Team Spirit

I had reunion with my contemporaries. I mean, the "new-blood" teachers who had trainings as the same time with me.
Others are full-timers, so they have contributed to the school more than me.
Their common concern is "we want to show our team spirit, but we need to improve in our English more, so we need more time to study."
They are quite serious & sincere girls, so we did the "book-store-touring" to talk about which materials for English study are good!

After the reunion, I went to the Tokyo Dome to support my hubby's company's baseball team. Now, the national amateur baseball team tournament has been being held. My hubby's company's team (he is not an athlete, you know!) became best eight yesterday.
Tonight was the quarterfinal game.

My hubby "had to" go there as a staff and "had to" support their games, but I didn't expect to do that.
However, yesterday, my hubby said, "Common, let's go! Please come!"
...So, I made it.

I imagined to sit quietly & just "watch" the game like most Americans watching baseball games, but...here is Japan!
As westerners were surprised to watch the Japanese supporters at Olympics, we made a lot of noise during the game!
I know players can't "rest" during the game, but we also couldn't "rest."
There are many cheer girls & boys who always encouraged us to make some noise.
Clap, scream, sing songs...
Actually, I was exhausted!! My hubby looked the same.
I asked him,"why did you want me to come here?"
He smiled, "I just want you to know how hard to show the team spirit!"
I growled, "ahhh...OK. And, what else?"
He shrugged his shoulders, "I thought I could make an excuse for not going "team spirit party" after the game if I am with you!"

Ummm...it makes sense!
But fortunately? his company's team won. So...he and his co-workers have to demonstrate their team spirit more and more!
Good work☆

Your moment!

Eric is an ET. Yes, he is an extraterrestrial. No, he is an "emergency teacher" at my school!
Today, we had a farewell party for him. Because Sam came from Australia to be our full-time teacher, Eric goes back to the head office.

Eric looks like a typical English man. His motions are gentle, and his voice is really soft. He might look like a snob, actually.
But the fact is...he is really enthusiastic, sincere, and humorous guy!

He wrote many posters about events or "welcome boards" for new students. He was all thumbs, so his posters were like children's originals. However, those warmed students' heart. He always clapped, did some characteristic movements, or even sing sometimes yo make his classes enjoyable.
There are many legacies he left, but what I admire him most is that he remembers every students' full names! And then, when the student came, he said cheerfully.
For example, "Hey! Akira Sato's moment!!" like this.
This magical word put a spotlight on each student.

Therefore, today, when we were at the Yakiniku restaurant, we often mimicked Eric saying, "Eric's moment!" "Bob's moment!" when the person talked enthusiastically.
There were Eric, from England, Bob, from America, Sam, from Australia, and my head teacher Toshi, manager Rie, and me.
Our English has such diversity, so sometimes it was difficult for me to understand...
But I appreciate I am in such a circumstance!

I think why Eric did so much work is because of his passion.
People who have "soul" and "passion" always influence well to people around him/her.
So, let's start to have both of those! Then, it's going to come..."Your moment!!"

Coaching and Teaching

As a matter of fact, I have still been in...the dream world. I mean, "the Beijing Olympics" dream world.
It has been...two weeks? or three weeks? since it was over. However, I have still watched videos of Olympic athletes' special programs, and read some magazines about them.

Today, I watched the NHK special program of the Japanese swimming team coach, Mr. Hirai. He has been coaching Kousuke Kitamura and Reiko Nakamura.
Among five medals the Japanese swimming team got in this Olympics, Kitamura got three and Nakamuraya got one.
As you can know from the fact...Mr.Hirai is so talented coach!

From the TV program, I learned a lot, actually...as a teacher.
First, (it can apply for any jobs, though,) "big success comes from lots of failure."
Mr. Hirai did some mistakes at the Sydney Olympics, and they made him more persistent and professional.

Second, "it is important to give advice in "simple" words."
I think it's significant! Coaches, teachers, some people who "teach" something to people, tend to be wordy. Because I want to teach many things to my students, sometimes I explain too much & point out many things. But I understand I could have my students get confused!

Third, "Instructors should see one step further than pupils (students.)"
When Mr. Hirai got excited like a swimmer himself, he couldn't get a good result. Instructors should always be level-headed, and project their future, he said.
I know I have to think about how my students can keep studying English forever, but if I forget this "essence," I tend to "just" teach daily classes.

Ummm... we can always learn from people who are the "cream of the crop!"
While I was watching the program being impressed, my hubby kept saying...
"Honey, come back to the reality world! The Beijing Olympics were over!
Now, we are having our regular life, OK?!"
....I KNOW IT!

Hokkaido Food Exhibition

When my hubby and I went to my home island, Hokkaido, he said.
"Your parents and relatives always talk about food, serve much food over our capacity, and go out to eat anywhere... Is here the FOOD kingdom!??"
I think....yes, it is. Hokkaido is abundant for agriculture and seafood!
Therefore?? when department stores in Tokyo hold "the Hokkaido Exhibition," it means "the Hokkaido Food Exhibition!!"

I found an advertisement for the Shinjuku Keio department store this morning.
They would hold the Hokkaido Exhibition from today. I was excited!
Today, luckily, two of my private students canceled classes, and I didn't have to attend a business meeting. My class would start from 4:00 pm today (even though I have to go to school at least one hour earlier to prepare classes,) so...I could go to the exhibition to get a gorgeous lunch!

If I were asked, "on your last day of your life, what food would you like to eat?"( I know it's a cliche question, though...) I would definitely answer, "crab and prosciutto(uncured ham!!)"
Apparently prosciutto is not Hokkaido's specialty, but crab, clearly is!!
I rode on an elevator of the Keio store with excitement to go to the exhibition.
There were seven ladies in the elevator including me, and all of them got down on the exhibition floor.
"Ummm... I have many rivals," I think...

My another object, fresh caramels made in the Hanabatake Farm had been already sold out, but I could easily get "crab lunch box" by the Kushiro Shimada store.
"Wow, I won the rivals!" I was thrilled & wanted to stay there more, but I rushed to go to school.

At school, I opened the crab lunch box which cost 1,680 yen with beating.
Then, I noticed...of course crab, and lots of white rice!
At the exhibition, it looked "full of crab," but they "disguised" carefully to look like crab.
I mean, as a result, it was "full of white rice & some crab."
I laughed to see my gorgeous lunch & I realized.
This good taste & this commercialism...
Even though here is not my hometown, "I CAME BACK TO JAPAN!!"

Cultural Difference

At school, when I made the school's brochures with Sam, who just arrive in Japan from Australia a few weeks ago, he started to talk about "culture shock" experience.

"When I went to my new apartment with a manager, Rie, I was about to enter my room. Then Rie screamed, "No!" I had my shoes on.
Last weekend, I went shopping. When I was getting in a dress room, a clerk also screamed, "No!" I had my shoes on.
It's very hard to recognize where I have to take my shoes off! Why do you take off yous shoes in houses, or even dress room??"

Why... I wanted to ask him,
"Why didn't you take off your shoes inside houses!?? It seems uncomfortable!!"
But I didn't. I talked to my student, Yumi, who was there listening to our conversation.
"He is saying, Yumi. How would you explain?"

Then, Yumi, an university student who are from Kyoto, said.
"Well, I remember my grandmother said to me,"If you come in a house having your shoes on, your happiness will get out from the house because you bring outside dirt into the house."

...I see! Even I have never heard the Japanese belief, the Australian was quite persuaded.
"Wow, now I'm embarrassed! I should pray to come my happiness back to my apartment! As well as the boutique's dress room, too!"

Sam said he came to Japan because he wanted to live in the different culture.
Well, now you are doing it!

Kicking the bad habit

Yes, the bad habit.
To me, it is...being a night owl!!
How bad is it?

Basically, I can stay up late at night. I do study, enjoy some hobbies, even household things...at late night!
But I still need to sleep from 6-8 hours per day.
Therefore, I had taken a nap to catch up with my necessary sleeping time.
Recently, my work time got my bad habit worse.
I come home around 9:00pm-11:00pm when I work. After that, I prepare meal, eat it, wash the dishes, study for the STEP test (Eiken) which I have to take in October, take a bath, and write a blog. Finally, I go to bed around 1:00-2:00pm!
However, do you notice? Instead of the late time to go home, my work starts also late.
So...I can do "prepare meal" thing or dairy study before I go to work, but in the time I should do those, I am "taking a nap" instead of going to bed late at night.
But it's opposed to the human nature!!
I should work hard ( I mean, including household chore and study) in the day time, and sleep at night!

Today is my day off. I went to bed at 2:00 am last night, but I tried not to take a nap, but to do housework which accumulated recently because of my schedule & not-good health condition.
It worked!
I had done pretty much household work until 4:00pm, and then...I went to bed.
I "had to" rest a little to take the STEP model test!
(Studying is always my excuse of taking a nap beforehand..."I should make my brain clear! etc...)
That was not a good plan, actually.
Instead of taking a test, I did the regular work(I mean, cooking;) late and eventually...now, it's already 1:30pm!
Some people say, "People who conduct household chore well can conduct their work well, too."
Ummmm... that's why I don't make a point while I am working!!

But I don't give up! I will do some experiments to "kick the bad habit!!"
We'll see...

New Blood

It had been raining hard for several days, but today, weather forecast said there was just "a little" chance of rain.
I brought a very small & light collapsible umbrella just in case.
However..."a little chance" and "just in case" hit me unfortunately.

Right after I went out riding a bike, it started to rain hard.
I grabbed a collapsible umbrella and opened it...but it became raining harder & harder...actually, it was like a heavy squall!
Even though I had an umbrella, it was so small that I was "conquered" by the squall.
My hair & blouse became completely wet as if I just took a shower wearing a suit.
My new pair of shoes was once taken off because of wetness, and my paper bag which accommodated teaching materials was worn out.
I shouted literally, "No way! I am so unlucky!!"

But here is another one who has a difficulty with weather.
That is...Sam, a new teacher from Australia!!
He just came to Japan from Melbourne a few weeks ago.
In Australia, you know, it is mid-winter! Since he arrived in Japan, he said he had "utterly" been in trouble to get used to the hot, humid Japanese summer.
Even though it became much cooler lately, today, he kept saying "It's hot! It's hot, isn't it??"

Anyway, he tried to talk with many students as possible as he could.
Good luck, new blood!
But actually, his height is almost same as mine & he is skinnier than me.
I mean, he is so young that he looks like a high school student!
Are you OK, Sam?? Well, I hope he will be OK...