The Value of Experience

I recently read a book about business.  One of the points that they made was nothing is ever perfect on the first try.  But you still have to have a first try.  Then you can look back on it, recognize points to improve, improve them, and try again.  And this cycle doesn't ever end, instead your work just keeps improving.  My work as an ALT is like this too, and this next school year I'm going to try using my tablet instead of flashcards, I'm adjusting my lesson plans, and I have a new plan for memorizing the names of the students who I haven't yet!  It's going to be a good year.

経験の大切さ
最近ビジネスについての本を読みよった。ポイントの一つは初めて何かをする時は完璧にならない。だが、まずやってみなければなりません。それから、悪い点を顧みて、改善できる。それで、またしてみたら、また改善する。このサイクルは繰り返して、仕事がいつも前よりよくなるはず。ALTとしてしている仕事もそうやき、今年度は絵カードの代わりにタブレットを使ってみる、レッスンプランを復習が楽にできるように並べかえる、そしてまだ名前の覚えってない生徒の名前を覚える計画を行う予定です。いい年度になるやろう！

Communicating Effectively

Communication and learning are what my job is all about.  I realized a hidden difficulty with interlingual communication recently.  Even though people are talking in the same language, that doesn't necessarily mean they're communicating effectively.  I don't mean they're making mistakes with the language.  What I mean is that they aren't taking the listener's knowledge into consideration and including important context when they're speaking.  Sometimes I think I don't understand because of my limited Japanese ability, but I have been reassured that that is not the case when I see other Japanese folks similarly not understanding the speaker.  These experiences have reminded me that using the right language might not be enough, sometimes you need to think carefully and eloquently word your message for it to come across the way you want.

ALTと言えば、コミュニケーションと学習することですよね？最近コミュニケーションの隠れている問題を知った。同じ言語で話してもコミュニケーションは必ず成功になる訳じゃないということ。これは言語の文法や単語の間違えのせいじゃなくて、また別な問題だ。問題は喋る人が聞く人の知識とその文脈を考えて話さなければ通じない。時々私は日本語の能力が不十分だからある話が分からないと思うけど、他の日本人も同じ話が分からなかったことがある。こんな経験の影響で日本語で話すことや英語で話すことは時々足りないので、聞く人が分からなさそうだったらじっくり考えて気を入れて話すことが必要。

Totsuzen Tottori ni Itchotta!

I was invited, out of the blue, to Tottori prefecture for a one-night trip on Saturday morning, right before my friends' wedding.  After the ceremony we left and made it to Tottori city by half past eight at night.  We had a chance to meet up with a good portion of the Tottori ALTs and CIRs at a party they were calling Tottori Idol.  It was great fun.  On Sunday we ran around barefoot at the sand dunes, rode camels, ate 20th century pear ice cream, had bad luck with restaurants, and had a rainy drive back home.  It was an action-packed, enjoyable weekend for sure.

Kyushu and Yakushima

I went on a solo trip to Kyushu over silver week.  I went to Sasebo, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, and Yakushima.  I met other ALTs in Sasebo and Kagoshima and then went into Nagasaki city and onto Yakushima by myself.  I wanted to go to both places alone so that I could take time and reflect on myself and the actions of the past, before my time.  It was a good trip.

 シルバーウィークの時一人で九州へ行った。佐世保と長崎と鹿児島と屋久島に行った。佐世保と鹿児島で他のALTと遊んだ。長崎と屋久島は自分だけで行った。両方の所は深く考えれるように一人で行きたかった。屋久島も長崎も長くて大切な歴史や話があるからそれについて私案した。いい旅だった。

Tosaben Musical

These are my first tabi.  They are part of my Okappiki costume for the upcoming Tosaben Musical.  It's a musical performed by Kochi JETs like me (ALTs and CIRs), and it's all performed in Tosa-ben!  I will be in two dances and I have quite a few lines of dialog, but I won't be singing.  Please come see the show, it will run from April 17th to April 25th all throughout the prefecture.

これは僕の始めての足袋 。もうすぐ私が出る土佐弁ミュージカルの岡っ引きの衣装の一部。このミュージカルは高知県のALTとCIR達が土佐弁でパーフォマンスする。僕は二つの踊りをしたり、かなり多い台詞も言ったりしているけど、歌に出ない。ぜひ見にきてください。公演は県内で四月十七日から四月に十五日までの土日に色んな会場で行う。