So I'm more awake now, hopefully I can be coherent and not too dull either. School was nice in the afternoon. For some reason I always have a sense of dread caused by teaching the chil'ens but it goes away before I start teaching. I love it when the students, homeroom teacher and I are all having a good time. Plus I cheat at twister when I spin the spinner and place it on ones that cause them the most awkward positions for my own enjoyment. Hee hee.. I have to vent somehow.
Did I say in the previous post I've decided to go to Vietnam in April/May? I have, I decided another trip to a developing country is just what the doctor ordered to keep me nice and sane. Plus maybe I'll get to meet up with my friend Leann who's living there now. And clothes are even cheaper than in Thailand!!! Yippie!
Ooo, I just think I sneezed salsa on my shirt. I wonder if that will come off in the wash. Seems like salsa is a real staining agent, like mole sauce, aka dye your skin and clothes orange sauce. Nachos are totally worth it tho'. Mmmm queso, eso!
So I gained a member in my yoga club at school. The school assistant nurse is now one of my faithful and she has pledged to come every class when she is available. Sweet! Did I mention that other teachers walk by the room and scoff at us every class. Although the female vice principal at my school is a part of the club, the male jackass of a vice principal comes by every time to stare and laugh. I can't stand him! Anyways, we had a good class today.
I decided to go to the store after class because sometimes I find that therapeutic to just walk around and stare at food. I think that stems from walking around with my Dad at the store. My family never really went anywhere unless it was my grandma's house, a soccer tournament, or the grocery store. And I felt that's where my Dad would take me the most out of everyone. It was like a special place to me. Huh... I guess I never realized that until right now. I do end up at the grocery store a lot for no reason, particularly when I'm down. Strange.
Anyway, so here I am at the store, walking aimlessly but half-heartedly in search for breakfast which I haven't been eating lately, when I come across this little girl with a miniature shopping cart and a big plastic flag attached to the top. She stares at me for a sec, observing me in all my glory of striped yoga pants, frazzled half-mulleted undone hair, grey wool coat and black knock-off birkenstock clogs with no sock, because again I just couldn't be bothered. As she gets closer and nearly runs me over with her mini-cart she gives me a huge smile and says, 'A~ Sara-sensei da!' (lit. it's sarah teacher!) She has the gappiest toothed grin ever, but it's adorable. I don't teach at this girl's school, but I was volunteered recently at her school for a Saturday English class which she attended. She remembered me from that.
She tells me she can't find her mother, but doesn't seemed bothered by that fact. Most Japanese kids wander freely in the supermarket unlike me as a child who got yelled at if I wandered away within squinting distance. I ask her what she's buying and she says she doesn't want to tell me, so she doesn't. She then proceeds to follow me around the store. Little did she know I was following her because I was bored and wandering. So we wander up and down the isle, discussing food and what not. She tells me she really likes juice but that you must be careful because not all juice is good for you. Curiously I asked, what juice isn't good for you? To which she said, very seriously in a motherly tone, 'Cola, it's really bad for your body.' I said Cola isn't juice, but she corrected me. I still disagree. In Japan, some people call all sweet drinks, juice. I thought old people only did it, but apparently not.
She drags me to the snack isle, pointing out her favorite ones and telling me how unhealthy but delicious they are. Then she starts to talk about my co-worker, her actual teacher, Chris. Except she calls him Christmas-sensei. I laugh the first time she said it, and tried to correct her, but she said, that part of his name was in Christmas so she's decided that's what his name is. (Did I mention I love talking with little kids?) She also wanted to elaborate that he only comes out on Christmas and that he gives toys out to everyone. Clearly she's crazy, but I love the story and agree to start calling him that too.
She tells me while going past the Cook-Do isle (pre-packaged sauces for main dishes) that I should get Ebi Chili (Sweet chili Shrimp, Chinese style) because it's possibly the most delicious thing ever. She highly recommends it and her enthusiam causes me to throw it in my basket. But she takes it out and gets the brand her mom uses, to ensure my eating experience be a good one.
After a bit, she spots her mom and yells at her down the isle about who she's found. Her mom looks at me blankly, clearly not remembering my fabulousness during a rousing game of Dog, dog, Cat. The little girl drags me to her mom and explains who I am and her mother fakes excitement to not be rude. I love to see my students out and about, but they get soooo excited if they can introduce me to their parents but most of the time, the parents just look at me like I'm crazy and say, oh yes, it's your teacher, or some variation of that. Kind of kills my buzz of seeing a really cool little kid in public. Her mom tells me that she really enjoyed the class and to her daughter she says, no her brother can't meet me right now, because he's pooping in the toilet. Then slightly embarrassed she looks at me and tells me she didn't recognize me because I blend in. I'm still not sure if that's a good comment or not.
Anyway, this post is getting ridiculously long so I'll end it here. I'm back to being a sleepy head again, I'll try to get to bed early tonight.
