Back in High School

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4

I woke up about an hour before my alarm. This is what happens when I go to bed early. Which is what happens when I don't have internet. I can't wait for internet. This process has been so tedious. More on that soon.

Of course I didn't get up until my alarm went off.

I went to bathe and discovered that I had, once again, left the gas on. I cursed myself and took a cold bath as punishment. I'm going to pay for that later. Literally.

Today, it is once again hot. But that's old news. I went with Mama to teach the last class of the semester with her. I was excited to be able to point out that “spilt” is the British spelling, while “spilled” would be what we would use in America. I've gotten quite good at handing out papers.

At my Wisconsin orientation, they told us that the Japanese government (or someone) has done a fantastic job of presenting the image that Japanese students are all hard working, brilliant, attentive, and behaved: this is a lie. From my limited experience in the classroom, I can already conclude that Americans no longer have to feel ashamed. I had boys pounding on the classroom walls (much like boys at my high school) boys taking off their shirts to reveal bare chests (unlike my high school), and students in general, but mostly boys talking in class, sleeping in class, and giggling.

As I handed out papers, students will often say “thank you (very much).” I had one boy say, “Thank you. I love you.” I blew him off as a high school jokester (and considered replying, “Oh, honey, I'm too old for you” if he said it again.) Mama, however, overhearing, explained to me that “I love you” is used as a greeting in Japan, like “hello.” Noted.

Mama and I again went to price phones. This company looked much better, as they were offering to waive the phone charge (again, over $200) if I bought extra services for at least two months (then could cancel those, which add up to well less than $200. The phone I'd get for free has a camera built into it with twice as many megapixels as my digital camera. The memory card for the phone, about the size of my fingernail, holds 60mb, which is 60x larger than my honker-huge memory card in my digital camera. Japan puts me to shame.

I talked to Elizabeth this evening, though, and she went with the first company, SoftBank, and got a pre-paid phone, which seems like the best idea I've heard. That option was NEVER mentioned on either of our visits to phone places. I could pay as little as $15 a month, the prepaid phone would be a $80 start up cost, and have unlimited texting. I don't want to undermine all of Mama's efforts though by going on without her, but I'll report this information back to her on Thursday. She's talking a day off tomorrow, which she well deserves.

I spent a lot longer than I should have on the internet today, checking e-mail and trying to get my internet set up. I need to dig out some papers/try to find some papers, which I need to fax to the company. Otherwise, I should have internet up within a week. Elizabeth is one step ahead of me, having already faxed her papers. While Fiber Optic internet was an option, it was 6,700 yen/month (100 mb/sec), while I went with the normal ADSL (40mb/sec) for 4,300 yen/month. It's (1) faster to set up by several weeks, (2) cheaper, (3) has better discounts, and (4)doesn't require apartment owner's permission for internet installation. Fiber optic would have been sexy, though. I managed to catch Lonn, who advised me not to pay the extra 1,050 a month for wireless, but to just get a wireless router. I don't think those should be hard to find. This is Japan after all.

I finished the day by reading the folder titled “comics/manga” including the article from Wikipedia on manga and it's history, and some sample clippings from Calvin and Hobbs, and Zits. I also brainstormed how to decorate the classroom. More ideas are welcome!

Had a nice chat with Elizabeth and BRIAN outside as I was coming in from work. Elizabeth is off to go join the gym. In this weather, I don't know how she can even think to move. I don't know if she has a bike yet, but that is my preferred form of exercise. I hope to bike up to the mountains this weekend. Did I mention that I'm ringed my mountains? They're gorgeous. It's like being back in Montana.

We were talking about the fireworks this weekend, and Brian got onto the topic of the Japanese mafia. I hadn't known much about them. They are quite prevalent, and it is perfectly legal to be a part of the mafia. They even have office buildings with their logo. Quite public. Anyway, the apparently run most of the snack bars in the country (see previous entry), which I suppose includes the many that circle my apartment building. They're not considered dangerous, though, and it's perfectly fine and safe to enter these establishments, although quite expensive.

The gambling bars are run by organized crime out of North and South Korea. Gambling is illegal in Japan, but let me explain. You pay money to go in, you watch balls run on tracks. If you guess right, or some such you get more balls, at the end, you trade your balls and they reward you with a gold coin, which you can then “pawn” at a different shop a few windows down for your winnings. See... no “gambling” on the premises. Elizabeth says we should check it out sometime. BRIAN says it's loud.

Now, to dig out papers. Somewhere. I still have a headache.

I found the papers, but I don't have the fax number. Tomorrow, I'll try to get that, or maybe beg Parker's internet for another minute, then I'll be all good. Maybe Elizabeth still has her receipt.