#jet problems

[laurkf]

Today I almost stepped on a snake at the docks and that was scary and then I saw this fucker in my house so basically no sleep tonight

[teatimewithnaomi]

The awkward moment when a member of staff/PTA meets you in the bathroom, gives you a surprised look and asks “Oh, has the other girl left?” I just nodded. I didn't have the heart to tell her I’ve been here for a year....looks like I’m making a GREAT impression...

Why did I have to have a predecessor everyone was madly, head over heels, lets get married in love with. 

[m0shete1]

A new teacher walked up to me in the coffee area:

Teacher: Catherine?

Me: Yes...

Teacher: 知ってますよぉー (I know....)

Me: *whispers* 何で知ってますか？ (Why do you know me...)

Teacher: *skips away without answering*

--Later that day--

Teacher: See you.

Me: 何で知ってますか？(Why do you know me?)

Teacher:知ってるから知ってるよ。See you. (I know you because I know you... See you.)

WHO IS THIS GHOST MAN

[m0shete1]

Why is this a joke...

Recently, I've been hearing a lot of my students use Domestic Violence as a joke, and it's sort of disturbing. I guess DVする has become a joking way of saying you're beating up someone, and aaaaaah.

For example. Today, in the hallways, three boys were doing that junior high school "we're gonna chase each other around the halls" thing. Nothing out of the ordinary there, until one boy starts shouting "SENSEI (not to me, to another teacher) HE IS DV-ING ME" DVされた！DVされた！ The teacher took it semi seriously and was like, "Who is DV-ing you..." Her voice dropped into that tone that means serious, but then the sort of laughed it off and we walked away. 

I don't know how to respond, but this makes me very uncomfortable... What would you (more wiser) fellows do? I mean, I'm probably not going to do anything except continue to be uncomfortable, but aaah. 

[ennuiae]

Meh Vent Time

I don't even know why I even ask my neighboring ALTS to go out with me. 90% of the time they say no. I can't wait for next August. I'll have three new people moving into my building. I hope I get some ALTS who are younger and more willing to go out and do things...and who are nice people. I learned this in the very beginning though.

[m0shete1]

Demonstration Lesson Friday...

Everyone in the city (jk, but like, most of the English teachers from the City) will be coming to watch my demonstration lesson this Friday and the teacher in charge STILLL has no idea

what she is doing

What I will do

if the students will be at the chapter they need to be at

what sort of lesson plan she will do

I am at the end of my gourd.

[m0shete1]

Today a class of 5th graders were so "bad" that we spent 45 min of class literally staring at each other. The teacher wouldn't let them begin until everyone of them was sitting perfectly at the same time Now. On one hand, I hate this class because they are little shits most of the time. And sure. The same assholes started class noisily and in their idgaf way that I've come to expect. On the other hand. I think that 45 minutes of sitting with backs straight hands in their laps quietly making eye contact with me is a little ridiculous. What eleven year old can do that? Also, she wasn't fucking saying anything. She wasn't calling out the kids who were bad, wasn't telling the good kids they were fine. It was ducking ridiculous. No one knew what was happening the first few minutes and then after fifteen it became clear we were doing I all class... I appreciate this woman finally stepping up and deciding to discipline the kids, but she doesn't do it frequently enough or effectively enough to make a difference. Also. So sad for the kids who were fine. I'm just so over this lady.

[m0shete1]

Japan Rant??

I'm having one of those bitter weeks, where I think about things that annoy me a lot, and a lot of things annoy me. 

This recent rant comes from a conversation I had with my boyfriend last night. We were talking about his visit in October (YAY!!!!!!!!) and how during that time, we'd need to go pick up the car at his house, and how it would be a good time to meet his mother. 

Now, for those of you who don't know, I am very tall. 184cm, 6 feet 1 inch, however you say it, the point is, I'm tall. The boyfriend, however, is not tall. I have a good 10cm on him, and I'm cool with his height and he's cool with my height. No problems, right?

When he mentioned going to meet his mom, my first instinct was to let out a long groan (I did). Poor Tom, he was like "What, you dont want to meet my mom??"

"It:s not that, I replied. I just don't want to deal with my height."

He gets quiet, because I think he thinks I dislike that he's short, so I say "No, no. I just don't want your mom to go でけっ! (HUGE!) when I walk in the door."

He started to assure me that she wouldn't, when mid-sentences he changes his approach: "She will probably say something like 大きいですね (My, you are big!) but that is a compliment! It won't be a negative, it's just like, Wow! You are tall! That is cool!"

And it's awkward because he doesn't get it- he can't get it. He can't understand that literally every introductory conversation I have involves my height or FOREIGNNESS in some way. That I have to listen to people whisper about my height every where I go. That sometimes I don't hear my friends calling me down the street because I'm actively trying to tune out all the rude things that I can hear Japanese people saying about me. Or that an old woman literally dropped her purse because my foreign presence was such a shock. 

He tries to tell me it's a compliment, but this attention for being foreign certainly doesn't feel like a compliment. It feels othering. It makes you really feel the 外 in 外国人. This is entirely not a height-specific problem- It happens to most foreigners living in Japan, I would say. My main issue is, at what point do we stop being attractions, stop being "WOW YOU ARE SO TALL WHY DO YOU LIKE STEAK" and start being allowed to be regular old people?

ALTs of tumblr- This can't just be me. 

NOTE; I am not saying this is a japan specific problem either. I'm sure similar stuff happens in the States/ other countries all the time. But never before have I lived in such a homogeneous society.