ALT at Los Angeles Pre-Departure Orientation, July 2002:
“Remember, you *will* come back home…”

Fellow Kitakyushu Jr. High School ALT:
“You *will* change as a person…”

I`m sitting at the net cafe drinking my second coca-cola, not wanting to go home just yet, though I should. Something is bothering me, so much that I took the bus from school down to Kokura Station instead of home (not far off from home, but obviously an indicator that I am trying to escape some feelings, at least thats what I`ve been feeling).

Hanao Jr. High school definitely has wild kids. I try to basically run around with my best sense of humor, and its kept me alive and (mostly) enjoying being around the kids.

Monday was opening ceremonies… I wasn`t aware I was going to introduce myself at that assembly, but I did my best. Kyoto-sensei said `…Great!` after I was done. I think they like me.

The staff is great. I think the fact that I can communicate some Japanese really helps.

After opening ceremonies, I tried to help clean with the students and they all looked at me funny, but I think they are getting used to it now. I walked around to see what clubs were out there.

One group struck me the most. It was the baseball team. The field behind the school is entirely dirt. As I walked around, I saw them further out in the field, just practicing pitches and catches. One of them noticed me, yelled something out and every player turned around, took off their hats and bowed to me. They probably do this with any teacher or elder, but it was my first time to be shown respect by an entire team of rowdy kids I`d seen in a class just hours before. I`m sure all the kids at the school freak out when some gaijin 24 year old sits in their class for lunch or what have you, but it`s actually been my way of dealing with being lonely.

Sure, I live around so many ALTs its disturbing, but I still would like to meet others also. I shouldn`t put myself in the position that I can make friends with just any kid out at the school.

Nakano kun is this ni-nensei (7th grade?) kid who is cool. He`s so short you`d think he was first year, but is on the baseball team and is just.. cool. I ate at a homeroom today where Nakano has his classes. Eventually he`d come by and sit and just look at me. I`d look back for five seconds and say “What?/Yes?” and he probably said “nothing” in Japanese. While I can communicate to the kids and staff with my 2-year-university-study Japanese (read: still bare), there is obviously much to learn.

I`ve done six self intro classes so far, with enough material to last about 35-40 minutes, amazingly. The JTE`s asked me if I could do an introduction for an hour. Yikes. So far, doing alright.

I`m nervous about next week. I`m not very creative when it comes to school/english games, so I`ll probably be pulling out net/book resources and making sure I can find decent games for the kids.

Looking forward to the weekend. I need to buy some more short sleeved work shirts and refine my haircut if I can get off my ass to do the latter.

I should go home, but I am so comfortable just journaling here right now. Once again, old habits are hard to break. Well, that and I haven`t been able to do any creative webwork for over a month. Oh boy.