In the past 2 days, students have asked me the following questions:
1. Did you kill Michael Jackson?
2. 英語では鳥のうんこって何って言うんですか。 eigo dewa tori no unco ttenanteiundeska?
(Translation: How do you say bird poop in English?)*
3. What yesterday earring? (Translation: Why are you wearing glasses today?)
*I waited around for 20 plus minutes for this question from a 7th grade boy, Shotaroh, because one of the other teachers, my friend Daisuke, told me that he had a question for me, and I naively thought that he was eager to know more English or more about my culture. !! Daisuke and I were walking through the halls looking for him during cleaning time and asking all the other kids, "Where's Shotaroh?"..."Do you know where Shotaroh is?" When he finally returned from his cleaning duties and asked me this question, I said, "Is THAT your question?! THAT'S what I waited for??!!" I still thought there had to be another question coming...this was just a warm-up, right? To Daisuke I said, "Is that the question he wanted to ask??" Daisuke had told me 3 hours before that Shotaroh had a question for me...as though it was something important. I am an English teacher, and "bird poop" will probably be remembered more than anything else I taught today. I also learned something through this scenario. I learned about a part of Japanese culture that I'd never heard of before. It turns out that a a bird pooped on Shotaroh's arm as he was walking to school. ;( 'Bummer! Sad!!', I think. But then I found out that Japanese people think if a bird poops on you, it's good luck. !??! WHAAAT?! This place is crazy! ;)
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