Yoossshhhh!

It finally happened. I finally threw one of the Judo kids in a practice match.
With what, a week left at school and almost two months of practice under my belt... I thought this day would never come.

I found out by accident that the junior high has a video camera. We were doing Unit 2 in the ninth grade classes, learning different usages of the verb 'have' plus the past particle, for example: "Have you had that sweater for a long time," "They have been here since early this morning," and "Have you ever been to Bangladesh," you know, stuff like that.
This particular chapter illustrates a news reporter interviewing shoppers at the new Recycling Market in 'Heiwa City.' So, the teacher decided to dust off the video camera and let the students have a go at interviewing each other while actually being filmed.

Afterwards, I rewatched the tapes and graded the students. Then, after that, I 'discovered' that there were boxes of blank video tapes in the teacher's supply lobby.

After asking nicely, the teachers gave me permission to make a video. So I'm making my very first video--complete with conveyor belt sushi, elementary school take-outs, monotonous narration by yours truly, and a variety of other fascinating renderings. Today I interviewed some of the Judo kids. (Golly gee, they crack me up.) I wanted to film practice too, but we ran out of tape just as I threw that kid. Ahh, c'est la vie.
Anyway, I'm having fun with it, and having spent almost three months now at the same junior high, I finally feel some of the satisfaction of that comes from bonding with students. It seems too early to say goodbye--things have just gotten started.

P.S. The job interview was delayed til this Wednesday. Still don't know.