I love karate!

No matter how tired/frustrated/sad/yucky/lazy/grumpy I am when I get in the car to go, the ride home is ALWAYS full of singing along to the ipod and clapping and smiling.

I had my first eikaiwa (English Conversation Class) this Tuesday, and I don't think it went very well. I wasn't in a very good mood going into it, so I think I made the class too hard - or at least some people were complaining it was too hard afterwards. There's students of really low (no) English ability, and then there are some that are pretty good, and age 20 to age 72. I knew what we were doing was difficult, but I had them working in groups and everyone was trying (and succeeding!). That is, except for this one old grandma lady. She just sat there shaking her head complaining it was too hard and not even trying, even when I tried to help her. And at the end of the class she started people complaining. So yeah, that basically sucked. It's frustrating because some people want to do REALLY basic stuff like greetings and names of the months and stuff, and then most of the class (10 of 15) is way beyond that. I'm afraid if I only do really easy stuff, the higher level students will quit, and I don't want that. Honestly, they're the ones who will benefit the most from an eikaiwa (as opposed to 72 year old grandma who I doubt will ever actually use the things from my class). But, I do have to teach to the whole class. The other part that's kind of annoying is that the Board of Education is watching me like a hawk, and keep trying to interfere (granted in the name of being "helpful"), so my autonomy is kind of limited. I want this class to be something I'm in charge of. The rest of my ALT job I'm just that, and ASSISTANT, so I want this to be something I do on my own. Call me stubborn, but I don't really like/want someone from the BOE telling me what to teach and how to run my class.

Anyway, overall, I left the class feeling pretty bad about it (a bit of a flop), and it's kinda put a downer on my week (even though I started teaching about Thanksgiving today which is totally fun!). But then, tonight I went to karate, and now I feel like everything's okay.

For one, I'm becoming even friendlier with the blackbelts there and I really like them. For two, they saw me practicing some weapons kata (empty-handed) and asked me about it, so I got to tell them all about how I do weapons, too. And then my favorite old man teacher whipped out a pair of nunchaku and let me borrow them!! I only did one kata (nunchaku dai ni), but by the time I was halfway through, the WHOLE room (class and parents) had stopped what they were doing and were in total silence watching me. haha it was a little scary, but mostly funny. I guess they were impressed? They clapped and everything. So yeah, after that I got to tell them about what weapons I know how to use and they asked if I had them here. Unfortunately, I don't, but I said I'm going to bring them back when I come back from Christmas, and they want me to teach them!! I think that's so cool! I'd LOVE to teach weapons - especially to these guys. I'm actually thinking I'll get myself a bo (aka go buy a 6ft dowel at the hardware store), and I know I can buy kama at the 100 Yen store (yes, they sell those scary bladed weapons for less than a dollar each - to cut your grass!).

After class, we were talking more, and I found out two of the teachers are also ski instructors!! They said they'll take me out and teach me! haha I'm excited! They're all just so nice. It's a sort of dojo family. I like it.

Oh, and to top it all off, Itoko (the blackbelt lady who ALWAYS helps me) had come to my eikaiwa, and told me as we were walking to our cars that she really loved the class! And she's looking forward to next time! She said it was kind of hard, but she liked the challenge and I thought I did a good job. Now being in Japan, you never know if that's politeness of genuineness, but she's a pretty genuine person and she seemed like she really meant it. And even if she didn't, it made me feel better.

In conclusion:
Next eikaiwa I will have a better attitude and it will be great.
Weapons are ALWAYS fun.
I'm going to learn to ski from two old men!