{"id":110,"date":"2007-04-04T09:04:43","date_gmt":"2007-04-04T09:04:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.revolutionsf.com\/revblogs\/novaatlantis\/2007\/04\/04\/and-so-it-begins\/"},"modified":"2012-10-03T01:56:12","modified_gmt":"2012-10-03T01:56:12","slug":"and-so-it-begins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.revolutionsf.com\/revblogs\/novaatlantis\/2007\/04\/04\/and-so-it-begins\/","title":{"rendered":"And so it begins…"},"content":{"rendered":"

So I started my new job this week. I’m a Visiting Lecturer in American Literature and Culture at Kyushu University, Faculty of Letters, Department of English, teaching undergrad and grad both. Monday I was welcomed at a big meeting (had to make a speech–boy was I glad the new Chinese prof made his just before me, because he didn’t know any Japanese at all<\/span>, so I didn’t feel as stupid), then yesterday I joined the other profs in welcoming the new English undergrad students, and on Friday we’ll welcome the new grad students.<\/p>\n

For the past seven years, I’ve been teaching full-time at Fukuoka University and part-time at Kyushu U and Seinan U–those are the three best schools in town, with KU and SU neck-and-neck for best. So becoming a full-timer at KU is a promotion, and teaching lit and culture will be a lot more interesting than English Conversation, which is about 90% of what I’ve been teaching. Also, the number of classes I teach a week will drop from 14 to only 5, while the pay will remain about the same of what I’ve been getting, full-time and part-time included.<\/p>\n

My office is kind of a pit, but after I finish cleaning up all the cigarette ashes the last guy left behind, it’ll be nicer. It’s only a 2-year job, though, so it’s just a stepping-stone to whatever is next.<\/p>\n

And my youngest, Natsumi, had her entrance ceremony at her new college, Nakamura U, where she’ll be studying business for a 2-year degree. She looks way more mature now that she’s ditched the high-school uniform:
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\nThat’s her with a friend–Natsumi has the short hair. The clouds of white in the background are cherry blossoms (sakura).<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Taiko<\/a> Club gave a great drumming demonstration–very exciting, especially following the very formal, stately rendition of the song "Sakura"<\/a> by the Koto<\/a> Club. (That "Sakura" link is to an MP3–imagine that with a dozen players. Oh, and here’s the lyrics, though I’ve rarely heard it sung.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So I started my new job this week. I’m a Visiting Lecturer in American Literature and Culture at Kyushu University, Faculty of Letters, Department of English, teaching undergrad and grad both. Monday I was welcomed at a big meeting (had … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-110","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n