"Is this an essay, or dog poop? I'm not wearing my glasses today."
I walk in at 8.15 this morning, which is always a pain in itself. Normally I'm slurping my third cup of coffee from my travel mug, so I'm apathetic and jacked. I look at the schedule to see if there are any changes (often the whole day will be different to the published schedule. I'll walk in on a two-lesson monday to find I've been given four extra classes. Sometimes the entire day has been cancelled) and indeed two classes have been swapped and several added.
It's okay, it's okay. Just get more coffee.
My head of department comes over - I can see her shuffling towards me from the corner of my eye. I strain, desperately trying to be invisible. I end up farting. Classy.
"Geoff-sannnnn. Today. Three more classes..."
In an effort to prevent a five minute verbal beating of "eto eto ne ne eto eto" I interject, breezily,
"Ah yes, our class has been moved from third period to fourth. Also it seems a couple have been added at third, second, and fifth. Yes, that's wonderful, ok then..."
But no, she continues, oblivious. This morning however there is a slight variation,
"So we have OC for only half a class"
"Ok, so you only want me for half the class"
"...Eto eto...."
Eventually she goes. I'm free and clear. But I know I have to ask the obvious questions, otherwise she'll just assume - and then there will be the awkward silence in class when she turns and says to the class "Geoff-sensei will now tell you all about...."
"Which half?"
"...eto..." Oh bloody hell.
I manage to drag out of her, through various probing questions that yes, she wants me for the second half. Yes, she would like me to prepare an activity (the subtle hint "we will do something else" was the key phrase for me there. 'We' often means 'you', and "something else" means "make an activity that will take 45 minutes so i don't have to actually teach. Ta"). Finally it's done. I have five minutes til my first lesson. I eye the coffee pot, planning my route, i can still make it...
..."Geoff-sannnn. Geoff-san, eto, we, uh, eto, I make, eto"
Oh sweet Jesus...
"....I make mistake. Ne. We do full class."
Which means you, Geoff, you do full class.
OK. I can deal. I am a smart young man with several degrees. I chose to come here. This is fine. I am learning, if you like: growing.
I have two minutes, I can still make the coffee...
......"Geoff-senseeeei..." Crap. When it's 'sensei' you know you're going to end up doing something for someone... The head of third grade comes to inform me of the details of the upcoming English department enkai (party). But he doesn't just show me the map with the arrows and times drawn on that he's brought - he sits down and explains in detail the very complex workings of going to a party,
"This is a map. This is the station. This is block. You walk two blocks. This is corner. This is..." DUDE! MY COFFEEEEE!! ....aaaand then the bell for first lesson goes.
It's okay, it's okay. Just get more coffee.
My head of department comes over - I can see her shuffling towards me from the corner of my eye. I strain, desperately trying to be invisible. I end up farting. Classy.
"Geoff-sannnnn. Today. Three more classes..."
In an effort to prevent a five minute verbal beating of "eto eto ne ne eto eto" I interject, breezily,
"Ah yes, our class has been moved from third period to fourth. Also it seems a couple have been added at third, second, and fifth. Yes, that's wonderful, ok then..."
But no, she continues, oblivious. This morning however there is a slight variation,
"So we have OC for only half a class"
"Ok, so you only want me for half the class"
"...Eto eto...."
Eventually she goes. I'm free and clear. But I know I have to ask the obvious questions, otherwise she'll just assume - and then there will be the awkward silence in class when she turns and says to the class "Geoff-sensei will now tell you all about...."
"Which half?"
"...eto..." Oh bloody hell.
I manage to drag out of her, through various probing questions that yes, she wants me for the second half. Yes, she would like me to prepare an activity (the subtle hint "we will do something else" was the key phrase for me there. 'We' often means 'you', and "something else" means "make an activity that will take 45 minutes so i don't have to actually teach. Ta"). Finally it's done. I have five minutes til my first lesson. I eye the coffee pot, planning my route, i can still make it...
..."Geoff-sannnn. Geoff-san, eto, we, uh, eto, I make, eto"
Oh sweet Jesus...
"....I make mistake. Ne. We do full class."
Which means you, Geoff, you do full class.
OK. I can deal. I am a smart young man with several degrees. I chose to come here. This is fine. I am learning, if you like: growing.
I have two minutes, I can still make the coffee...
......"Geoff-senseeeei..." Crap. When it's 'sensei' you know you're going to end up doing something for someone... The head of third grade comes to inform me of the details of the upcoming English department enkai (party). But he doesn't just show me the map with the arrows and times drawn on that he's brought - he sits down and explains in detail the very complex workings of going to a party,
"This is a map. This is the station. This is block. You walk two blocks. This is corner. This is..." DUDE! MY COFFEEEEE!! ....aaaand then the bell for first lesson goes.
posted by Geoff at 1:11 AM
2 Comments:
Yes..."growing"...as long as we don't clarify which way/ how exactly we are "growing" it sounds like a good thing. ^.~
eto eto eto...... oh eto nantoke... eto... very blog. I like blog. Blog is very interesting.
--max
Post a Comment
<< Home