The Tea Lady

Every school has its own “Tea Lady”. The tea lady hangs out in the tea room (teachers break room) and sets out food and drinks (tea) for the teachers. She also leaves a hot mug of tea of everyone’s desk in the morning. Every time I walk into an elementary school, their tea lady gives me a class of iced tea. Every time!

The tea lady at our junior high school is really cool. She speaks perfect English. In fact, before she became the tea lady at the school a year and a half ago, she taught English conversation at a private school in Kofu (for some reason she had to work closer to her house – a family issue, I think). She even lived for several years in Northern California. Its really nice – when I have nothing to do, I can hang out with her in the tea room.

It’s really good to have people who have been to America in the office (her and Kae). They can see the ridiculousness of certain things that happen around the school (I’m talking about the things that happen to me). For instance, having me cut bamboo or do a “folk” dance with the students. For the other Japanese people in the office, that’s perfectly normal. Why shouldn’t the children do a random, bizarre “folk” dance? Why shouldn’t the American join them? At least Kae and the tea lady have the wherewithal to laugh…