Illiteracy Rules!!

Even when I go on vacation, I find a way to work. Ok, so maybe this technically isn't a vacation. If you read yesterday, you knew I was teaching a class today. Not so bad if I had to say, but I think I may have been too much for the kids. I definitely didn't get the feeling that they were used to the teacher interacting with them very much and my jokes were definitely better in development than they were in delivery. That's probably partly due to the language discrepancy, or at least I'd like to think so. When I asked questions, even though they're supposed to be rhetorical, I saw nothing but blank stares. The start was humorous to me. The note / worksheet I made for them got copied incorrectly so the first page was on the right, the second page on the left. Yeah, it was an accident. They don't read from right to left unless it is in columns, and then they read down and go left when it is in columns. Once we figured that out, we at least had something workable. Probably not my piece de resistance but it definitely reminded me of my early days in the teaching gig. It was fun for me, I just hope it was 'fun' for them. Learning is always fun, right?

Here are some pictures of Neill-sensei in action. Sort of, in a stationary action kind of way. I edited them best I could. If you think they stink, remember, if I wanted your opinion, I'd give it to you.
Lighting is weird, but a great shot of my thinning hair!
zzzzz....
Domo, arigato, Mr. Roboto
The great American pasttime, other than murder and fornication

I left the school early today. I had to pay my rent at Ninomiya House before the office closed, but first I had to go to the post office, the only place I have found with an ATM for international card systems, because they only take cash. Sort of like going around your bum to get to your elbow. It's rather troubling to make a withdrawal in the amount of 60,000. I have to remind myself that it's Yen, it's YEN!

Had dinner with Dr. Sekine, his daughter Mizuna who is a student at Oxford University, Dr. Koizumi and a grad student named Masa, for short. Here are some pictures after we got fat at an Asian restaurant. They didn't serve food from just one region, sort of like a melting pot but for food, the way it was intended. Enjoy! I did.
Left to right: Dr. Sekine, Dr. Koizumi, Nathan, me, Masa
Dr. Sekine and Mizuna
The whole Japanese crew

I also found a picture I took in Shinjuku, a district in Tokyo. Sorry I missed posting this one earlier. The closest American analogue I have to Tokyo is New York City. It's still not the same, just the closest I know.
This one reminded me of Times Square

And last part of today's multimedia cavalcade, I shot a short video today. You'll see the dangerous shooting conditions when you watch it. The risks I take to share Japan with you. It's of the main entrance to Doho Park, one of the larger Tsukuba parks, located in southern Ninomiya district. I pass it and the awesome smelling bakery you see briefly on the corner everyday. Too bad the bakery opens at 8 and I have to be at Meikei at 8:15.
(Wouldn't recommend the video without a decent connection speed, but it is sort of short)
Doho Park Video

I hope you enjoyed MuddyVision 2000 today. Until next time...