Job Discussion Forums

[Dr.J]

There is an acronym dictionary; you can find it at the BPL if you are VFF, ASAP, IYKWIM.

Anyway, what annoys me is thread titles like "Have you ever..."

and I think it's going to be interesting, so I click it, and inside is:

"...heard of (boring TEFL thing which is only to help myself and not provide advice or entertainment to anyone else)."

It's like spammers. Do you really think that all that effort to fill your email with junky characters is going to get me to buy your extremely dodgy online viagra? It's not really the brazenness that annoys me, it's the outright ignorance of simple logic.

[Sweetsee]

I find the behavior of a certain group of students at my school annoying.

Today, the first day back after the autumn break, all students were assembled in the gym and they are continuously turned around laughing and chatting to eachother, all through kocho-sensei's speech. I find it so annoying that I feel ill, seriously, like an anxiety attack.

Very unhealthy situation and I am having trouble disconnecting.

[Stephen Jones]

[Dr.J]

Well, perhaps there is no cure.

You are quite right, the cost to return ratio is quite reasonable. I might get into it myself now...

[BradS]

Being a guy, I love getting spam regarding my breast size.

Couldn't agree more with the being screamed at in Japanese stores! At my local now, whenever they yell at me, I simply turn around and walk back out. They've got the hint now. Still, it doesn't stop stores from doing it in places I don't regulate. If they were genuine comments I wouldn't mind, but they're just so monotonous and impersonal it drives me insane!!!

All the smoking. EVERYWHERE! It took my an hour of walking around Shibuya to find a place to eat my food. I ended up on a street corner.

Lack of parenting! Kids in Japan have no concept of right or wrong AT ALL. In my classes, the boys would punch and kick the girls, myself, swear at everyone in Japanese and when I yelled at them to stop they go "Why?" in complete honesty. After class they jump on their mothers, slap them in the face and kick their legs.... what do the mothers do? Look at the ground and hope that they'll stop. Discipline your children people! It also doesn't help that their fathers see them for one hour on Saturday and the mothers think that's good parenting on their part.

While I'm on a rant about parenting... Mothers need to teach their daughters about becoming a woman! Sitting with your legs appart while wearing a skirt, 3 inches above your knees is an obvioud nono.

"Are you American?" - Only about 5% of gaijin I've met here are actually from that country. Most are from the UK or Australia (like me). Nothing against America, but when EVERYONE thinks America has done everything.... it's a tad annoying.

Every woman flirting with you. I never thought I'd say that all I want is a conversation!

[mesmerod]

[BradS]

But there's nothing sexual about it. Their heads are slouched, arms dangling to the side... plus they're 14 years old and have more muscles on their legs than I do on my entire body due to excessive bike riding. Seriously. Their legs are BUFF.

Did I mention that most the girls have brusses all over their legs (numerous theories why) and don't shave?

[mesmerod]

ok, that isnt hot. i was thinking about a hot little 18 year old sitting there looking sexy.

[spidey]

From Spidey the ALT...

My web is about to snap!

Things that annoy...well...it's more of a pet pieve.

If you are or have been an ALT, you know about Demo Classes where other teachers from around your district come to observe lessons at your school.
Today is that day and two JTE's and myself will be doing a class that will be observed. for one of the JTEs, this is her first time doing this and she is responsible for the class. It goes without saying that she is very nervous.
During the preparation for this lesson it was decided that I, the ALT, would be doing about 50% of the lesson. Also, due to the fact that this is her first time and about my tenth, I helped guide her through the planning process. This is all great and I have no problem with helping out.
The thing that gets under my skin is this...in all the handouts and information that is provided for the guest teachers, nowhere is my name to be found. Beginning middle or end. Both JTEs names are mentioned throughout. It is even written as team teaching. This is something that my brain has a really hard time comprehending. And it bugs the fu#%& out of me.

Thanks for listening...

S

[Glenski]

In Japan, I'm most annoyed at the loud election trucks that park in any public area (usually across from my apartment) or that patrol the neighborhood. Very loud! And, they have nothing to say except, "I'm a good person, vote for me, thank you. I'm a good person, vote for me, thank you."

Come to think of it, some garbage trucks have extremely loud music when they cruise the neighborhoods, too...early in the morning.

[BradS]

How could I forgot those things! There should be a law against those! We get them driving past our place at MIDNIGHT!!! We get the usual election ones but also a fair few anit-gaijin campains as well. One of them was blaring the Darth Vader theme one time while screaming "Gaijin are ruining Japan!"

Oh, and is being given 20+ packs of tissues within half an hour a good thing or a bad thing?