tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5865209203861111375.post5323424810264911852..comments2023-10-18T06:47:09.859-07:00Comments on L.J. Popp's World adventures!: The Week From Swine FluL.J. Popphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13284792042056312456noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5865209203861111375.post-7289287812433286872009-12-14T17:34:37.686-08:002009-12-14T17:34:37.686-08:00Quite the downer for Thanksgiving it sounds like, ...Quite the downer for Thanksgiving it sounds like, but it also sounds like Christmas might be very good. I will be excited to hear. I personally wonder if the Japanese have adopted the Western pseudo-Christian traditions of, say, Santa Claus and shopping madness.<br /><br />Something that caught my attention was the library you inherited from your predecessor. Perhaps you're spoken about it before in another blog, but I was wondering what else you "inherited"?Richhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09091246964133101706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5865209203861111375.post-34288754893549778512009-12-11T06:15:30.021-08:002009-12-11T06:15:30.021-08:00Oh, my goodness, Laura, what a horrible experience...Oh, my goodness, Laura, what a horrible experience!<br /><br />Our supervisor at the English school was very similar, it sounds like, to yours - and as you said, "very unjapanese" in a strange way. There was that one person who made us feel like no matter what we did, it was the wrong thing, made us feel like idiots and a burden.<br /><br />I'm praying for you with sympathy right now!<br /><br />Also, as you said, "everybody knows" the Japanese are the most difficult culture in the world to get along with -- even THEY can't readjust to the culture after living abroad. They can't fit it. Did you know that? They call them "returnees", and just like they say, "What can you expect, she's an American"... they say, "We have to make allowances, she's a returnee..." like it is a disgraceful thing. <br /><br />Which also gives a bit more insight on why a "returnee" teacher might be grouchy! The other teachers who haven't studied English abroad often treat a "returnee" like a "show-off", making them not want to associate with other people who draw attention to the differences.<br /><br />It sounds like you are doing great understanding what is going on, and trying to get along, which is all anyone can ask of you. Hope things smooth out soon!<br /><br />(And I checked with Bethany, and she says that, indeed, it is likely that the class you have the most trouble with is the equivalent of a remedial kid's class here. High school isn't compulsory, but some families still push their underachieving kids to go... and the school then puts them all together in one class. Poor Homeroom teacher! And no one would tell you, because it would be shameful to say the truth!)Mistress of the Mansehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13408207302753287023noreply@blogger.com