Hello friends :^) Rounding out the end of my month in Japan pretty soon! Today I started my last week at my last school in Japan, this time in Nara City, Nara Prefecture, Honshu. Some of the other group leaders were joking today that it was our senior year ("last first day ever, guys!") and to a certain extent it does feel like that.
It's both hard to believe it's already been three weeks and hard to believe that it's only been three weeks. My time is Japan has been really incredible. I've met so many cool people - students, staff members, teachers, host families, other group leaders. I've tried so many new foods, traveled to so many new places, gotten lost in the train more than a few times, and challenged myself in so many new ways.
Last week was honestly a really tough week for me. I told Naoni that the last two weeks would have to be pretty bad to sour my positive opinions from my first two weeks in Japan, and I still stand by that. I was working at a school with only 9 students - just me and one other group leader working with a facilitator - and the students were a lot quieter than the first two weeks, so it was a little difficult to get them interested in the class activities some times. But even though it was hard, it was still a really good experience. I was a little sad because I didn't really start to bond with some students until the last day but I still really enjoyed the teaching, even if I wasn't really on my A-game. The week overall, was pretty lonely, though. I was staying all alone in a big hotel with basically no one to talk to after school. I was lucky that the other group leader invited me to go out with her after school one day. We hit up Akihabara really quickly and then went to Ueno Park. But I found myself really wishing I had a home stay family to hang out with because I just had to eat and go places all alone and I got pretty bored. Plus, I found it kind of intimidating to order food alone in Japanese so I ended up buying convenience store meals most nights (guess I've learned a new skill to work on).
I was pretty glad to be reunited with my other group leaders on Sunday and travel to Nara to meet a new host family. This time I'm staying with a teacher, rather than a student, and she's really cool. She went to high school and university in California and she has a really strong personality. There's also a chance I might go do hot yoga with her this week so I'll keep you all updated if that happens.
All in all, the past week was a little hard on my spirit but I've still really been enjoying this program. I think it's probably one of the best experiences I've ever had. I still feel like I'm not a very good teacher but at least for now, I still really enjoy working on it and trying to be better. Also I'm having a lot of fun with the other group leaders (we've all been working together for at least 3 weeks at this point so the weird energy we have when we're together is fun, and the students seem to appreciate watching us have regular mental breakdowns). Even if I decide I'm not really cut out for this kind of teaching stuff, at least I'll have learned some more about myself I think. But hey, we talk about positive thinking every week so I'm trying to be more positive too. If I believe I can do it, I will or something, right?
Yeah, rt what Emma and Rachel said! I know we already talked about this but like positive thinking, as cliche as it sounds, is in fact very helpful/important. Instead of focusing on your shortcomings, positive thinking helps you to grow from it. I love positive thinking, I think all youngsters should be actively taught this!
yes please keep us updated on how hot yoga goes if you go!! like you said even if you decide teaching isn't for you at least you're still taking something away from the experience. and you're taking so many things away from going to Japan uk like you're trying new things and all that
I love that pic of you in action, I can feel the energy. yeah, even though I like being alone, it's always to a degree and on my own terms :/ . being alone in public in general can be hard (bc fear of being judged and everything) so not being confident in the language definitely adds another layer of difficulty. but pocari don't sweat the small stuff! (easier said than done, also I said that bc that post was recommended to me)