This morning I was turning into the entrance to the car park at my office and there was a big truck trying to make its way out of the entrance the opposite way. There wasnt much room, and I was following another car, so I tried to move out of my way for the truck to get by. I felt a scrape as a parked car was right beside me. I backed up and I saw the silver kei car had a scrape on its bumper.
I parked and saw a little scrape on my car too.
I wasnt going to tell anyone.
I was thinking it would be so much easier to just go to work and not say a word....and you know, I should have.
I told Mr Yoshida and he went out with me to look at the damage. Actually looking at it a second time I realised it wasnt a big scrape at all...Mr Yoshida found the owner. She works at the passport office downstairs. She is going to get a quote from the car dealers later. Mr Yoshida said it might cost about 60000-70000 yen to repair! No way!!!! And if I go for the insurance option I will have to deal with the car lease people in Gonohe (dont get me started on them) and pay extra insurance too....
I am stuck as they say, between a rock and a hard place. If I could speak the language, I would tell them that the car was parked in the wrong place....that a big truck gave me no option but to move out of its way. That a scrape on the bumper will not effect the running of the car!Ahhhhhh!
Hello...erm....watashi wa Kerry desu.
I said when I first met my new employers and colleagues and all round "smiley" pals at my education office in Japan. The big boss man said that I had better learn Japanese, because they don`t speak English here....well, lahdee da.
Big Boss Man left the following March. We didnt say a word to each other. Not even a smile was passed. I guess some you impress, and some you don`t.
Since I came to Japan (August 02) I have been working as an English teaching assistant (ALT to all concerned) in loads of different schools in a big city and a little village. I love my job.
My first days I was received by the kids with big smiles, speeches, songs and self-introductions. I still see this. It is my job.
Moving on, and leaping forward to today...
March 16th 2004
I am still in Japan. I will be here until next August. I am OK with that. Many things to look forward to and see and be happy about.
Yesterday I went to the graduation ceremony at Nosawa Junior High School in Shingo village. It was an emotional day for all involved.
I arrived in my skirt (maybe the third occasion since arriving in Japan) and new tight Japanese shoes and waddled after Oike sensei to the gym. Inside sat many suited people, and the 1st and 2nd graders sitting in regimented neat lines. There were nine chairs sitting empty in front of them, waiting for the graduating class to fill them. I got to sit next to the new English teacher who will start from April, Keiko, and the teacher who had a big baby belly the last time I saw her.
The ceremony was almost comical, but far too serious to smile. The 3rd graders marched in one by one while the proud parents looked on. There were many speeches, and I felt tears as the 3rd grade home room teacher started to cry as she announced the names of the students. We had to stand up and bow on several occasions, which added to the hugemongous heat I was feeling as I wore tights and a skirt and several shirt and cardigan layers. Nice choice of outfit Kerry, I thought as I sat gripping my clammy hands. The mayor of Shingo made a speech. He is a small man. I understood a few words. Madoka made a speech to the third graders and she cried too. My heart swelled with the love for this sweet school. Tetsuya made a speech for his graduating class. He had a message for each of his friends. I knew the entire hall were feeling the same as me. The teachers were being far more grown up about it. And then there was me, fighting the lump in my throat that was threatening to turn the tear taps on....be strong! I screamed to myself.
When the ceremony came to a close, the teachers, including me, walked to the front of the gym and faced the students. The 3rd graders sang a song and bowed...and down came the tears. The kids were crying silently, and I jumped in and joined them. I felt proud and so filled with love for these kids that show so much respect for their elders. The students filed out one at a time and the corresponding parent gave them a bunch of flowers. It was over. Miki came over to me and gave me a hug. I needed it.
I managed to weedle my way into a big photograph that was taken of all the 3rd grade students, parents, and teachers. I didn`t know if I was allowed to smile. I smiled anyway.
When the 3rd graders left school for the last time, they played a song on the loudspeaker and they ran out, whilst getting covered in shredded paper. They shook the hands of each of the teachers. I gave them a card written in English. I guess the final test would be to see if they could understand what I had written.
