I’m Now A Qualified Teacher!

Posted on June 24, 2009 by tokyofox

After five years of teaching English I now finally have a TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certificate which is a professional teaching qualification recognised internationally. For the last six months I have been getting up every Sunday on my day-off at 8am (you might not think that’s so early but for someone who gets up at about 11am on weekdays its early!) to go to Kasai which is about 80 minutes away door to door.

The training sessions were between 10am and 6pm and that’s on top of my regular five days at the school so Saturday nights out have been sacrificed and my other day off has often been taken up doing preparation, going to observe other teachers or other such projects.

I had been meaning to do this course for a couple of years but often had other commitments in the past. I thought it was better to start back in January when the weather was more gloomy. It has of course been very nice at times recently but better to have it that way when the end was in sight rather than starting off in July while everyone else is out enjoying the Summer sun.

Though hard work at times, it has to be said that it was really enjoyable thanks to the banter and camaraderie between myself and my fellow course particpants; Arthur, Joe, Mary-Ann, Michael and Paul. The course included teaching practice every Sunday morning followed by two input sessions in the afternoon which were often a struggle due to the tiredness of all involved following what had gone on before. We were split into two groups of three with one group teaching to intermediate/upper-intermediate level while the other did elementary/pre-intermediate level.

As part of the course we learned Welsh for four lessons just so that we knew what it was like with the boot on the other foot. It was quite a shock to be put in this situation and really hammered home how hard it can be for learners of a new language. On top of this we also had to do a 90 minute interview on dictatphone and then complile a huge needs analysis of that student based on their weaknesses in terms of grammatical and phonological problems etc. There was a whole lot more besides that but I won’t bore you with any more details. It was hard work but rewarding nevertheless and I can now look forward to having my days-off back.

The photos below are of our post celebration drink last Sunday (minus Paul who had gone home before the photo was taken) as well as some photos of my final lesson from June 7th

     IMG_0290 IMG_0316
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Dining Out: A Hiss-terical Snake Shaped Sausage

Posted on June 21, 2009 by tokyofox

Back in November last year there was the massive long sausage and last week I came across one in the shape of a cobra snake at Antonio Inoki Saka-Bar which is a themed bar in Ikebukuro owned by an ex-Japanese wrestling legend who of course I have never heard of.

A Hiss-terical Snake Shaped Sausage A Hiss-terical Snake Shaped Sausage

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TF Film Review: Terminator Salvation (2009)

Posted on June 16, 2009 by tokyofox

The Japanese release of this new installment in the Terminator franchise was for once only a couple of weeks after the western world and having bought my ticket in advance a few weeks ago (saves 500 yen!) I went to see this reboot of the Terminator series on Sunday with a work colleague.

It has to be one of the noisiest films I’ve ever seen, full of gunfire and things blowing up. Inevitably I enjoyed it though to be honest I don’t think it will live too long in the memory. Furthermore, I can’t really see it being so appealing to the casual cinema-goers who aren’t really Terminator fans.

I love what Christian Bale has done to help rejuvenate the Batman franchise which had become a bit of a joke but his fellow actor Sam Worthington stomped all over him in this one with a big metal foot.

Also, nice to see that there was no mis-placed humour though this could be debated with the famous lines “Come with me if you want to live” and “I’ll Be Back” included as almost throwaway lines. There was also the appearance of a certain Austrian former body builder albeit in CGI form as his Governor of California duties meant he was too busy to film a cameo. Given his age that was maybe for the best.

You can see my photos of the Terminator Exhibition in Odaiba here.

Tokyo Fox Rating 6/10

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Sauna Belts – A Good Idea Or A Waist Of Time?

Posted on June 16, 2009 by tokyofox

About three years ago I left my camera memory card in the convenience store machine late one night and had to run back out to get it. This being Japan, it was of course still where I left it and it was that need to run to the shop that kick-started what had been a desire to start doing regular exercise.

Amazingly I have kept this up regularly for the past few years albeit a bit more often in Summer. I feel its more beneficial ruinning in the summer heat as I really sweat and can run more frequently. Due to my job I have to go jogging after work and it really is just too cold to go out in the Winter so I only do it once or twice a week then whereas I now do it four or five times a week.

Anyway, last Christmas I bought my sister a sauna belt thingy as a kind of stocking filler joke present but then a couple of months ago I came across them again in a shop and thought why not. Its supposed to help lose weight, sweat away unwanted fat, burn calories, relieve back pain, ease muscle pain and help to eliminate body toxins. Not sure what benefits I have had from it thus far and still not sure if its a good idea to be running with it on as maybe its just for wearing during normal everyday activity. I guess the plus points are all in the mind anyway.

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Bats A Big Hit

Posted on June 12, 2009 by tokyofox

It might surprise a few of those back home that it is baseball which is the number one sport here in Japan. Now I have never liked the game despite going to a game a few years back. However, I have swung a bat on occasions in the past but it had been three years since I went to a batting centre before today.

Despite all the parents observations and other work projects of late I’m not actually too stressed but if I was, then taking my frustrations out on those balls would surely help relieve that stress. The batting centre a couple of stops from my house has a variety of pitching machines varying in speed between 80km to 130km and needless to say I chose the beginner one but did move up to the next level for my second round. It was only 200 yen (one pound thirty) for 25 balls of which I managed to hit most albeit many slices at first!

If it had been cricket (a game almost unheard of in Japan) I would have been caught at slip many times. It was also quite tiring and my shots definitely had less swing as I got nearer to the last few balls. Such a simple idea and in this hectic city it was good fun to take a short ‘time out’ and whack a few balls.

 
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Using Top Trumps Cards In English Lessons

Posted on June 11, 2009 by tokyofox

No this entry isn’t about letting rip in class but using Top Trumps cards as a tool for learning. After making some James Bond actor profile flashcards a few months ago (featuring their age, hair and eye colour and height) for a comparatives and superlatives lesson I got the idea that trump cards might work in lessons.

Subsequently, I went on ebay and bought five sets of cheap ‘Top Trumps’ (three lots of ‘Star Wars‘ and two of ‘The Simpsons‘ if you must know!) which I got sent to Japan. Given that the Simpsons aren’t well-known here I have only used the ‘Star Wars‘ ones. I teach a couple of young private students (separate lessons) who are both young ‘Star Wars‘ fans so I have used the top trumps cards with them as a warm-down fun activity to make sure they leave the room on a high rather than having just been told what their homework is which is not an ideal way to finish a lesson given the negative connotations often associated with the dreaded ‘h’ word.

Top Trump Lessons

Some of the items such as ‘dark side’ and ‘force factor’ have to be ignored but the likes of brains, jedi powers, battle skills and of course height can be used to practice the target language review

i.e. Chewbacca is taller than Darth Vader, Han Solo is more skilful than Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi is more powerful than Princess Leia and so on.

I only wish I could now find a way to incorporate ‘The Simpsons‘ ones into a lesson but maybe some of the items up for comparison are not so suitable. By this I am referring to personal hygiene, shamelessness, huggability and prone to mayhem. Then again, maybe eliciting something like Homer Simpson is more prone to mayhem than Chief Wiggum isn’t so bad after all!

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Umbrella Day In Japan

Posted on June 10, 2009 by tokyofox

Today marks Umbrella day in Japan which just goes to show that it’s not just England which comes up with ridiculously themed days. This is supposed to mark the start of the rainy season in Japan which lasts for a month or so and is a day befitting of the Japanese who are probably the most umbrella-conscious nation. In fact, its always easy to spot the hordes of Japanese tourists on holiday (if it wasn’t already) as they are the ones with the umbrellas come rain or shine.

I have lost count of the number of times students have gone on about having four seasons which surprised me at first as I always took it for granted that most countries have the same number of seasons. Maybe its not even true as this rainy season could also be added on to that total.

If my menory serves me correctly my first experience of the famous Shibuya crossing was a complete sea of umbrellas as was the overly crowded shopping street Takeshita Dori in Harajuku which was quite a spectacle and very Japanese. It only takes a single spit of rain in the air and umbrellas go up.

Conversely there may not be any rain or even any sun (for Japanese use umbrellas for shade which given the dangers of the suns rays is probably no bad idea) but its not too uncommon to see an umbrella or two. That cloudy weather can be a little dangerous!! I guess the locals are so familiar with holding them that they don’t even realise when they are just not needed.

UK law says that a cyclists hands must both be on the handlebars at all times but no such rules prevail in Japan where cyclists can always be seen playing with their mobiles, smoking or of course holding umbrellas. I hate to think how much plastic is wasted each year making th millions of umbrellas that each person gets through over 12 months. In England I had one umbrella which lasted me over 10 years but I get through at least 10 umbrellas a year. Their ubiquitous nature and cheap cost mean that it really doesn’t matter if one leaves it at work or on the train.

Posted in Japan Life, Quirky Japan | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Green Tea Flavoured Coca Cola

Posted on June 9, 2009 by tokyofox

Coca-Cola is undoubtedly the most famous and popular soft drink in the world and though its everywhere in Japan it’s not the number one drink here. That honour goes to green tea which is such a major part of its culture. The Coca-Cola Company even produce cold green tea bottles here in order to make up for not having their cola products at the top of the pile.

However, there is now green tea flavoured ‘Coca-Cola Plus’ containing catechins (tea antioxidants) which I tried out yesterday and I can’t say I even noticed the flavouring in it which is supposed to leave an aftertaste. The drink is reportedly being targeted at women in their 20’s and 30’s who are ‘concerned about health and beauty’ which is no doubt a load of marketing b*lllocks but I guess releasing all these weird flavours (nothing compared to rivals Pepsi who have another strange Japan-only flavour about to be released soon) means that the brand name is constantly in the picture amid competition in an industry where healthier drinks are becoming more popular.

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Dining Out: My Return To Yoshinoya For Their New M-eel

Posted on June 9, 2009 by tokyofox

One of the first restaurants I made repeat visits to when I initially came to Japan was Yoshinoya 吉野家 which is a Japanese style fast food restaurant specialising in gyu-don (literally meaning ‘beef bowl’). Early in 2004 Japan stopped importing beef from America due to mad cow disease and with the introduction of buta-don (pork bowl) I switched allegiance to their rival Matsuya as it was just a bit cheaper and also had the addition of miso soup. Some people turn their noses up at such food but it does the job when you’re in a rush (or running short on funds) and surely has to be a bit more healthy than McDonalds.

In a separate food story my favourite sushi dish has always been unagi うなぎ(freshwater eel) so I was intrigued to try unadon 鰻丼 which Yoshinoya has recently released and is basically a freshwater eel dumped on top of a bowl of rice and rather nice it is too but like so many things in this country I guess it’ll disappear from the menu soon given the constant comings and goings of Japanese products.

My Return To Yoshinoya For Their New M-eel My Return To Yoshinoya For Their New M-eel

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Japan Has A New World Record Holder

Posted on May 27, 2009 by tokyofox

Warning: Those of a sensitive nature may not wish to read on!

Last week a Japanese man become the new world record holder in this activity. I’m sure he faced some pretty stiff opposition along the way and hopefully his competitors aren’t at home licking their wounds. The Japanese man concerned must be standing proud after achieving the record thereby coming first in that activity. Now its all over I guess he can raise a smile if nothing else! Who knows, maybe Japan will erect a statue in his honour!

The question everyone is asking now is whether he’ll be able to pull it off again next year. It might be a little hard to do it again but if he concentrates on the matter in hand then I am sure he will rise to the occasion and beat off the competition single handedly! From reading this article it really is quite astounding to see how serious the guy takes such a thing and who knew a world record for such a thing even existed!

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