Still not allowed contact with the outside world, I forsake aforementioned world and create my own/I actually meet other english-speaking folks

I'm at school today, for no apparent reason. No classes, but eventually I'll spend time preparing for tomorrow (making fun things like flashcards! and pictures! and worksheets! to entertain my pupils).

Yesterday I was at the hard school, the one with a total student population of 18 kids. It went a lot better than before, in that all classes when pretty much according to plan except for the second and third graders with whom I get about twenty minutes to teach before they tap out and start to run amok.

The principal over there, however, may be the most entertaining Japanese person I've met so far. This school's staff doesn't speak a lot of English, so I'm using equal amounts broken English and horrific Japanese; the principal, a very outgoing guy, opted to resolve this by going to the 100 yen shop and getting a small english phrasebook.

So I walk in yesterday morning and am greeted by "Ah, Mr. AdamRoux, long time no see!" flip flip flip "I am lonely!" He also presented me with the lyrics to "Hello Goodbye" by the Beatles, asking me if I knew it. I said yes, of course, and in a very Japanese way he asked me to teach it to his students (for instance, he just so happened to have brought the CD with him, etc.)

We do a great a cappella version of "Love me do," by the way.

So today I'm here, have been for about an hour, not much to do, even confirmed with my company that I needed to come in today regardless of whether I have classes or not, but evidently I am desperately needed here today, which is fine, I need to figure out how to get my computer to work with the printer here anyway. If all else fails I can go to the teacher's lounge and read/take a nap ("Tomorrow, Mr. AdamRoux, you... eh-toh, you..." flip flip flip "take it easy!")

The weekend of American-ness

Met all the other area ALTs this past friday at a get-together for foreigners and local english teachers/eccentrics. Went out to karaoke as a group. I started the party with a heart-pumping version of "Like a Prayer" during which I managed to down two beers, and so the night began.

Funny moment:

Me, sarcastically: "Hey, somebody drank my beer..."
pause
Third-year ALT: "I bet it was one of the Asians."

All of 'em seem to have a little bit of bitterness under the hood, but are pretty happy to be here.

There's about six or seven other teachers in my area (i.e. within a half-hour's drive from me, as is just about everything besides abandoned houses and cattle) who are all good folks to hang out with. Spent more time with them this weekend, just chilling, and it's nice to have a social network finally.

OK. Time to wrestle with the printer. Take care, everyone.