I feel like I can breathe again. My demo lesson is finally over.
おわりました! どもう おつかれさまでした!
It's finished and I couldn't be happier. On Thursday, 60 observers (JTEs, ALTs, BOE members) attended one of my English classes. It was nerve racking to say the least.
The demo lesson went incredibly well. The students were well behaved, they spoke out, and they tried their best. I couldn't have asked for anything more. Also, teaching with the JTE was incredibly enjoyable, just like it always is. We have good chemistry.
I wish I could explain to you everything that went into this, but I can't. I'm at a loss for words because even though I was teaching and preparing for an English class, I was doing so in the Japanese way. Their style is different and their work ethic is unlike most in America. I think that most of the stress I endured for this event was due to my limited experience with the Japanese culture. Even though I've been living and working here for about a year and a half, I am by no means immune to culture shock. It happens daily.
This event has been my biggest challenge here to date. Nothing about it was easy, little of it was enjoyable, but it was all well worth it. Staying true to this year's theme, there were countless moments of growing pains.
And now that it's over, I can focus on my next work challenges: an international exchange event with neighboring university students, and English exchange events with Malaysian home stay students.
These next couple of weeks will be just as busy, but a little less stressful. Since I hosted these same type of events last year, I already have a lot of the material prepared. I just have a few edits to make and a lot of printing to do.
As much as I'm looking forward to completing these events, I don't want them to end too quickly. Once they're over, I'm that much closer to my 25th birthday; Winter Holiday; New Year's; and my last 35 days of teaching in Japan.
The clock is ticking, the days are passing by, and my return flight has been booked.
It's all very real now, and terribly bittersweet.
とても かなし.
But I'll be back for nostalgic trips --- someday.
And here are a few pictures to show you how I've been spending my weekends. Honestly, I'm kind of living for them. I look forward to them so much because they're filled with all of my favorite things ...
- coffee & cookies from Dean & Deluca
- running
- train rides
- Spotify
- Netflix
- red wine
- reading & writing
- Japanese studies
- marking English papers
XOXO,
M
