No incidents at Nagawachuu- there was some abusive language by the teacher of course and a lot of gossip in the teacher's lounge, (some of it about me, I think, but I have adopted permanent earmuffs at that desk) but it wasn't heavy and moved along pretty quickly. Genta was seated at the front of class again today and the teacher told me he gets really annoying whenever I'm around. I think he likes me so I have to figure out how to use that to teach the kid. When I read my paper today, if I would look directly at him he seemed to be putting effort into understanding it. But he also seemed to want to ham it up to get my attention that way. I figure ignoring his childlike behavior and rewarding his studious behavior with attention might mend some of his showboating. Just have to be careful to keep my focus balanced on the other students as well. I don't know hardly any of their names, but I know Genta well. Says a lot for the squeaky wheels. And having had one as an older sister, I know that though it can be a bad quality, it's also very useful if its wielder learns how and when to utilize it. He certainly gives the teachers something to enjoy every day. I hope he can make it through the system without being turned into a soulless robot/apathetic douchebag. But since that's the entire purpose of the system it's going to take some luck and natural stubbornness. I think he's got the stubbornness, so I will wish him luck.
Missed the bus this morning out of pure "I can't get out of bed or move quickly seeing as it is 48 degrees in my room". That's 9 degrees Celcius, I think. I tried leaving the stove on all night a few nights ago and even on the lowest setting I ended up so hot I couldn't sleep the night through, waking up to turn it off and finding the room still pretty chilly in the morning. Rather than contacting the office and having them panic/drive me to the school, where I would then wait for an hour doing nothing (class doesn't start until 9:40 and the teacher often isn't even in the teacher's room for the 待ち合わせ period) I figured I'd just catch the next bus and pray nobody called anybody/said anything. No one would notice. And for the most part no one did. The Nagawa folks didn't call the office until a few minutes before the next bus (about 8:50, nearly an hour after the first bus). Had they waited literally ten more minutes I would have been clear. Unfortunately I tripped on that last hurdle and my plan backfired violently. So everyone at the office was worried- apparently assumed I was passed out in my room with the flu. Why is it these people don't care about any condition other than the flu?
Sigh.
I'm just tired again, and need to recover. But the flourescent light of my room and the heat that only seems to heat up one side/costs an arm and a leg each month (crap I have to pay my kyuushoku bill real bad, along with all the others) is getting me down.
Glad that Nagawachuu isn't the beast it used to be, but also somewhat concerned. Could it be I have just gotten used to how terrible the teaching method is over here? Compared to other teachers I've seen, Makie is actually pretty good. And when I talk to her as a student to a teacher her attitude is very good- she genuinely does like teaching people (when she doesn't catch a wild spiteful hair and wants to tear something to pieces). Today I asked her what hints and gestures she used to help her students memorize things and she taught me. Having that knowledge under my belt just makes me feel so much better. On the opposite side of the spectrum, tomorrow is Usuchuu again and the thought of diving back into that shark tank is painful. I will ask Ando sensei if she uses gestures, hints, tricks, or anything else to get the students to understand, but I seriously doubt she does any such thing or has ever repeated them to the point that the students would remember them. But I studied the textbooks structure, and this time, I should be able to help explain and teach. As for the bullies... I will work on my Bruce Willis I WILL BREAK YOU stare. We'll see.
PS- today's exercise for Nagawachuu was Thanksgiving Day. This one was really a bitch to write because I remembered what I was doing last year- spending the holiday at home with Ayaka and my mom. I can just picture Ayaka's content little face peeking out of the blankets as she watched Beauty and the Beast. I wish I could go see her. Maybe I could be the foreigner in her house this year. Sometime.
For the second years, who have the highest comprehension and やる気 of all the students, I wrote the following sentences about winter in Montana. "It snows often in Montana. I like to see the pure-white world. It is very quiet and beautiful." Coupled with the thought of naps, imagining my warm home where snow coming down is a welcome wonder and not another element of life trying to kick my ass, it is a bitter thing to remember right now.
But if this year has taught me anything, it is that many of the loving and trancendental thoughts I have had over the years have been a luxury provided by a very comfortable lifestyle, and the number of people who are pampered so is few. It is no wonder the lower class cannot move up without someone helping them. They are using all of their gusto just to keep their heads above water.
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