Thinking that Chrismukkah was over for me this year before it had even begun, I arrived home from work to find an incredible package. I think Santa and Moses might have tag-teamed it.
Wednesday night, I'm going to make Chanukah with Keiko to show her what we do.
And we'd been searching for Christmas cake everywhere, but to no avail.
Thank you so much Mum.
First off, "Day 4/5" are coming soon, but I'm waiting for photos.
This week was, on the whole, successful. Sunday night was the quiz, and I was nervous about the turn-out. However, 16 people came which was nearly double what I expected. Everyone had a great time, albeit with the usual controversy about wrong and right answers. It was especially good because the Japanese staff came along and seemed to have fun even though most of the questions were a bit over their heads. (The answers, by the way, are now in the comments sections.)
One of the rules of NOVA is not to socialise with students outside lessons. I can understand the reasons - favortism and professional conduct is affected if a relationship goes awry - however, I don't think that if you keep it schtum it's a bad thing. Nevertheless, it's one of the few serious issues that will get you fired. Frustratingly, and ridiculously, some of the students found out about the quiz and waited for a few teachers outside the branch. Firstly, they met OUTSIDE, and secondly, they all knew the BOSS was inside. It has caused a lot of conflict, and put a damper on the night. I'm annoyed because the teachers are just stupid but the students know full well the consequences yet they have nothing to lose. If there was any chance of me trusting them and meeting for a drink, it's gone out of the window.
However, the other main part of the week was my Chanukah Special Voice. It wasn't a huge turnout, but one of the men had researched the topic the night before and started with the question, "What's the difference between the Torah and the Talmud?". Whoah!
On the whole, the Japanese have no idea about Judaism; not much more than that about Christianity. They enjoyed making and playing with dreidels, hearing the story of Chanukah, and eating doughnuts and chanukah gelt.
Which brings me to your presents.
I spent a fortune on photocopying, buying gelt and doughnuts etc, so your present this year is the knowledge that a few people have a small Jewish education and new cultural experience; something they'll more than likely never have again in their lives.
The human equivalent of planting a tree or adopting an animal in your name.
__
Cut out and poke a pencil in the top:
Phil: Have you ever seen "The Sound Of Music"?
Student: About the woman with short cut and black skirt up the hill?
Well, I guess that's one way to describe it...
Movies
Movie Trivia
1. Which director famously made a cameo in 35 of his 63 films?
2. In “The Rules Of Attraction”, James Van Der Beek plays the brother of an already fictional character. In which film does this older brother appear?
3. Who plays the spirit of Elvis in True Romance?
4. Name the four actors who star as the central family in Pleasantville – Budd, Mary Sue, George and Betty Parker.
5. What was the name of the high school in Grease?
Quotes – Name The Film
6. I remember every detail. The Germans wore grey, you wore blue.
7. No one’s trying to kill you Nicholas. Put that gun down, you’re about to make the biggest mistake of your life.
8. You could be a model. It's too bad you're not sexy.
9. We’re going to need a bigger boat.
10. Good morning! And in case I don't see you: good afternoon, good evening and good night!
Characters – Name The Movie
11. Kevin McAllister
12. Holly Golightly
13. Jack Torrance
14. Norman Bates
15. Baby
(The other categories were "spelling and Japanese company acronyms" and a "music intros round" so neither are very suitable to publish here)
(taken in Shinjuku, December 7th 2006)
Oh the possibilities,
Let's go for somewhere to eat. What do you fancy? Something delicious?
No, I'm in the mood for something a bit standard.
How was it?
Pretty standard.
John Gibbons.
He was one of the few teachers at Bournemouth Grammar that taught me more than just academic knowledge. He taught me the importance of taking responsibility, accepting mistakes even to those less senior than you, and that life by its very necessity isn't fair. He told me once that luck or fortune often takes the place of ability or fairness.
Rest in peace.
Geography
1. Name Australia’s six states.
2. In terms of land mass, what is the smallest country in the world?
3. What is the capital of Morocco?
4. Which is the only State in the United States to have a monosyllabic name?
5. What is the longest river in the World?
6. What is the currency of the Czech Republic?
7. In which country can you find Transylvania
8. What is the height of Mt Fuji, in metres?
9. In which country is the highest waterfall in the World?
10. If your geographical position was a latitude of 0 degrees and a longitude of 0 degrees, where would you be?
Literature
1. Which city was home to Romeo and Juliet?
2. Who wrote ‘Robinson Crusoe’?
3. Timothy, Julian, Dick, Anne and George are collectively known as who?
4. Which book begins with the line – “Christmas won’t be Christmas without any presents,” grumbled Jo, lying on the rug”?
5. How many lines does a sonnet have – 10, 12 or 14?
6. What is Sherlock Holmes’s address?
7. How many syllables make up a haiku?
8. According to 1001 Arabian Nights, what nationality was Aladdin?
9. What are the names of the Three Musketeers?
10. What’s the next line in this poem?
I wander’d lonely as a cloud,
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
In the VOICE room for Monday night "starter English" club, I do a lesson on job names:
Student1 turns over the 'chef' card.
Student1: Cook! Or cock?
Student2: Umm, cook.
Student3: Maybe cock.
I go red, and start laughing.
Student1: What? Cock? Cook?
Student1-5: Cock?Cook?I don't know? etc
Phil: Chef, or cook.
Student 2: Why are you laughing? What's a cock?
Meanwhile, the students are still randomly saying "cook" and "cock"
Phil: It's a rude word, something men have.
I turn more and more red.
Phil: Aah! Pilot...
I'm holding the quiz for the teachers and staff at my branch tomorrow, and I'm excited. Here are the first two rounds*:
History
1. Between which two countries did the Titanic sink?
2. After who was the teddy-bear named?
3. Who invented the television?
4. Geri Halliwell left the Spice Girls in which year – 1996, 1997 or 1998?
5. The Mesozoic Era is comprised of the Cretaceous, Jurassic and which other period?
6. Which two of Henry VIII wives did he divorce?
7. How many US Presidents have there been?
8. Florence Nightingale was a nurse during which war?
9. Name three of the Seven Wonders of the World
10. In which year was NOVA founded?
Science
1. Which temperature has the same value in both Centigrade and Fahrenheit?
2. An Archimedes Screw is a device for moving what?
3. What is the most common blood type in humans?
4. Which scale measures wind strength?
5. What is phobophobia the fear of?
6. Which is the largest planet in the Solar System?
7. What is the chemical element of Iron?
8. How many bits are there in a byte?
9. Who or what is an oyster-catcher?
10. What is the genetic cause of Down’s Syndrome?
*Some questions are, inevitably, a little redundant to most of you; focusing on life here.
Why does a "satisfactory" meal sound not very good; when a "satisfying" one sounds so much better; yet "satisfaction" is the thing we crave most of all?!?
Mid-conversation:
Student: Those words have similar cinnamon.
Phil: I'm sorry!?
Student: Similar cinammon.
Phil: You're going to have to explain.
Student: They sound the same.
Phil: Ah! Similar syllables!
I had my fortnightly trip to the nursery schools this week, and the theme is Christmas. I have songs and flashcards, and it helps that the nursery schools have Christmas decorations up already.
The first school was great. I walked in and a two or three year old waddled up to me wide-eyed, took my hand and kissed it. Sweet, if a little strange.
The second school was also fine but, during "heads, shoulders, knees and toes" knees and toes - sorry, couldn't resist - I managed to pull down half of the decorations. The kids found it hilarious, I was a little embarassed.
On arrival at the the third nursery, I pushed the buzzer and said my spiel "英語の先生です" to which I got a rather confused girl telling me to wait a minute. She finally let me up, and, on entering the nursery, there were no children. Actually, there were two - sitting in the huge space watching a video on TV. It was quite surreal. I was half expecting 30 kids to jump out, but I was told that they had gone on a field trip and forgot to tell me.
And eyes and ears and mouth and nose....
(taken on 23rd November, in Jingu)
The last few weeks have seen the いちょう (ichou - yellow-leaved trees) in full bloom. This week they have started dropping their leaves. It looks like the yellow brick road.
Brunette, long hair?
No, no. Not that type of type.
The more controversial debate is your blood type. It's the Japanese typical dinner conversation, as they believe that your personality is dependent on your blood type. For example, Type A is considerate, diligent and clean whereas B is head-strong and opinionated. The best relationships are Type B women with Type O men.*
This seems wholesome enough, but it's causing problems in schools where children are forming cliques and bullying others according to blood type!! I guess, kind of like which football team you support.
血液型何型ですか。(Ketsuekigata, nanigata desu ka?)
What blood type are you?
A-型です・B型です・O型です。
＿gata desu. - I'm type＿
Now you can practice with a friend.
(I'm B-Positive - a very healthy motto, if I say so myself)
*for such an interest, no-one knows whether they are positive or negative!
NHK, the Japanese version of BBC, doesn't demand a TV license. It's a personal choice and, although they recommend you pay, it's not illegal if you don't.
Interestingly, this divide does not concern any of my students. Half of them pay and half of them don't. When they discuss the issue, no-one ever believes that the other is wrong.
More controversially...
I overheard this conversation from the staff room.
A student had just finished speaking.
Student: Was that Ok?
Teacher: Yes, it was fine, except I don't understand what you mean.
Phil: It's December already. Have you heard the phrase 'flown by'?
Student: No.
Phil: It means something has happened quickly.
Student: Aah! Yes, it's gone so fast.
Phil: What's the best thing that happened to you this year?
Student: Umm......... I ate a steak.
Because it seemed a shame to leave things with that...
My gym is 5 years old today and they gave me one of those healthy snack bars.
Made me smile.
I'm the first to admit I haven't really given Judaism much attention recently. But with Chanukah approaching, and volunteering to do a couple of two-hour talks on the festival, I decided to go to the Synagogue/Jewish community centre in Japan to buy some realia (dreidels etc) for the talks. I also wanted to find out whether they were lighting the candles at the Synagogue on any of the nights as it might be, yes I'm going to say it, nice to participate.
Keiko and I went early-ish, to avoid any problems with Friday night closing times. The security was heavy, as most of you can imagine. There was no reply to the bell, but luckily a woman also wanted to go in so she pressed the bell several times. A man with a deep Brooklyn-type accent opened the door, asked what we wanted, and let us in, explaining that they were in a meeting. He pointed at a table with some dreidels, menorahs etc laid out and sat down with four other foreigners, each of whom ignored us. (The woman at the door sat with them.) Trying to buy some dreidels, I got the man's attention; much to his annoyance. I gave him some money and he went to find change.
At that point I noticed Chanukah gelt - and gefilte fish, never mind - and decided it would be a nice treat for my students. To this, the man apologised to the group for being distracted, who were in the midst of discussing how important it is for the community to have a Chanukah party. I asked him whether they were lighting candles in the Synagogue:
"The Rabbi's not here. I'm doing it at my house".
And he nodded towards the door.
We showed ourselves out.
Now, a little-known fact on this blog. There are officially 1000 Jewish people in the whole of Japan, according to the last census. You would think that someone who is interested in the religion would be welcomed with arms wide open. You would also think that a group of people who I'm guessing are the 'committee' and are planning a party would perhaps reply a little more politely to my question or at least acknowledge me.
Of course, this was in Hiroo, which if you remember, is the only place I haven't liked in Japan.
It's sad that the first people to disregard me in Japan were not even Japanese.
This is just my opinion today and I hope you can appreciate it. It's not an attack on Judaism, it was just an unfortunate experience. Due to this, I have decided to moderate comments for this entry. If you feel the urge to have your say, please feel free to e-mail me directly.
