In response to ojisan's comment: no, it's not too much to ask for me to enjoy myself, but that would have been easier if I had taken the exams. You see, getting people to see me as a "real boy" is hard since I disappear when the calendar strikes twelve. Taking the tests, aside from being a refreshing battle of wits, would show them that I can be serious* (more-so than not sleeping), gaining me some respect with people who consider me "yankee" (the, debatably appropriate, Japanese word for a delinquent) (id est and individual).
I would help more if I passed. Then again, out doing them wouldn't be good. They don't seem to mind that I missed the exams, but the respect from the teachers I could have gotten would have been useful today when my math III teacher caught me doing what I usually do in a math classes**. He took it well enough and I'd already seen the day's work, but still.
Anyways, exams here are pretty straight forward. Walk into a barren class. Sit. Be quiet. Receive one, two or three large pieces of paper. Do a lot of straight forward questions. Try one or two hard questions (I've never found more than that, but the math tests here only have about nine questions (granted, with sub questions) on them). Wait the rest of the eighty minutes. Pray you got more than thirty percent. I don't see the work here as particularly difficult, mostly just straight forward math (physics & math) or memorization (everything else).
Now, the flip side, I do enjoy myself and I do get a lot of free time. Too much in fact, which is why an empty week scares me. I already go on five hour walks just to pass the time. I hang out and vent with the other exchange students walking around, singing in karaoke, going to concerts and playing at arcades. More time from me is a dangerous thing.
That being said, the Japanese have very little of the stuff as they have either a job or club to fill every instant of it. It doesn't help that their expensive wallets are empty. Though I just found out that a few classmates in my math class have what the call "go home club" (in Japanese) which is to say, a lack there of. I'm wondering if they'd let me join.
*highly debatable
**drawing
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I'm loving the longer entries and please read the following with a pleading rather than reprimanding tone: as a teacher I just want to request that even though you believe that the classes are boring and you would rather draw to prove to everyone that you don't need to pay attention, as someone who stands at the front of the class I implore you to have a bit more respect for you teacher and show that you are paying attention - you might not realize how frustrating it is to have students looking down and purposefully doing their own form of "busywork" when you're teaching. I know where you're coming from Geoff, and I obviously don't know the context you're in (and I'm glad your teacher "took it well enough"), I'm only saying that for me, it's a slap in the face when a student can't manage to sit respectfully and listen to something that I believe is beneficial for them. Please consider this.
ReplyDeleteI don't draw to prove anything, I do it mostly to pass the time. In the busywork class I do my work, well, when I'm not socializing (I have one year, I wasn't the one who started talking, granted I never stopped it). So, what should I be doing? Please keep in mind I'm doing work I've already done, I'm not fluent in the language being used, I don't get much time with my friends in math class, I'm only here 'til June twenty-second and this means Jack to my academic record. I'm sorry for the tone of this comment, I'm writing in a hurry. Otherwise, thank you for the comment (despite my negative tone, it is a good comment). I will consider it.
ReplyDelete-geoff
I remember the "go home club" from Azumanga Daioh.
ReplyDeleteI see your point - you have free time, but not necessarily the freedom or resources to try novel things or be aventurous. I slip into thinking of you as a 'traveller' when you're in a more controlled situation (and in a bit of a controlled society too)