Jonan Chu Gakkou
Well, I am not claiming to be a prophetess to the end of the world, let a lone Japan. But what I do know is that my time in Japan is coming to a close. This is begins now...
I am sitting at school- a day away from the last day of my teaching at Jonan Chu Gakkou. To this I feel both bitter and refreshed. Bitter that tomorrow I will have to say goodbye to the teachers and students who I have learned from and lived with for a year, but refreshed knowing I will be able to move back to my next calling- Columbus Junction. I sit here having had 5 classes of last classes, and knowing at tomorrows meeting I will need to represent Iowa, and my learning of Japanese twice. Once to the teachers in the morning meeting, and one over the intercom for all the students- and maybe not see all the students in this day. So to practice and remember I shall write for you my two speeches in Japanese and English (this is more for my practice and less for the benifit of knowing the mistakes and errors I will make tomorrow-thus will be using romanji so you realize this is actually a speech..-)..
Teachers Speech (for the sake of formality I will give two speeches at two times)
Ohiyo gozaimasu. Kyo ga Jonan Chu Gakkou de no watashi no sygono shu desu. Kono ichi nen wa totemo tanosh-katta desu. Sensei- igatta itsumo watashi wo tasukete kurete, arigato gozaimasu. Jona Chu Gakkou wa totemo stekina gakkou desu. kono gakkou de oshierukoto ga de kite hokori ni omoimasu.
(translation- Good morning. This is my last week at JCG. This year has been very fun (or a translation of fun that i do not have in English). thank you teachers for being so helpful and kind to me this year. JCG is a great school. I am honored to have taught here this yeary, thank you.)
Students speech (over an intercom- LAME)
Hello everyone. This is Ms. Molly. Kyo ga Jonan Chu Gakkou de no watashi no sygono sh esu. Kono ichi ne wa totemo tanosh-katta desu. This year has been very fun. Thank you for studying English very hard. Seito no minasan wa eigo wo benkiyou shite kurete, arigato. watashino ichiban no onoide wa minasan to ishyou ni hashita ju kiro road rasu desu. Please study hard and enjoy learning. Thank you so much! See you someday!
(translation- it is translated in the speach if you didnt' catch it you are lame! just kidd'n).
Well this is not why I am writing this blog- but more for my reminder- of how nervous I am right now sitting her knowing that tomorrow I will have to give this speech no matter how small it is to a group of 40 teachers and over 700 students. The students are safe- because they have are my students- mistakes are my gain for them (the more real I look the better) but to teachers it is nerve racking- thankfully I will take out a piece of paper and read it from it not to look at the faces of the stunned teachers who I can't even know what they think. TO this past statement I am stunned to think that I would still have such a immature brain- and shows my need to grow-up a few years. Maybe when I am older I will no longer feel the pressure but this is probably not true and feel like after tomorrow and my 5 min speech I may grow up a few years.
Ok so besides this speech and things. I say, my thoughts from this year at Jonan. Well for firsts thankfully they turned on the air- seriously it was hot today- and to this I am grateful. I loved this school for its- "bad image". It was said of the school that is was kind of the reject school with problems and problem children- I didn't see this. Grant it, I saw my share of kids who overly didn't pay attention, who wore their pants around their ankles, and slept in class or who maybe got in a few fights, but is that not the essence of childhood? To rebel to find some kind of normalcy, to push the borders seeking someone to set up boundaries for them and give them a reason to do what is right, and to fight because seriously when you only have the experiences from the prior 12-15 years of your life you are still learning how to manage your own emotions. I did every one of these things in my life- rebel, push boundaries, and fight my emotions- (and possibly try to wear my pants by my ankles but have found that not so comfy or attractive). These things do not reflect institutions but the development of children. Yes, there are other implications which knowing about the whole life of the student- family, personality, and blood type (well this would be a japanese thing) would thus bring into the picture yet for the simple fact that life can stink for anyone- the rich, poor, the children who like to study and those who only like to play sports and at the foundation of this there would be seen a similarity of emotional reactions from all types of people thus making the labeling an act of Judgement on students instead of seeing there is potential in everyone to do something wonderful for the World and ultimately the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, God all mighty. Thus I have seen past the little stumbling blocks that get in the way and ask- what is the purpose of their life what do they have to offer and how can I help them see that they have so much to offer as a (child of GOD)! I have not perfected this in practice but as I journey I shall become more like Christ in this thinking, and seek after this as a Goal. This year has been a wonderful practice for me. Through the good and bad. Thus is my reflection of Jonan this year. A great school with just as much potential as any other school. I love the students and will miss them greatly! Lord bless and keep them- make his face to shine upon them and send people in their way which point to Christ and lead them to the knowledge and power of GOD- and the wonderful gift of Love that God has for them.
Ahh I have extended my time on this blog but will have more updates as this last three weeks quickly closes and the heat and humidity rises!
Remember: If you are on a subway at 5:00 and need to be to the buss station at 5:10- running in a large city is definitely a quick way to explore and find where you need to be!
