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Pink Tenacle reports that publishing company Jiyu Kokuminsha has released its annual list of the 60 most popular Japanese catchwords and phrases of the year. This diverse collection of expressions highlights many of the events, trends and people that caught the attention of the Japanese mass media in 2008.
From this list, a panel [...]

After the “Obama is a Monkey in Japan?” thread, I had to relate this story of an experience I had on the subway this past week:

I was sitting talking with a female friend in an otherwise almost empty train-car on my way to Tokyo. On the other side of the train, some seats down, sat [...]

Part 16: Safe?! No I am not!
5-minutes before the beginning of the class and I am still unable to find one of the teachers. I had assumed that she was in homeroom, the bathroom or late but i could be mistaken. I decide to wait in the class. I double check my printed schedule and [...]

Part 15: One of the more annoying situations that the foreign English teacher can find himself in is being stuck between a disorganized company and an even less organized school.
I rotate between schools, with the end effect being that I have the schedule for the next school sent to me before I’m scheduled to go [...]

Part 14: The new semester is in full swing and naturally it almost seems like taking a vacation was a bad idea; now I have to slowly work myself back up to the level of intensity and tolerance that I was at prior to my vacation. 

With that said, I’d like to discuss another aspect of teaching English [...]

Part 13: Guava Jelly writes: “Great stories everyone. I am truly enjoying this thread. I taught in a public jhs in rural japan several years ago (on Sado ga shima). 4 of the 5 schools I rotated through were amazing. The students were very sweet and respectful but one was horrific. 
The first day I got [...]

 
 
 
 
 
Do they care about English?
Blokhar writes: Well I must say it is very interesting and a sigh of relief to hear stories that I myself experience.
I also work in a JHS. I have been doing this for 4 years. Its sucks but it gets the bills paid and enough to have fun with my family. 
Seriously, [...]