2002-02-04 - 9:13 p.m.
Today was my first day at junior high school #4 and I started it off with a royal bungle. I had to catch either the 7:07 or the 7:11 train from Kimitsu to Kisarazu, and then catch the 7:22 local train which chugs through the countryside. I arrived at the station at 7:00, bought a newspaper and saw on the departure board that both trains were leaving from track 3. I boarded the waiting train and opened my newspaper. A few minutes later, I looked up and saw a train leaving across the track. I looked at my watch. It was 7:11. I looked at the sign outside the train. I was on track 2. At 7:17, the train I was on left Kimitsu, putting me into Kisarazu two minutes after the once-hourly countryside train had left. The next train was not until 8:50. To make matters worse, I had forgotten my keitai (cell phone) and with it, the number of the only people who could rescue me (by way of transport or a phone call to the school), the guys at the board of education. Luckily, I still had a big wad of cash in my wallet from my weekend in Tokyo, so I caught a cab from Kisarazu to the station near the junior high school. I won’t mention how much it cost, but the ride was nearly an hour long, and the cabs here aren’t cheap. The cab dropped me off at the station at 8:25, about ten minutes before the train I should have been on was to arrive. I decided to wait around for a few minutes before starting the walk to the school so as not to arrive suspiciously early. About 30 seconds before the train pulled in, I got impatient and left the station to head to the school. But when I did so, I was met by the English teacher, who was waiting with his car to drive me because it was my first day. He looked happy to see me at first, and then baffled when the train arrived behind me a few seconds later. Thus, my cover was blown and I was forced to tell him of my costly blunder (which he then recounted to the staff upon my entrance, of course).
The rest of the day went fine -- I introduced myself to two classes and made a short speech to the school which wasn’t scary at all as my audience was less than 100, students and teachers combined. The English teacher reserved the last few minutes of class for the singing of the “song of the month” -- “Sing,” (“Sing, sing a song/Make it simple, to last your whole life long...”) by The Carpenters (whom the teacher mentioned he had seen perform in Tokyo during his “university days”). I wonder just how often we will be singing the “song of the month.”
The train ride home was scenic but packed with high school kids. Fortunately I get on before they do, so I have a seat. The students all come on at one stop and rush into the train to claim seats -- though the one next to me stayed open longer than the others. The losers in this game of musical chairs sprawled out on the floor of the train, reading comic books and e-mailing or playing video games on their cell phones. The ride went by quickly because I was reading a good book, but I’m told that it’s the cumulative effect of the train commute that will get to me.
My last day at junior high #3 on Friday went well. I was presented with nearly 150 thank-you notes, some containing some rather unflattering but culturally revealing portraits of me (long nose, bug-eyes). Below are some of the kids’ notes, unedited for spelling or grammar.
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Dear Sarah
Thank you a lot for all the many things you did to make my class happy and comfort-able. Could you study Japanese culture? I want to study American Culture. Next school. Please good luck.
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Dear Sarah
Hello. We ate lunch with you, didn’t you? I feeled happy. I will go to high school and You will go to next junior high school. Good luck each other!!
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Dear Sarah
Thank you very much for I really had a good time. Please give me try hard.
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Dear Sarah
Thank you for everything. I’ll never forget the pleasant days I spent with you. I never forget you. Good luck Sarah.
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Dear Sarah,
Thanks a lot!! Please remember our school. I don’t forget you. Thank you for teaching me about English speech contest!! When I practiced about speech contest with you, I had a good time and you taught me English very good. So thank you very much. If I meet you again, I want to talk with you. Thank you for everything you have done for me. You’ll go to the next junior high school. Please take care of yourself! See you.
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Dear Sarah
Till now thank you very much. Till now really I enjoy English lesson. Hang in next junior high school. I feel lonely because you are not hear. but I hold in. Till now thank you very very much.
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Dear Sarah
Thank you until now [note: “until now” comes from a direct translation from Japanese]. Even though it was not possible a conversation much enjoyable. Persist even from this. [note:???]
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This is a letter of thanks. I’ll sad if I can’t meet Sarah but I believe meet you again. You are kind to me when lunch time. I thak you deeply for your kindness. I want to go to America when my English if perfect so I will study English very hard.
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My name is Naoki Suzuki. I will don’t give up many things. You must not give up, too. I hope that you can speak Japanese very well. Good luck! Remember me! I think that you are very Beautiful woman. so You must be able to good boy friend. See you again. Dear Sarah.
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Dear Sarah
How are you? You’ll leave our school today. May I ask you a question? Would you tell me if there is any effective way to master English? I studied English very hard, but I can’t speak English very well. So, I am going to study English very hard too. English is fun for me because I can learn many interesting things. I hope to become an English teacher someday. I passed a high school entrance examination. I owe my success to you. Come back to see us again and I had a wonderful time. I was very happy to see you. Don’t forget me. Please. See you again!!!
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Dear Sarah
This is a paper crane. What do you know?
