To get my students out of a slump, I had a culture lesson about superstitions. I suppose I could've waited to use this until Halloween, but it's also the Culture Festival soon, so here is some culture!
Japanese superstitions, the good and the bad (but mostly bad).
If you whistle at night, a snake will appear.
If your naval is facing the thunder when it claps, the Thunder God will capture your naval.
If you find a tea stem floating upright in your tea, you will have happiness all your life.
If you cut yourself with a nail, you will not be able to be with your parents on their deathbeds.
If you do not eat all the rice you are served, your eyes will be taken out.
A certain combination on a yellow license plate is supposed to be lucky.
If you step on an ant, it will rain.
I don't remember many of the good ones... the bad ones seemed a lot more interesting.
Random Cravings: Microwave Light Butter Popcorn and Nerds Candies
Cambodia 2011
Things that do not exist in Japan.
Wit - (noun) ingenious humor: the apt, clever, and often humorous association of words or ideas, or a capacity for it.
Hug - (verb) to embrace affectionately: to put your arms around somebody's body and hold the person tight to show affection or pleasure.
Garbage Disposal - (noun) grinding device: an electrical device, installed beneath a kitchen sink, that grinds up food so that it can go into the waste pipe.
Hug - (verb) to embrace affectionately: to put your arms around somebody's body and hold the person tight to show affection or pleasure.
Garbage Disposal - (noun) grinding device: an electrical device, installed beneath a kitchen sink, that grinds up food so that it can go into the waste pipe.
People and Places
The Sasahiras - The summer before my senior year of HS, I did a 6-week homestay in Tokyo with this family. We have kept a great relationship over the years and now that I am back in Japan, I have enjoyed going "home" on long weekends.
Kiyomi - Music Teacher at Nishiko. She comes to my place on Wednesday nights for Conversation Lessons.
The Hidakas - my Aunt Keiko's family: Uncle Nobi and cousins Hiro and Seiko. They live in Kamakura, Kanagawa-ken.
The Islands - Japan has 4 islands: Hokkaido, Honshu (main), Shikoku, and Kyushu. These are listed from north to south.
Shizuoka - the prefecture (state equivalent) where I live.
Shimizu - the town where I live (approximately 68,000 people)
Nishiko - West High School, where I work. WESTSIDE!
JUSCO - Think 2 floor Target with a bowling alley on the 3rd.
U-Mart - Supermarket near my apartment.
Pion - This is Japan's Pier One and just as expensive. It is a tempting 2 minute walk from my apartment.
100 yen shop - This is Japan's dollar store only the quality of the products are worthy of Wal-Mart. There is one even closer to my house than Pion.
Kiyomi - Music Teacher at Nishiko. She comes to my place on Wednesday nights for Conversation Lessons.
The Hidakas - my Aunt Keiko's family: Uncle Nobi and cousins Hiro and Seiko. They live in Kamakura, Kanagawa-ken.
The Islands - Japan has 4 islands: Hokkaido, Honshu (main), Shikoku, and Kyushu. These are listed from north to south.
Shizuoka - the prefecture (state equivalent) where I live.
Shimizu - the town where I live (approximately 68,000 people)
Nishiko - West High School, where I work. WESTSIDE!
JUSCO - Think 2 floor Target with a bowling alley on the 3rd.
U-Mart - Supermarket near my apartment.
Pion - This is Japan's Pier One and just as expensive. It is a tempting 2 minute walk from my apartment.
100 yen shop - This is Japan's dollar store only the quality of the products are worthy of Wal-Mart. There is one even closer to my house than Pion.
Helpful Acronyms and Abbreviations
JET Programme - Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme. This is the organization through which I got my job in Japan.
CLAIR - Council of Local Authorities for International Relations. Another JET organization that publishes a lot of stuff that comes to my desk.
ALT - Assistant Language Teacher. This is my official job title but it is certainly a misnomer. I am not the assistant... I am THE teacher: I plan the lessons, I create the worksheets, I make the copies, I make the midterm and the final exam, and I do this for 17 classes which = 640 students a week.
OC - Oral Communication
JTE - Japanese Teacher of English.
CLAIR - Council of Local Authorities for International Relations. Another JET organization that publishes a lot of stuff that comes to my desk.
ALT - Assistant Language Teacher. This is my official job title but it is certainly a misnomer. I am not the assistant... I am THE teacher: I plan the lessons, I create the worksheets, I make the copies, I make the midterm and the final exam, and I do this for 17 classes which = 640 students a week.
OC - Oral Communication
JTE - Japanese Teacher of English.
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
1 comment:
I like these.
Post a Comment