A Shaken Bottle of Coke

Friday, April 13, 2007

Coke as in Soda. We Floridians refer to all Soda Pop as Coke. Just fyi.

So, this is how I'm feeling at the moment and I'm writing this post because I need to vent. I have no other outlets.

I am so excited and so frustrated all at the same time! I'm excited because I have all of this energy to get things done and I can't accomplish anything is no one's around to help me!!

1. I just got the dates of the Largo students that are planning to come to Yamada. It's only a month and a half away! I need to plan lessons, trips, and events! But I can't do this is no one tells me if
a. the dates are ok
b. we have a budget to work with
c. What I am allowed to do and what is forbidden
d. other peoples ideas of how they except things to go and what exactly they expect from me

2. I am looking to take a Japanese language class. I first went to the technical college here in the area and it turns out they don't have any Japanese classes that are at night. Lucky for me I have a 8-4 job and that means, no day classes. The woman talked to me and said that the class might be too easy as well and I might want a harder course or just talk to friends. Yeah well firstly she's highly over estimating my ability and second, friends don't give me tests on vocabulary and kanji. I need tests, essays, speeches. I need a class!

So I was told that the international society in Kochi city gives lessons and they aren't just conversation classes but actually follow a book and are like real classes. Weather they have tests and such is still unknown but at least it's not just a conversation class. After teacher a number of those myself, I have to say, they've got to be the most useless thing unless they are accompanied by a grammar class using the same topics and vocabulary (incidentally, none of the classes that I have taught do this. Am I bitter?)

I emailed KIA (the international society of Kochi) and inquired about my class. When they heard how much schooling I had been through and that I ultimately wanted to pass the Level 2 JLPT they came back and said that they were flattered that I wanted to join the class but it might be too easy for me. *sigh* I fail again and proving just how poorly I speak and read and write Japanese.

Whatever the deal is, their classes start next month and are every Wednesday. Wednesday happens to be the same day as my official English conversation class. I am now hoping to get into the Japanese class not only to improve my Japanese but it also gives me the added bonus of having a legitimate reason for quitting my conversation class! I don't want to reschedule it for another day in the week either. I like the small private lessons that I give on Tuesday because I like those women and they don't force me to write lessons for a mixed level class.

See, the Wednesday conversation class has about 6 people at any given time. All of them are mixed levels. Some are really good, others are not so hot. The problem is, that they don't want to study outside of class, they don't remember what they learned the week before even though I review, they don't want to play games, they don't want to watch movies, and they usually don't like my lessons! They say they want conversation but if I pick a topic on something they understand, they get bored. If I pick something they don't understand, it all goes over their heads and they get irritated. They've been doing this for more than 15 years now. I can't teach them about anything they don't already know! And if they don't already know it, they don't want to learn it!!!

So whatever, I'm so over it. I don't want to teach that class anymore!

I just got an email saying that I got the last seat in the highest level class. I looked at the book and it really is the class I need. But because it's not the second level, the class how now moved from Wednesday night to Thursday. I don't care, I'm still canceling the class.

3. I have a new supervisor. He's....well.... ok, so the new year has begun and things are quite hectic around here. But it's already the 13th and I was promised my schedule last week! I don't have a schedule. Classes fully begin next week and I have no idea if I'm teaching any of them. My supervisor came up to me on Tuesday and asked if I was going to Odochi on Wednesday. I just stared at him and said, I don't know, you're the one who's supposed to tell me this!!! He said he would call. It took him all day to get back to me. How hard is it to call and tell me what they said?! I could have called myself in that amount of time!!!

I then asked him if he could find classes for me at Kokadai (this was before #2 happened) and he said he would. This was Tuesday. I finally got around to doing it myself on Thursday. Thanks buddy!

So now, I'm sitting at my desk doing nothing like I've been doing for the past three weeks and I still have yet to write a single lesson because I don't know who I'll be teaching and with which JTE!!!!

GAH! I need my PLANS!!!!


4. I just got my international drivers license in the mail. WHOO HOOO!!!! Originally, when I applied for it, I figured that I would try driving someone else's car and just kind of have the license for peace of mind. But after applying, my mind started working and between the time of sending in my application and getting it 2 weeks later, I am so buying a car!

The frustration comes in that I want to buy the car now, start driving now, figure out the rules of the road now, enjoy myself NOW! But I can't do that if no one replies to my emails about questions and cars. Taking the test is going to be really difficult and I'm really not looking forward to it. I've also decided that I'll take the test right before I leave to go to America. This is a problem because
1. every time I take the test I have to take one vacation day off of work. People are known to take the test more than 8 times, it's so difficult. If I take the test before I go to America, I might not have enough days left to actually go!
2. If I make plans to take the test before I go to America and fail and then leave for America, by the time I get back, my license won't be valid and then I'll really be screwed because I won't be able to drive to the DMV and I'll either have to get a ride with someone else or....walk....a really long way.

So with that said, I'm inwardly freaking out that I need to care of this ASAP but...in all honesty I have about three months and I need to just relax. It's just that everything is accumulating and I think I'm going to explode!!!

~~~~

And those are my issues right now. I want to accomplish everything and I can do absolutely nothing. I might just start running laps here in the teachers room just to let off this unused energy! That'll get peoples attention!

3 shared their love:

Clarissa said...

Sorry to hear that you're having a frustrating time. But, I'm excited you got your Japanese class! がんばって!

NinaSama said...

I'm gonna ganbatte my ass off in that class! It's been almost a year since I've been in one that I wasn't actually teaching!!!!

For now, I'm off to my first weekend of genki! Here's to remembering tosa-ben!

Unknown said...

Sorry to put such a monkey wrench into things.. :( Did they make a decision??? Nobody has let me know either!

 
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