I'm baaaccckkkk!

Phew...oh my lord it has been a busy semester. Working two jobs probably ain't the best idea, but I'm doing it and almost surviving.

Today, I had a class party for my 1a class. There is one more class next week, but only the ones who have "failed" must attend - I have a soft heart, so if they attend and do some extra credit work over the summer vacation, they can pass.

The party was interesting. There are three rough boys who are repeating all their English courses for a second year, since they failed the first time around. One says |"I love you!" every time he sees me and waits for my response - it is a good way for me to assess my own mood - when it's good, I automatically say "I love you" back - because I love all of humankind and its many foibles. When I'm in a bad mood, he gets a grunt in response for his ridiculous childishness. Poor guy must really think I run hot and cold, because I do.

So anyway, I made an effort this morning - I bought coke (yuck!), jelly beans, and chips from Costco and baked some lemon cupcakes in my tiny microwave / oven. I made a "count how many jelly beans are in the jar" game for them (my creativity and their lack of English skills didn't extend to anything more) and spent a couple of hours preparing report sheets for each one. The ones who had to do the make-up work got yellow report cards. The rest got orange report cards. I realised most of them are good kids, apart from the three which are basically Japanese examples of Beavis and Butthead.

Another teacher came along and asked me what a more appropriate word than "sexy" would be to call the teacher. Apparently Beavis and co had said "Today, you are sexy" to her. I had a wee chat to the boys, saying it's a bit rude to say that to a female teacher. I asked whether they would say it to a Japanese staff member and they said "Sure, why not?". I couldnt' quite believe it, so I went to one of the office workers and asked her. She said she wouldn't mind, although it was "a bit seku-hara" (sexual harassment). So I went back and told the boys that. I tried to explain about women's rights etc etc. How in "my country" women didn't have to put up with those types of comments. Ha ha ha. I think one kind of understood, but the other two live in/for their lovely world of porn stars, beer and no real female company.

More stories about Beavis and co later.

Now I'm home again with Rai - he's watching Tom and Jerry (something I missed as a child - plenty of Road Runner, no Tom and Jerry in NZ), I'm gonna have a beer.

Phew.