My Job & the Culture Festival

I have had more requests to talk about what exactly it is that I am doing here. So, since I am going to write this, you had better read it.

I work for the Board of Education in Chunan Town, a small town of about 4,700 people in Kagawa Prefecture. Kagawa is located on the smallest of the four major islands that make up Japan, Shikoku. My official title is Co-Ordinator for International Relations (CIR). I plan activities that “internationalize” the community (??) but the majority of my time is spent introducing English to (very!) young children and holding English classes in the evening.

Because I work in the Board of Education, I am (for the most part) treated like a regular employee and have to partake in the Board’s activities. In Chunan-cho [仲南町] (“cho” meaning town) we have four major annual events. [Click on them for the pictures!]

(1) The Volleyball Tournament
(2) The Sports Festival
(3) The Culture Festival
(4) The Concert in the Forest

Right after I finished almost-dying from my fever, we had the culture festival. I setup a display about me (The “David” Display) and about Canada, and entertained children and adults alike with my beautiful blond hair and funny accent.

Here is a sample of the enjoyment I had. Note the picture where they dress me up in the Japanese gear and make me dance around in a traditional dance. I was thrilled and excelled in it like I excel at all of my artistic endeavours.

The highlight of my weekend (and I am being serious) is the whistle I carved from bamboo. That’s right, I carved it myself. It is super.

Look at that! I wrote a whole entry about my life and what I have been up to. And you people complain that I don’t write anything important.

… while I am still debating the point of writing these things (I have decided the site serves a purpose as a picture-repository at the very least) I am in the midst of bringing davidandkiko.com 3.0 online. It will be super. Don’t get too excited, but feel free to provide input. My eventual goal is to have at least a few people check the site regularily.

Just to clear things up: I really like where I live. I don’t enjoy teaching children as much as people here think I do, but I really love the town, the scenery and the people I work with. Kiko is swell too. My colleagues on the JET program are also fantastic. I am going to showcase my friends from back home, from University and from here one day… don’t get too excited …