日本の学校Japanese Schools

All KCJS students have to do this thing called a "Community Involvement Project", which is basically an internship. The point of it is to give us more experience in actually using Japanese in conversation, especially honorific and humble language, since a workplace is filled with "keigo", as it's often called. Really, my Japanese class could be the worst in the world, and I'd still be learning Japanese because of all of these special activities. And it isn't, it's pretty good.

京都アメリカ大学コンソーシアムの学生は「コミューにティ・インヴォルヴェメント・プロジェクト」と言うことをしなければならない。インターンシップみたいだ。目的は日本語で会話の経験だ。仕事みたいだから、尊敬語と謙譲語がたくさんあるから、いい敬語の練習だ。まあ、たとえ日本語の授業は最下でも、特別な活動があるから、日本語を上手になる。そして、日本語の授業はいい授業だと思う．．．

Since I've been considering becoming a teacher sometime in the future, I chose to help teach English at a school in Kyoto. So on Monday, one of our Japanese teachers took myself and two others to Rakuto Middle School, out in Kyoto's Higashiyama ward. We met with the school's principal and two of the teachers to work out the details. Since I wasn't the only one there, I didn't have to talk all that much... I'm still as quiet a person as always. 

先生になろうと思っているから、僕は京都の学校で英語を教えたい。だから、月曜日に、日本語の先生ともう二人と洛東中学校に行った。その学校は京都の東山区にある。活動の相談をするために洛東の校長と英語の先生と会った。一人だけじゃないから、僕はあまり話さなくてもいい．．．いつも通り、僕は大人しい。

Basically, once a week I'll go and assist the English teacher there with class. My first time is next Thursday, the 14th. That time, I'm going with one of the other two people that are also doing this, but occasionally one of us will go there by themselves. My first time for that is the Thursday after next, the 21st. I'm looking forward to it!

基本的に、一週間に一回行って、英語の先生を手伝う。初めては来週の木曜日、10月14日。その時、僕はもう一人と行くけど、時々一人だけを行く。そんなのは、初めては再来週の木曜日、10月21日。楽しみにしてね。

Then again, in some sense we've already started. On Wednesday, the three of us went to Rakuto's sports festival, kind of like the field day that a lot of American elementary schools have. And we introduced ourselves there in front of the entire school and some of the parents to boot. That introduction was a little harder than most.

まあ、もう始まったって感じね。水曜日に、洛東の体育大会に行った。アメリカの小学校のフィエルド・デイみたいだ。そして、学校の全員の前に自己紹介をした。その自己紹介はちょっと難しいな。

On the up side, we got to participate in a tug-of-war, the PTA against the 3rd-year students. We were on the PTA team, which won. Twice. Yeah, that was satisfying. Although according to one of the teachers, the PTA team wins every year. Sadly, we left shortly after. I would have liked to stay, but I had to go deal with some homework that necessitated going to a museum in the city.

でも、綱引きを参加したチャンスがある。PTA対三年生。僕たちはPTAチームで、勝った。二回。楽しかったよ。でも、先生によると、PTAチームは毎年勝つそうだ。残念だけど、もうすぐ後で出た。もう少し待てばよかったのに、たくさん宿題があるから．．．

And that isn't even it... on Friday I went to Momoyama Middle School in southern Kyoto, Fushimi ward. Apparently, at Momoyama, there's an English club of sorts, and I can go and chat with the students there. It's a different kind of activity, so yeah. That won't start until November, since I do have Rakuto stuff to do.

そして、それだけじゃない。金曜日は京都の南にある桃山中学校に行った。桃山で、英語のクラブがあるし、僕は行って学生としゃべることが出来る。違うタイプの活動。洛東の活動もあるから、その桃山の活動は11月に始まる。

Finally, my CIP activities can begin, and I can go see Japanese schools in action... this will be fun.

やっと、CIPの活動は始まるし、日本の学校を見に行けるし．．．楽しみにしてね！