As you probably know, I am gonna write about my first class with my 10th grade Japanese students.  My first lesson was just my introduction.  BUT, these classes are 50 minutes long.....How the crap am I spose to talk about myself for 50 minutes.  I play golf, here is my family, here are my friends...done.

 

So obviously, I had to do some thinking.  So I went to chalk board and drew the history or rock.  Shoot it, kaboot it, let's rock, let's rock, let's rock. That's a very long handshake, I will teach you the rest later.  Ok, so what I actually did was print out about 13 pictures on 8 by 11 paper. THEEEEN (in a Garth voice), I split the class into 13 groups and gave each group a pic.  THEEEEEN, I said a lil bout the pic and the students were spose to listen and if it was their picture, their little ears would perk up and they would come up to the front of the room and show the rest of the class the pic.  

 

This worked quite well, but it did not last 50 minutes, WHICH i had planned for. But I did not plan for this quiz to 20 minutes, which is how many minutes were left after my intro.  I made up a lil quiz game for the class.  I put the questions on some big ol pieces of paper and then showed them to the class one at a time.  While they were thinking, I played some little diddy from Who Wants to be a millionaire, my team teacher kinda looked at me like I was stupid for doing this, BUT, i don't care, because it totally saved me.  Because I played the music while they were thinking, and to kill a lil more time, I started dancing to the music.  The other teacher thought I was a doob, but the kids all got a lil giggle out of it.  The only problem with the whole thing, was that I had planned to have 3 of the groups volunteer and play for the prize.  But, the other teacher suggested that all groups do it, and I agreed.  But I only had 4 questions, so 7 teams ended up winning at the end, so we had to have a bonus question, but 3 groups were still going.  So I ended up giving out 10 prizes.  I cannot do this for every class, as this would be 70 prizes.  And I don't have gold finger nails, so that ain't gonna work for next time.

Hey all who are readin this,

I have been in Japan for about a month now.  I am teaching English in Tagawa, Fukuoka.  Its crazy hot here, but hopefully within a month or so it will start to cool down. 

Today, was the opening ceremony for the 2nd semester at my school.  It was quite impressive.  I had to give a speech for it......its something else when you got 8 or 900 people lookin at you when you walk up on stage.  But before I was introduced to the students, the brass band played the American national anthem.  They were pretty dang good, considering they probably never play that song.  Wait a second, even if they had played it for a long time, it would have still been impressive. 

Later, we had class year meetings with the students.  At this meeting, we had to check all of the students.  We checked to make sure they didn't have any ear piercings, that they don't shave their eye brows, they weren't wearing makeup, and that their nails didn't have any paint on them.  A little more strict than the american education system.  I have noticed that since they all wear the same clothes everyday, they tend to individualize themselves through their belts and their hair. 

Anyways, I am living in a fairly small city, about 50,000.  But I wouldn't call it a city, it is more like a bunch of towns that merged.  So it is very spread out.  I am about 45 minutes from a pretty big city and an hour or so from the capital city.

Last weekend, I went to a professional golf tournament.  It was pretty sweet.  I was the only non-Japanese person there, except for a couple who were playin the tournament.  But I guess the guy that won it actually went to the high school that I am teaching it.  Plus, on the way back to my apartment, some guy, maybe about 20 or so, got on the train and sat next to some cute girl and started rubbing his nipples and got a huge smile on his face.   He did it for like 5 minutes.  The girl kept lookin at him like he was crazy.  Definitly, one of the funniest things I have seen in my life.  I wish I would have thought to have recorded him with my phone.  And on that note, I say goodnight to all.