This camp was a bit more of a challenge: an all-boys lower-level middle school. Let me say that again: ALL-BOYS. I used to think I was the only one who had trouble with boys, and while I do still think that I show unfair favoritism towards girls, I found out that almost all counselors have trouble with boys. At least these ones. Their immensely short attention span, lack of ability to pay attention, and propensity to run around and disregard orders given in English entirely made camp a struggle for ACs and we interns alike. I'm embarrassed to say, but by this third camp I was tired and burnt out, and instead of taking an active role in their learning as I had in the other camps, I took a backseat role and became an observer. Despite the challenges, I'm confident that ACs still made a positive difference in these boys' lives and improved their speaking and listening ability. Oh and the food was amazing: no more sashimi and fish on the platter every night, but instead a buffet-style east-west combination cuisine! Yay for buffets.
Yes, it is Fuji san.
Lake Kawaguchiko. Our hotel is that big white building on the right.
The lake by day.
Ajisai (hydrangea) reminds me of home in Nagasaki.
Check out this ominous-looking spiral cloud. I was half-seriously hoping it would develop into a tornado.
ACs and ETs. LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS GROUP! I had so much fun with them.
Campfire funz
The lake by dusk
Following the leader: hike hike hike!
Walking back to our minshuku, dead tired, at 10pm each night.
One-fourth of the students. There were four classes of boys. This was one of them. The total was something around 160 campers.
One of the 5 (!) trains we took to get back to Nagasaki: THE CRAZY FUJI TRAIN! WOOP WOOP ALL ABOARD THE CRAZY FUJI TRAIN
(For the record, our five trains were:
1. Kawaguchiko--Otsuki (the train pictured above, to get from the boonies into reality)
2. Otsuki--Shinjuku (had to go to Tokyo to get to Shinkansen)
3. Shinjuku--Shin-Osaka (first leg of shinkansen)
4. Shin-Osaka--Hakata (second leg of shinkansen)
5. Hakata--Nagasaki (local train to get into Nagasaki city.)
THE JELLY MIRACLE~
MIRACLE ON THE SHINKANSEN: old Japanese lady sits down next to me, we exchange head nods/smiles. We don't say a word for the duration of the shinkansen ride. When she gets off, she hands me a bag and slowly half-whispers to me: "Ja-pa-nese je-lly." I couldn't even. What in the? Why me? I just sat next to her on the shinkansen. I didn't even talk to her. And I happened to be starving and poor. I couldn't thank her enough. I kept saying "arigatou gozaimasu" over and over again. I can't believe this even happened. I finally have a Japan story. Thank you so much to Japanese old lady's kindness! They were freakin' DELICIOUS. Each one was a different flavor! My favorites were muscat and plum.
Additionally: On the second leg of my shinkansen trip, the other old lady who sat next to me said "sumimasen" when she sat down and "arigatou gozaimasu" when she got up. REALLY? Do you really need to thank me for granting you the extreme pleasure of sitting next to me? I can't even. That's like politeness to the unnecessary extreme.
And also: on the LAST leg of my trip home (Fukuoka--Nagasaki), I sat next to this super chatty talkative middle aged woman who engaged me in Japanese conversation the whole time. It was rough I tell ya, especially since I was tired and hungry. But I'm so grateful for it. I mean, what more can you hope for in a foreign country than for a stranger to talk to you on the train. (I mean that truly.)I got to practice my Japanese and practice pretending I knew what she was saying by nodding and going "un." I know you're not supposed to, but it's seriously ridiculous to stop and ask anytime you don't know anything. The conversation goes nowhere. Better just to get context clues and pretend you know everything.
And now I am back in Nagasaki. Home sweet home! I knew I was home because I got stared at again. Oh the welcoming stares of people who aren't used to gaijin walking about!
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