Hollie's Happenings

Yeah I know, I can't help it. I like alliterations. ^_^

Anyway, the end of February is fast approaching. While I am excited for the sunshine and flowers that March promises, I am also saddened at the thought of having to change schools.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the students from Hasuda Minami Elementary and Hasuda Minami Junior High. Overall the students and the teachers are so friendly and helpful. I will really miss them.
Today, I had my usual Friday visit with the 5th graders. The students were more energetic than usual today. My English team teacher, Mitsue-san and I fed off of their energy. It was fun, but exhausting! Unfortunately, today was my last day of lessons with this class. So I am a little sad tonight.
It seems like the past few weeks have just flown by. We are making preparations for final exams and graduation ceremonies (the Japanese school year ends in March). It doesn't feel "final" yet. The last time we prepared for finals was before winter break. I came back to the same students and the same teachers after that. Next month, everything will change. I will have a new school, new students, and new teachers. Even though I am excited for new opportunities, I am really sad that I will leave some tremendous kids behind. I'm sure that I have learned far more from the students at MJHS than I have been able to teach them.
Life is sometimes frustrating! I feel like I am finally breaking through to some of the tougher students, but I will have to leave soon. I have figured out the different teaching styles of my three English teachers. I have figured out what is expected of me. I'm becoming bolder in taking on more projects. And I've found my groove with the special ed class.
As a kid, special ed always conjured up negative images. Images of students who were slow, lazy or were very different. But mostly, I thought of students with behavioral problems. When I found out that I would be teaching special ed. classes, I was terrified! There was already a language barrier. I couldn't imagine having to deal with badly behaved kids! I am ashamed that I had judged the situation before investigating it. The special ed class is small. Most of the students in it have some sort of sickness or disease that prevents them from going to school everyday. It's true that some of the students are "slow", but some of the students are incredibly smart! The best part, is that all of these students have giant hearts of gold. Every time that I visit their class, I realize that the reason they are in a "special" class is because they are truly special and unique. They are so open and accepting. They are so eager to learn. I will miss my time with them. :+(
I had a lesson with them yesterday and I am hoping that I still have at least one more lesson with them before I have to change schools.

On a lighter but school related note, the students seem to be coming out of their shells. One of the 9th grade girls recently realized that my eyes are green. She literally followed me around school all day, asking me to remove my glasses so that she could look at my eyes! In Japan, 99.9% of the population has the same eye color. The stereotype is for foreigners to have either brown or blue eyes. She was completely baffled by the idea that other eye colors can be natural. She was also confused because she knew that I wasn't wearing glasses AND contacts. How can my eyes be that color? I find it very amusing.
Also, they have become obsessed with my hair again. They are convinced that my hair is permed. I have to explain to them that my hair is naturally wavy. It's becoming more curly, because the weather hasn't been as dry. My 8th grade classes have humidifiers in them and they are near where I stand when we have class. The boys have been distracted several times in the past few weeks watching my hair curl as it becomes damp from standing too close. I've even caught the boys moving the humidifier closer so that they can show the girls what happens. I find it amusing.

In news outside of school, I got a message from one of my host sisters today. She is engaged! I am very happy for her and wish her every happiness. I know that her husband-to-be is marrying a great woman! I love you Tamaki, my sister ^_^