Winter Break Itinerary
Dec 24th-Dec 26th: KOBE (visiting yuki for xmas)
Dec 27th-Dec 29th: Return to Toyama for work :\
Dec 30th-Jan 2nd: TOKYO/CHIBA (visiting host family for New Years)
Jan 3rd-Jan 7th: HONG KONG (visiting Kim)
Jan 7th: putz around tokyo for 9 hrs before my bus leaves for Toyama
Jan 8th: back
I've never been more in need of a vacation. Seems like every time there's a big American holiday my workload triples. On average I teach 24 classes a week- but normally I only have to plan lessons for the 8 elementary classes on Tues and Weds. This month my JTEs asked if I could plan all the lessons for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd years at the junior high too. The lesson planning itself isn't that bad, but the actual teaching all day without any breaks is really draining (especially at the elementary schools. There's just not enough 'genki' in me to keep up with 5 classes of 40 kids a day). I was also asked to host a few Xmas parties- one for all the students of a local tutor and another for my elementary school. Lately after work I'm not in a mood for anything but sleeping... kinda makes you dread the holidays.
Earlier this month we were teaching the 2nd years "Last Christmas" by Wham!... for some weird reason that song is really popular here. Everyone knows it and I hear it playing while shopping for my groceries and on the streets of Fukumitsu.
Only two more days of work and then I'm off ta Kobe to revisit Yuki. Tomorrow is the last day of classes (but not work) so to celebrate the teachers are having their "bonenkai" party. This time of year all the companies, schools, etc are having their bonenkais so the police have been particularly vigilant at night.
This is most likely my last entry before I take off for Kobe so Merry Christmas and perhaps I'll write something during my excruciatingly long hours of work next week when there are no classes...
Dec 27th-Dec 29th: Return to Toyama for work :\
Dec 30th-Jan 2nd: TOKYO/CHIBA (visiting host family for New Years)
Jan 3rd-Jan 7th: HONG KONG (visiting Kim)
Jan 7th: putz around tokyo for 9 hrs before my bus leaves for Toyama
Jan 8th: back
I've never been more in need of a vacation. Seems like every time there's a big American holiday my workload triples. On average I teach 24 classes a week- but normally I only have to plan lessons for the 8 elementary classes on Tues and Weds. This month my JTEs asked if I could plan all the lessons for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd years at the junior high too. The lesson planning itself isn't that bad, but the actual teaching all day without any breaks is really draining (especially at the elementary schools. There's just not enough 'genki' in me to keep up with 5 classes of 40 kids a day). I was also asked to host a few Xmas parties- one for all the students of a local tutor and another for my elementary school. Lately after work I'm not in a mood for anything but sleeping... kinda makes you dread the holidays.
Earlier this month we were teaching the 2nd years "Last Christmas" by Wham!... for some weird reason that song is really popular here. Everyone knows it and I hear it playing while shopping for my groceries and on the streets of Fukumitsu.
Only two more days of work and then I'm off ta Kobe to revisit Yuki. Tomorrow is the last day of classes (but not work) so to celebrate the teachers are having their "bonenkai" party. This time of year all the companies, schools, etc are having their bonenkais so the police have been particularly vigilant at night.
This is most likely my last entry before I take off for Kobe so Merry Christmas and perhaps I'll write something during my excruciatingly long hours of work next week when there are no classes...
Comments
hopefully see you next week!