Japanese Celebrity

Pin It

I am fully aware that I have been slacking off of the blog postings lately.

I have a few explanations:

1. Report Cards (my teacher friends will know that this is the only explanation necessary to inspire a full whirlwind of procrastination techniques)

2. Three-Way Conferences with parents and students

3. Advent activities leading up to Christmas

4. Weird stuff

This week, it is my goal to update you on the weird stuff because, let's face it, that's why you love me.

So, today, I will tell you about my day as a Japanese reality TV star.

Konnichiwa!

On Monday, a Japanese film crew arrived to follow around me and my class.  I knew about the filming in advance, as a child in my class is a member of a family that agreed to the filming.

The Japanese show that the crew was videoing for is called... and, truly, I can't make this stuff up...

People Who Live at the End of the World.

That about sums it up, eh?  I love it!

So, the crew came into the class, and these are the only pictures I have of them.

I didn't have anyone outside to snap pictures of us in the cold and snow. 
My phone camera doesn't work very well below -20 outside, anyway.

It's my regular classroom with a cameraman, a director, a boom mic recorder and a Japanese translator. 

After this taping, we went outside, as it was only -28 degrees and we could go outside to enjoy the sunrise (at 10:00 am).

They wanted to highlight major cultural differences between schools in Japan and Yellowknife in Canada.  The coldness was key.

So, they filmed us sliding on our crazy sleds down the packed hill (and me hauling the kids up the snow hill, because they couldn't climb it on their own).

Then, they asked the principal to come outside and call us inside because it suddenly dropped below -30... something that would never happen in the span of time for recess, but it was "action" for the camera, and the kids thought it was great fun.

Then, I was interviewed with a pretty Japanese reporter, with a translator repeating both of our sides of the conversation, outside in the cold to explain what happens if you do let kids play outside when the temperature drops below -30 degrees.  I wonder how my frostbite conversation will be dubbed in Japan. 

If nothing else, I hope you enjoy the pictures of me teaching my kiddies.

Later that day, the film crew found another "cultural difference" they wanted to interview me about.

The Lost and Found Box.

They were officially offended by the volume of unclaimed clothing and other lost things in the Lost and Found Box.

Crew:  There are snow pants in there.

Me:  Yeah.  That happens sometimes.

Crew:  But, the child would freeze to death without snow pants!

Me:  Well, they probably just ran from the school to their parents' waiting vehicle, so I think they are just fine.

Crew:  But, shouldn't they come looking for their snow pants?

Me:  You would think so, eh?

Dear, God, I hope I was a lot more eloquent than that.  But seriously, part of me hope to never ever see that video clip again in my life.  Explaining a Lost and Found Box to people who think that it is just so bizarre was one of the weirdest conversations I've ever had in my life.

But, I a little bit want to hear myself dubbed in Japanese.

They called me Shannonson.

It has stuck among some of my co-workers.

Maybe I'll be a YouTube star.  I'll let you know.  Actually, maybe not,

Sayonara!