Today, there was a Yamanashi middle school track meet. About two thirds of the students and teachers went. I didn't. Those that remained had a half day. We had class. But because we couldn't teach the curriculum with most of the students gone we had to come up with another idea. Then, the unthinkable happened. Flexibility was shown. The schedule was changed so that all the kids had English and music back to back. We combined all the classes and watched "School of Rock". It was awesome.
Then we spent fourth period outside with gardening tools, in a half-assed attempt to rid the sports field of the grass that has grown there.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Meetings!
To emphasize the Japanese fixation on meetings, I'm copying the itinerary from my friend's school's overnight. This is is:
[It is the schedule for a 2 day/1 night trip to Takato, Nagano. The Shimobe passion for meetings has gone beyond pathological. Sorry it lacks detail but I am a little busy right now.
7:00am meet at Tokiwa station for a meeting,
7:30am board bus (speeches fill the 2.5 hour ride)
10:00 arrive in Takato and have a meeting/opening ceremony
10:30-2:00 orientation activities in Takato (includes lunch)
2:00pm award ceremonies and meeting
2:30pm drive to hotel
3:00pm meeting in parking lot to discuss opening ceremony at hotel - I am serious!
3:30pm opening ceremony at hotel to discuss hotel facilities and schedule
4:00pm go to rooms. Students free time/teacher's meeting
4:30pm meet in gym for dodgeball game (short opening ceremony of course)
5:30pm closing/awards ceremony, explain where dinner will be served etc.
5:45pm meeting in lunchroom to discuss what food is available at the buffet.
6:00pm itadakemasu meeting (10 min) and dinner
6:45pm gochisosama meeting and how to clear your table (15 min)
7:00pm students free time/teacher's meeting (5 hours)
12:00pm lights out.
6:00am rise and shine (fold bedding and cleaning)
7:00am morning meeting (opening ceremony)
7:45am breakfast meeting (what food is available at the buffet)
8:00am breakfast
8:45am meeting to discuss next activity (which is making lunch)
9:00am meet at firepits for a meeting on how to make lunch
9:30am begin making lunch
11:00am tanoshikatta meeting while food gets cold
11:15am eat
12:00pm meeting to discuss cleaning procedure
12:15pm cleaning
1:00pm inspection and closing ceremony
1:30pm go play gateball
3:00pm closing ceremony at hotel
3:30pm tanoshikatta speeches on bus ride home including a 15 minute speech by Mochizuki at the rest stop.
6:00pm arrive at Tokiwa beer store and buy a 6 pack of tall boys - chug 3 in the first hour with the lights off and curtains drawn rocking back and forth whimpering.
It all adds up to something like 18 hours of meetings in a 36 hour trip (half the time, including sleeping and transportation)]
He hates his school.
[It is the schedule for a 2 day/1 night trip to Takato, Nagano. The Shimobe passion for meetings has gone beyond pathological. Sorry it lacks detail but I am a little busy right now.
7:00am meet at Tokiwa station for a meeting,
7:30am board bus (speeches fill the 2.5 hour ride)
10:00 arrive in Takato and have a meeting/opening ceremony
10:30-2:00 orientation activities in Takato (includes lunch)
2:00pm award ceremonies and meeting
2:30pm drive to hotel
3:00pm meeting in parking lot to discuss opening ceremony at hotel - I am serious!
3:30pm opening ceremony at hotel to discuss hotel facilities and schedule
4:00pm go to rooms. Students free time/teacher's meeting
4:30pm meet in gym for dodgeball game (short opening ceremony of course)
5:30pm closing/awards ceremony, explain where dinner will be served etc.
5:45pm meeting in lunchroom to discuss what food is available at the buffet.
6:00pm itadakemasu meeting (10 min) and dinner
6:45pm gochisosama meeting and how to clear your table (15 min)
7:00pm students free time/teacher's meeting (5 hours)
12:00pm lights out.
6:00am rise and shine (fold bedding and cleaning)
7:00am morning meeting (opening ceremony)
7:45am breakfast meeting (what food is available at the buffet)
8:00am breakfast
8:45am meeting to discuss next activity (which is making lunch)
9:00am meet at firepits for a meeting on how to make lunch
9:30am begin making lunch
11:00am tanoshikatta meeting while food gets cold
11:15am eat
12:00pm meeting to discuss cleaning procedure
12:15pm cleaning
1:00pm inspection and closing ceremony
1:30pm go play gateball
3:00pm closing ceremony at hotel
3:30pm tanoshikatta speeches on bus ride home including a 15 minute speech by Mochizuki at the rest stop.
6:00pm arrive at Tokiwa beer store and buy a 6 pack of tall boys - chug 3 in the first hour with the lights off and curtains drawn rocking back and forth whimpering.
It all adds up to something like 18 hours of meetings in a 36 hour trip (half the time, including sleeping and transportation)]
He hates his school.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Japanese TV Part 5
Sometimes I just don't understand...
The rage in Japan is comedy fads. A performer finds a bit that's sort of funny. He performs it on a variety show. It gains popularity and becomes a sensation. But the funny thing is rarely a character, or a sketch. It's usually just a single joke. One bit. And it becomes a sensation. These things, naturally, only last about six months before fading away, and the performer becomes a panelist on another variety/game show.
Right now, this guy is the current fad. All he does is count. And when he gets to 3, 5, sometimes 6, sometimes 8, and 9, he does a funny voice. That's it. That's his whole thing. My kids love it. They love when I do it. They come up to me and say "ich, ni," hoping that I'll say "SAN" in a funny voice. They can't get enough of it. I think its the stupidest thing ever.
When I came to Japan, this guy was the fad. In this clip, he's doing a commercial for a Pokemon-like game called "Dragon Tamer", but the shtick is virtually the same no matter what the context. Six months ago, the kids liked when I said "sonnano kanke ne" and did the thing that he does, but now they don't care about that. This guy has retired his speedo and now appears (fully clothed) on variety shows.
Before I came to Japan, about a year and a half ago, Hard Gay was the fad. He actually does a character, so I think he's idea had more legs than these other things. But now, he's old news.
Update: I don't know why, but some of those links went down. Here's another video of Kojima Yoshio - the "opapi" guy. Here's the counting guy - counting in English for an American guy - this is extra weird...
The rage in Japan is comedy fads. A performer finds a bit that's sort of funny. He performs it on a variety show. It gains popularity and becomes a sensation. But the funny thing is rarely a character, or a sketch. It's usually just a single joke. One bit. And it becomes a sensation. These things, naturally, only last about six months before fading away, and the performer becomes a panelist on another variety/game show.
Right now, this guy is the current fad. All he does is count. And when he gets to 3, 5, sometimes 6, sometimes 8, and 9, he does a funny voice. That's it. That's his whole thing. My kids love it. They love when I do it. They come up to me and say "ich, ni," hoping that I'll say "SAN" in a funny voice. They can't get enough of it. I think its the stupidest thing ever.
When I came to Japan, this guy was the fad. In this clip, he's doing a commercial for a Pokemon-like game called "Dragon Tamer", but the shtick is virtually the same no matter what the context. Six months ago, the kids liked when I said "sonnano kanke ne" and did the thing that he does, but now they don't care about that. This guy has retired his speedo and now appears (fully clothed) on variety shows.
Before I came to Japan, about a year and a half ago, Hard Gay was the fad. He actually does a character, so I think he's idea had more legs than these other things. But now, he's old news.
Update: I don't know why, but some of those links went down. Here's another video of Kojima Yoshio - the "opapi" guy. Here's the counting guy - counting in English for an American guy - this is extra weird...
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