hey all,
Today was kinda a let down compared to yesterday. I thought I would be teaching, but then they said that class wouldn't start until the 14th. This is a very weird thing that is going on. I mean, school has started, kids are showing up when it begins and leaving when it ends, and teachers are coming and going to different classes through out the day, but I have nothing to do.
So I still got two whole days with nothing to occupy my time, yet I'm required to come in for my 7 hours. Despite their friendliness, the other teachers are really busy with their own stuff, and aren't too forthcoming on how I should spend my time. I've already completed several obvious tasks, and I actually spent a lot of time today going over my Japanese textbook, and drawing a picture that is kinda a mishmash of Switzerland and feudal Japan.
I guess the only thing that I think is really interesting right now is the suicide rates in Japan. After sitting through two induction ceremonies for junior high, it seems like an incredible amount of crushing social pressure is being placed on students. I can see why under that kind of stress, that some students would choose not to deal with any of it any more.
Tomorrow, I'm bringing in a CD with a bunch of pictures from my travels. They have an "international" bulletin board that currently features pictures from the previous ALT, who seems to have been British. So I'm gonna put up my pictures, and maybe try to get the other teachers and passing students to chat about them with me to kill time.
Cheers,
