Rainy Days

Man it feels like the clouds have swelled like a bull kicked in the balls. We've been pummeled by rain for about 4 days now. It's gloomy and depressing, but it does cool it down a bit.

The downside to rain in Japan is that schools close the windows. What's the problem with this you might be thinking. Well, most schools here have no air conditioning/heating/central air so when they clamp down the windows with 30+ sweatly little monsters, it gets hot and humid in minutes. I hate it, so I usually make them open the windows even if rain drips in a bit. I just can't stand humidity and sweaty funky smells.

Today I taught 3 classes, 2 nensei. In the morning I was down as I am still sick. But after a few cups of green tea, some cough drops and cough medicine I was slowly building myself back up to speed. By 5th period today, I was strumming along with the JTE. We had it down and the lesson went smoothly.

Today I was asked what I have learned about Japanese culture. Normally I'd say something about Kabuki, Sumo, Jpop or something like that. But today I decided to break down and share some interesting Japanese vocabulary I had learned. I talked about botton benjo.
Botton benjo (plop toilet)
Japanese-style toilet of the primitive sort which is underlain by a huge empty box.

I think it might have confused some kids as they didn't know what a botton benjo is. Basically botton benjo is a rather old style toliet. Botton is a word that describes the sound of "plopping". I thought it was worth noting.

In the US, there are similar toilets:

A typical outhouse is nothing more than a botton benjo without the box underneath. Typically a hole would be dug underneath the toilet portion of a outhouse and then the outhouse would be moved when the hole fills.

Other than the botton benjo my day has been pretty much the same. I did cancel my night class due to being sick. I need time to recuperate from being sick.

Now I am watching a great podcast called GEEKDROME:

Geekdrome Episode 25 - May 15, 2006

Exclusive E3 EPISODE; REVIEWS: "Mission Impossible 3" Silent Hill" "Stick It"; TRAILERS: "12 and Holding" "Lady in Water"; NEWS: "Knight Rider", "Beverly Hills Cop 4", "Enders Game", "Red Sonja"; COMICS: "Infinite Crisis", "Marvel Civil War"; COMICS FOR PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE COMICS: "Fire"; VIDEO GAMES: E3!!!!!

Watching that episode now.