It’s so hard to believe that in a few short days, I’ll be heading back to America. I have gotten so unbelievably busy, to the point in which I didn’t even know if I would be able to write one last before I left, but I’m going to set aside the 30 things that aren’t completed and write one more post to mark the end my first real International Journey.
People always look at me strangely when I tell them that I didn’t or won’t visit any other Asian countries, even though it’s “like 45 minutes away!” I mean, like I have told other people before; Japan is my main focus of study. If I wanted to go to Korea, I will make the proper arrangements and get myself to Korea for a week or two and see how I like it. I just might. 
I’ve spent the past couple of weeks packing, preparing to say goodbye and getting gifts ready for the people who deserve them.
This past week, I’ve started giving the gifts out to the specific people that have contributed to the good times that Japan has given me. Not the assholes that just see me as someone who they can take their frustrations out on because they’re bitter about their lives. But people who decided to look past the foreign face and actually get to know who my boyfriend and I are. For that, we will forever be grateful. I am truly humbled by their selflessness.
I won’t give their names, pictures and the information of how they helped me, although there are some already on the blog. What they've done for me will forever stay imprinted in my heart and if I hear someone talking bad about Japan, I’ll….probably agree. Lol No, I’m totally kidding. But it depends on what they are complaining about. I can’t disagree and argue with someone’s EXPERIENCE because that’s what they know and it would be arrogant, myopic and ignorant of me to discount their experiences because I need Japan to stay a certain way for my benefit. Luckily I’m not like that, although I have had a couple of run-ins with people like that (Haters Abound, anyone? Haha!). However, mindless, stereotypical ranting will be stopped because all I have to do is remember the people that were kind to ME and I will politely share my own experiences. 
Tomorrow I have to make my goodbye speech to the school that I have been at for two years. It’s been a mixture of good times and bad times, with the good times mainly coming from students and I’m going to be so happy to tell them that in my fairly positive speech. I say some honest things, and whether or not it does anything, I’ll feel better when I say them. I don’t point out specific teachers for the positives or negatives, since that isn’t appropriate. However, I will say what I need to say.
I know my students are going to make me cry -.-. I just know it. I have been able to hold it in during recent happenings of running into people and realizing that I really won’t be seeing them anymore. But I always leave them on a happy note. I don’t know if I can do that with the students because I really will miss them and their crazy antics.
-Time passes-
I did my speech and some of the students came up to me crying and it’s like how am I supposed to not cry? -.- I have so many good memories with them and I’m happy that I got to know them. I’m forever grateful the program that brought me here to meet these students and the people around me. I can barely put it into words!
Later that night I had my going away dinner with teachers whom I wanted to come. It was so nice! I got a “Banzai!” rally cry thing lol. I never thought I would get one but I got one! What happens is everyone raises their arms and yells, “Banzai!” and the person that it’s for has to bow when everyone else raises their arms. You’re supposed to do three at a time so I had to bow three times in a row. I’m glad that I was able to speak with these teachers one by one and reminisce about the fun times that I had with them. 
Now I have to do loads of preparation; I’m pretty much finished with packing because I know that if I don’t do it early then I’ll forget something, and you don’t want to forget anything before an international flight -.-. Everyone back home is waiting to see me and I can’t wait to see them. The speech and the dinner was a great ending to crazy rollercoaster ride of my adventures in Japan. I only have two days left during this post, so I’m going to do some last minute things for the person who comes after me. I’ll try to make her landing as smooth as I can.
I mean, what can I say about an experience that changed me a bit? I can safely say that because of the students and the GOOD people that I met, I had a very fulfilling experience that some people might not be as fortunate to have due to unforeseen circumstances. I can safely say that my boyfriend being here helped A WHOLE LOT lol. I had a close ear that can understand what I say because he’s experiencing it too. 
Now that I am ending my blog, it’s time for me to go on to my next adventure, which is going back home and re-assimilating back into American culture and way of life. I’m just as excited to start that, as I was to come to Japan!
Soo….what’s next? “Roaming in Barcelona?” “Sleepless in London?” lol
Only time will tell! Thank you for reading! =)
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Well...it's been a whole day since I've switched to this room and I must tell you... I LOVE IT! It's such a huge difference in comparison with the other room I was at for 8 months. Everyone is younger, so everyone isn't so high strung, and some of them know a tiny bit of English and always try and speak it, and when they don't understand what I'm saying they'll come out and say, "Uh..sorry..I don't understand...." and just the overall atmosphere is a complete 180 degrees. I had assumed that every office is like that because I never stayed at any other office, but now I see that it's so unbelievably different! Everytime other teachers come into the office, they always tell me that it's such an oppressive atmosphere and they don't like coming into the office unless they have to get their mail and talk to the vice principal about something. I was in that office, but at least I was an okay distance from the vice principal, the ALT before me was actually at the desk closest to the v.p. so I'm so sure that he hated that desk.
In a previous post when I was talking about atmospheres, I mentioned that it was a slow day so the time just crawls by. In this office, time passes by so quickly! It's because I can actually have light-hearted conversations and joke around without feeling intense pressure from the vice principal. Another younger teacher that was in the office with me, ended up being moved to the same office I was and even he commented that he likes this office so much better. Other people even noticed our change from our switch and commented that "we look happier," I was a bit embarrassed because I didn't know I was so transparent, but then again it was the female Japanese teacher of English and she knows more than other people because I tell her. I actually look forward to going to my desk now, it's so great.
Also, the teacher that I used to sit next to, I saw him when I came back from lunch with teachers from my new office and we spoke for a bit. I asked him if he ate already and where his office is. He said yes and that his office is right next to mine and I should come visit. I said okay, goodbye and WALKED AWAY. You have no idea how good that feels! To be sitting next to a person, who puts pressure on you because the vice principal is watching, and having to be forced to listen to his close-minded drivel, it was great to be able to walk away, return to my desk and not have to see him OR the vice principal. I can regulate how often I see him until classes start, and that's great. I mean, he's serious about teaching English and we work well together when we're in class, but there's just too much of an age and culture barrier that makes communication a bit difficult sometimes.
In any case, class doesn't start for another week, and I don't think I'm going to be team teaching until after that week, so I have plenty of time to prepare for lessons, and I'm going to look forward to thinking of new ideas for students because of the support I get from the office.
I feel such a giant weight lifted from my shoulders once I walk into the office in the morning, and I'm going to try and make damn sure that I don't mess up this almost perfect arrangement.
Well...April 1st. The big day of yearly change. The day before, I found out that the teacher that I've been sitting next to for a year is getting his desk changed, and he's going to be the new homeroom teacher of a class. I gave him a clap and congratulated him and he shook his head and was like,"No, no, no. That's a bad thing. It's too much work being a homeroom teacher," then I chuckle a bit and point out that at least he'll be out of the stifling vice principal's office. He agreed, but he said it wasn't worth having extra loads of work and responsibility. He's right though, being a homeroom teacher means that you've essentially become the parent of 40 students. They have to make sure that they're eating right, they're not getting in fights, they're studying, etc. If they do a bad job and the student does something bad, the first person they're going to blame is the homeroom teacher, NOT the parents. That's why teachers always have to find out bad things first before parents. The homeroom teacher's responsibility was a bit exaggerated, but has it down in a drama and anime called "Gokusen," you should watch it.
So, I won't be around that guy anymore, which I'm quite happy about and won't miss. I mean, he had a bit of interesting things to say, but the fact that he believes such dumb things about Americans (as if Americans are only one ethnicity) despite meeting a bunch, doesn't make me want to talk to him now that we don't have to sit next to each other anymore. That's all well and good to me, because even he would put pressure on me because I was in the vice principal's office, so I'd get double of that on any given day. That's not the way I want to spend my time here in Japan, so I'm unbelievably happy for that change. So, I'll stick with my original desk, and wait for a new guy to come, and hope that he and the vice principal are nice guys. Then he randomly says to me, "Oh by the way...you might be moved to a new office," like what? oh thanks for the tip...will I or won't I? He said that he didn't know, but whatever. I'll find out eventually, like most things.
The problem with that office is that it's filled with old men who are stuck in their ways and think everyone is below them, Japanese women and younger Japanese men included. However, my desk and the decently sized cabinet behind me is filled with years old ALT crap, that it'd just be too much of a hassle to move. In any case, I wait for lunch time, like I usually do on days that nothing is going on, and as I'm about to leave for lunch the guy next to me finally says, "Oh...yeah you're going to be moved to a new office where two other teachers of English are." So, I was a bit shocked, and a little annoyed, not because I didn't want to move, but because I'd have to move all that crap by myself by the end of the day. So, I smile, nod and say okay, then leave for lunch. I come back and just sit around for a bit. Then I decide to move all that crap. I started at like 2:30, and as 3:30 hits, I realize that I might not be able to move this all in time. It wouldn't have been too much of a hassle, but I wasn't feeling well at all, so I was getting more and more annoyed about more of the crap I uncovered that was left from past ALTs.
Even while I'm packing up and stuff, one of the guys that I knew from last year (old guy of course) was talking to me and was explaining that it was nothing personal....but once the guy next to me leaves, no one else will be able to speak English...so he thought this was best and how I should come visit every now and again. I mean, it was obvious that it was ultimately his say in my switch because he's the head of the office when the vice principal isn't there, so I'm guessing he was feeling guilty. I didn't give a damn. Also, like yeah...being interrogated and talked down upon is my definition of fun...stfu. I was just concerned about getting all this crap moved in before I give up because of how I was feeling.
So while I'm standing there, glaring at all this crap, one of the new teachers come to me and offers to help. The first time I didn't take it (since you're not supposed to at first), but then he insisted so I pretended to reluctantly give in; it's a strange dance of insisting and denial, then finally accepting the help I wanted from the start...that's just how things work here. So I finally get help, with my very small basket, a long thin basket, and 10+ years worth of ALT crap. So I pack everything in the baskets and give him the heaviest things of course, and pretend to be amazed about how strong he is. I mean I appreciated the help and I thought he was just being nice...until I find out that he was helping me along BECAUSE he's taking my seat, lol that prick...but whatever, I ended up finishing my move by 3:50 and had enough time to sit around before I was able to go home.
Before that however, when I was still getting a bit more stuff together, the guy that I no longer sit next to is still there chatting away with the other old men, then he puts out a giant collection of English games and books, and he happily points out that those belong to me because they're for the ESL club and how I need to get those out. I calmly state that I have no space in my cabinets for anything else so he needs to do something about them, then I leave it at that. Then like 10 minutes later when I came back to take the last remaining stuff, while making sure everything is cleared out, the guy who decided that I was moving and get his reason why, finds MORE ALT related crap in a big cabinet on the other side of the office. Then the guy that I no longer sit next to, looks me and goes "Oh look, there's more things for you here to take with you," by now I'm still feeling really bad from running back and forth everywhere, and how it seems like every movement makes me feel even more terrible until I stop, and even up to that point they still talk down to me and say things in ways that they I won't understand, I understand perfectly and curtly reply,"...Didn't know about it, didn't know it was even there, never used it, not my problem," it gets chuckles out of the younger teachers that were there talking to the vice principal because they thought I was joking, but just like that giant collection of games, I left that shit right where it sat. Well, I got my new desk, in my new office, let's see how things work out.
Recently, a big event occurred in Japan. Around late March, early April, teachers will find out whether or not they will be switched to a new school. Usually, Japanese teachers are rotated to about 4 or 5 schools, and spend around 5 years at each, according to Japanese people. However, some people are exceptions and some can be at a school for only one year, or be like one of the teachers I work with, and be here for like nine years. In any case, it's a big deal. My school is close to the biggest city in Miyazaki so most teachers don't want to leave. So, it's around 1pm at my school where everyone finds out, but that's during lunchtime so I don't want to miss it. I quickly get my food and come back to my office, all of the teachers are there waiting. It was the most stifling that the room has ever been! The teachers were chatting, pretending to not be nervous but it was obvious in how everyone was cautiously looking around, or doing some nervous tic. So, I walk in and I (jokingly) point out the insanely nervous atmosphere; some laugh, others nod awkwardly. Meh, that's normal.
In Japan, their teacher transferring culture is interesting. First off, everyone awkwardly stands around, waiting for the vice principal. The vice principal sits at his desk, gets a phone call from the principal, who is downstairs. The principal says the name of the transferred teacher and tells the vice principal to tell that person to go downstairs and find out the assignment. So the vice principal hangs up, then calls the teacher's name. After one teacher is called, the ones that aren't called all simultaneously let out a sigh of relief. The teacher goes downstairs for about five minutes, finds out where he/she is going, comes back up and tells all of the other teachers of their next assignment. Some are happy, most....not so much, but most people hold in their feelings until they can talk privately with someone they know.
I missed most of it because I got my lunch and I was convinced to eat it before it got cold, but everyone finds out later of course. So, most of the teachers that weren't switched let out 19 sighs of relief, since 19 teachers were transferred. I was happy; my favorite teacher (who helped me out since I got here, even when some teachers were being assholes) wasn't switched so I smiled and said, "Luckily you didn't get switched right?" He shakes his head and tells me that he did get switched to a different school so he has to clean out his desk. I was in shock, I didn't see him get called because I was eating so I foolishly thought that he was gonna stay. I was so disappointed, but he didn't seem to sad about it; he only spent one year here.
So teachers found out their new schools on March 19th, and have to be out by March 30th, and the new teachers come April 1st. I was a bit disappointed about it, but nothing could be done.
Another teacher that I found out was getting switched was my supervisor, and I was there when his name was called. It was a bit shocking, but I wasn't really sad about it. I mean he wasn't the greatest supervisor; not listening to me, saying stupid crap, being a bit negligent when it came to team teaching classes, not doing his job when he's supposed to, but can't wait to do his job when it isn't necessary...some other things too. He was also the head of the English department, but was the worst out of everyone in it, he was only the head of the department because he's the oldest. He was also a bit of pushover in class, until about like..Febuary (mind there were little to no team teaching classes after Febuary). I found out he's going to an industrial school, and that sucks for him. Industrial schools are just for kids that are going straight to factory jobs right after graduation, so they're rude, violent, and actually on par with some American students when it comes to being disrespectful. My students, at their worse, just talk a lot and ignore the teacher, but all of the teachers act they're the worst students to around, and they always ask me if I knew students that were "as bad" as these students are....and I'd chuckle and just go, "Ah...I know a few." In any case, he's not that great with discipline and if he can't handle agricultural students, they're going to eat him alive. I just hope he doesn't end up quitting midway.
It was quite the strange day, there were no classes or anything, so people were just sitting around and talking with each other. The thing is, it's strange how it's guaranteed that every teacher will eventually be switched, makes it hard to form genuine friendships, doesn't it?