My Last Elementary Visit

A thousand tiny paper cranes and books full of letters from my Oi Elementary students. Usually students write short messages on shikishi, but my 5th and 6th grade classes insisted they needed more space. Instead they wrote me letters which the teacher bound up into little books.

After bursting the flood gates during my last day at the Beautiful Mountain School, I knew my last day at elemntary would be tough. When I first came to Ena as an ALT, I visited 16 different schools. Usually I went to a different school everyday, which made getting to know the teachers and students very difficult. I mostly visited elementary schools, which was fun at first, but soon became very taxing. Often the teachers at the school forgot to prepare for my visit, without asking me to prepare something, and I was thrown into classrooms of almost 40 students with minimal Japanese and no teaching ability. Many times the teachers walked out, sat down and read a book, or stood in the corner , completely detatched from the chaos that would ensue.

For the past year and a half, however, I have been assigned to 3 main schools, including one elementary: Oi Sho. I've always loved it there. The teachers are kind and cheerful, helpful during and interested in the lessons, and the students are genki and adorable. Before I began my lessons there, the students would see an ALT maybe 2 or 3 times a year. I was fortunate enough to begin teaching there once a week, and the incredible progress the students made before my eyes astounded and encouraged me. I learned a lot during my first year as an elementary ALT, and from the start at Oi I planned my own lessons and activities. I was always in charge of the class, and the students always participated and enjoyed the lessons. I really began looking forward to my visits, even though I would continually stress about the lessons and activities I planned. Students would often come talk to me during free time, recess and after school, trying to use the English they had learned. I realized that just having an ALT in the school on a regular basis makes a huge difference to the students, motivating them to speak in English and giving them a genuine chance to do so. The relationship the ALT has with the students is the biggest motivating factor of all. If the students like the ALT, and feel close to them, regardless of how little interest they have in English, they will try to learn and use it.

My experiences at Oi Elementary have been some of the most challenging, rewarding and fun of my JET career. I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know the children there and to make so many beautiful little friends. I will never forget them.

The Oi's Outdoor Soji Crew, including the famous "Monkey Man" (front and center).

5th graders... 3rd graders...
2nd graders...

Gion and Guacamole

Geiko and maiko of Gion Higashi performing the Gion Higashi Kouta during the finale of the fall dance.

This is just one of the many images from my trip to Kyoto over a month ago that I still haven't managed to upload. More will be coming soon, assuming blogger will eventually allow me to add images to the blog again post haste. Come to think of it, I never even finished writing about my latest adventures in Cambodia, not to mention my trip to Vietnam almost a year ago! I'm working on it... In the mean time, feast your eyes on this: My third year elective English class' Guacamole extravaganza. Ole!

Etsuki, Nao, Chikako, Ami, and Shin diggin' in to the guacamole.

I have often expounded upon the virtues of guacamole to Kachi sensei, English teacher extrodinare of the Beautiful Mountain School and friend to many an ALT. During our humble Thanksgiving Fiesta, she experienced it's deliciousness for herself, promptly declaring it our sacred duty to share the gospel of guacamole among the Japanese people, begining with the youth. Thus, the concept of Guacamole 101 was concieved and carried out with great success.

No tortillia chips? No problem! Ole!

All of the students had eaten avacado before, but only in sushi form, with mayonaise and soy sauce (>.<)As they say, 'Soy sauce, seaweed and mayonaise do not guacamole make."

Not only were the students impressed with its deliciousness, but with the ease with which it is prepared. They all vowed to make guacamole again for their families. We made an extra batch for the teachers room, which, at first sight, seemed to scared many a sensei. It was, however, quickly gobbled up with shouts of "Umai!" and "Oishii ne!" immediately followed by "Wow. This would be perfect with beer or sake!" Even Kocho sensei (principal), staunch supporter of the superiority of all things Japanese, declared it to be delicious, followed by a rather spirited rendition of "La Cucaracha". The guacamole revolution has begun! Ole!

Ena Update: Fall has Arrived!

Beautiful! Lovery!

Dusk in the mountain top town of Akechi, a newly acquired tributary of Empire Ena.

I am much more than a geisha chaser. I am an Assistant English teacher. Behold, the fruits of my labor!

Kana is a third year junior high school student, which is the equivalent of 9th grade in the US. If you can't read it, click on the image and a larger version will pop up. (^-^)

KAWAII! How cute is this? Written by a second year (8th grade) student who does not like a lovery boy named Kazunori (^_<)

These are just a few of the smile-inducing journal letters my Beautiful Mountain School students write me every week. Although it is optional, most of them try to write at least once a week, and many even write three times a week. I'm always excited to see a huge stack of letters waiting in my mailbox when I visit, and spend more time writing back then I do preparing for class (>o<). I've learned so much about my kids through these little letters, and they've learned a lot about writing! The improvement we've seen is incredible, both in their vocabulary and sentence structure (although is obviously still far from perfect). Having the opportunity to write about anything they want, without the pressure of being graded, keeps the students motivated and keeps me up to date on everything about them, especially since I don't get to visit as much as I used to. This connection to my students, and the relationships that it has fostered, is what makes being an ALT worth all the hours of absolute, brain-numbing boredom.

The Daily Commute

Snow-covered persimmons, dangling over the shivering surface of the Kiso River like tangerine tear drops of sunshine. This is the view from my beautiful mountain school, North Ena Junior High. (Click on the photo to see a larger version).

Nothing says "Saftey Driving" (as our Japanese friends say) as operating a motor vehicle on a slippery, winding road through the mountains with one hand out the window taking pictures! The ride to work, this morning was just too breath-taking. The pine covered slopes, frosted with a fresh cover of over-night snow, seemed to rise higher on every side as I headed towards my beautiful mountain school. The blue sky, the warm sun, and the way the sugar powdered mountains melded with the fluffy, frosty, clouds hanging low with heavy snow was like a dream...a winter fantasy. Before the snow started falling, I could have sworn I would be happy to skip winter all together, but i will never be able to forget the way the mountains look blanketed in snow, or seeing Ontake's pristine peak rise over the southern alps that embrace my town. Yay for winter!

Tono Crew Conquers Mount Ena

At 2190 meters, Mount Ena is listed as one of the top 100 hikes in Japan. (The view from near my apartment last spring).


Following the Nakatsugawa river back to its source...




The narrow trail winds its way through thick, green vegetation.


What trail, you ask?


Just follow the slippery, moss covered rocks uphill for, oh, let's say 2,189 meters!

Along the way, don't forget to stop and smell the fungi!







The view from the summit, after 3 and 1/2 hours of hardcore hiking. Somewhere, tucked beneath the folds of those mountains, is my home.


J looks remarkably excited about the prospect of sliding down Ena on his oshiri as he slips over the edge.

The tough kids who climbed Mount Ena, and lived to tell the tale.

A Walk in the Rice

Ena's emerald waves of grain cover the foot of the mountains like an old, patchwork quilt from Gee’s bend.

A friend, who shall remain nameless, requested that I take a few pictures of my surroundings (obviously he does not appreciate my obsession with Geisha). Since I've had Kuruma-chan (my beloved car), my rice feild wanderings have significantly decreased, which is an absolute travesty! I decided to rectify the situation by reaquainting myself with the country side through which I so often meandered when I first arrived in Ena.


Ena's countryside is dotted with Edo period store houses, built separate from the main house to protect family heirlooms and valuables from fire.

Back at home in the states, I remember smelling winter on the autumn winds, shuddering with the brightly colored leaves. In Japan, it is the mouth-watering aroma of autumn, wafting from rice field to rice field that I look forward to during the long summer months. Imagine the sweet smell of popcorn mingled with the fresh scent of summer rain and the smoke of a campfire; the sound of water flowing down from the mountains into moats encircling each emerald patch; pine covered mountains, rising like islands from the steady waves of wind-blown rice; dragonflies hovering over swaying stalks, heavy with the year's harvest, as butterflies dance to the chorus of chirping insects and burping frogs. As autumn draws near, the smell of the rice begins to hang so thick in the air you can almost taste it. 美味しそう!