A lot of literature and other stuff comes to all JET participants from the main office and others. I tend to flip through stuff, including essays, articles, photographs, etc.
The one thing I can tell you that I feel every time is intense jealousy. You see while I live a very mundane and decidedly un-Japanese life in the most indescript of places in Japan, others are out participating in local festivals, living the local life, living a life with something meaningful. My featureless section of featureless Saitama often feels like it has absolutely nothing going for it. I get jealous and throw out the materials I receive.
I know it's not precisely like that, but it often feels that way. At these times, I feel sorry for myself and others who were unfortunate enough to be placed here.
Today I reviewed with my teacher the use of the very popular and very useful English modifier fucking. The new head principal at the school has proven himself to be rather strict about something which doesn't need such tight policing, and we were voicing our displeasure about it. He asked me to express it in English.
Of particular note were fucking stupid and this fucking sucks.
There's a lesson I wouldn't mind teaching every day ...
I recorded my best yet DJ set a few weeks ago, and finally got around to making a tracklist and a torrent. So if you're one of those who is savvy to BitTorrent, please give the set a download and a listen. I personally think it's a fantastic set, and those who have listened to it tend to agree it's my best. Without further ado, the torrent link is below.
BITTORRENT: Neurotic - Girls vs. Boys
Enjoy!
Summer started a while ago, but I barely noticed the passage of the Solstice thanks to the fact that school is in session straight through the end of July. But there are other, less calendar-based signs:
- It has been consistently 30-35 (85-95 for you F folks) degrees every day with at least 80% humidity.
- As a result, I cannot stop sweating.
- The cicadas have started. For me this is the #1 indicator of summer in Japan.
- One of my teachers, who wears nothing but a full suit, has started rolling up his sleeves.
- Every evening, the one thing I desire more than anything else is a very cold, very tall beer. Not Japanese, preferably, but I'll take what I can get.
Back home, summer is more than halfway over. Here, the heat has just begun.
I bought a shirt the other day (big-time sales here, woohoo!) and received some sort of re-usable bag with it. Whatever.
I was staring at it today in some sort of reverie, and realized it was supposed to be a word in English.
Can you figure out what it is? (Click the link)
I have over the past year been reading, with increasing irritation, the regularly-released promotional material that is produced at my school. The purpose of these pamphlets/books/etc. is to promote our school to parents and students of junior high schools. Students in Japan have a choice of which high school they may go to, as opposed to simply being relegated to whatever school is in their district.
The problem is that despite the fact that I have been here for two frickin years, they keep printing pictures of my predecessor. Perhaps they haven't figured out that there is a huge difference between the two white dudes who have been at their school, but he left years ago. It's a real nice way to be reminded that to the people designing/deciding/editing these things, I am just a faceless foreigner. Every time I see his face once more plastered across something describing their great English program, I get more annoyed. I know there are pictures of me teaching class, because God knows every 2 weeks someone is sneaking around taking pictures in classes. I know I'm not exactly the most photogenic ALT ever to grace the JET program, but come on, sadly the picture they chose for him isn't flattering either. Get with the times, people! Grr.
I am given respite in knowing that my fellow English teachers also think it's stupid, and that probably they will do this to whoever my successor is. But at times like these, you really do wonder about what kind of value you have for the people you're working with.