What a great first week back at school! I've seen all my classes in Ishimine despite the ongoing sports day practices and so many of the students were excited to see me back in school! I only have a few classes a day because sports day is coming up this weekend, so most of the day is devoted to practicing. I've been very busy while the students practiced making two new English boards, summer vacation activities for class, marking papers, and even making stickers! I haven't been able to go back to chorus club yet because after school I've been helping students prepare for the English speech contest in the beginning of October. Today I will be able to help with speech contest and go to chorus; I'm really excited to go back! As much work as I'm doing, I'm very happy to be back at school with the students.
You may remember me talking about English speech contest and sports day before, they were the first things I did at Shinozaki last year. I've now been in Japan over a year and it's very weird doing things for a second time, especially when the two new JETs talk about how confusing everything is. I don't feel like I've changed, but suddenly I'm the one helping the newbies with the same questions I was asking a year ago. I know what will happen at sports day, what I'm expected to do, and how to help the school prepare for it. I also know the speeches for the English speech contest and good ways to get the students to pronounce the words correctly and put the correct intonation into a sentence. I'm giving the advice instead of receiving it. Although I certainly don't know everything, it's nice to be able to help the new JETs, especially since I had great support my first year.
To celebrate the new JETs first week in the schools, I had an お疲れ dinner party. (お疲れ, pronounced otsukare, is a word we don't have in English, but is used very often in Japanese. Literally it means someone who is tired, but is used to complement or thank someone for working hard.) The two new JETs came as well as eight or nine others. Other JETs, friends, and even some of my coworkers came to celebrate. It was a lot of work for me, but was well worth it and incredibly fun. Also, people leaving and coming to a new place and job can be stressful, but I was so happy the new JETs and old JETs were all hanging out together and getting along. I'm also really glad Kikumi could drive me to Costco to get enough food for everyone and Patrick and Gigi (a cat who is taken care of by my neighbors, but often visits my apartment) who both came over early to help me cook and clean. It was great fun and I can't wait to do it again!
I'm also getting very excited for October! Not only will it be Patrick's birthday, Fukuoka Halloween Night Walker, and a visit from Kanatsu, but I will also be singing at a jazz club! My friends band, Orange Key, will be singing at Swing21, a local jazz club. A band, りぶさん (Livsan), is coming down from Tokyo to play and Orange Key will play as well. My friend Kikumi is the singer for Orange Key and is going to sing all English songs, but wanted some help, so I'll be singing with her! I hope my friends can come see it, but because りぶさん is a professional band there will be a cover charge. Hopefully it won't be too much and everyone can still come see us! I'm so excited to sing and see the other bands, especially since as a performer I won't need to pay the cover charge! I met the band yesterday and although it was my first time rehearsing with them, I had a lot of fun!
That's about it for this week. Next week I'll let you know how sports day went! I also have a lot more trips in the works, one of which is already booked, so once everything is finalized I'll be posting about those as well!
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