Entries this day: Dream Release Studying Work best_day_yet_in_Japan www.findateacher.net

Dream

6:27am JST Friday 9 May 2003

I went to some tourist attraction and Bryn was there and I'm all "hi, Bryn!" and she goes "I don't want to explain" so I ignored the gap in communication and asked how she's doing.

We were in some big hall with a huge golden flame in the middle of the room. Bryn was excited by something so huge and nearly yellow so she ran down the steps to check it out. I followed her not quite as quickly.

As she gazed up at it, she noticed something amazing on the wall - a reflection of Earth, but with the entire globe shrunk to about five hundred dollars which you are about to give me right now, he said.

oops I just fell asleep while typing and was dreaming again.

There was a huge image of the Earth about 30 feet in diameter and featuring Australia which we were like, how can the image be projected back onto earth?

We marveled a bit and then I told her how much fun I've been having traveling, and she agreed and reminded me that's what she told me in the first place back in the day.

I was like yeah and thankful to see Bryn again.

I don't remember what else.

Release

8:50am JST Friday 9 May 2003

I have decided to restructure my thoughts about losing things. Yesterday I lost my pack of flashcards that I've been studying. On it I had translated to Japanese, "may I park here?" and took it to the bike parking lot. That parking lot is the last place I flat remember having it. I went back there and attempted to ask, translating "lost" and "similar" because I had another set of (blank) flashcards, but the attempt did not result in flashcard recovery.

I turned off the tape machine in my head that was like, "nyah nyah you can't keep anything" and turned it to a golden message that I am done with the item; I don't need it anymore. Release. Release.

I realize I'm no monk; I would do a double-triple-quadruple flip-out if I lost my computer anytime soon. But I can release a pack of flashcards.

- - - -

I'm at Starbucks for my lesson with ‚ ‚â‚È at 9:30 (‚­‚¶‚Í‚ñ). I'll read Japanese until then.

Studying

11:28am JST Friday 9 May 2003

Just studied verbs with Ayana. Now I can say I'm going to Nova at 11:30 today. kyounojyouichihamNovaOikimas.

One silly thing about Japanese is they don't split things up into words. It's just yammeryammeryammerallstrungtogetherlikethis. At least there are sentence breaks.

And I can say I went to sleep at 1am last night. Kinohiyoichijininemashta. And other things that are not 100% clear in my head.

Work

12:43pm JST Friday 9 May 2003

Today I'll be working at what we call KQ. It's the satellite school of Kawasaki Nova. I'm not sure what Q stands for, but I'm pretty sure the K is for Kawasaki.

The school is not yet open; I'm going to study while I eat.

9:16pm

Man, KQ stands for eazy breazy; this was a relaxing day. Plus I had the most hilarious lesson *ever*!! These three women were 7Cs but they were so outrageously hilarious! I told the the game called "Sausages" and...God I don't even remember; they were just hilarious.

To kick off the lesson, one of them took my picture with a little Polaroid camera which she uses to remember her instructors....

What a lesson. What a day. Nice nice nice.

best day yet in Japan

12:25am JST Saturday 10 May 2003

Today was the best day in Japan. My best day yet.

Started off arriving early to Shibuya for my Japanese lesson with Ayana (even though I got lost on the way there. Soon as my train started going the wrong direction (down into a tunnel instead of up into Shibuya) I noticed. I had gotten on a train at the right station and the right direction, but the wrong final destination). Did pretty well in the lesson; I basically knew all 12 verbs she had assigned 2 weeks ago. Got a good appreciation for what my students go through. One of the students seems to laugh like something is really hilarious as he's trying to form questions. I'm like, "what's so fuckin' funny, just ask a question."

As I formulated questions in my head, I laughed. Then I realized that I was laughing in the same situation as he does. I've got all these words bouncing around in my head like verbal ping pong balls in a tornado. Most of them are English words, all lining up carefully, ready to come out as questions, but first they all have to jump through a hoop of translation. They all jump through and I note that only one comes out translated. I put a collar on that word, throw the rest of the words out and new ones immediately line up (some of the old ones sneak in because they have frequent flyer miles), and I try to keep in the line all the words that are wearing collars. Some of the words jump through the hoop out of order in an attempt to be helpful or maybe cause they're just excited and know they can do it. Some of them jump through the wrong hoop and come out in the wrong language, usually Spanish.

- - - -

Work today was a breeze at KQ. Empty lessons and a lot of 1 on 1s and then the best lesson ever with those hilarious 7Cs, one of whom was pretty cute. Her teeth were messed up in a good and crooked way, but they were clean.

- - - -

On the way home I made flashcards for new verbs and mneumonics to learn most of them. I stopped by GeraGera internet cafe and signed up with findateacher.net. This is awesome cause it's me beginning to grab hold of my own financial situation and not just rely on what money I can make by making money for Nova. I can give the students better value for lower cost and I don't have to not use Japanese in the classroom. Blah blah all the good things about being self employed.

- - - -

Finished that, uploaded entries, left and found my bike still waiting for me at the bike parking lot. Nice.

Talked to Janette all the way home and when I arrived, found my mom had sent me a letter and she's planning to come see me in September! And Janette had sent a box of chocolate!! Whoohooooo!! I'm the luckiest man in all of Japan.

- - - -

"Jesus dude, you've got some dedicated fans."

- Frank, when I offered chocolate given by Janette

www.findateacher.net

11:14pm JST Friday 9 May 2003

I've just signed up with http://www.findateacher.net, which will allow me to collect students for paid English classes outside Nova. Rock on.

Thanks to Frank for telling me about it.