michael lost in translation...: Elementary School Week

One week of every month, I am scheduled to visit my five elementary schools. This past week was elementary school week. Every day, I visited a different elementary school. The difference between elementary schools is that you need way more energy than you do at the junior high school, so every morning I would stop by the convenience store and get a triple shot of espresso to wake myself up.

I usually dread elementary school week because it is so physically and mentally draining. The kids always want to play soccer in between classes or go outside in the hot weather to play on the playground. Also, I actually have to work and run the English classes by myself at elementary schools, instead of having the Japanese teachers lead the lesson. Plus, the teachers at the elementary schools speak very limited English, so I end up having to use Japanese much more.

However, it is always surprising and interesting to visit these schools and I definitely don't get as bored as I do at the junior high school. If i'm not singing and dancing, then i'm going swimming, playing soccer, or swinging on the playground. And the students are so adorable.