9/26/2005

Well, I have been in Japan now for a little over a week. I’m sorry for not posting earlier everyone, but getting internet here is harder than you’d think. But what’s even more difficult is finding time.

I have started teaching classes in one of the big eikaiwa branches in Yokohama - the training is intense and in this particular eikaiwa (although it’s probably the case for all of them), you’ll be actually teaching complete classes by the end of your training period.

The textbooks you are provided with are the basis for your lessons, although I have already had one student that didn’t bring in the book, spoke randomly in Japanese, and just spent the class chatting with me about Australia and what I liked about Japan, hehe.

The level of English that these people can speak will amaze you. Even if they only took classes in junior high school, you can actually have a conversation with students (and most Japanese people in general), even if there is a lot of gesturing and sound effects involved. Even higher than their ability to speak the language is their ability to read it. All this, combined with the textbook, makes teaching relatively easy.

It can also be very enjoyable. Students pay quite a lot of money to go to an eikaiwa and study English. They want to be there, so you have their full attention (which might not be the case in a high school, for example) and quite often they will be keen to contribute to the discussion - something that isn’t really encouraged in the education system.

The Japanese also have a great sense of humour (look at the commercials!) so the lessons can be a real riot.

Maybe it’s just beginner’s luck, or maybe it’s just how the way things work in metropolitan Tokyo/Yokohama, but I’m having a great time here. I’m hoping I won’t jinx myself and be completely jaded in 6 months time, but so far, all is looking great.

Apologies in advance for posting rarely, but I’ll only be getting internet in my apartment in 5 weeks time (and that’s another story). Once I have 50Mbps ADSL goodness, you’ll be hearing from me daily, I promise!