Sportiness

Yay for Sports Day! And we won the teacher's relay-take that you whipper snappers.

On Friday.
(While staring at the wall.)

Principal: Kate-san!
Kate-San: (snaps to) Yes?
Principal: 800 meters, okay?
Kate-San: Um, you mean running? (swings arms in pendulum-like motion)
Principal: Yes! Running. (He is referring to the upcoming Sports Day. It's like field day but in a more military/borderline violent way.)
Kate-San: Um........... (enter other English teacher)
English Teacher: She doesn't like sports. (Kate shoots grateful, non-athletic look.)
Principal: Oh.....well.

(a few hours pass)

Gym Teacher: So you're running in the teacher relay, right?
Me: (having already given in) Yeah, I guess so.
Gym Teacher: Good. It's only one hundred meters each. Besides, you're the youngest teacher, so you should.

Damnit! This is going to result in a pulled muscle and a lot of shame.


This weekend was a doozie. Went to a beach party about an hour out of Nagoya. Lotsa bands, lotsa DJs, lotsa kebab sandwiches. Will's band played and rocked a jelly fish or two for sure. It was so much fun that at some point we ended up in the back of a Cadillac limousine with free beer playing with the buttons that make the partition go up and down. Gangsta.

Cutesy, loud, obnoxious? Check, check and check.

Check out those gams!

Arty band photo.

Today I woke up on the floor with tatami mat etched into my face, so the day began kind of rough. That is until Mihoko and Linea came to visit me from Toyama! It was fun to see them! I'll be headed back there in a few weeks for a show.

Tuesday doesn't have to be Monday to suck

Yesterday sucked. There was a fight at school (student on teacher-totally nuts), we had mystery meat with an even more mysterious sauce for lunch and I had to wait at the doctor for three hours listening to Muzak versions of the NeverEnding Story themesong. But once I got home I was greeted with a delightful homemade chicken soup a la Pooty (a.k.a. the Ladle of Love) and 4 episodes of Arrested Development. Needless to say, things got better.

The weekend was okay-went to a wedding party and won a plastic boob. There was a nose hair competition too, but didn't win any. Love those wedding games. Found a good public bath not too far from here too. Nothing like a good starin' to make you feel good about your naked self.

As for today there's not much going on at school as the kids train for Sports Day. I need money, and I'm trying to land some private lessons up in my hood, we'll see how that goes.

(P.S. I'd love a Twix bar. If anyone has the gumption, feel free to mail me one, and I'll send you a picture of me eating it. And don't try to fun size me either. There's nothing fun about less Twix bar.)

Can I get a "what the hell did you just say to me"?

So my new school is pretty great, but there have been a few down sides. For example:

(In the lunchroom)

Jerk-off Harassing Kid: Hello!
Delightful English Teacher Me: Hello!
Jerk-off Harassing Kid: Suck my d**k!
Delightful English Teacher Me: Watch it buddy.
Jerk-off Harassing Kid: Oh, sorry! I'm so sorry.

He probably didn't know exactly what he was saying, and at least his English was correct, but I gotta say, the urge to snatch his ear was far stronger than my appreciation of his grammar. Like seriously, who says that to a teacher? And again...

(In class)

Patient Saintly Kate: Let's talk about our dislikes! Hey, what do you dislike?
Racist Little Bigot: Foreigners.
Patient Saintly Kate: Oh, that's too bad. It's a good thing I'm Japanese.
Racist Little Bigot: Huh?

Sigh. That being said, most of the kids are genial, funny, and generally don't talk sh*t. Just found out there's a new, young English teacher starting at our school next week. I'm trying to toughen her up like Burgess Meredith in Rocky, but I don't know if she quite knows what she's in for. No worries, tomorrow is Friday and my favorite class is cooking spaghetti with yours truly. It will no doubt be the envy of all the other classes, especially considering there are chocolate chip cookies to be had as well.

Yay three day weekend!

I'll Shows you mine

Apart from swell public transportation and delicious eateries, living in the big city also provides endless evening entertainment! Here's the last week-in shows.

Saw a bunch of arty/sounds bands at a club I'd never been to before about the size of my kitchen. I think my favorite was a group called Steve Jackson. I don't know who this Steve is, but he inspired a melodious cover of "Anarcy in the U.K". Also got to hear some original bird noises.

This was a concert put on by Will's work. We weren't really sure what we were in for. This band was like over the top Poison meets Van Halen at Bon Jovi's pool party. I think the lighting says it all.

Will's buddies, Elekibass, are the nicest band in the world. They might just be the happiest band on earth. At least the happiest band in suits and derby hats.

This is an old picture, but I've been to bluegrass a few times now and it's so much fun. The soft tacos only add to the experience.

Had my first day at school Friday. It was great! The commute isn't too terrible either.

I will now rate my new school based on my highly evolved 1-10 school rating system.


Coffee: 7-Because it isn't that instant crap.

Assorted Snacks Next to Coffee Maker: 9-some were from Austria. Nothing says "welcome to our school" like eating Mozart's chocolate face.

My Desk: 8-The view is good, and my chair is new.

Tea Lady Friendliness: 8-She is on top of her game. It's gotta be the apron.

Principal Friendliness: 9-He smiled a lot and asked me about Georgia.

Overall Teacher Friendliness: 10-Everyone was so damn nice, set me up with lots of extra pencils and even invited me to lunch. One teacher was friendly enough to share his favorite c.d. with me-Boston "Third Stage."


I don't want to speak too soon, but things are starting off well. I teach my first classes next Tuesday. That's when I get to the meat and potatoes of liking my job-the childrens. Speaking of meat.....

....that's whale. I didn't eat any, but I imagine it would taste like how Mastodon sounds.

And it might cause this.

Updates and new hates!

Hey there, ladies and germs. Thought I'd throw a little update out there for yous guys. This week has been super busy with training for my new job which starts tomorrow. I'll be working at a Junior High School, same as before, teaching.......English! I went there on Tuesday to meet them and the teachers seem pretty okay.....except for one. I have a feeling one of my teachers is going to be difficult, like really difficult. But we'll wait and see. Maybe my exotic charm and big teeth will win her over.

Not so worried about her as much as what will soon become the new bane of my existence.

It's called "Rhythm Tengoku" and a certain someone bought it today. The music is super annoying, especially when hooked to the t.v. at full volume. (It is pretty fun though.)

Mostly settled into the new apartment. Got a fridge, stove, easel, and I'm getting a free table and chairs this weekend. Living in the city is proving to be really fun. Checked out a good show last weekend, there's always different places to go and new things to do and I just spruced up my bicycle to tool around the town. Sometimes a small part of me misses the relaxed country way of living, at which point I come to and realizes that renting movies and eating bentos by yourself in your underwear every night is more than a little lame.