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Wednesday, June 07, 2006
9:08 AM
monday, 7:46 am, irabu island. i have just laid out my books and started planning my day's lessons when the school principal strolls by my desk in the teacher's room. "julia-sensei, genki? saikin takusan tabeta desu ka?" [julia, how are you? have you been eating a lot lately?] i pretend not to understand and give him a half-smile. then he procedes to ask the other teachers around me if they agree that i have "become fatter" and they all smile uncomfortably and get back to work. what the fuck!? is this the way to greet your employees on a rainy monday morning? well, in japan, turns out it is. the japanese, you see, have this uncanny talent of simply stating the obvious, including the obvious that you don't necessarily need to hear, thank you very much.
situation number 2: tuesday, in the middle of a class, 11:05 am. i am explaining an english saying to the students when my co-teacher asks, in the middle of it: "julia, what is that on your chin?" um.... are you kidding me here mister? "it's a pimple." "ahahahahahahahaha!!! really? i have never seen you with a pimple before!! hahaha, this is a sign of youth!" "um, yes, and humidity, [and PMS]." ok, on with the lesson kids! end of the day "thanks, see you next week mr. xx" -- "Ok julia, and take care of that pimple!!, hahahahahah!!" i smiled and left. buh-bye.
welcome to japan. the land of the ever-polite and somewhat emotionally repressed, except when it comes to weight gain and spots.
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