Oh, Monday, Monday, how could you leave and not take me?

Today was my first day with the new first years (the school year started last week). They seem really well behaved and sweet; you can tell they’re new and just getting comfortable with high school. I know many of them worked with a foreign English instructor in Junior High (my friends, actually), but they still seem intimidated by high school and were shocked to see me. There was a lot of nervous chatter when they found out they would get English names, as well. It was sweet. The first class was with Yamamoto Sensei, which is good because I like teaching with him and he's good at what he does, but of all the classes to have technical difficulties in, it sucks that it had to be his. He is really funny and nice, but I couldn’t find the worksheets we needed once last year (even though they were in the classroom) and felt really stupid when that happened (he can be serious and I doubt if he was impressed by that). Today was not as bad, but I thought I was foolproof with the PPT presentation I created for my self-intro this round (with pictures of Minnesota and experiences here in Japan). The projector was cake to set up, but – of course – the computer’s battery died before the presentation started and it took too long to start up so I couldn’t use it. I had printed off the slides for the students on their worksheets, so it didn’t hinder the lesson too much, but it was definitely a learning experience (and I am bringing my power cord from now on!).

On another note, I had an interesting experience with one of the first years today. We had a sign-up meeting for the English Speaking Society after school, and on the way back, I ran into a girl named Rachel, who’s mother is from Australia. She was with a group of her girlfriends, but it sort of threw me for a loop because she totally does not look Japanese. She is half-Australian/half-Japanese, but I swear she could be Irish. I am sure her English is pretty good, but I was with Hayashi Sensei at the time and she used him to translate what I didn’t know, rather than saying it to me directly, so I am not sure if she is completely bi-lingual (like the student her mother tutors) or not. She was speaking Japanese with her friends and did not seem very comfortable when I spoke to her in English. I don't know yet if it was because she was overwhelmed by it, because it was in front of her friends, or if she didn't really understand what I was saying. All I can say is that I feel slightly hypocritical. Maybe I have been here too long if it threw me for such a loop running into another foreign-looking girl, speaking fluent Japanese, especially considering how upset so many in the expat community get over the fact that it is hard to integrate, let along assimilate, in this culture. I know this student has spent a good deal of time in Australia (where Hayashi Sensei lived, actually!), so I am looking forward to learning more about her, even if that doesn't guarantee her English skills will prove to be at par with a native speaker (I, for one, certainly know little-to-no Greek even though I have been on multiple family visits!).
At least things there is more and more to look forward to; things are getting better as the new year is unravelling:)