakan who gave me and a friend free cookies that his wife baked, had AUH-MAZING Mexican food and as always partook in the Osaka nightlife.

I feel another trip to Osaka needs to be in the works...

Is this Happening?

Sitting at my desk during a free period, I got to thinking about my life just 6 months before Japan. A while back, during the summer vacation, I was still required to go to school for a half-day. I did a whole lot of nothing those first few weeks at school. Out of boredom, I decided to go back in my planner and remember all the major events of the past year and write them down. I dunno why I felt the need to do this. But a lot has happened. I look at certain dates and I can remember the exact emotions I felt and events that occurred.

Maybe it's the pure craziness of this year. Not just 2011, but 2010. Since the beginning of college, I have been going non-stop. That is until I came here to Iki. I have never had so much time to think and listen to my own thoughts. I write countless pages of random thoughts. I write them whenever and wherever. For if I don't, I'm pretty sure my brain would explode.

But it's crazy to think that just 4 months ago I was sitting with my friends dawning our Harry Potterish caps and gowns-some of us hungover and exhuasted from senior week festivities. Or two weeks before that grand day, I was having the most insane final exam week of my college career. And many months before that going into the self-buisness world so that I wouldn't have to ask my parents for money to live, trying to assert my independence and not be burden. Which,by the way, was complete disaster. Or just falling to the floor from the stress of senior year and being curled up on the common room floor cursing at myself to get it together before my roommates find me in such a state.

Or hanging in the pub for hours and hours and then cursing myself for not getting any work done, but at same time grateful for time spent with my friends. Going to moonies despite declarations that I would never go there again. And now I'm here. I have these moments when I freak out because here I am in Japan working and speaking or at least trying to speak Japanese on a daily basis.

What?

Is this really happening?

Am I really trying to teach these children?

Yes and yes!