Cold weekend though expected!

As usual it was a cold weekend here in Chicago. No unnecessary outing has been recommended yet TARO likes to walk or skate on the backyard snow/ice. He stupidly lick some bricks and his tongue stuck to it out of coldness and cut slightly and got bloody a bit! Oh, he is fine now. He enjoyed the hot bath last night! I attended the information session for Japanese Saturday school over the weekend. Since my daughter EMA is in Japanese kindergarten now, she can begin her Japanese Saturday school next year not this year. Phew! Why? Cost of attending the Japanese Saturday school here in Chicago is HUGE if you are not a company employee of a Japanese company which belong to the Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Chicago (JCCC)! I am just a teacher!!!!

Rather small GTS/JCC dinner but good start!

The first dinner of 2011 was rather small group but it was a good start of this rabbit hopping year. 1102 classes began and 36 students in 2 classes seems to determine themselves to move on. 1101 and 2202 will begin the course tomorrow and just about 10 students will continue to study at 2202 while 1101 class is full of 25 students. Usually I have a Spring Field trip to Japan during the spring break but there is no trip due to my another professional commitment so regular classroom teaching schedule makes me busier than usual. From Monday through Thursday, 9 to 9 (12-hour daily schedule) working will challenge me until May!

First day of the Spring semester! JCC dinner tomorrow!

Students in the 1102 morning class took the first quiz on the first day! Night class students as well. It seems that there are 37 students total in 1102 and 25 students in 1101. Just about 10 students are in 2202. Yet Japanese courses this spring increased the enrollment over 33% in comparison to the last spring 2010. Japanese classes are growing in the shrinking college. Yeah!
Waubonsee community college second semester students are only 8 as it is only 'once a week, three-hour class.' Hope everyone will survive. Once they come into GTS facebook circle, they everyone seems to have fun around GTS. hahaha. Tomorrow is the first monthly dinner this year! Hope to see many friends!

Spring Semester 2011 is nearing! Greeting!

GTS hopes that every one's winter break was comforting and energy saving for the beginning of Year 2011. The rabbit year, hopping year, growing year, exploring year, exciting year, .... GTS family including newly added SHIBA-INU, Taro, DROVE down to the Disney World and certainly and safely returned home. How many miles? Just 2400 miles which is equal to the round trip between Hakodate in Hokkaido and Fukuoka in Kyushu! We welcomed the year 2011 in the car in Tennessee while driving back to Chicago. By the way I am writing this in San Francisco where I made a presentation about Japan Trip! Busy life continues in 2011. Spring semester is just around the corner and 2 classes (one is 1101, and another morning 1102) are now full! Night 1102 seems to have 14 more seats left, which I doubt is to be filled. The summer study abroad registration is now ready and I am holding a few successful application forms in hands now. Welcome to GTS page, classes, world and circle. Let's enjoy the rabbit year 2011 together!

Have a great winter break!

GTS was supposed to be in Kyoto today with students if the field study program was realized! I am stuck in Chicago but we are planning to drive southeast to hopefully get to Orlando! As soon as I placed some information about the Fall semester's grade on my facebook, tons of comments came! Whether you pass the Japanese class or not, your life is wonderful as usual (this is always my statement). It is rather painful to give grades to anyone but it seems to be the side effect of my job. 1101 in Spring has over 20 students as well as 1102 in Spring, so it is a good sign! Summer Study Abroad interest seems to be also high even though US dollar is very weak! Wish you a Merry Christmas!

Fall semester ended!

Finally the Fall semester ended and some could not survive unfortunately but it is very usual in GTS class. 48 students were in my 1101 roster at the end: 12 As, 3 Bs, 12 Cs, 12 Ds and 2 Ss, oh yes, 8 Failed. For 2201, everyone survived as expected: 5 As, 4 Bs, 2 Cs, 2 Ds and 1 S! Wish you a Merry Christmas! By the way, 10 students showed up at the end of the semester of Waubonsee Community College out of 25 at the beginning! 3 As, 3 Bs, 2Cs, 1 D and 4F!

JCC/GTS dinner was great!

It was rather small dinner this month, yet some new people showed up and went very well. Next dinner will be 1/14/2011. Tomorrow will be the Japanese Language Proficiency Test in usual snowy weather and I hope things will be going well especially for those who are coming to take a test from far away. The test will be conducted at DePaul University in Lincoln Park, Chicago. Spring semester Japanese 1101 has only 6 spots left and it is anticipated to be full in a week! The final is coming up and everyone gets busier. Oh new family member Taro, Shiba-inu, loves to play in the heavy snow!