schools

No pictures of the schools yet; I didn't want to be that creepy gaijin taking pics of kids' schools from her car window.

However, last Tuesday I did manage to Google, locate on a paper map, and then drive to all three of my school locations. The first two (Sano and Kouya) are close to me, while Mitanda is a good twenty minutes away. Fortunately, my schedule for most of the year is Mitanda on Monday, Sano on Tues/Wed, and Kouya on Thurs/Fri.

On Thursday I was picked up at my house by another helpful Japanese Interac employee (IC, which I think stands for Interac Contact), who drove me to Sano, then Kouya school. In both of these schools, we were greeted and ushered into a meeting room off to the side of the teachers' work room. I met with the principal or vice-principal of these schools, as well as the teacher who would be my in-school contact for lessons and instructions. Together we discussed school lunch fees, what to wear at school, what would be expected of me, and other important things (such as how I needed to bring my own cup and "hashi," or chopsticks to school for lunch!). It was very quick for both, since both schools were still in the middle of their school day when the IC and  I visited. I didn't see any other foreign teachers at either Sano or Kouya, so I think I may be the only gaijin at the school.

On Friday, a different IC picked me up and we drove to Mitanda. The atmosphere there was different. It could have been any number of reasons: the school day was over, so they had more time, or that Mitanda is a smaller school, so the teachers are more tightly-knit. Whatever the reason, after the customary meeting with the school principal over cups of coffee, I was invited into the actual teachers' room, shown my desk, and introduced to everyone. I kept smiling and bowing and saying "Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!" back to anyone who said it to me.

All the teachers were brought into the room (there weren't meany couldn't have been more than ten or twelve), and I was asked to make an introduction speech. Fortunately, I'd prepared one on Wednesday night in case it was needed. I had to read it off my notebook, but they applauded, so hopefully I did well. I really want to learn more Japanese now because not only will it make living here easier, but these people seem friendly and fun, and they're going to be my co-workers, and I'd really like to cultivate a relationship with them beyond a wave and a smile because we've nothing else we can say to each other.

At Mitanda, also, I was able to meet the 6th and 5th grade homeroom teachers, which was great, because those are the two grades I'll be teaching at Mitanda for at least the next month. I really love Mitanda school. They've tried to get to know me, and help me. They even provided me with a printed copy of the curriculum, my schedule for the next few months, and information about the songs on the CD that goes with the schoolbooks I have. (Which I was thankful for, since I do not have the CD.)

I'm nervous as hell. Not speaking any real conversational Japanese means it's harder for me to ask my employers and co-workers what they expect from me, how to do things right, what advice they have. I need to practice Japanese phrases that I can use to tell them I'm open to helpful criticism, that I'd love their input on anything and I'm eager to do my best and I don't want them to worry about telling me how they prefer things to be done. I'm joining a community, after all, and even though being foreign sort of restricts me from ever truly being a full member of it, I'm going to be part of the school machine and I want to be a hard-working little cog. :)

Tomorrow is Sunday. I'm going to hole up in the nearest Starbucks I know of and plan my lessons for the first week. I need to make sure I understand how all the timesheet paperwork is supposed to be done. ('Cause without that I may not get paid!)

Thankfully, the Starbucks internet here is a million times better than the internet at the Starbucks in Ohio (sorry, Google Wifi, but it's true). Also, a friend sold me her old tablet, so I finally have something to load books onto and acquire additional apps for studying (and deciphering) Japanese. I've scheduled all my time tomorrow for getting my bearings and making sure I'm ready for not just Monday, but Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, as well.

I'm glad Mitanda is the first school I'll visit, since my schedule is the least busy there and I have the most information about what I'm supposed to do. The best defense against nervousness and a bad first day is being over-prepared and organized!

A green-tea latte won't hurt, either.

As my Japanese co-workers have been saying to me all week, がんばって!