Fire Drill

We just had a fire drill.  While it is fresh in my mind, I wanted to share the experience with you...

First off, I'm rather concerned because, unlike the ringing alarm bell back home, they just have an announcement to tell you there is a fire, then a second announcement to tell you where, and you're expected to get out.  Perhaps I need to get my supervisor to teach me 'fire alarm' in Japanese, because if I'm working alone in the office, I'm totally screwed.  Or maybe the office could kindly put 'Fire!' onto the end of the message, to make sure I'm safe?

Before I get too into the oddness of the exercise, I should praise Japanese efficiency.  The students were lined up, counted off and sitting down on the field in next to no time. 

But then, after the obligatory speeches and bows (yup, five bows in the fire drill!), a guy in an official-looking cap and orange and blue jumpsuit appeared at a fourth floor window, waving and talking into a microphone.  Far from the suicidal nutter he appeared, him and his buddy proceeded to set up a pulley outside the window and send the Maths teacher abseiling out.  Two students followed and the demonstration was concluded by another teacher who was so keen to get his feet on the ground that he landed on the second floor ledge and had to re-launch himself.  I'm not sure if they were supposed to be demonstrating different things, or if it's just there was going to be a scrap if only one person got to try the hands-free, one-man abseiling gear. 

Next a male student came out of the ground floor carrying a fire hose.  There was a funny but awkward moment when my socially-inept supervisor didn't move.  As usual, he wasn't standing with anyone else (because otherwise people expect you to make small talk and say niceties) and when he finally realised he was holding things up, he headed not towards the close stairs, but tried to just move back a couple of metres still in line with the hose.  It was indicated to him that he would need to give it much more space than that, so he set off at an uneven shuffling run (he has a limp), finally reaching the safety of the distant stairs while students laughed and teachers tried to pretend they weren't laughing.  Anyway, after that they turned the hose on and the boy holding it looked pleased as punch - clearly he wasn't afraid to show the school his big hose. 

After that there was more talking while I stood there wondering what we were supposed to do with our 'inside shoes' that were now covered in sand from the sports field.  Turns out you just do a little shuffle on the entry mats and you're good to go.  I feel so ripped off - they make such a big deal about inside shoes and outside shoes here, then when it's convenient they ignore it!  While I can't wear my cute heels to work on fat days, because they're 'dirty'. 

Toilet shoes are the other one that gets my goat.  Here at Myoodai I have to take off my inside shoes and put on the obligatory purple slippers to go to the toilet.  The stupid things is that the Western toilet is right next to the 'non-toilet shoe' area, so I have to shift half the slippers to open the door and to get into the toilet without stepping in the non-toilet slippers area I have to walk further into the bathroom, then turn around and get through the door without overbalancing and standing on the 'inside shoes area'.  When there are no students round I just step on the 'inside shoes' bit with my toilet slippers.  What a rebel. 

I told a class at Tode that they are my favourite school because there are no toilet slippers.  The teacher was really confused about this (yup, the same one as the bowing conversation).  I explained that if I come to work, teach three classes in a carpeted classroom and go to the toilet three times (and in honesty, I pee way more than that), then I have to change shoes fourteen times in one day.  Sixteen if you count putting them on and taking them off at home.  It's so crazy.  Well, it is when you're not used to it and you have shoes with buckles or laces that don't just slip on.  My mistake!  Thanks for the Crocs, Mum! 

I should go to tennis - I went once, a fortnight ago.  They didn't really let me touch the ball yet, but things looked promising - I got lots of one-on-one attention because the student didn't know how to tell me he couldn't help me in English!  He was trying really hard to use what English he had, but it was clearly scaring the bejesus out of him.  At one point he finally turned to his fellow students and called in a plaintive voice, "Help!"  I finally took pity on the kid and told him I would see him the following Wednesday.  But then, that day I worked late on some lesson prep and now, another week later, I'm got a really sore stomach, so I don't feel like it.  Getting some exercise would probably make me feel better, but I doubt standing in the cold holding a raquet will help me.  Hmm... I don't know. 

Hope you're all well.  I'm trying to update more regularly so I remember to tell you these little funny things, not just updating you on the big ones. 

Charly