October 6, 2015
Teresa's September web post!
Hello all! Teresa here. =)
I have officially spent over a month in Japan as an assistant language teacher in Seiritsu, and it has been a blast. Days spent in Seiritsu are filled with students either screaming “hello” or silently whispering a greeting. As an Asian-Fijian-American, it took students a while to realize my “foreignness,” but eventually students started to greet me in English; however, I still get the occasionally “konnichiwa” in the hallways. I like to reply back in English, which doesn’t fail to shock students. :D
Besides having greetings, I also started to assist classes. My schedule has yet to be completed, so I’ve been like a freelance worker. I am supposed to arrive in school by 8:00am, but I am usually sitting at my desk by 7:30am due to the fear of being late. I tried to time myself to be in school by 7:45am, but it’s been a little difficult to do so!
After the morning meetings and greetings, it’s about 8:30am. Then, I sit and wait for Japanese English Teachers (JTEs) to ask for classroom assistance. I found that most students are unwilling to speak English, but their comprehension skills are terrific! I will need to work harder to elicit their English responses.
One of my all-time-favorite moments in school though is…. LUNCH TIME. Seiritsu has the best kaaragedon ever, meaning I will gain about three pounds a month here. All I can say is that it’s so delicious. Needless to say, I love to eat. I wish I had recess with students to work the weight off!
Apart from work, my fiancé and I have been exploring the grocery stores near my apartment. We have been slowly learning how to cook with the ingredients in Japan. The biggest discovery is saba fish and the amazing fish grill that does not exist in the States. Without any seasoning, saba grills into a salty, butyraceous (buttery), and full meal. It is a perfect dish to eat with rice.
In summary for those who did not read everything, Japan has been delicious so far! I’m learning new things each day and that includes things not related to food. ;)
Cheers,
Teresa