Tuesday, June 17, 2003
I think I am done with the cheating part. Today is today. I feel like a philosophy major now, minus the stench of cigarettes and cheap perfume of the sorority sluts I'm trying to score.
After El Cheap-but-good Japanese Lunch at NIMS (figure out the acronym from the previous posts), Dr. Sekine took me to Meikei High School (English site) where I will be spending much of the next four weeks, including some Saturdays!! Can you believe they have school on Saturdays?? And we wonder why the Asian kids are the top performers in our schools! I got to meet Dr. Ahmadyar, the guy who is coordinating my visit at the school. He's a great guy so far and I am sure he will be helpful in figuring out what this place is all about in such a short amount of time. I am sure there will be obstacles due to the language barrier, but all university students are required to take an English exam for admission so it may not be much of an issue. I do feel a little left out when they go all "Japanese" on me, but 'wakarimashite.' That means 'I understand.' It's easier and faster for them to do it that way. It'd probably be more painful for me if they spoke really slow English, so I think I'm okay with it.
I got the grand tour of the school in slippers that fell off every time I attempted a stair. I'll definitely have to get my own shoes. The school is cool, at least from an educators perspective. Their philosophy seems pretty similar to ours in the magnet program at home, they just do a little better in the 'all subject' realm. That's why they're a private school and we are just a magnet for math and science. I got to see tons of student work, sculptures, paintings, Japanese calligraphy. I just hope I can find shoes big enough for my gargantuan 10.5 size feet. Speaking of small Japanese things...
My stove hood sucks. And I'm not just talking about its job. It is probably at a height of about 5'8". I'm 6'0". Do the math. I keep busting my head on it anytime I'm in the cabinet next to it or while I'm trying to cook. Don't these guys know that not everyone in a residence for foreign researchers is as short as the typical Japanese person? I mean, at least put a rubber edge on it or something.
Archenemy #2: Kanji (Japanese written language)
Archenemy #1: Obnoxiously short range hood
After El Cheap-but-good Japanese Lunch at NIMS (figure out the acronym from the previous posts), Dr. Sekine took me to Meikei High School (English site) where I will be spending much of the next four weeks, including some Saturdays!! Can you believe they have school on Saturdays?? And we wonder why the Asian kids are the top performers in our schools! I got to meet Dr. Ahmadyar, the guy who is coordinating my visit at the school. He's a great guy so far and I am sure he will be helpful in figuring out what this place is all about in such a short amount of time. I am sure there will be obstacles due to the language barrier, but all university students are required to take an English exam for admission so it may not be much of an issue. I do feel a little left out when they go all "Japanese" on me, but 'wakarimashite.' That means 'I understand.' It's easier and faster for them to do it that way. It'd probably be more painful for me if they spoke really slow English, so I think I'm okay with it.
I got the grand tour of the school in slippers that fell off every time I attempted a stair. I'll definitely have to get my own shoes. The school is cool, at least from an educators perspective. Their philosophy seems pretty similar to ours in the magnet program at home, they just do a little better in the 'all subject' realm. That's why they're a private school and we are just a magnet for math and science. I got to see tons of student work, sculptures, paintings, Japanese calligraphy. I just hope I can find shoes big enough for my gargantuan 10.5 size feet. Speaking of small Japanese things...
My stove hood sucks. And I'm not just talking about its job. It is probably at a height of about 5'8". I'm 6'0". Do the math. I keep busting my head on it anytime I'm in the cabinet next to it or while I'm trying to cook. Don't these guys know that not everyone in a residence for foreign researchers is as short as the typical Japanese person? I mean, at least put a rubber edge on it or something.
Archenemy #2: Kanji (Japanese written language)
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