Universal Language

I didn't forget about my blog. I haven't had anything interesting to write until this week. And this week has been crazy. The last two weeks have been crazy. I thought busy season was in March...and it was. I thought April was busy season...and it was. May was busy. And so is June. They keep telling me it will slow down, but I doubt it will. Luckily, my vacation starts next Friday (WOOHOO!).

Most of you know I help coach the junior high basketball team. Yesterday I taught them "I'm sweaty" and "You are stinky"...very practical English on a hot day. So we've been practicing until about 6, which means I get home around 6:30. But this Sunday is chutairen. I'm not sure what it means, but it's the last tournament my 3rd grade players can play. I'm sad and glad at the same time. My 3rd grade students are finally warming up to me, and I'm sad I won't be able to play with them every day after this weekend. Also because my team of 8 will be down to 4. But once this tournament is over, we'll go back to finishing around 5:30, which means I'll get home around 6. It's a little bittersweet.

Most days I go to more PE classes than English classes. Today was no exception. I've played sports I didn't even know were sports...like indoor curling and indoor field hockey. Most days I don't know I'm going to PE class. Some schools schedule their classes for the day, so I can join all the English and PE classes. Days like today. I taught all my junior high students English during 2nd period, taught the junior high PE class 4th period, and joined PE baseball during 5th period with the elementary school.

While I complain about getting home late and falling asleep at 7:30 while I eat dinner, I can't complain. I'm exercising every day. I get to do what I love--play sports. They told me in accounting that numbers are the universal language. And sure, I can help my students when I sit in on their math classes. 2 + 2 = 4 in every country...usually. But numbers don't have any emotion. Numbers don't care. My students (finally) learned high-fives and a big smile are my way of saying "Good job" after they slug a double during baseball or make a 3-pointer at the buzzer or get the principal out during dodgeball. Sports cross over the language barrier and suddenly I'm not the English-teacher-who-looks-like-everyone-else-but-speaks-really-bad-Japanese; I'm part of the team. They aren't my students-who-look-like-my-cousins-but-can't-understand-anything-they-say; they're teammates. Man, have I got it good.