I’ve been in Osaka for a few weeks now and I’m just starting to feel settled in. It’s nice having a general idea of where I’m going and not having to rely on Google Maps every second of the day. It’s still quite hot and humid here, but the teachers at Suito have assured me that it WILL get cooler… eventually!
The students at Suito have been amazing. The students are eager to converse with us in English, and we’ve been invited to their School Festival this weekend! There will be haunted houses, quiz shows, dance and music performances, and an art exhibition. Parents are invited too so they can see what their kids are up to at school.
The staff have also been great. I’ve been able to observe several lessons and I will get a chance to teach this week. In the English department, the teachers all teach the same lessons on the same days, which makes it easy for planning purposes. English at Suito is more like ESL rather than English language arts, but the extra teaching practice will be awesome before I start my practicum in November.
I was feeling pretty homesick the first week I was here. Monday mornings seem to be the worst for some reason. When I start feeling sad, I remind myself that I’m only here for a short time. If I spend the whole time wishing I was back home, this whole experience will have been for nothing. So, I make sure I have something planned most days. There is a really nice park near where I’m staying, and I’ve been loving riding my bike through the gardens and by the river. Over the weekend I did some more touristy things, and next weekend I’m going on a trip down to Hiroshima for a few days. I’m trying to see as much as I can while I’m here. I’m looking forward to what the next few weeks will bring!