I finally ordered a memory card for my camera online. I've been doing a lot of shopping online tonight. Looking for Christmas stuff to purchase also. I missed last Christmas cause I was in Japan on vacation, now I'm gonna miss it this year also. I feel the need to surround myself with shiny lights and familiar Christmas thingys.
Tomorrow I teach 1st graders at an elementary school. I am normally relegated to 3rd though 6th grade, as they have a tendency to actually learn. Whereas 1st and 2nd graders are like ... I'm at a loss to describe children here....
I wish I had videos to send back home, cause I'm sure all of my family members will have a hard time picturing my typical day with 1st and 2nd graders. Outside of their classroom, I am protected by the older students. There is a ranking system here in Japan, and they start them way young. The younger kids are not allowed to play with the bigger kids, which works to my advantage outside on the playground. However once I enter their classroom, their domain if you will, I am left to defend for myself. I'm fine for the first few minutes as all the kids are thinking "HELP A HUGE MONSTER JUST ENTERED THE CLASS ROOM" I try to work it to my advantage for as long as I can, I hold up my hand to theirs, casually stretch up and touch the ever so short door frame, and generally just go along with their idea of me being a Tall Monster.
It never lasts long. There are always a few kids who can tell I am one of those so called "gentle giants". Those few kids run up to me and clasp on like a leech that has not fed for a whole year. This is when things go sour. Being the cute devils that they are I can't help but give them attention. And as soon as I toss one in the air, or play with one, all the other kids realize that I am suddenly not a "giant monster" but instead "the coolest guy ever to set foot in their class room". There's a calm before the storm. A split second of absolute silence before the gates of hell are torn down in a deafening roar. That's when every other kid in the class decides they want to play with me also. And a split instant after that, I LITERALLY have half of the class hanging off of me. Kids will go to the other side of the room, line me up, and then run at full speed and try to jump as high as they can and cling to me. They will use their classmates as stepping ladders if they are there. They will climb their desks if they are near it, and then jump for my head. In a matter of moments I am unable to move an inch. The teachers... they do nothing. They think its all fun and games. Eventually I try to move. I then pretty much fall to the ground, luckily there a dozen kids to cushion my descent. But I always have to push kids out of the way with my hands and then catch myself so I don't kill children. This puts me at even easier climbing height. Eventually you can no longer see me, just a gaggle of children where my general location should be.
This is what my entire day will be like tomorrow. I'm freaking pumped. Its so fun. (never ever did I think I would say that)
Except for when they attempt to stick their fingers up my but, or grab....places. But thats for another conversation.
Tomorrow there is a hang gliding event on a mountain pretty close to my place. I got special permission from the organizer to show up and crash the pre-party tonight. I found out about this a few months ago, and because I pretty much feel like I am on vacation here, I want to try to do everything at least once. The deal was that I was originally allowed to invite a few other friends with me, but then a few days before I found out that wasn't gonna fly. But because of my extreme interest, the organizer was going to allow just me to show up. I didn't have to pay the dinner fee either, yay. So the plan was to crash the party, and then quickly make friends with everybody who was going hang gliding the next morning. Then being the super awesome cool guy that I am, people would be begging me to jump on their backs while they jumped off a mountain.
Slight problem. In Japan, I am a fat ass. I am about 22lbs over the limit of being able to tandem with somebody. The drunk Japanese men at the party seemed to think they had the answer to this problem though. They swore if I cut off my private parts, it would alleviate the extra 22 pounds. I want these dudes as my wingmen if I'm ever trying to pick up a chick...
So I won't be able to go hang gliding tomorrow, but I will still go and watch them. I won't be able to take pictures, cause I still have not bought a new memory card for my camera... sorry. I'll buy one this week.
But thats not the end of this story. I was debating whether or not to get a motorcycle next year sometime. But now I am thinking I might pick up hang gliding as a hobby instead. I still need to figure out the costs involved, and where and how often I will be able to go. Normally it takes 3-6 months before you can fly solo, but these dudes know of a place where I can do a week long intensive (crash?) course and get my solo license in one week! I can't start until spring cause winter has winds that are too strong I've been told. But that gives me time to get the logistics worked out.
