I had my first full day of classes yesterday; five classes between 1pm-9pm. I was footsore and weary by the end, but I felt good about the classes. And about my students, who are a friendly and interesting bunch. Mariko, a typical student, is a nurse and likes going diving. I teach a lot of university students, and a lot of young women who want to be English teachers. They know a lot about grammar and have surprisingly large English vocabularies, because they drilled the information in high school. But when they are put in situations where they HAVE TO TALK TO PEOPLE, they get that deer-in-the-headlights expression, because they haven't learned conversation. Which is where schools like AEON come in.

Sometimes, though, I worry that I'm too casual. Is it helpful for me to teach a student words like "mullet" and "redneck" (it was in context; we were trying to match pictures of people to the music they probably liked...)? And in a class dedicated to grocery shopping for a party, the students all left knowing the useful term "sixpack" and the Canadian variation "two-four". (I have done nothing here to break the stereotype that Canadians like to drink).

Sometimes I'm a little thrown by what the Japanese consider casual conversation. I have been asked my age by virtual strangers about twenty times. And I've been asked if I like to drink, or "Are you a heavy drinker?" by students a few times. I taught them more polite forms for asking that. It can be misunderstood, but drinking is definitely part of the culture here, part of the "work hard, play hard" ethos. Beginning students content themselves with easy questions like "Where are you from?" and "Canada? Is that cold?" and "Do you like Matsue?".

I'm meeting new people. I'm glad I went to Kaya. I've met a few people there, and I'm glad to meet some people unconnected with the school. Seiji, the proprietor, is a self-appointed guide and entertainment director for the community of foreigners that go there. Next Friday, he hosts "nihonglish", an event where foreigners and Japanese meet and talk in both languages. So I will get to practice my fledgling language skills. And this Saturday after work, I will go to the budokan to watch an aikido class that I hope to join.