Cold

Many people have said that I am lucky to be posted to kyushu which is known for its warm winters.

Well, it's kinda true that temp has never dipped below 0 but it's still very COLD!

I happen to stay on top of a hill with no obstructions. Basically, it's a mountain range behind me and from my living room, I look down at a valley of houses. So, that also means, the cold wind hits the building 24 hrs a day. Old japanese buildings have no insulation and it is always said that the inside and outside temp are the same. Thus, even when I turn on the air conditioner heater and with my electrical blanket on top of me, I still have to sleep with all winter gear on. Sounds ridiculous but true! If the air is still, I find the weather perfectly bearable. But the strong gusts of wind always kill whatever strength I have in dealing with the wind. =x

In school, going to the toilet is a torture. Haha.. because my school has no heating in the washrooms nor heated toilet seats like some places so it is really cold. In the teachers' room, we have no central heating but heating from a big kerosene heater placed in a corner for every 3 tables. Seriously, I hardly feel it. And whenever cleaning period comes, all the teachers will shiver because we have to open all the windows and switch off the heater for 15 mins to change the air. (for your info, breathing in too much kerosene is bad for health).

Today was also my school's opening ceremony after the winter break and the gym was so cold. I was literally chattering in my seat while holding on to heat packs. I wonder how the students can endure when they are not wearing anything to cover their legs nor hands or neck?!

But I know this is just for a couple of months more before the lovely spring arrives. I will and must endure!

I was excited to see snowfall but the snowfall is not as heavy as places up in the north. Hopefully next month when I visit Sendai and Tokyo, I can have the opportunity to throw some snowballs! =)

Making a difference in someone's life...

I think, that is the main thought that keeps a teacher going.

Although I do not teach the 3rd year students officially, I had some 3rd year students approach me to help them with writing or speaking outside classes. 2 particular students whom I had helped last month to prepare them for their university entrance examinations, both passed their exams and got a place in the universities that they wanted to go! Imaike whom I helped with writing and Yaida whom I helped with preparing for a interview with the university. Although I only gave some advice and seen them like 3 times only, both of them (and their form teachers) came to look for me, bowed and thanked me so sincerely that I am so touched. I doubt any of my students in Singapore will do such things!

It's autumn!

I love how the leaves turn yellow and then red... such beautiful colours!!!

Life has been great and I am most probably going to extend my contract to stay 1 more year!

Learning Japanese

Out of hiragana, katakana and kanji, the 3 forms of japanese writing, I have the least affinity with katakana. I do not know why I find it so difficult to remember how they are written and even after I recognize them, it is difficult to make sense of what they mean!

Katakana is used for direct translation of foreign words based on how they sound like. But seriously.... can you guess what the following words mean?

1. iyahon
2. u-ru
3. epuron
4. raion
5. bideo
6. kashimiya
7. kuizu
8. nekutai
9. goru
10. gurasu
11. arerugi
12. sa-bisu
13. se-ru
14. taoru

Sigh.........

Answers
1. earphone
2. wool
3. apron
4. lion
5. video
6. cashmere
7. quiz
8. necktie
9. goal
10. glass
11. allergy
12. service
13. sale
14. towel

Travel Bug

I really love to travel and explore new places. I am going to start a map to tag where are the places I have visited in Japan!!!

My map

Multi Tasker

When we use the above term for our life as teachers in Singapore, I think that the teachers in Japan are true multi taskers. I really admire them for their hard work and dedication!

First, the working hours are really long! Even though lessons start at 9am officially, most teachers are in school by 7.30am to conduct morning supplementary classes. Then, they are rotated on night duties where they take turns to patrol the school, make sure all students have gone home and all doors/gates are locked. There are no such things as school servants in Japan. So I was shocked that some teachers go home as late as 9 or 10pm, especially before exams where night revision lessons are conducted and they have to lock up the gates and arm the security system.

Next, CCA. Over here, it's called clubs here and joining a club is means strong dedication to your club. They have club activities EVERY DAY. Yes. Including Sundays. So as I hear the baseball club / tennis club / brass band etc etc training on saturdays and sundays... I wonder about the poor teacher in charge...

Then, the next shocking thing to me is that because there's no school servants, the whole school's cleanliness depends on the school teachers and students. Every teacher is in charge of an area to clean and they supervise the students in the cleaning period which occurs every school day. So you have kids coming into the teachers' room to empty your bins etc. And the staff toilets, are cleaned by teachers themselves! They have a duty roster and the female teachers will clean the female toilet while the male teachers will clean the male toilet.

I really salute them!

Natural Disasters

With the recent spate of natural disasters, it is no surprise that Japan will also get its fair share.

So here, I have experienced tremors and upcoming, a typhoon. According to weather forecasts, typhoon 18 is headed our way and we are expected to get strong gale and high waves.



I wonder how it will be like. But for now, I just know that I am very cold. Last night, I wore a wollen long sleeve turtleneck to sleep. And it's just the start of autumn! Lol.