Good day at Honjo jr. High

So today was a good day at school, and in fact it was such a good day at school I didn't want to wait to write about it in my weekly academic digest (though after the past few entries, it's more of a drinking diary...)

I went to Honjo today. It was a rough morning in that I was exhausted from kimono class last night. Kimono class this week was better than the last, in that I felt less panicked and pressured to do things correctly (in fact I couldn't care less because I don't need it to be perfect, the novelty of owning and wearing a kimono is really enough for me). So that was nice! And it was fun running around in kimonos with Desi and Rizzu as per usual.

Although I didn't get back until 11 or so and then I had to get ready for school the next day (bother).

We started the day with an assembly that I stood/slept through and didn't understand. It was about 10 minutes, booooring. Then because it was Kenta's birthday (a 3rd year) we had a birthday party for him! We played ping pong for 1st period and then had pineapple sorbet! It was yummy and I lost badly to Kenta at ping pong, but it WAS his birthday. Then I talked with the math teacher, Ohta-sensei about ping pong and air hockey. The music teacher, Miyajima-sensei joined us as well and she was TERRIBLE at ping pong, so it was kind of hilarious to watch her scramble around in knee socks and hit the ping pong ball at random corners of the gym.

With the 3rd years we did a conversation class. They had to write out questions on a question hand out and talk with me for 10 minutes in groups. It was a lot of fun. The first group just kept asking the girls if they liked the boys and if I liked basketball or baseball better. They weren't too responsive when I asked them questions though, laaaame. But they understood me and I have decided to speak at almost normal speed/slang with them. They understand much more than they lead on, and they're off to high school soon (tear) so I gotta school 'em good before the other JETs get my kids! The second group was hilarious though. They were the more adventurous speakers and were asking funny questions like "Have you ever told someone 'I love you?'" and I said "Yes! My mother"! And they were all, "boooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!" so then I turned the question around on them and everyone started giggling because young Saori (the daughter of my calligraphy teacher) apparently told Yuta (the stud muffin of 8th grade) that she loved him when they were in 4th grade. Yuta then turned around and said "whatnow?" and every girl started giggling. I have a feeling things haven't changed much for Yuta and Saori. Or I could be making up gossip to make my own life more exciting. All the boys said with bravado that they had not said that to anybody. And then they asked me if I liked basketball or baseball better. Sigh.

For the 1st years we got to draw monsters. The game was "how many...?" So they would draw ridiculous monsters with 3 eyes and 5 noses and 16 ears and so on. Then they had to ask each other about their monsters and try to recreate them without looking (which is impossible, mostly). So it was fun fun draw/giggle time and I got to harass them about asking in ENGLISH and coached them and then screamed at them to draw FASTER FASTER FASTER! It was fun!

The 2nd years were soooo hyperactive today! I had to teach their class just after lunch, you see. So they kept giggling to mimic MY laughter (which is normally obnoxious but today I thought it was funny) and they had to write telephone scenarios. "Hello, this is BOB is ARNOLD there?" "Hold on a minute" and so on. They were making up funny names like Mr. Shoe, Sea, Jhonn Smisu (my fave) and much much more. I told someone how to spell a word, and used "M" and he made fun of me the rest of the class!!! Emmmmmm! EMMMM!!! MMMMMM!!! instead of the usual katakanaenglish "emmu" which is more correct. What do I know? I just speak the language. He had to go first. It was justice. We also gave them a daily word quiz. They giggled at the word "sad" and I will never figure out why they like it so much!!! They also think the name Carlo is hilarious. Although it is, when you pronounce is "Karuro". Hehe, Hispanics.

I also coached a girl after lunch on her speech for the recitation contest. I'll be damned if she doesn't walk away with one of the top 3 prizes. There was hardly anything for me to correct, and I have to help her the rest of the month??? I'll just start teaching her limericks instead.

Anyway I'ma go home and enjoy FREEE TIIIIIME... or just fall asleep watching Halloween movies.

Also it's autumn all of a sudden! I am whipping out the jackets, boots and sweaters and I feel like I could dance around singing about the leaves changing and the chilliness in the air! They didn't have it in Los Angeles!!! Even when it was cool, it was never CRISP. And so now everyday feels like Christmas and I couldn't be more excited not to live in California!