We've been having strange weather lately. One day it looks like this...
...and the next day it pours for hours. And we have a lot of days like today, where the weather can't seem to make up it's mind.
A while ago, I wrote about going to Nakada Elementary School. Interestingly, their English classes (as well as other odd things they don't study regularly) are classified on the daily schedule as something called "Nakada no mori" or, "The forest of Nakada". They take good care of their trees.
July 7, 2009: Sixth visit
- I taught 5th grade like I expected. It was the same lesson plan from the 6th grade classes last time so low stress, which is a good way to start the week. The original harried looking young teacher from my swimming adventure over a year ago is now one of their teachers. She seemed happy to see me, but......maybe not so much. After lunch I went to visit my 4th graders again. The novelty of me is wearing off. I'm glad. They see me and say hi, not "Oh!" with huge eyes like......well, like I've got an extra head or two. I met my little boyfriend in the hall and after saying hi he asked, "Can we go home together today?" and I said of course & I'd wait for him in the usual meeting room next to the principal's office where they stick me with a pot of green tea every time I'm there.
- All day the sky was blue, then gray, then blue, then cloudy. Over and over. It rained a few times. Short bursting downpours that were over in less than 5 minutes. When school was over and we were walking out it seemed like it was going to happen again but the skies couldn't make up their mind. It turned out last time my little boyfriend's mom was embarrassed because we didn't talk about anything serious. She told him to ask me some important stuff about my life in the US & take notes! So as we walked home in the almost rain he did exactly that. Cuuuute!! Writing on a half sheet of paper while carrying ridiculous amounts of stuff as I walked my bike next to him & tried to explain about my old job, why I don't miss my family, etc.
- When we got to his house he asked if I wanted to come in. I said, sure, why not so he went in & got his mom who seemed more worried that the house was dirty than about anything else. But it started to rain again, fast and forceful so the decision was made & in we went. There were toys everywhere. The little brother is obsessed with cars and trucks. He's got hundreds of matchbox cars. Literally, hundreds. They were all in a pile on the floor next to bigger plastic ones and some little garage like play-sets, all on top of a blanket with, you guessed it, car patterns all over it. We started talking & at first the mother said the same thing about being embarrassed, but I decided to keep things the way I wanted them to be. I told her it was no big deal, that in fact, I was happy because usually people are really surprised when they talk to me, but she talked to me about normal human stuff like the grocery store. I stayed for about an hour and she told me about her husband and the Chinese people he works with. I told her about my old job & how it helped me figure out the one I have now. The little brother beat up the big one. A lot. Pinched him, jumped on him, slapped at him, scratched him. Kinda like Tim used to do to me. The rain started and stopped at least 9 times.
- When I was leaving she asked me to explain where I live again. She said she doesn't get out much b/c of taking care of the little one. They just walk around what's really, really close by. She knew the street once I described it though. The older brother (my boyfriend) wanted to walk me all the way home, but she managed to dissuade him. Good thing too since I had laundry hanging up.......maybe next time. I won't go back to Nakada for about 3 months unfortunately. So I told the boys maybe we could go to the park or something together before then. And the little one said, "OK! See you!" and the older one said, "I'm glad we could become like regular friends."
So much better than the random girl I met at the movies who wants me to come to her house and talk about Evangelion. Or the guy I met on the train who wants my email so he can text me about design conventions. Or the lady who used to work at the punk rock clothing shop who wants to go drinking and talk English.
Who knew I'd fall in love with normal.
