The Mirror Image

So today was my first day of training. Hope, Deborah, and myself met with the 3 main curriculum designers for MeySen. They have both given up so much of their time to this school, it is ridiculous! These people deserve my utmost respect. Today was filled with so much information, but this information will help me tremendously with my own teaching. Sometimes I feel like this world does not appreciate a teacher for what he or she is worth. To be a successful teacher, you have to invest so much of your time and energy. I aspire to be this teacher that is passionate about everything she does!

I learned two very fun things that I would like to share with you. One is air writing and the other is... you will just have to wait to here about that one! Air writing, that is pretty self-explanatory! You can try it right here and right now! Stick out your arm and hold out two fingers (think stewardess). Now, write the letter "a". Way to go, you just learned how to air write. Easy, right?! Now, stick out your opposite arm and hold out two fingers. This time write the letter "a", but a mirror image of what you just did. Easy?? Not so much! Try it with "s", that will get you to really think! We learned how to write the mirror image of every letter of the alphabet today, you really have to think about it! I encourage you to try. Then once you have accomplished that, try to write a word. Remember, that when we read or write, normally we go from left to right, so if we were mirroring that, you would write your word from right to left. GOOD LUCK!

Well, my 2nd exciting event today was driving! Yes, the Japanese drive on the left side of the road. Yes, the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. Yes, I survived! So not only did I mirror writing today, I also mirrored driving in the states! I was nervous of course, but no one was hurt, so that should say something!!! I did however get very close to a guard rail at one point (the roads are very narrow here). I also accidently hit the windshield wipers instead of the blinker. They are also reversed in the car. But since it was sprinkling today, the windshield wiper mishap did not give away my American self. Now, if it were a bright and sunny day and my windshield wipers started going off, that probably would have made me stick out like a sore thumb!

So all in all, those were my exciting adventures in Japan today! I found out that I could mirror a lot of different things and I like to think I was successful at it all! Feels good!

I get to drive more tomorrow......

My New Adventure!

Well, as most of you know, I now live in Japan. I have been here for about a week. I will be teaching at MeySen Academy in Sendai. You should Google it, it is absolutely fascinating. MeySen has 2 campuses. They are both like tiny little amusement parks. BEAUTIFUL! It is hard to believe that this is what I am doing with my life now. If you were to ask me 8 months ago what my plan was, this would not have been it. You never know where life may take you. This is very exciting though. I will be teaching Japanese Kindergartners English. These students will learn the skills they need to learn at this level, but through the English language. It is an immersion program so the only language we will speak in the classroom is English. No worries, for my job, I do not need to know Japanese. However, I will do my best to learn the language so that I will be able to communicate with parents and to get around in Japan. I begin my official training tomorrow, but I will not get my own classroom until April, which is when the school year will start up again. Well please stay posted, this was more of just a general info passage of what I will be doing here. I promise that there will be much more exciting entries to come.