Eigo Note

One of the teachers at my school pointed out this story to me a few days ago from the Yomiuri Shimbun, the most widely read newspaper in the world (or at least most widely bought):

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20091130TDY01306.htm

Eigo Note (or English Notebook) is the primary book I use in most of my elementary schools. Several school districts have their own textbooks or teaching plans, but Eigo Note is (or was) supposed to present a standard text for those areas that did not have within the next few years. The book is intended to help teachers teach English when they do not have a native English speaker present, though many teachers do not know what to make of it.

To be honest, I'm not sure what to make of it either. The book has both useful and confusing activities (including 'chants' or songs for each chapter, many of which are impossible for the kids to say). There's also an pretty good version of the textbook that can be used on smart boards, but only one class in all my schools has one.

Arashiyama

I didn't have to go to work on Monday, so I went to Arashiyama instead. It's a suburb between Kyoto and my town and is a popular place for looking at 'momiji' or autumn leaves and 'sakura' or cherry blossoms. Here's some pictures:

Toji Temple

On the 21st of every month there is a big flea market at Toji Temple in Kyoto. It get pretty crowed, but it's has a lot of things on sale for pretty cheap. I haven't really been to the temple proper (it costs extra and is really crowded whenever I've gone), but here's a picture of a pagoda that famous:



Also, there is a lot of security around the temple during the flea market to make sure no one bothers the monks or steals anything. Here's one of the more intimidating guards:

Stickers

One of the things that most surprises me about Japan is how obsessed children are with stickers. When I say 'children' I am referring to students between fifth and ninth (!) grade. I use stickers as a motivator for a less enjoyable activity, or to encourage some of the better students to do extra work. Thus far, anytime I bring stickers almost all the students vigorously engage in whatever activity I have.



For some reason, juvenile delinquents in Japan are referred to as 'Yankees'. These kids can be real trouble, but typically nothing too bad. Although there aren't really any 'Yankees' at my school, some kids are referred to as 'bad boys'. The worst thing they do is ignore the dress code around shy teachers and not pay attention in class. Nevertheless, when I bring stickers to class these kids get giddy as, well, a Japanese school girl.

Strike Eagle

Considering that this can is all in English, I'm guessing it comes from a military base (though I did find it in my local grocery store):



Warning: these peanuts may be hazardous to anyone who hates freedom

Validation

Today, my irrational fear of rain gutters was validated. There was a brief traffic delay while I was driving between schools. When I got up closer I saw a fairly large truck that had one or both of its left wheels stuck in a rain gutter off the side of road. The gutters are not particularly big, but they are big enough to trap a wheel with no easy way out. It was a lumber truck though I couldn't tell if it was full or not. I have no idea how they managed to get it out or what kind of damage it caused. Unfortunately, as a was driving on a partially closed road and it was raining, I did not get a picture.

I have sometimes considered what I would do should my car end up in a rain gutter. I figure it's probably small enough that a handful of people could pick it up. Another possibility is to try and get a board or two under the wheel and leveraging it out (there are a lot of lumber mills along the roads I drive). I don't see how a tow truck could help as it would just drag the car above the wheel. At the same time I don't know how that truck could get out without using a tow truck.

I think it would be best if I never have to find out how to get a car out of a rain gutter.

Free stuff

On numerous occasions since I've been here, I've been given free things simply because I'm a foreigner. At one bar in town I've had more drinks bought for me than I can remember (all, unfortunately, from middle-aged men rather than like-aged women). At school lunches the tea ladies always give me extra food. One person was very insistent on giving me a guitar, though he constantly forgets to bring the actual guitar (which is probably a good thing).


Last Tuesday was 'culture day' so I went to the museum of traditional handicrafts in Kyoto. It had kimonos, painted fans, ornate furniture, and various other wares on display. The best part of it was that actual artists were there working on their projects and able to explain to people what they were doing (well, to Japanese people at least, though the other displays had English). I went into some kind of special exhibition room and some older women were three dressed in kimonos. One of the women, who was apparently the best at English in that she spoke maybe three words of it to me, guided me around. When I complemented One woman's kimono she gave me a scarf. Then all the other women decided to give me something along those lines. I ended up with free stuff for no reason other than being a foreign willing to listen to them.