Oh, all the bowing...

Today I'm going to discuss what was probably the most taxing day of my life in Japan thus far.

On Monday I arrived at work at 8:30, and at about 9 I was off to visit pretty much every school in the Nayoro area. We visited all 6 of Chris' schools(The other ALT), my 6 schools, and also the schools that Shelley, another ALT, works at. We did not get back to the office until about 5:30. What made it so difficult was all of the formalities I had to endure. I will describe how a typical visit played out...

We arrive at the school, take off our shoes and put on school slippers. We then go to the office of the principal. Before entering the office you bow, and say "shitsurei shimasu," which roughly translated means "I'm going to be rude." You then meet the principal and the vice principal. You take out your business card, hold it with both hands and present it to them facing towards them so they can read it. The very first school I went to, I handed it to them with the words facing myself, which got quite the reaction, mostly laughter at my ignorance. You then say, "My name is Jenna Smith." They then take it from you with both hands, read it carefully, check both sides, and say "Jenna Smith, right?" you say, "Yes." (just a side note, this is said in Japanese, I'm just trying to translate it for those who don't know Japanese). It is then repeated for the other person, and you finish the introduction by bowing, and saying "Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu," which means something like "I humbly ask you to be kind to me." We then would all sit around a table, us being me, Chris, my 2 supervisors, the section chief of the Board of Education, and the principal and vice principal of the school we were visiting. I learned that you should then take the business cards just received, and lay them out on the table in front of you. The writing should face towards yourself, and the cards should be in the order that they are sitting around the table. The meeting would usually consist of my supervisors and the chief talking to the principal about me in Japanese, and I couldn't understand anything. Sometimes the principals would show some interest and ask simple questions about me or Canada, other times next to nothing was said to me. Then we would be introduced to the staff of the school, and say a couple sentences in Japanese to everyone. Then another bow, and another yoroshiku onegaishimasu. Then we would leave the room, saying "arigatou gozaimashita" and "shitsureishimasu" while bowing. We would then go to the entrance, put our shoes back on, and then bow again, and say "arigatou gozaimashita" or "shitsureishimasu" again. Then it was off to the next school!

Trying to learn the names of everyone was impossible, not only because there were so many, but also because they were all Japanese names(obviously), and most often ones I had never heard before. Fortunately for me, this morning my supervisor gave me a complete list of all of the principals and vice principals, along with pictures and their names. I didn't even ask for it! Have I said how much I love my supervisor?? She is the best supervisor I could ever ask for.

I start teaching on September 3rd, for all of those who are curious to know, and I've started making lesson plans and the like. I'm a little nervous, but the kids here are so cute, I can't wait to start teaching!

I will finish off by linking to a video of me and some friends on what is called a "fuwa fuwa dome." It is basically the coolest trampoline ever, and the video captures it much better than pictures do. Thanks to Chris for taking it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxda4vuJavQ

Mata, ne!