TURN OFF YOUR ENGINES!

http://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Fuel-Mileage-on-a-Car

If you idle your car for more than 10 SECONDS, then it is MORE fuel efficient to turn off your car and restart it.

WTF, I swear someone told (in fact I know who) that starting up your car takes about 10 minutes worth of idling. And I believed it! UGH! I think this myth is one that many people believe, and in America I was always afraid someone would jump in my car and steal it if I ran off some where for a second, in Japan I've been idling. UGH!

Actually I've only managed to idle about 5 times, since I automatically without thinking turn off my engine, but last night I idled twice! That is infuriating, since I thought I was doing something that would help reduce my waste, but it only worsened it.

I suppose in the end I should have been biking and NOT been drying my clothes in a dryer since we had such good weather lately. But, bad timing over sleeping, etc. Not using the dryer, not driving are things that while wasteful sometimes are difficult to avoid, but turning off your engine when idling for more than 10 seconds is not, so everyone TURN OFF THOSE ENGINES!

I used to wonder about the buses that did that, but I assumed they had designed them to be more efficient at turning off and on, but no they just have the right idea.

This leads me to something else. I really need to fact check everything I hear, because I rarely forget things, even mis-information. Much like this stupid 10 minutes rule WTF person who told me this.

Anyhow, yesterday I heard a place name. I knew of the place simply because I heard it before, but I had no idea from where. I knew no one from the area... then it hit me a little bit later.

When I first came to Japan about 2 years ago, actually 21 months ago in August it was sports day practice and a P.E. teacher was talking to me and some students. She told me her old school was in Munekata and the two students had no idea where it was and she was shocked. It was something that was said off hand and I rarely talk to this teacher now, it is something that I would not be able to think of unless the situation was prompted, but hiding in my brain is a lot of insanely inane facts.

But only with-in the last three years, so if you want to tell me something insane, wait about three years and then I'll forget, because man after three years I think I mind wipe myself.

Facebook has recently been "finding" possible friends for me, and as I scan through them some of them look vaguely familiar, and since they graduated the same year as me, and from the same school from me I SHOULD know them, but I have no clue. So while I may be able to remember over 300 of my students names and whatever the hell else they told me (birthdays, pet names, who they like, favorite musician) after three years I probably won't be able to recognize their faces. I wonder if this is a good thing or a bad thing... As it is right now, I'm pretty thankful for even the three year window. Forgetting things en mass has it's perks too, though these last two years have been so wonderful, I'd hate to forget those memories...

I am indeed crazy

So this week I have been having my first classes with my new students. I was surprised as the students were quite quiet. They were generally eager, and answered fairly well, but when I ask them to be quiet, they actually shut up. zOMG! They seemed to be a lot more reserved than last years new students, who were already rather loud. But that is a hard comparison since I had my first lessons with those students well after a month of them being in school, a long time for them to get used to one another.

Well I had a class today that was pretty bad, pretty bad even compared to last years classes. The students talked back (no one wanted to sit in the front, and the teacher asking them got responses of "I refuse") So after about 7 minutes of struggling with that, we kind of went on. But about half the boys and 5 girls didn't want to stop talking. So I insisted on them being quiet, and some boys got the hint and started to shout to one another to "shut up" Which I suppose was nice.

Three girls didn't want to listen. I started talking, and despite the fact they were in the first row, they just didn't want to stop. So I went up to them and asked them "Are you ready?" And they actually just ignored me and kept on talking. I BURST out laughing, the kind of crazy laughter that...I suppose is scary.

Well that got their attention! And they started laughing in suite. So I moved on, and they started talking AGAIN. So I made them my example and got them to say "yes". They were so confused, but at the very least they started paying attention...kind of.

Well there were some problems with the projector in the class room, and they got to talking once again. In the end, instead of taking 30 minutes to finish up the three simple things I wanted to do, it took 45 minutes a lot of screaming, skipping things and laughter. I practically lost my voice and the JTE I have to teach this class with was at her wits end. She said she was exhausted, and was shocked that the class was so noisy so early.

I told her I was used to it, and soon many classes would become like this, she looked afraid. As for me, I really enjoyed it.

To me what is most important is that students are not afraid to talk to me. Whether it be broken Japanese that has 2 English words, or a whole sentence of bizzaro English, as long as they are trying to get their ideas out of their head and communicated towards my direction I feel like we are moving forward.

These students were indeed loud, but they actually were asking me questions. (I say the word question lightly as the question was just one word, spoken with an upward inflection.) They were really honest right away, when I asked if they understood, they all screamed at me "NO!" (After you know translation help)

While that was certainly insane, it was raucous fun. I've come to realize that I don't think I'd be able to handle the quiet reserved attentiveness of "good" schools. Give me the loud, won't stop talking, insulting teachers (two boys told the JTE to "Shut up" multiple times), madness.

They tell me straight when their bored "imi wakknaisu~!", they tell me when they are enjoying themselves "BARI UKERU!" and they react. Granted this is just the first class and I didn't actually ask them to learn or do much of anything.

Well I did ask them to write their names in Romaji, and got 4 kids who wrote it in Kanji >.< I even told them in JAPANESE to write their "First name" and they managed to write their family name instead. So I did actually ask them to do something and they failed rather badly at it. 10 boys could not figure out to write the rules I wrote on the board on the paper I gave them, despite the fact I showed them exactly what to do... Maybe it was the constant talking, haha.

I am sure three classes down the line when I actually want them to work, I'll be ranting about how impossible it is to teach those monsters. But for now, let me enjoy the madness. Because it is true, the feeling of reward and accomplishment is not as great when it is not filled with struggle. I realize I will have to struggle with this class, and I am up for the challenge.

Last year I was despondent by my students lack of cooperation, but after close to two years of experience I am really starting to understand what it take to move these kids forward. So bring it on, I am not just willing for such a challenge I was hungry for it.

I lamented the fact that I just didn't feel the need to get to know these new kids. I am after all leaving in three and a half months. But students like these drive me, and I will be pushing them forward despite the fact they will almost certainly be pushing back.

kowakune~suyo! KOI~

Phew!

Well, I had been trying to write at least one blog per month but I have obviously been failing at that. And for good reason! My days of late have been a non-stop flurry of action.

Lately I have been taking just about every opportunity to travel. Whether in Japan or abroad, and my weekends have been taking a beating. Compound that with the fact I have started dance classes on Tuesday, coupled with practices on Monday and then Japanese class on Wednesday, then usually a Friday night where I am dashing off to some trip, I have barely time to catch my breath. Thursdays sound like a day off, but really thats the day I try my best to keep up with laundry and all those other house hold chores that a world wind traveler can't be bothered with.

My life sounds great, and I suppose it is. But after a back to back weeks of traveling and other endeavors I finally let myself sleep in, and I slept in for 15 hours... STRAIGHT! I love this go go life style, I feel in a way so lucky to have a job with a steady enough income to supplement such an enviable life style, but as it may be, I am perhaps just not cut out for it.

I love travel but the hectic pace I am going at is just wearing me out. I REALLY want to add guitar lessons into my agenda on Thursday but then my weeks will simple be booked full. Ah, well I only have 4 more months before I have to go back home. There life will be mundane and such exotic travel and time for lessons of any sort will be out of the question. In that respect I should be grateful for being just a bit zonked out every moment, but I suppose the grass IS always greener on the other side.

On another note, I have managed to finish my JET essay and turn it in. Typing that out made me realize how poor my writing, thinking, and just about everything having to do with academics have fallen. I am really starting to worry about graduate school, and I am rather pleased with my decision to take a semester off before going back to unclassified grads to wet my feet before I hopefully switch over my major.

I know delaying it will not make going back to school any easier, but at my current level I do not think one year would be enough to finish up my degree. Seeing as I really want to make the major switch, I think it is a good decision.

So maybe in the end I WILL have time to do what I want, at least a little bit more time to be a child before I truly grow up. For all the things JET has afforded me to do, it has given me the opportunity to delay reality. Which I am eternally grateful and feeling guilty for. It's been an amazing 2 year ride, and I can see why my students tell me they want to be ALT's too. Our life is sweet, and I am grateful.

And if you think my writing is a tad on the pretentious side, well, welcome to graduate school writing. Because in the end a bit of fluff goes a long way to getting a good grade. (If you think that doesn't fly well, try read a sociological work that is all substance and no style and you'll be snoring in no time)

P.S. I know I sounds busy busy but lo and behold I am here typing at a blog at work, and before that I was on face book. I am sure my academics would not have fallen so behind if I took those moments to study SOMETHING but alas, I am still a lazy bum.