Summer Vacation/ Natsuyasumi Has ARRIVED!

Hello, Hello, I'm back from the dead!

Or at least back from the burned out, tired, unmotivated place I was living in for the last little while. Hey, I guess I truly know how my father and two brothers feel now - although I actually have it a lot easier; no grading! I'm almost tempted to become a career classroom teacher just so I can have the summers off....but not enough to really go for it. I enjoy teaching, but I think I can do better work for kids outside of the classroom.

Today was an interesting day, being the last day of the term (1 down, 2 to go). I actually taught 3 classes this morning, but the kids were SO over it. Then I sat down for bento (lunch from home/store) with the Kochou Sensei, Kyoto Sensei, #3 Sensei, Secretary, Tea Lady and School Nurse. Talk about an awkward 20 minutes...only one of them speaks any English, really, and he's not even that comfortable speaking to me unless necessary. They would all speak for a few minutes, stuff food in their mouths (the Japanese eat SO fast), then an awkward silence would settle for a bit, everyone kind of looking anywhere but at the rest of the group. Then the Kochou Sensei passed around a little pot of homemade Umeboshi http://en.wikipedia.org./wiki/Umeboshi. Of course I took one, but man was it hard to swallow. It's like a pitted, extremely sour, pickled fruit. I can usually eat most things, but this was pretty tough...

After lunch I was officially finished with classes, but I still had to go to my last school for their end of term ceremony. The school had asked me to give a speech, although I was pretty fuzzy on what they wanted me to talk about. Anyway, I arrived and was hurried into the gym, where the kids and teachers were waiting. I watched the Kochou Sensei, Kyoto Sensei and #3 Sensei each address the kids, although I can only guess what they spoke about. Then a student from each grade stood up and said something to the crowd, maybe about what they had worked on over the term? Then the Kochou Sensei brought out some kind of placard with antlers attached....yeah, no clue. Maybe a metaphor about watching out for pointy, dangerous situations over the summer break? Finally it was my turn to speak - I was told to please speak in English (although no teachers there even speak it...) So I just talked about what Americans do over their break: swimming, picnics, BBQing, visiting family, playing games, etc. Then I told them what I would be doing over the break in Japan (beach, Kyoto trip, beach, beach, beach, Tokyo, beach). I think a few of my 6th grade students understood some of the words I used, and could get a very basic idea of what I was saying.

Then we were done, and back in the teacher's room someone handed me a neon yellow plastic sash to wear with something in Japanese written on it. I followed everyone out to the field, where after a few announcements and safety reminders, the teachers all walked the kids home. It was actually sweet, kind of safely delivering the kids directly home after a good term. I held hands with a 1st grader the whole way, and though I didn't understand a word of what she said to me, she still seemed happy enough to walk with the English teacher. It was really hot walking them home, but happily the Kyoto Sensei was waiting for us near the last house, and drove us back to the school in his car, with A/C thankfully. Then the Kochou Sensei said something to me about a "secret service" or "secret employment." I figured out they were telling me it was ok for me to leave early (rather than sit there for 2 more hours doing absolutely nothing), and that it was just our little secret. Woohoo!!!

Now I'm home, and the fact that we have 6 weeks completely free hasn't really sunken in yet. In the next week the only plans we have are to drive up to Mito (where company HQ is) to switch out Chris' car, and maybe a trip to Tokyo to do some errands. I do have one meeting with the 5th and 6th grade homeroom teachers next week, where I just might be allowed to give some feedback (I'm dying to give them notes, seriously...).

I hope you are all enjoying your summer - now I am too!!

-Tessa