The Final Goodbye

It's my last night tonight. I had a lesson with Miss Kei. It is also our very last lesson together. When I told her that I was quitting, she immediately sent an e-mail to our office and said that they should stop me from quitting. How sweet of her...

And now I am quitting. She normally doesn't turn on her video. Since it is the last night together, she opened her video when we were saying goodbye. She was teary eyed.

I will miss her-- Miss Kei. I will also miss other students: Mr. Yoh, Miss Lin, Miss Ellen, Miss Eri, Miss Miyo, Mr. Mits, Mr. Ats, Miss Masumi, and many more! I will also miss my other co-teachers. Though actually, I'm only acquainted with some. I will miss this job. A home-based job, a comfortable job but not a ho-hum.

Tomorrow is the real world. I've felt it already but I will feel more of it. Goodbye....

Good Bye Another Time

If you have read my previous posts, you will know that I will leave this home-based online English teaching job very soon. I will end on the 9th of this month. It's next Monday already. I still teach for the remaining lessons which are very few already.

And I guess, with my resignation as a home-based online English teacher, this blog will come to an end soon also...

It's sad to say good bye but I have too.

More Goodbyes

Yesterday, I received more goodbye messages and wishes from my avid students. Let me share it here. One of my student, Mr. Yoj, told it to me in person during our last lesson yesterday. He said:

Today is the last day... I should say something. Thank you for the lessons. You are one of my favorite teachers. Ganbatte for new job.

The rest are already through chat message.

I got your message. I'm sad but at the same time I'm glad to know you could find another job. Your experience at GNA will help you with your job. I was really happy to talk with you in the lessons.
See you someday. Thank you a lot. --Miss Ellen

It's surprising for me to resign you GNA. I hope you will be happy. Thank you for every lessons. good-bye. ;(---- Miss Masumi 

Thank you for your message.I'm very sad not to see you anymore.I'm very happy to meet you.Good luck and see you in somewhere in the world!--- Miss Miyoko 

Thank you for your good-bye message! I really enjoyed with your lesson. I miss you. I hope your good future, Thank you so much, again.---From my newest student, Miss Kayoko 

Oh... I will miss being a Home-based English Teacher.

Goodbye Again

Unfortunately or fortunately, it's not my last of my teaching nights yet. The management would not let me go handling too many replacement of reservation in their hands. I have to help with that too because my offer has been very abrupt.

Anyway... I have told some students about my resignation. Most of them are sad. Some teachers who are also close to me are also sad about the sudden news.They knew from the students whom I sent a message to. I will miss them all!

Some students whom I gave messages replied to me. Fortunately that the first class doesn't have any students so I was able to cater all questions, students and co-teachers alike. Let me post some of their sad replies with my aliases for them:

I miss you I sent a mail to CNA..".I have a question. Does teacher Zed will leave GNA? I'm very shock! Please stop! She is a good teacher."I don't want to say good-bye.But I had no chice. I waiting for next lesson.--Miss Kei

ohh, I am so sad to hear that ;(.   in the other hand what winderful news to hear you have a new job, I am also very happy to hear that, congratulations !!! (F)--Miss Lin

hi! Congratulations! (clap)However, I am slightly lonely. ;(Please try even the next job hard. Please take care.thank you. (bow) :D (highfive)-- Mr. Melancholic Eyes.

Thank you for your message.
I was surprised that you would leave GNA suddenly.
I have always enjoyed your kind lesson and thanked your friendly personality.
I wish your success in your new job.
I will miss you. --Miss Eri.

I guess I can expect more of this.  Miss Kei's message hit me hard. I hope to see them, somehow.

Goodbye...

today is my last day as an HBOET. unfortunately? there were only two close students i have. i told them my resignation. ms.miu said she will miss me. that was very sweet. mr.ats gave his facebook acct
so i added him. i will miss both of them. for the others... i sent them s message in skype. i said goodbye to ms.aika too via her email.

i'm always bad at saying goodbye but i have to.

posted from Bloggeroid

A Student Cried

I rarely talk about my personal stories with my students, unless they ask me too. I also don't ask about their personal stories and they don't open about it. Some would not just mind and are curious to know some little personal things about their teacher and some would also share about themselves, even complaints.

I just remembered that last night's lesson was the first time for me to talk about a personal story about my Dad. The student somehow asked if what kind of a man is my father and I said that my father is already dead. She was surprised and asked why and how. So I told her about it. And it made her cry.... Good thing that her video wasn't on because if it was, I would cry with her too.

A Very Insightful Message

I have a student who is a volunteer worker in their local library.  I asked her about her job and good thing, she was enthusiastic enough to share about it. I told her that I envy her.

A part of me wanted to be a librarian. For the fact that I just wanted to sit around and check all the books. And also to work with books and be with books Mondays to Fridays. I guess I can say that I am more in love with books than with humans. From a bird's eye view,  but in reality, it's not. Being a librarian is actually a science.

So, when I told my student that I envy her work as a librarian, she told me, "You should have taken the librarian license?" And there was an eye opener for me.

A Hopeful Insight On Omoshiroi Article: U.S. Vows Justice For Slain Ambassador

Recently, we hear all these world news around us and some are in congruence with our own problems with other countries. For example, Philippines have territorial issues with China. So as Japan with China and with Korea too. The most aggressive move we can see, as per world news, is that Chinese people attack anything Japanese in mainland China.

On the other side of the world, we can hear such conflicts also but it deals with religion: Muslim people attacking US embassy in Libya is the latest one I have heard. Still right on with the senseless attacking.

Fortunately, I get to share this article with some of my expressive students.

U.S. Vows Justice For Slain Ambassador (13th September, 2012)

U.S. President Barack Obama has promised to bring to justice to those who killed American ambassador Christopher Stevens in Libya on Tuesday night. Mr Stevens was killed in an attack on the U.S. consulate in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi. Three other consulate staff died in the attack and five were wounded. Mr Obama said: "There is absolutely no justification for this type of senseless violence." U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton asked: "How could this happen in a country we helped liberate; in a city we helped save from destruction?" Libya's interim president Mohammed el-Megarif apologised for what he called the "cowardly" attack, saying: "We extend our apology to America."

There is speculation over what caused the assault on the consulate. Initial reports said a YouTube video trailer for a low-budget film that gives an insulting portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad sparked the protests. Any depiction of the Prophet is prohibited in Islam and greatly offends Muslims. The makers of the film are as yet unknown, but reports say Egyptian Coptic Christians and an American-Israeli are behind it. However, media reports now say the attack was pre-planned to coincide with the 9/11 anniversary. Libya's UN representative Ibrahim Dabbashi said: "This attack…cannot be considered as a defence of Islam. [It] gravely damages the image of Islam."
Source: http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com/1209/120913-us_ambassador.html

There is a very small margin of Japanese who have religion. So in general, my students associate the article with the territorial issue between Japan and China. For them, it's better to talk over disagreements in calm, civilized manner. With that I have to agree with them.

It's barbaric to fight and attack one another because of disagreements in issues--religion, territory, violence, etc. You can even compare it with minor disputes within the family, friends, and other relationships. Nothing can be solved if one shouts and the other hits to make a statement. It just create more disagreements and more misunderstandings.

I know it's such a naive way of looking things but it's better to talk over the differences in a calm, open  manner and hope for the best.

A New Picture

After a year and so, I changed me profile picture in Skype.

And I got nothing but good praises about it. What do you think?

Distaste For Others

It still is a typical work load even if I have a different schedule. It's still summer in Japan and students still complain about the heat. I have already stopped asking them about how they cool themselves or what they eat in summer, except for those whom I got rare chances to have lessons with. After summer, there will be autumn, and I guess it will be still typical for me.

One good thing with my routinely schedule is that, I can grasp those special things or special complaints, I should say, from students. Like today, I had a lesson with a this cheerful student. Let's name her K. She has already mentioned before that she has a particular distaste against Chinese and Koreans. With today's lesson, however, she expressed it vividly. She said that she hopes in the future, we (I guess she is referring to Japanese) will have a safe planet that is free from Chinese and Koreans. I asked her why and she said that she has been hearing and reading news about Chinese and Koreans cause a lot of crimes in Japan. I laughed to myself. I know everyone is entitled with their opinions, that's why I just listened to her while she was expressing her feelings towards that particular race. I just can't believe I would hear it from her, who has a kind and sweet voice and a cheerful character. I asked her if there are any Chinese or Koreans in her neighborhood, unfortunately no. I guess, she has a one-sided view of them. But I didn't expressed my reaction to her opinion.

I believe, regardless of the race, ethnicity, and nationality, people are people. People do bad things wherever they are, may it be there home country or abroad. It saddens me that some people have a general view of others. I guess it can't be avoided. It's just after all human nature.

As I've mentioned, I didn't say my reaction to what she said. It's her opinion and I respect it, even though it saddens me that there is a generalization. Teachers are usually encouraged not to raise controversial topics such as religion. I personally avoid topics about the connection of Philippine and Japan historically. But when I do, I try to be objective as much as possible. Thank God, I haven't met students who do not bash the rare instances of such underground topics.

K talked about it for almost all of the lesson time. I just listened to her and bid her good fortune. In my mind, I hoped her to be open about other races and nationalities because it's not about that that define a person.

Good Schedule!

Hi y'all! I feel so happy today because the schedule that I have is very suitable for me. It took me awhile to realize that.

Recently, I am on the job hunt. Having a late afternoon schedule for my online teaching job is good to compromise with the job hunt. I guess I have not talked about my schedule before, right?

Well, when I started, my schedule starts from 1500-2100. This was from a year ago during my first six months. I remember I applied to some job openings and the having interviews with that kind of schedule is not a good combination. In my next six months, I changed my schedule to 1400-2000. It's an earlier schedule because I need to compromise with what happened here at home. My mom had an accident so I need to help more with the house. And with this second schedule, having some interviews still did not go well because it covers a lot of time during the day. The third schedule that I have now is better because I start late, however, I end late. It is from 1630-2200. It's a better schedule than the previous two because it doesn't cover a lot of time during the day and I can do job hunting freely in the morning.

So, now I just realized that my current schedule perfectly well. It compromises well if I have some impromptu interviews and I don't need to block out our replace many time slots.It's good!

Obon

I'm so excited for the Davao holidays! It's only a few days now. I want to take a rest from having many lessons especially this week. This week is the Obon holiday in Japan for most students so we get a lot of reservations.

Maybe I haven't talked much about Obon last year because I only knew it as a holiday for the dead, like Philippines' All Soul's Day on November 2. And basically, most of the practices are the same: go to the graves, bring food and flowers, light up some incenses, and offer some prayers.  So, recently, I knew that the Obon practices can vary from family to family. But here's the general idea that I learned from some of the students.

Usually, Obon runs for three days. In some prefectures, two days. One student said that it is from August 13-14. One also said that it is only on August 13-14. But it depends on the calendar. So in these days, families can go to the graves or their ancestral houses.

Usually, the first born son, in recent times daughters too as long as they're first borns, handle the commemoration of their dead on Obon. The first borns take care of the ancestral house, thus it leaves them with the responsibility of handling Obon preparations.

Some families prepare an altar of good things. Most importantly, they prepare some vegetables that they make into a horse and a cow. According to one of the students who make this practice, they use a cucumber to be made into a horse and an eggplant is made into a cow. The horse cucumber is the bringer of the souls of the dead. The horse fetches the dead on the first day. On the last day, which is the third day, of Obon, the souls of the dead will ride the eggplant cow. The cow sends them back to the underworld or the world of the dead. They also some incenses. This is to help the souls find their way to their ancestral houses. Favorite foods and fruits of the dead are also put on the altar.

Cucuber horse and eggplant cow.

A Traditional Obon Altar

In general, Obon is a reunion time for most families. Many workers from big cities are given a chance to spend a week or two for holidays. Unfortunately for some, they don't have any Obon vacation but they can take a summer vacation a week or after from the Obon week.

As a foreigner, I somehow look forward to Obon because I can hear interesting things about their culture and practice on this special day. I'm also interested with the special foods and their corresponding meanings. I like this Japanese holiday! Even if it means a busy schedule for us teachers. ^_^

Images were from Google Images...

Annoyed

I don't know I've written something like this... but here it goes.

A student stressed me out a lot today. I thought we will have a fun lesson together but in the end, it came for the worse. I guess she was not that as enthusiastic as before. Perhaps, I have forgotten how irritable she is when she can't get what the words mean. Or maybe I expected so much of her because I know she knows a lot of words and reads between the lines and can understand even the strangest expressions. As always, in the end, she apologizes about that. But the hurt has already been inflicted.

I got annoyed. I almost lost my cool. I believe I have forgotten about handling those kinds of people.
And maybe, after a year and six months of teaching, I still don't know how to teach. Sigh.

I guess I do.

I am now on the point where I am to lax in my job--where the room of improvement is there but I'm not budging any step to take initiative and do it. I have gotten to lazy, pre-occupied of some thoughts. I was very different when I was just starting out as an HBOET. There was a drive to be better but now, I don't know.

There is something wrong with my outlook and there is something wrong now on how I look on things. I guess I need help on how to do this improvement. Another job perhaps? Or maybe teaching in our company office? I don't know. I'm constricted with my time and my mind wants to stay in this constricted mind.

No Voice

I am not working today because I got sick. I got colds and I lost my voice--the worst thing could happen. I don't mind getting sick as long as I can work. But work without the voice, that's a different story and it is one of the bread and butter of my work as a HBOET. Sigh.

I guess, I shouldn't complain. I can enjoy this extra holiday! :D

Coca-cola Ready For London 2012

Olympics 2012 is near! Here's a Coca-cola bottle  with an Olympic logo. This is shared by my student crush. 

Coca-Cola ready for London 2012.

Exerpts from: 'Fat pride' challenges supersize stereotypes.

I want to share an interesting article that I used in some of the lessons that I had a couple of days. I'll just share the parts where I used for the discussions.

Exerpts from: 'Fat pride' challenges supersize stereotypes
Lifestyle Jul.14, 2012 -07:15AM JST (47)
WELLINGTON —
Cat Pause proudly describes herself as “fat,” can live with euphemisms like “curvy,” “chunky” or “chubby,” but baulks at what she believes are value-laden labels such as “overweight” or “obese”.

The U.S.-born academic is a pioneer in the emerging field of fat studies, organizing New Zealand’s first conference on the topic at Massey University’s Wellington campus on Thursday and Friday.

Fat studies, she explains, is an academic discipline just like history, English or political science, but it examines attitudes towards fat people and challenges the assumption that anyone with a bulging waistline is unhealthy.

At the conference, scholars from as far afield as the United States and Australia discussed papers such as “Fat hatred and the Left in the time of ‘the obesity epidemic’” and “The role of diagnosis in marginalizing corpulence.”

“One of the reasons we’re so fearful and hateful of fat is that we believe we can read people’s bodies,” Pause told AFP.

“So when people look at a fat body like mine, it tells them I’m unhealthy and that this is a diseased body. It tells them I don’t ever exercise and eat nothing but junk.”

Pause said the reality is that some people are just bigger than others and fat studies highlighted the need for society to accept the fact, rather than constantly judging fat people and pushing them to lose weight.

Click here for the whole article.

A Lesson With A Choppy Line

Stude: You have daughter right?
Me: Yes.
Stude: How old is she?
Me: She'll turn two this 25th!
Stude: (wasn't able to hear) What will she turn into?
Me: :DD

10 things foreign guys do that make Japanese girls fall head over heels

One of my female students is single. In fact, many of them are single, career women. But this particular single, female student has some interests in foreign men, like how they are very much expressive of their feelings or very respective towards women. And today, I found an article that somehow answers the question in me and maybe this might be an answer for her too.

Here's the article:

10 things foreign guys do that make Japanese girls fall head over heelsBy Steven Simonitch

LIFESTYLE JUL. 10, 2012 - 05:47AM JST ( 180 )TOKYO —
While marriage rates in Japan have been declining overall, a growing number of Japanese women seem to be giving up on their male counterparts and dating foreign men.
So what is it about foreign guys that draws Japanese women to them? Kanae Hara at Gow Magazine writes: “Just this year, I’ve had one friend get married to an American and another to an Australian. Both of them moved overseas with their partners. They both tell me that foreigners are more expressive with their love and make them feel happy to have been born a woman.“

Hara continues by sharing 10 ways foreign guys express their affection that make their Japanese girlfriends fall head over heels. We’ve translated the list below, so be sure to take notes if you’re looking for some pointers on how to woo a Japanese girl!

1. A real proposal
“His proposal was amazing! He actually got down on one knee and, while looking straight into my eyes, said: “Will you marry me?” Then he handed me a diamond ring!” (31-years-old/Japanese, 34-year-old/English)

2. Flattering text messages
“His texts always start with ‘To the most beautiful girl in the world’. I think being able to use a phrase like that naturally is something only foreigners can do.” (26/Japanese, 29/Spain)

3. Makeup flowers
“He sends a bouquet of flowers to my apartment or work after we get in a fight. It’s embarrassing but I think it’s sweet.” (29/Japanese, 27/English)

4. Mornings just like in the movies
“On days off he makes breakfast for me while I’m still in bed and wakes me up by kissing me while saying ‘Hurry, I want to see myself in those beautiful eyes’. It’s like something from a movie scene, I never thought I’d experience it myself.” (33/Japanese, 37/French)

5. A flower for every occasion
“Our first meal together, the first time we held hands: he uses every ‘first’ we share as an opportunity to slip me a flower.” (30/Japanese, 28/Greek)

6. Leaving his love in a letter
“Since he has to leave for work early in the morning, he always leaves me a letter with a short message. I feel his love for me in his handwriting.” (28/Japanese, 26/Chinese)

7. Saying “I love you” on the phone
“He always says ‘I love you’ before hanging up the phone. I still haven’t gotten used to it and it’s embrassing.” (29/Japanese, 26/American)

8. The first and last bite
“He’s so kind, it drives me absolutely crazy for him. I was especially surprised at how he always gives me the first and last bite when we share food.” (32/Japanese, 27/Korean)

9. Eat, sleep, breathe, kiss
“He kisses my over 10 times a day while whispering words of affection. It’s just natural for him.” (36/Japanese, 32/Italian)

10. Pet names
“There are many different words to express affection in his language. Even when simply addressing me, he tenderly calls me ‘my love’ or ‘my treasure’. (34/Japanese, 38/French)

By contrast, Japanese men are known for being shy and inept at expressing their feelings to women. Therefore many Japanese women fear that dating a Japanese man will bring them a life of monotony, with no romantic proposals (some Japanese men propose by asking “will you make me miso soup for the rest of my life?”) and never once being told “I love you”.

So what do you guys and girls think? Are Japanese girls getting too worked up over cheesy romance or should Japanese guys start taking lessons before it’s too late?

Source: Gow Magazine
RocketNews24
External Link: http://en.rocketnews24.com/2012/06/28/japanese-guys-take-notes-10-things-foreign-guys-do-that-makes-japanese-girls-fall-head-over-heels/

Source:  Japan Today

August Holidays--OFFICIAL

Just hot off the press! This is our official schedule of the APPROVED HOLIDAYS FOR AUGUST!


AUGUST 19 =  KADAYAWAN [Davao Holiday - Special non-working Holiday]

AUGUST 20 =  EID UL FITR  [ Legal Holiday ]

AUGUST 21 =  Ninoy Aquino Death Anniversary [ Special non-working Holiday]

AUGUST 27 =  National Heroes Day [ Legal Holiday]

I'm so HAPPY that it can't be contained with caps!

August Holidays

The staff posted the approved holidays for the month of August and it is my favorite month! One, it is my birth month. And two, August has a lot of holidays!

APPROVED HOLIDAYS for the month of August 2012
AUGUST 20 =  EID UL FITR  [ Legal Holiday ]
AUGUST 21 =  Ninoy Aquino Death Anniversary [ Special non-working Holiday]
AUGUST 24 =  KADAYAWAN [Davao Holiday - Special non-working Holiday but Tentative might change date]
AUGUST 27 =  National Heroes Day [ Legal Holiday]

Before I don't post the approved holiday schedules here in this blog but now, my notepad information has a lot of information of already. I'm too tired to scroll down or hit find. Sometimes, it doesn't find the right things or it shows a lot of unrelated things. I guess it's better here and you can see our Davao holidays too.

By the way, what's your favorite month?