School Daze

My job in Japan is to help teach English classes at 3 different junior high schools in Kanazawa. I'll be at School A on Mondays, B from Tues - Thurs and C on Fridays. Right now the schools are on summer break until 1 Sept. but all teachers still have to go in to school everyday unless they take paid time off or have workshops or something. All the kids in club activities (sports, band, art, etc.) also come into school each day to practice all day long. They're also there on weekends but I'm not sure if they have shorter hours or not... I can't imagine spending 7-8 hours each day 7 days a week during my summer vacation practicing my French Horn or playing volleyball. I suppose I would have gotten really good though.

I'm posted in School B all break long but since there aren't classes, there really isn't anything for me to do. I've read through two team teaching and activity manuals, my handbook for living in Japan, and attempted to make it through two really dry books on US Politics and US Geography that the US Embassy so helpfully gave us. I'm bored out of my mind.

On the plus side, it gives me time to practice my Japanese and attempt to talk to the other teachers who, though they look really busy, I think are also pretty bored. It was a bit difficult at first because although a few were friendly, most of them made no effort to introduce themselves and/or seemed to be avoiding me. I was told by my English teacher that they are very shy and not comfortable with their English abilities but that I should really make an effort to go up to them because they are sincerely interested in me and do want to talk. At first I managed to talk to about 3 teachers a day for short periods of time but lately I've made some great breakthroughs. The trick is to show up without your lunch. One of the younger teachers goes and grabs lunch everyday and she's taken to inviting me along. Once we get back to the office, we sit together with some other teachers and attempt communication. It's been really fun and helps the day go by... a little... My next mission is to get myself invited to a happy hour! I'd actually settle for getting invited to any out-of-school activity!