IrishOboe

It was a busy week of school because though I planned the semester I hadn’t made all the handouts for it or given much thought to my OC III class. I managed to keep up at least, though some projects got put on the back burner. I’ve also been helping the ten finalists of the recitation contest prepare for the final round of the competition. It’s been nice to have individual time with the students after school. Of course, some are not so interested in the contest, but I understand that. I was also able to talk to a few students about school and life and such, which was also rewarding. I’ve got to find a way to be with the students more, and I have to learn Japanese!!! Picking up the language tapes has been helping a lot even though I’ve only been back into it for a week or so. They tapes are meant for middle aged men coming to Japan on business trips so I learn some pretty random vocabulary and it’s also the formal way of speaking which makes people laugh at me when I say something (though at least they understand) and it makes it hard for me to understand my students because they’re using different words. There are enough similarities and connections, however, to make it helpful still. I just wish they sold a “casual Japanese” Pimsleur method.

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