This year is really "interesting"... Things that have happened to me, never happened before in my entire teaching career and even my own life. Just when I thought I've seen it all, something else surprised me.
The performance was last Friday. I wore the same clothes for home room and bus dismissal, nobody except for one of my girls, commented cool. Nobody said anything to me but there were some stares.
Monday was surprisingly peaceful. The two lesson I had, nothing happened. But on Tuesday while we had to clean up the gym and get ready for the graduation ceremony, things happened...
First off, I was in-charge of the girls in my form class. When they came towards me, not everyone but a big group swamped me... I was surrounded and they were touching my belt, hair and my crystal bracelets and commenting I'm cool and stuff. WTF?!? I didn't raise my voice at them but just tell them nicely that we have a job to do, better do it or we'll get scolded. They followed me happily to get the rags. Then I went to get pails to fill with water.
While I was in the toilet, I encountered a few girls from another class also filling the pails. Got more cool and ikemen comments... U see me physically peng san there. Took lots of coaxing and ordering, got most of them to clean the chairs. I was really tired after that.
When I was walking around, checking on the girls, I noticed some stares by some boys of other classes and overheard, "really Ikemen"... Got one boy from FW's class came up to me and wanted to shake my hand. I was confused, thought he was transferring but I told him my hands were dirty and he decided not to. Huh?
Ikemen apparently is a word that meant 'cool + face' but used for guys... I though that 'men' is men in English. It's actually means 'face' in Jap. But still...
Later washing the rags and pails, I was tailed by 3 of my class girls to the toilet. Then they said 'You are my Best friend'. Man...
Assembled to finish off, I was seated at one of the chairs with the fan cos super hot. The classes filed past, my Filipino colleague was near me. Then when it came to my class, the bunch of girls started calling me cool and ikemen again, and I peng san on the chair. The colleague came to my rescue and asked them what about her? They called her pretty and said we were a couple. OMG!
And that wasn't all. That's only Tuesday.
Wednesday was the actual graduation ceremony. Wearing the new pinkish long-sleeved shirt and pants and contacts, I sat through the ceremony. After helped cleaned up. For some stares that's all. Headed for the party. There, some of my former students asked me to sign their yearbook. Ate the food which was food very nice for a $30 fee. Watched the video parody and laughed until my tears came out. My bootleg copy was shaking cos I laughed quite hard. (Managed to get a copy of the original, it'll be for remembrance) When it ended, some more of my ex students came and I shook their hands and wished them the best. Posed for a few pics with a few students. One of my male ex student came up to me and said 'I know u are a professional boxer, right?' Huh? Cos of my arms or the medicated plaster on my wrist. Smiled and said no.
Wednesday was kinda safe.
Thursday was fine during lessons but I had to accompany my cca for their performance event. I wore a kappa sporty top and khakis cos my job would entail carrying the heavy stuff. Wore that for the whole day.
The 'names' started after we arrived. It's a whole bunch of girls from S1-2 cos Sec3 have graduated. I walked around to take pics of their rehearsal and later on meals while they ate. My dinner was 2 onigiri, small cheese sandwich, 2 pickled something and 3-4 pieces of torikage chicken (the Jap torikage is really crispy and not oily yet light on the palate, no wonder they don't like our pirated versions of their food) Still relatively peaceful. I got extra onigiri, torikage and pickle cos my Filipino colleague is on a vegetarian diet and she didn't want to waste so she gave to me. Okay, I don't mind, ate those too.
But after the dinner, when I encountered the Sec 2 girls, one kept calling me Ikemen... My English student some more. Then I asked her why? She said something along the line that it's obvious and true hence of course... I siam away. Another was calling me 'cute'. I was like huh? She has been calling me that for some time now but it still perplexed me.
The concert started so I took on the job of photographer. Took lots of pics using the powerful zoom, meant I didn't have to keep walking around. Also took pics of students when they've finished their performance and came in to watch and stood at the back. Also helped out to set up the stage during the intermission and after the performance was over. Have to take photos with a couple of students, including the 'best friend' duo... A couple of Sec 3 came down and talked with them briefly and took pic, shook hands. Carried some of the stuff and amp off-stage. Encountered my eng class student who kept calling me Ikemen earlier. Told her I saw her mom, really pretty, they look quite alike.
Took the bus back with Sec2 students who had to help carry the equipment back to the respective rooms. Took pics on the bus and got called Ikemen again. I carried 2 items at a go cos I don't wanna strain my knee with multiple journeys up and down 3 floors of stairs. While I was upstairs, students wanted to take scary pictures. Cos I was carrying the camera, took some of them. The school was entirely dark, as in except for the staff room and first floor, the rest are entirely dark. Lots of screaming and shrieking going around.
The usual dismissal, all staff had to say a few words. When it came to my turn, I just said, Go home safely. Immediately another eng student of mine replied 'Sasuga Ikemen' (as one would expect from the Ikemen) See me peng san again. They are really having a fun time calling me that, that night...
About 9.30pm, I grabbed my bag while they are still milling around and walked to go home. Some wanted to take pic of me, I was drinking Pocari sweat. Posed with it like an advertisement. One begged for some. I said wait, looked into my bag cos I threw in 2 bottles and handed her one. She said thanks and raced off to a side to share with her friends.
Waved and walked out to the bus stop. Got on my bus, reached home cooked instant noodles and ate that. Also bathed and started completing the bookmarks I was making cos the very next day was one of my last lesson with one class. Slept late, 1am and next day was more tired than usual.
No comments:
Post a Comment