For Heaven's Sake--Get That Man Some Pants!

Our apartment is starting to get pretty chilly at night, and Matt, who wasn't thinking ahead like I did, neglected to bring pj pants with him to Japan. So, I nicely offered that he put on my athletic pants to keep from freezing and this is what happened--mass hysteria! I think I need to try to find a way to get Matt some proper-fitting lounging/pj pants before he answers the door wearing these.

Anyway, our week has been fairly uneventful thus far--just lots of teaching. I have had more free time than usual at school, so I managed to read a favorite book from my childhood: Charlotte's Web. Yes, I realize this is a children's book and not very intellectually stimulating, but I had forgotten the book I am currently reading, The Bell Jar, at home, so I needed to do something to pass the time (and solitaire is becoming old very quickly). Well, I enjoyed reading this book again--it has probably been about twelve years since I last cracked the spine of that book--and felt all the emotions I did as a young girl reading about the adventures of Wilber, Fern, Templeton, and, of course, Charlotte.

Matt and I figured out, with the help of our friend Megan, how to switch the region code on our DVD player and have started to watch the first season of Everybody Loves Raymond. I am not necessarily crazy about this show, but some parts of each episode are comical and it is basically mindless, half-an-hour entertainment before bedtime. It is also nice to have something familiar on the TV screen. We didn't sign up for cable TV here--we pay enough bills as it is--and sometimes it feels strange to constantly have to turn off Japanese subtitles on all the movies we either buy or borrow from others. Hence, Everybody Loves Raymond.

This week and last, I have been feeling more and more frustrated with one of my JTEs. I think deep down she is really a nice woman, but her behavior at school, in the classroom, and towards me cause some days to be stressful and unpleasant. Today, I was teaching a lesson about visiting the doctor when you are sick. I have a worksheet for my kids that has a sample dialogue between a doctor and a patient (in which the patient describes his/her symptoms and the doctor makes a diagnosis and other recommendations) and in theory, it is very easy. But my first class today, the even section of class 1-2, is quite low in their English-speaking and listening comprehension abilities. Hence, I really need the JTE to be in class to help me with translations and other questions that I am incapable of answering in Japanese. But, in what is becoming more typical fashion, my JTE did not show up on time for the lesson and strolled in 25 minutes late. At this point, I had tried my hardest to explain the purpose of today's lesson to twenty confused first year students and had even needed to ask another JTE to come in and demonstrate the model dialogue with me. In any case, I was upset and frustrated. And this is not the first time I have felt so with this JTE. She usually comes in a few minutes late, plops down at the back of the room, and tries to grade her own papers throughout the lesson that we are supposed to be "team teaching." Normally, I don't mind really being in charge of most of the lesson, but there are times when I really do need her help and I am starting to tire of her grumpy attitude and disinterest in teaching Oral Communication with me. Sometimes I just feel like a burden to her. But, besides this one ongoing issue, teaching has been fine and I really do enjoy most of my classes and many of the kids.

I thought it was very cute yesterday when Kosuke (one of my first year students who typically only speaks to me in Japanese and wants me to learn more Japanese) was taken aback when I spoke the word "ittai" (meaning, "pain/hurt/ouch"). He told me in Japanese (which another student translated for me) that my speaking abilities were slowly improving. I thought this was kind of funny but very nice of him to say. Even though this simple, small comment came from a 15-year-old class-clown, it actually did mean something to me and made me feel like I am improving--one slow step at a time. I hope that by December, when we visit the Oue Family in Kobe again, I will be able to speak in more complete sentences to them and will be able to understand much more of what they say to me than I could a few weeks ago.

This weekend, so far, promises to be low-keyed and very relaxing. Besides possibly going to an onsen with Yuko sensei on Saturday (which in itself is a very relaxing experience) and having Jason over for a "sleep over" that night, we have nothing planned. I am actually looking forward to being able to sleep in till I feel like it and to do little things around the apartment that are usually neglected during the school week. At times I enjoy socializing with the other JETs but other times it is nice to just curl up with a book and read as the sun if filtered into our small living room through the futons, laundry, and sheets drying/fluffing on our balcony. Some of the days spent just relaxing at home have been the most peaceful ones I've experienced here in Japan thus far. It is a way for me to unwind and to reflect on the reality that Matt and I are really in Japan, living our lives (mostly) like we would were we in America. It is times like this that I feel more at home here and more content with our decision to experience living and working abroad.