English Lesson Plan - Use it or Lose it!

I often receive complements for my fun and interactive English lessons. Therefore, I am here to share some lessons plans with you. Remember, English in elementary is meant to be fun and a way to spark interest. Nevertheless, I like to challenge my students by making the material a bit harder. Take a look and feel free to use any activity for your own lessons! If you have any questions, let me know by commenting below!

Kindergarten

• ごれい：これから英語で遊ぼうを始めます。よろしくおねがいします
• （Let's start English Playtime. Regard us favorably)
• あいさつ (Greeting): Good morning or good afternoon
• If You're Happy and You Know It (regular tempo and fast)
• Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes (regular tempo but speed up until ridiculously fast)
• Days of the week practice
• Days of the week marching game: Have the kids line up behind you and march while reviewing the days of the week. When you yell out "Stop!", they have to freeze. If they move, they are out. It's similar to Daruma-san Ga Koronda or our Red Light, Green Light.
• Today's Lesson: Colors
• Practice the name of the colors
• Play "Hot Potato" with colors.
• The students pass a ball around while music is playing. Whoever is holding the ball when the music stops is out. However, in order to pass the ball you need to say a color in English. You are also out if you say the word in Japanese, repeat a color over and over, or repeat the color of the previous person.
• Review colors once more
• ごれい：これから英語で遊ぼうを終わります。ありがとうございました。
• Rock, Paper, Scissors with them and quickly leave before they get touchy.

4th Grade

Saturday and Sunday as well
 

• ごれい： (Class leader chants and everyone repeats): Pay attention! ::clap,clap clap::  Lets start English class!
• あいさつ (Greeting): Good morning or good afternoon
• Days of the week Review, regular, fast, super fast, and slow motion
• Months of the year - regular, fast, super fast, and slow motion
• Let's count: 1-50
• How's the weather? It's ~
• How are you? I'm ~
• Today's lesson: ABCs
• Pronunciation
• Caution: B and V; G, J, and Z; R, L, and O
• ABC Song practice
• ZYX Song practice (yes, we sing it backwards too)
• ABC Song Mini Game
• Split the class into two teams and have them form a choir at diffent ends of the class room. See who can sing the loudest. The losing team has to sing the song again.
• A-Z line up game
• You can split the class into teams or just have the entire class participate. Time to see how long it takes them to arrange a set of mixed alphebet cards on the board.
• Right now, I have the whole class participate and they are competing with other grades.
• ごれい： (Class leader chants and everyone repeats): Pay attention! ::clap,clap clap::  Lets finish English class!
• Together: Thank you! See you soon! Goodbye: Rock, Paper Scissors, 1, 2, 3!

6th Grade

Hi Friends! Textbook

• ごれい： (Class leader chants and everyone repeats): Pay attention! ::clap,clap clap::  Lets start English class!
• あいさつ (Greeting): Good morning or good afternoon
• Days of the week - regular speed, fast, super fast and slow motion
• Months of the year - regular speed, fast, super fast and slow motion
• Let's count: 1-100
• How's the weather? It's ~
• How are you? I'm ~
• Today's Lesson: Alphabet (lowercase)
• ABC Writing Drill: They have three minutes to practice writing the alphabet. Then, they have two minutes to do it by memory on a seperate page.
• Ex: Aa Bb Cc Dd Ee...etc.
• A-Z Line Up Game (timed competition between 3rd - 6th grade)
• Z-A Line Up Game
• Hi Friends! p. 4 Activity: 見たことあるアルファベットの表示を書き写そう。(Copy English signs that you have seen)
• Ex: Stop, Koban/Police, open, etc.
• Students then need to tell you what they found, spell it and give you the meaning in Japanese.
• I always get a funny reaction when I have them give me the meaning of "taxi." Because in Japanese, it's "taxi."
• ごれい： (Class leader chants and everyone repeats): Pay attention! ::clap,clap clap::  Lets finish English class!
• Together: Thank you! See you soon! Goodbye: Rock, Paper Scissors, 1, 2, 3!

I advise anyone to set some time aside in order to make a successful lesson plan. Elementary is fun, but children who are bored are not. Have the students say the flashcards, quiz them individually, or have them quiz eachother. Have they sung the ABC song until their throats bleed? Now, have them sing it while facing the back of the room. Also, set rules to every game! You'll be surprised that the children will call each other out when someone has broken a rule - ruthless!

 

Since it's summer time, give the kids a two minute water break if you are doing any physical English activities. This is especially true for the kindergarteners, so take into account the heat and/or lack of A.C.

 

Last, ask your B.O.E or school for a planner so that you know what lessons were taught the previous class. You can also purchase a regular day planner as well. The idea is to be organized.

 

My planner! Isn't it cute?

 

 

Good luck!

 

Awkward Conversations in the Staff Room

I'm not a stranger to weird, personal questions, but this ranked a 9.5 on my Awkward Meter

On Monday, the ladies at my school congregated around the snack table and talked about nothing in particular. This was typical, but today was special because all the men were out for the day, which caused unfiltered conversations amongst the women.

The school nurse flipped through the pages of a newspaper and eventually stopped to point out a weight-loss ad. The ad showed a chesty women with measuring tape wrapped around her impossibly small waist. The school nurse admired the woman's breast but noticed something off about her face. I speculated that the woman has multiple procedures done to enhance her looks, and I also pointed out her boob-booty disparity. Then my school nurse said, "Speaking of boobs, my friend had on a nipple pack the other day." Apparently her friend is currently trying to bleach her nipples, from brown to pink, using a blend of yogurt, cucumbers, and lime (or lemon) juice.* How she puts it into a "pack" is beyond me, but supposedly it's working.

 I was kind of dumbfounded by the weird things Japanese people do for vanity, but my astonishment was cut short because a teacher asked me, "Are your nipples pink or brown?"

So far, I've been asked fairly innocent questions about my weight, height and age. I've even heard stories of other female ALTs who were asked about their three sizes. However, I think this tops ALL awkward inappropriate-ish questions. I'm a good sport so when she asked, I laughed and said I didn't know.

I can't say that this is a Japan-only situation because I've had all female coworkers in the U.S., and those conversations were always...interesting. 

*Don't try this, like, ever!

When a Pet Passes Away While You're Abroad

It's not easy to hug a hedgehog, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try.

A downside to living abroad is that anything can happen to your loved ones while you are away. In actuality, it's my biggest fear because it's something that I cannot predict or circumvent. Before I came to Japan, I entrusted my five* pets to my parents knowing very well that two of the five were advanced in years, and that I might not see them alive upon my return. 

This morning my boyfriend informed me that my hedgehog, Mrs. Pricklepants, passed away. During my visit in the summer, I noticed that she had thinned - a drastic contrast from the rest of my pets that my mother fattened - and seemed a bit sluggish. Nevertheless, I hoped beyond reason that she would live past the extent of her hedgehog live span. 

That just didn't happen.

To my sweetest pet that loved booty scratches,

Goodbye (´；ω；`)

RIP Mustang and Mrs. P.

Five Pets

1. Chin Chin (cat) - 15 soon!

2. Napoleon a.k.a. Nappi-poo (Red-earred slider; turtle) - 10

3. Panda (Shih Tzu) - 7

4. Tiger (cat) - 7

5. Mrs. Pricklepants - 6

By the way, I don't consider Feisty (cat; 14) as my pet even though she's an indoor cat. 

So, You Wanna Eat Like an Okinawan?

Most people think of sushi and ramen when they think of Japanese food, but what of Okinawan cuisine? With a vast difference in climate, culture, and history, there must be a difference in their cuisines, right? Below, I highlight some of the staple meals, drinks and sweets in Okinawan cuisine that are a must when visiting! Enjoy the food porn!

Main Dishes

Taco Rice - Not to be confused with Tako or Octopus, this Okinawan dish consists of taco-flavored ground beef, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato and salsa, served on a bed of rice. It is a very common meal and you can find Taco Rice almost anywhere in Okinawa. As a pescatarian, I haven't had the opportunity of taste-testing Taco Rice, but my boyfriend became a bit obsessed during his visit here. Try this Oki-Mex meal during your visit!

Click the picture for a link to a recipe 

Champuru - meaning "something mixed" in Okinawan, is a stir-fry dish and consists of either Tofu or Goya (bitter gourd) mixed with vegetables and ham, or spam. Goya is an extremely bitter vegetable that looks like Gozilla's skin. I've had Goya Champuru as a bento, in school lunches, and at restaurants but it's not my favorite dish. I prefer the Tofu Champuru over Goya Champuru, but I know people who swear by Goya. I encourage everyone to at try Goya Champuru least once, but I can't guarantee that you'll like it. Sorry!

Click the picture for a link to a recipe 

Okinawa Soba - is a noodle soup that consists of wheat noodles, instead of buckwheat noodles, that resemble udon, with ramen-esque soup. The usual toppings includes a fish mutton cake, pork slices, and ginger, with other ingredients added depending on the restaurant. Due to the ramen-like soup, this dish is not pescatarian friendly, but I've had it, sans the pork, at a local restaurant. Since then, I buy Okinawa soba noodles and cook it in vegetable stock with my own  special ingredients. 

Click the picture for a link to a recipe 

Drinks

Shikuwasa Juice - is a Okinawan common lime that is made into a sour drink packed with Vitamin C. Although it's considered a common lime and can be used for cooking, this is not lime juice. It actually taste nothing like lime juice. I should know, because I hate anything lime or lemon flavored, but I can drink Shikuwasa Juice. Some foreigners, even those with a high level of Japanese, are put off by the name since it always referred to in katakana (script used for foreign words). If you're ever in Okinawa, try some!

Orion Beer - Japan's 5th largest brewery, Orion Beer, commands more than 50% of the beer market in Okinawa. Sadly, this 5% alcohol-content drink only has a 1% penetration in mainland Japan. Therefore, Orion Beer is not readily available in mainland Japan, and you may have to search for a bit to find some. Unfortunately, I can't give a review on Orion Beer, but I found a helpful video to do it for me! Watch below!

Fun Fact! One of my friends here in Okinawa was Miss Orion Beer! I see her posters all the time around the island! 

The lovely lady on the right

Awamori - is an alcoholic beverage unique to Okinawa that is made from distilled, not brewed, rice.  Awamori has a 30-40% alcohol content and because of such high demands, modern Awamori is made from Thai rice instead of Japanese rice. The most common way to drink Awamori is mixed with water or on the rocks. The taste is nothing short of rubbing alcohol, but it's a popular drink for the brave.

Sweets

Chinsuko - or as I like to call them "Okinawan Crack Cookies," are a type of short bread cookie/biscuit. If you want a similar taste, head to your local supermarket and pick up a pack of Keebler Sandies. Chinsuko are popular souvenir foods, but you can find them at local supermarkets in Okinawa. My only warning is that they are really addicting! Eat with responsibility!

Sata Andaagi - are deep-fried Okinawan donuts! Sata means "sugar", anda mean "oil," and agi means "fried" in Okinawan. The Japanese equivalent to name would be sato (or "sugar") abura (or "oil") age (or "fried"). The taste of Sata Andaagi isn't unfamiliar to those who have eaten carnival food but be sure to have a glass of milk ready, because they can be a bit dry.

Click the picture for a link to a recipe 

Ben-imo - According to the famous Dr. Oz, Okinawan Sweet Potatoes or Ben-imo are a super food, rich in beta-carotene, that have "150% more antioxidants than blueberries." Is this the secret to Okinawa's longevity? Who knows! But you will find Beni-mo and Beni-mo-flavored sweets everywhere! The color may be a bid daunting, but do yourself a favor and try everything  Beni-mo. You won't regret it!!

Ben-imo Kitkat!

#FaithInHumanityRestored

More often than not, I witness ridiculously heartwarming situations that restore my faith in humanity.

Here’s one example:

As I taught the 2-1 class at Ginoza Elementary words to describe the weather (i.e. sunny, rainy, cloudy, etc.), I noticed that Kota, a special needs student, was in attendance. This wasn’t a problem because I have taught him before, but I hoped the lesson would not be too difficult for him. After I reviewed the words, I asked the students to push back their desk and make a circle with their chairs in order to play Fruit Basket. 

Fruit Basket is a game where the students sit in a circle with one person standing in the middle as “It.” After handing out word (in this case, weather) cards, the person who’s “It” calls out a card; for example “sunny.” Those who have “sunny“cards have to stand up and switch sits with the other students who also carry a sunny cards, while the person who’s “It” tries to take an empty seat. Eventually, one person is left without the seat and that person becomes the new “It”. You can also yell out “Fruit Basket,” and watch all the students switch chairs. However, I always eliminate that option because the students would rather say “Fruit Basket” than practice the vocabulary. 

Before long, Kota was left standing the middle, visibly upset as the new “It.” I tried to reassure him, as I slowly reviewed the vocabulary words. However, another boy called out to Kota. I assumed that the boy was going to give up his seat so that Kota would no longer be “It.” Instead, the sitting boy, held Kota’s hands and asked, “何がいい？” or “What is ok? Sunny? Rainy? Cloudy…” The list continued as Kota fiercely shook his head but when the boy said “Snowy,” Kota nodded and the boy instructed him to loudly say the word and run. Kota said the word and was able to find a sit in order to avoid becoming ‘It’ once again.

The interaction between the two really pulled on my heartstrings. It was really touching to see a student helping his special needs friend that I couldn’t help but wonder if that sort of exchange would happen in the U.S. 

(By the way, it's not a secret to his classmates that Kota is a special needs student. They all know and understand that he is limited. Even then, he is not shunned or excluded by any means. What happened to "the nail that sticks out, gets hammered in" philosophy?)

Arigato and Sayonara: Students

In March, English classes began to dwindle as the teachers used that time to practice for the kindergarten and 6th grade graduation. Although, only two classes were graduating, the other grades were involved in the ceremony’s preparation and performances. I welcomed the break from teaching, but I couldn’t help but feel a little sad when I realized I would no longer see my 6th graders. That feeling did not extend to my Satan 6th graders, as I counted the days to the final English class, only for it to be canceled. Thank you Japanese Jesus!

At the other schools, the homeroom teachers ran out of ideas and relied on me to plan the lesson. In elementary schools, it’s not encouraged for the students to learn how to write English, since they are taught in middle school. However, I decided to chuck the rules out of the window and have the students write compliments to one another. I taught them the basic 'You are' and added adjectives such as 'funny, beautiful, handsome, smart, nice, cool, etc.' Then, they would write their names on a blank sheet of paper and pass it to their neighbor. Their neighbor would see the name and write 'You are (insert compliment)' with the explanation in Japanese. The exercise went well and they were really excited about the compliments they received. Surprisingly, a few got daring and wrote “you are handsome/beautiful” to their crush. For the next lesson, I taught them how to insult each other. It sounds foul, but the insults were used to create a 'cootie catcher' or 'paper fortune teller' where fate would either give you a compliment or an insult. It was all in good fun and no feelings were hurt.

Cootie Cather! Will you get a compliment or an insult? Let fate decide!

Never underestimate the power of Pokemon for youe English lessons!

The day before the graduation, my favorite 6th grade class called me outside and thanked me for teaching English. Moreover, they sang a traditional farewell song and posed for a picture.

I'll miss them!

 Graduation day for all three of my schools fell on a Thursday, which meant that I would be forced to watch my Satan 6th graders graduate. Thinking ahead, I used polite Japanese to ask my coordinator if I could visit all three graduations. I would spend half an hour at each starting at Satan school, and quietly excuse myself to visit the other two.

My coordinator thought it was a wonderful idea and granted me permission.  Thank you once again Japanese Jesus!

Elementary graduation is not very different form our own in the U.S. The gym was beautifully decorated and the ceremoney consisted of slide shows, songs, longs speeches, and tearful goodbyes from their homeroom teachers.

Graduation decorations at Satan school

It was a wakeup call that the school year and my time with some of my favorite teachers had ended.

Valentine's Day and White Day

Those of us who are use to receiving extravagant gifts of flowers, chocolate, and jewelry for Valentine’s Day were round-house kicked in the face for Valentine’s Day in Japan. Like many other things, Japan gets Valentine’s Day completely wrong by having only women give men chocolate. There are two types of chocolate that the ladies can give: giri and honmei choco. Giri choco or 'obligation chocolate' is chocolate that you give to your male coworkers and friends. Giri chocolate is usually small and simple. Honmei choco or 'real chocolate' is chocolate that is given to your sweetheart, and they are usually large or handmade chocolates. This can be an exciting time for girls to not-so-subtly express their interest in a boy the the hoeps that he will return the gesture a month later on White Day. If the boy returns the feelings, he will also give her honmei white chocolate and they will most likely date. If he does not, then he will simply give her giri white chocolate or nothing at all, and thus crushing all her hopes.

Who doesn't love Ferrero

Valentine's Day fell on the day I visit my Satan school, and the female teachers collected money in order to buy the male teachers Valentine’s Day chocolates. Since I float between three schools, I was not asked to participate. Instead, I bought the male teachers small Ferrero Rosher chocolates while giving larger chocolates to the principal and a few other close male teachers. A month later, the male staff returned the favor, and I also received White Day chocolate from male students. What made my Valentine's Day exceptional was a care package send by my boyfriend and my mother that contained all sorts of chocolates and goodies. Care packages really help alleviate homesickness and make you appreciate your loved ones.

6th graders White Day chocolate to his favorite (and only) English teacher

For my Valentine's Day lesson, I discussed (using only English) the differences between the Valentine’s Day traditions. It blew the kids’ minds that the Western version of Valentine’s Day includes their White Day. I also had the kids make heart-shaped Valentine’s Day cards for their friends or parents and, afterward, folded the heart-shaped cards into origami envelopes.

Kindergarteners making Valentine's Day cards

Frozen in Hokkaido

I heard the white snow crunch underneath my feet and I felt a sharp pain in my hands. I wondered, what the hell I had gotten myself into.

In October, it was decided that I and a few fellow OkiJETs would take the tour to Japan’s most well-known yuki matsuri or snow festival, the Sapporo Snow Festival. Sapporo is the capital city of Hokkaido, the Japan’s most northern prefecture and island. The snow festival, held between February (insert day), displays an exhibition of snow and ice sculptures at Sapporo’s Odori Park. With my suitcase full of thermals and Frozen’s “Do you want to build a snowman” stuck in my head, I boarded the plane for the coldest weather I have felt in my life.

Upon arriving in Sapporo, we stowed our belongings in a locker and made our way to the snow festival. Sapporo station was immense! It contained an underground shopping mall and those underground walkways found in most cities where the cold is unbearable.

At the snow festival, I first encountered enormous snow structures in support of Japanese athletes in the Sochi Winter Olympics and the upcoming 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The snow festival spanned several blocks and each block represented a certain theme. I paid less attention to the themes and scouted for some of my favorite Japanese characters such as Hello Kitty and Totoro. Aside from the more typical structures, I noticed that some snowmen were of company mascots, and assumed the companies paid hundreds of thousands of yen to create and display their frozen mascots, sort of like snowy Super Bowl commercials. 

Kitty-chan <3

Tots <33

Ice sculptures were displayed on a main street in Sapporo that reminded me of Tokyo’s Shibuya ward due to the amount of jumbotrons. The ice sculptures were beautiful, but my favorites were those that contained real fish and crabs within the ice. It seemed a bit cruel, but they stood out from the rest because of it. 

The food at the snow festival was delicious! I’m not a big eater, but the seafood was amazing! Moreover, they have plenty of hot food, like ramen, crab leg soup, and corn on the cob to warm your innards.

Vegetarian Nabe was so delish!

Well, technically I'm pescatarian ;)

Although the Sapporo Snow Festival and onsens were the highlight of my trip, I also took  a personal day and explored town near Niseko, which was overrun by foreigners on their annual skiing trip. I relaxed, ate at a café, and discovered the one mountain that may rival Mt. Fuji (although Mt. Fuji is technically a volcano). As I walked back to the hotel, I could only hear the snow crunching under my feet. I paused for a moment to listen and I heard nothing. It was eiry but the scenery coupled with the silence brought about a peace that could only come from the stillness of cold.

Those are clouds!

I was happy to experience the snow, but I was also grateful that I didn’t live in it. As a Venezuelan girl who was raised in Miami and is currently living in Okinawa, I was not built for long periods of cold. Maybe I’ll visit Sapporo again, but during the summer. Maybe ね? 

So peaceful (much lens flare!)

Teaching Update

We are almost at the 6th-month mark as my time as teacher here in Japan, and it's time for an update!

M. Elementary

There have been no changes aside from the 6th grade teacher taking a temporary leave of absence due to his health. Last semester, he was gone for a few days as the vice principal and another teacher temporarily took over the class. When he returned, I noticed that he was skipping lunch to drink what looked like baby formula. He was prohibited from eating solids for a week, and then afterwards changed to a bland diet. Last week, I was told that he would be out for the entire semester and would possibly have surgery in his intestines. I felt really bad for him. He and I are both 27, so I felt some camaraderie with him. I recently had a class with the substitute teacher. At first, I had my doubts because she seemed so quiet, but once I had English class I quickly noticed that she is a no nonsense woman. I think she was fairly surprised as well concerning the active participation of the 6th graders. This 6th grade class is full of class clowns but they really get into English class, so it's very enjoyable. I know I won't have issues for the rest of the semester, but I do hope the other teacher has a speedy recovery.

I also brought my boyfriend to the school where he helped out with an English class. Everyone was excited to meet him and it was very cute to see the exchanges between him and the students. Surprisingly, one 5th grade girl came up to him and asked him multiple questions in English. My instruction coming into fruition! Bam!

K. Elementary

Nothing has changed at this school aside from daily greetings from the substitute teacher that once ignored me (haha). Also, there is a new running gag/rumor about me being secretly in love with the 4th grade teacher. During the bonenkai, the 4th grade teacher expressed displeasure at the fact that he and I never talk. I replied saying, "Well, you're always on the computer, right?" which made him laugh because it's true. Either way, a couple weeks later someone asked me if I thought he was handsome and I sarcastically agreed. Well, sarcasm does not carry over in Japanese because the one day he wasn't there because of training, the vice principal said, "Oh Gabi, 4th grade sensei isn't here. That's too bad, huh?"  Umm? Ok? Sure?

Aside from my non-crush, the students and the classes are great! I know most of the 5th and 6th graders by name so it's nice to interact with them between classes.

G. Elementary

As you can imagine, not everything is perfect in Okinawa. I have expressed in my previous post that I feel as though I have not warmed up to this school. I think it would be correct to say that this school has not warmed up to me, as there have been several incidents that have made my Thrusdays and Fridays my least favorite days. First, the students are behaved aside from my Satan 6th Graders. They have not disrespected me since the first incident, but they remain uninterested in English. The one positive change is that the teacher is now more willing to harshly reprimand them during class. At first I think she was worried what I might think, but I think we both know that the students needed the discipline. The first time she yelled at a students she apologized to me afterwards. I told her that there was no need for an apology and reprimanding them was necessary. Out of the 38 student in that class I only know that names of four: two are in the disability class and the other two are tiny troublemakers. 

Second, my largest problem comes from two staff members. Let's start off with the gist of the problem: I think they see me as a distraction and probably don't think that highly of English education. I feel as though they do not want me to interact or speak with other teachers or staff members. 

The first time I noticed this was a few months back when I was speaking to the office lady (a.k.a. the tea lady) about my traditional Okinawan dance performance. I noticed she had a picture of the dance (not mine, but a general one) displayed on her desk and I told her that I knew the dance. She stated her surprise, but then she was suddenly interrupted by a staff member who swoops in, says there is work to be done, and proceeds to talk to the office lady. If this was the only incident, then I would have thought nothing of it, but it was not. The next few times involves one of the young teaching assistants. Since my classes are frequently canceled (for example, last week 3 out of my 4 classes were canceled), he and I would quietly chat during our free period. Twice, he has been asked by the staff members as to whether or not he had a class to attend. Mind you, they aren't asking him nicely. I genuinely felt bad and we both agreed not to speak unless it's during recess or during the breaks in between classes. During one of the interruptions, I was also asked if I can meet with the kindergarten teachers to see when I can teach there during my free time.

At first, you may think that they don't like him and this has nothing to do with me. However, if he speaks to anyone else, he's left alone. It's only when he's speaks to me that they interrupt. Maybe it's because he's guy and I'm a girl and Japan is conservative? Nope, he usually speaks and hangs out with the other teaching assistant who is also a woman (and this is 2014 people). Mind you, my Japanese is intermediate at best and he has no English, therefore these are not in-depth or long conversations, like those he has with his other coworkers. 

Last week, during one of the breaks, the same staff member asked us to sort out scantrons for the students upcoming test. The assistant later told me that it was a waste of time, because they get sorted out in the classroom. It seemed to me as though they were giving us busy work to keep us from talking to one another. Then, the next day, while I spoke to the younger girl assistant who sits next to me, the same staff member interrupts and asks me to put the now completed scantrons into numerical order. Once again, I felt as though they were trying to keep me busy. 

During recess that same day, the male assistant took a seat next to me. Five minutes into our conversation, the staff member announced their interruption and began to rip him a new one in the fastest Japanese I've ever heard (they already speak really fast, but this was like damn). Basically, they told him that although it may be fun to talk to me, all the teachers are busy working (they weren't, it was recess time) and that there was work to be done. Then, turned to me and began to rip me a new one as well. It was harder to for me to understand because I was put on the spot, but they said something along the lines of that I'm there to teach English and (I think) to interact with the children more. However, I understood the previous actions and words as a way telling me not to distract or speak with the other teachers.

After her tongue lashing, I went upstair to the second floor of the school and just sat there for a while. I also realized that I shouldn't mess with my iphone as often in this school and mused that with no one to talk to there will be nothing that needs to be translated. Later in the day, the male assistant apologized for getting me in trouble, and also stated he didn't know that he couldn't speak to me during recess time either. I told him that I was sorry since I knew he may or may not be at this school the following year, and I didn't want to harm his chances of getting re-contracted. The girl assistant who overheard everything also came by and told me that the  two staff members have never warmed up to him, and I told her that I feel as though they haven't warmed up to me either.  

After I gained some perspective, I realized that there is nothing that can be done to fix the situation aside from keeping quiet and staying out of the teacher's room. I just know that I'm not going to let this experience jade me. Plus, I could always hangout with them outside of school. :)

My future

* Side note: The purpose of this entirey is not to fiercely criticize the Japanese workplace, as issues can arise in any job, but instead share my experiences with family, friends and those interested in the JET Program.

Nago Sakura Matsuri and the Flu

On the weekend of January 25th, the Okinawa chapter of the Association for Japanese Exchange and Teaching  (OkiAJET) coordinated an event to attend the さくら祭り Sakura Matsuri (Cherry blossom Festival) in Nago City. January seems like an early date for cherry blossoms to bloom, but because of the Okinawa's unique and comparably hot weather, the cherry blossoms bloom between late January to early February. Moreover, the colors of Okinawan cherry blossoms slightly differ than the ones found in mainland Japan, which display a light pink as opposed to Okinawa's dark pink cherry blossoms (although light pink can be found as well).

In Japan, cherry blossom viewing parties or 花見 hanami are fairly common with friends and families meeting at parks to enjoy each other's company underneath a cherry tree. However, in Okinawa such cherry blossom viewing parties do not exist (or so I've been told). Instead, grand festivals are held where one can enjoy traditional Okinawan performances, eat a variety of food and wash it down with Orion Beer. The phrase, 花より団子 Hana yori dango or "food (lit. dumplings) over flowers" really described the situation perfectly as people were more interested in food and beer than the scarce cherry blossoms in Nago.

After our fill of food, I and my fellow OkiJETs were guided by a string of Orion Beer lanterns up to the top of Nago Castle Ruins Park, where we relaxed and enjoyed an incredible view of Nago.

The following day, I began to show symptoms of a cold and I spent most of the day resting. Four days later, on a Thursday, my cold was still present but I also began to shake with sudden chills. I found it very odd because it was a particularly hot day with highs up to 75℉. The schools librarian saw my failed attempts to warm up in sun and directed me to the nurses office to have her take my temperature. As I sat in the nurses office, I thought back to certain animes, but my reminiscing was cut short as I wondered why we didn't have school nurses at any of my schools in the U.S. Weird, huh? 

The nurse asked me to place a thermometer under my armpit and later it read 38.6℃, which meant nothing to me as an American (almost 102℉). She told me that I needed to go to the hospital to check whether or not I caught the flu. My usual hospital was closed for the day, so she called another clinic and informed me that they would not reopen until 2pm (it was almost lunch time). She advised that I go home and rest until I could go to the clinic. She informed the vice principal who practically pushed me out of the door.

Influenza is a big deal in Japan with school shutting down due to outbreaks. My school had all the 1st graders sent home for 3 days because of the flu.

At the clinic, the nurses and doctors worked quickly and efficiently. I was seen in a matter of minutes and after all the initial test, such as blood pressure, the doctor performed the despised influenza test.

For the influenza test, the doctor collects mucus by inserting a 6-inch long Q-tip up your nose and into your nasal sinus cavity. 

Yes, it hurt. It also tickled and made my eyes water. The doctor performed the procedure as quickly a physically possible, but I was stunned and now slightly (not so slightly) traumatized. Shortly after, the nurse informed me that I had influenza type A and inserted an IV to pump the medicine directly into my veins. Afterward, I was given medicine for my fever and runny nose. I informed my Board of Education and they were so worried that they sent water and Japanese Gatorade. 

JET Program side note: You don't (and should not) take any personal time off (年休) for sick days, instead take sick leave (病休).