Today has convinced me that when we talk about it raining cats, dogs, pitchforks, anvils, or whatever in Minnesota, we don't have a damn clue what we're talking about. This country skips straight past that shit and pours giraffes, African elephants, tractors, and entire fucking forges on its hapless citizens. And yet somehow, through some sort of weird genetic accident, Kosaka Junior High's baseball team is still able to practice in this weather. The logistics of this totally escape me...I’m fair certain I would need gills just to survive a walk to my apartment right now.
In other news, I've begun something that resembles a productive work day. So far it's just preparatory work for classes that begin on Friday, but it ain't nothin' at least. I get an entire period with each of my classes just to introduce myself and basically torment them in any way I see fit. It's been complicated so far, as for my ruse to work I need the students to all believe that I don't speak a word of Japanese. “Well, surely that can't be hard,” you say. “After all, it's summer break. What student in their right mind would actually be at school?”
...Har. Har, har. This ain't grandpa's old-school American summer-vacation-is-the-time-for-growing-fat-and-forgetting everything-we've-learned type of educational institution, no siree. Every student is required to take part in an after-school club, and as best I can tell, they all practice every day. Yes, weekends and vacations, too. And these kids are 12-15 years old. I imagine what it'll be like for them when they’re mature enough to survive real work, and it's no wonder to me that this country invented the ninja. Flip out and kill shit, indeed.
And finally, the first of my two official welcoming parties is tonight. This one is being held by the city's Board of Education, where my direct supervisor works and where I reported to for my first few weeks here. The head manager guy (not sure of his official title, but he's a step below the area's superintendent), a hilarious little bald guy who's taken great pleasure in showing me around Kosaka so far, stopped by my school on some business today, and reminded me of the event tonight. In and of itself this is perfectly cool, but he had a wicked gleam in his eye that made me think long and hard about his particular brand of humor.
...I do believe that evil bastard intends to get me quite drunk.
4 comments:
I feel you bro. It's been raining all day here.. though I think we were seriously needing it. That's a good idiom to keep in mind though. I picked up a book of them not too long ago. "Sushizume" is a nice one to remember ^^ Hope you had fun with the bald oni :D
...Why do you need them to think you don't speak Japanese?
So they don't default to Japanese when trying to talk to me. And so I can hear what they have to say about me while they think I can't understand. And just because it's funny.
You are a vindictive, evil little man. And that is why I like you.
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