Friday, November 02, 2007

How Ken's Heart Melted Like Butter In A Hot Saucepan.

Every fall, in every school in Japan, students put on a Cultural Festival at their school whereby all the various clubs, teams, and classes put on a show or display or presentation to show what they're all about. This can take the form of plays, videos, live perfomances (i.e. brass band, choirs, dance troupes) and speeches. It's really really fun times (at least at my schools) and the vast majority of the kids really get into it.

I had the good luck of being assigned to Suetake jr. high on the last day before their festival began so there were no lessons -- everyone was busy all day with rehearsing, putting up posters, crafts, artwork, sound-check, and the like.




So with nothing much to do, I did what any irresponsible person who wanted to amuse himself and his students would do: I climbed upon my faithful steed, strapped on my guitar, and went door-to-door rocking.

Generally, I don't think teachers are supposed to act so silly, but since I'm not a "real" teacher, I can get away with it. I went down the 7th graders hallway and was met with wild cheers and eager smiles; as a reward for their adorable cuteness and general good humour, I rocked out a dramatic rendition of "Lines on Palms" by Josh Pyke (see video above). Since I had just recently been introduced to that song (from Hana), I didn't know the words yet so I just scooby-doo-ed my way through the song.

I gradually made my way to the second floor where the 8th graders were ready and waiting to have their minds blown by my rock. I jumped into Billy Joel's "Longest Time" and the kids started clapping on the OFF beats (which never happens in Canada) and dancing around me! I couldn't believe this was Japan; it felt like a Ugandan classroom all over again! These kids were FEELING it! Some of their teachers were even poking their heads around the corner and smiling and bopping their heads a bit -- I bet they were wishing they weren't real teachers so they could let loose.

The perfect ending to the day (and possibly my life, if I had died that night) came when, on my way back to the staffroom, a group of my favourite 7th grade girls intercepted me. The great thing about junior high kids (esp. 7th graders) is that they are essentially still kids. They're not too cool laugh at my lame jokes and are genuinely happy when I take the time to talk to them.
Anyways, I was chatting with them and one of the girls ran back into the classroom and rushed back a minute later holding something in her hand. It was a tiny Momotaro (google him) figurine, scratched and dented and obviously had spent most of his life attached to someone's pencil case. "It's from all of us!" she said with a big smile and pressed it into my hand.



[See the little Momotaro the girl on the far left is holding. Ami, the girl in the middle, was the one who presented me with the gift]

As the old saying goes, "Little gifts from little people make a big difference."*


*I totally made that up on the spot right now.

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