So it’s been over 7 months since I started being a teacher, and packed it all for a new life (in pretty much every meaning of the sense) on the other side of the world. And after a few rocky moments at the beginning it seems things have definitely settled down, whether or not for the best I’m still not quite sure.

The new life bit has definitely been an interesting one so far, challenging, rewarding and also downright frustrating at times - which is rightfully as it should be I’m sure. The career change bit however has definitely been a lot weirder than I ever imagined it would be.

I can’t say I’ve ever wanted to be a teacher… ever. I love languages though, that’s no doubt, especially having spent so much of my youth learning them and the last ten years living in a foreign country (which has definitely become another home) and I’ve always maintained that English is: a/ the easiest language of the three I can speak (French and Italian being the other two) and b/ the most fun one to use, because of how maleable it is (I’m actually pretty sure that’s not an English word, but hey it sounds like one - in French it means ‘easy to shape’). Having done a CELTA course to become an accredited teacher (the irony of which still amazes me) I’ll now readily admit that English isn’t so easy when you break it down - Japanese most definitely ranks much higher in the mindfu*k category. Though I still think it’s the most fun one to use, I’m just not quite sure how I can convince people of this now, having been reminded of the darker side of grammar and pronounciation :lol: .

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written by Laurent \\ tags: classroom, eikaiwa, Japan, kids, school, Teaching

Ok so I’ve gone from spending the month of June refusing to turn my air con on in an attempt to prove to myself that I could cope with the supposed heat of the Japanese summer, only to find out that the worst was yet to come and that I really can’t deal with heat and humidity combined in great amounts. I returned from our holiday in Izu at the end of June and promptly wacked the air con on after my room had turned into some sort of personalised, and well equipped, sauna. And I haven’t turned it off since…

Not even during the much delayed rainy season which lasted pretty much all of July and was supposed to cool us down a bit (or so I was led to believe). Being drenched wet in 30 degree heat definitely isn’t my idea of fun. Nor is having to walk in horizontal rain whilst on the way to work dressed in work clothes and subsequently having to go to the convini to buy socks so I could teach for the day (though actually that last part was pretty enjoyable - after bitching for 10 minutes the thought did cross my mind that they’ll probably sell socks in there, and lo and behold they did. I do love this country).

And now August has rolled up and the heat has settled properly it seems - as Fushimi warned me a month or so ago. And fudge me it’s hot. I mean really hot. And humid, unbereably humid. It’s just so oppressive. I have a tendency to never be truly happy, and always moan if it’s cold, hot or whatever, but right now this is beyond the joke. The heat is truly on a scale I’ve never experienced before, and I’ve spent summers in some of the hottest parts of Europe - where nothing moves for five/six hours past lunchtime due to the heat.

I’m definitely glad for the overabundance of air conditioners in Tokyo - though it does take some getting used to, walking from oppressive heat into cool (or downright cold) rooms/shops/trains and back out again. Repeat all day long until you either catch a cold, a sore throat, runny nose etc… I rocked a cold for most of July, and am now pleasantly enjoying having an on/off dry throat and being unable to find the ‘right temperature’ inside that won’t leave me feeling a little too cold or too hot.

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written by Laurent \\ tags: heat, hot, Japan, summer