Wednesday 22 September 2010

Sports Day

I was so pissed off today.

I had learnt from last year's sports day that it's wise to put sunscreen on and wear sunglasses when you have to sit outside on a sunny day. I should do anything to not expose myself to the sun. Sunburn kills!

Today was very sunny and hot sports day.
So, obviously, I put sunscreen on and brought my sunglasses.
We had the opening ceremony, I did the first game (two teams had to pull poles in to our territory-I couldn't even TOUCH the poles! The others were fast! Not that I care...lol), went back to our waiting place. I took out my umbrella and wore my sunglasses.
I was just sitting there, minding my own business.
Then, who should come but the most talented person in pissing me off-my class teacher, Mr K.
He was coming to chat with the boys. I saw him coming but I was looking at the people who were adding up the points.
He saw me and a second later, he said, "Hey take your sunglasses off!"
I did as I was told thinking "oh here he goes again..."

But my friends who were sitting next to me said
"WTF!?!?!? Umbrella is ok and sunglasses are NOT!?"
"I want to ask him when they banned sunglasses."
"There are teachers wearing them, so why can't students wear them?"

I was listening to them complain more than I would. I didn't think they would because I thought I was the biggest Mr K hater.
The situation was unreasonable for the non-haters, apparently.

Maybe he was jealous because I have a little more brain than other people and learnt from last year's experience and he hasn't learnt the same thing even though he has attended far more sports days than I have.
Maybe he was jealous because I looked good wearing the thing. (I know this because the girls told me that I looked good-they even took pictures of me!)
Maybe he thought I was just trying to be cool (which is SO not the reason why I was wearing them-I was trying to PROTECT MY EYES FROM THE SUN!!!!)
Maybe he thought it was overpowering because wearing sunglasses isn't-I think-very common in Japan. (what a pussy)
Maybe he's just a big weenie.

Whatever his reason was, I was pissed.
So what did I do after this?
Well, I tried my best to help the others (who are more "valuable" than me because they are going to a Japanese university) and made a shade for them with my umbrella.
This is because Mr K told me before the summer holidays that I should do anything to support the valuable people until we graduate.
Which is why I clean the blackboard after every class and take the trash out.
I think I'm doing my best.
I hope he's satisfied.
Because I'm beginning to get paranoid that I'm not doing enough.
Which is the way I am sometimes.
Which causes me to feel worthless sometimes.



Anyway.
It's good to get that off my chest.


Sports day ended early than planned because so many students got hyperthermia. Even the ambulance came.

What I thought of today-I was happy to come home early.

Wednesday 15 September 2010

The Hundred Years' War (1337-1453)

Story...

The war began because:

  • England wanted France's land and France wanted England's land.
  • France didn't like the fact that England ruled a large part of France.
The Battle of Crecy(1346)
This took place in northern France. Historians consider this battle as the beginning of the end(終焉の始まり) of classic chivalry(騎士道).

The Battle of Calais(1347)
After winning the battle of Crecy, the English army marched(行進) to Calais and began a siege(包囲攻撃) which lasted a year. England turned it into a military base(拠点) and it remained in England's hands until 1558.


The Battle of Poitiers(1356)
This happened because Edward and the Black Prince attacked France. King John II of France chased after Edward and this caused two forces to meet outside Poitiers. France nearly won but England won in the end.

The Battle of Harfleur(1415)
Henry V landed in France with about 10,000 men in the summer of 1415. This battle lasted for about a month. Although England won, the army was severely depleted(枯渇した) mainly from illness.

The Battle of Agincourt(1415)
Henry marched his force of about 6,000 knights(騎士) and archers(射手) towards Calais. During this time, the French army of 20,000 managed to position itself between Henry and Calais.
Joan De Ark(1412-1431)

Around 1429, Joan appeared at the court of Charles VII. Charles allowed Joan to lead a relief force(援軍) in April to Orléans. In May, Joan attacked the English at Orléans. She drove the English from their positions. The next day they abandoned the siege. This meant that military advantage now lay with the French.

Saturday 11 September 2010

Google Earth

My mum recently installed Google Earth to our PC. I don't know what made her do that but anyway, we have been hooked.

We've been looking at our house here in Japan and the one my parents own in Bath, UK. There are a lot of same looking houses in the neighborhood in Bath so we argue which one's ours. It doesn't matter which but we get excited!

Also I like to check out places after I do the translation thing for World Vision. I translated 12 letters from Swaziland last week and I didn't have a clue where it located in Africa. It turned out to be a tiny country just North of South Africa. It's amazing that you get to get a glimpse of what it's like there. And you don't have to fly for so many hours!! You just twirl the globe and you're there!

Sometimes I randomly go to Italy or Sweden or somewhere I would like to go in the future. There are 360 degrees panorama photos in big cities (sometimes in suburbs like Bradford-on-Avon!) and I like looking around. It feels like I'm actually walking around the city!

You can even go see the moon and other planets but that's not so amusing to me because there's not much to see. Although, I have to say, I was surprised that there are already names of places on the moon!

It makes me want to travel more!!! I WANT TO GRADUATE!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday 9 September 2010

Best Maths Teacher EVER!!!!!

The maths teacher (Mr Idetsu) who has been teaching us since last year is AMAZING. I'm realizing how talented he is as a teacher.

First of all, the way he teaches is perfect. It's like impossible to NOT understand (at least I think). He explains every little thing and even the things I find obvious.


Last week, we had a day when we had 3 maths class. I was nervous about this because I knew we were going to study something which looked really difficult when seen on the text book. I had to read through before going to school. Although I tried to figure out what the hell the text book is trying to say, I didn't have a clue. This made me even more nervous. Seriously, look at this!

This was what I was trying to figure out. So I was nervous before class.... Mr Idetsu must have graduated Hogwarts or somewhere magical! He demonstrated the process using a really simple graph and just like that! I understood! But then he said "I know this is a long formula but I what you to memorize it."


Holy shitttttt!!!!!!!!! I'm crap at memorizing stuff!!!


He continued, "I'll show you the way to memorize it." Professor Dumbledore of Maths did it. He taught us a really easy way to memorize it! Yey!!


That not all that's great about him. He provides us with the right amount of questions, first simple, gradually raising the level. At the end of the 3 lessons, I was so happy that a) I understood it, b)I can use it, and c)I have such a great teacher.


The other day when I had to go to the court house for my name change (I'll write about that later), I went to school late. I missed some classes-including maths.

In the next maths class, Mr Idetsu reviewed the entire thing! I mean, he nearly always does a quick review but in that particular class, he explained thoroughly what they had learned in the last class. And in the end of the reviewing, he asked me if I understood!!!


He never gets too pissed off when the dude who's always sleeping during class can't answer a question. He stays calm and explains. Maybe that's spoiling him but it impresses me.
He asks a question to the right level person. Not always but he asks the bright ones a more difficult question and the ones like me who are not so good gets the easier ones.
He gives us exercise questions every morning. Even on days when we don't have maths.

I can go on with this list!

The point is, I've never encountered such a talented teacher.

Tuesday 7 September 2010

Homophobes

Geez I thought I brought enough queerness to the classroom and dudes STILL make fun of any act that's gay!?
Yesterdays thing wasn't even REMOTELY gay. This guy (who's always made fun of because he's a nice person) was just talking to the guy behind him. And the people who think they are cool made fun of that and then said "Not that I'm making fun of your lifestyle" and sniggered.
I FUCKING HATE THESE STUPID PEOPLE!!!!!!!!! They think they're so cool and do stuff that makes them SO uncool. >:(
I wish girls would bump them saying "I'm sorry, I'm gay" in a really sarcastic way.
Maybe that could be a way to teach homophobes a lesson...