The Bad Student

So, as I have mentioned on my facebook, there are only three people in the class: the teacher, Mike and me. This makes classroom dynamics interesting and overly-simple: there is the teacher, the good student and the bad student. It's really an unfortunate situation. Mike has always been better at languages; he watched a bugs bunny marathon and couldn't lose his bugs bunny accent for a week. I, well, I just have to try a little harder. Rather in comparing to Mike, I just have to try; he does not.
--- *excerpt from Tina's mental diary: this morning 10:15am, 45 minutes into class, after receiving a 3/10 on her kanji quiz.*---

Tina: Sumimasen [excuse me] (sniffles and gets out of chair)

Teacher: Daijobu [of course, are you okay?]

Tina: (shuffles out of room, hiding her face, once out of room sobs and runs to the bathroom)

Tina (internal dialogue): Damnit! Why is this bathroom so damn cold?! I know, it because they want to make the choice between going back into that classroom and staying in this bathroom easier with the threat of hypothermia. Well, guess what?! It's not easier. I'm going to stay in this bathroom forever. Damn, I can't even sit on a toilet and cry, I just have to stand here and cry by the sink. School sucks and I suck at it....I don't get hearts on my homework or passing grades on my test. *sniffle, wheeze* Hearts and passing grades are for Mike only! *wheeze* and I always get pink stuff! I don't like pink. *sob* Crap, I how am I going to go back in there, I can even look at that teacher, I'm just going to....*sob* break down! Ah person! *jumps into stall*...False alarm.

[Begins the process of trying to look normal, dries tears, washes face and goes back into the classroom, only to find, awkwardly, that class has been halted in her absence. The embarrassment sends Tina into tears, along with reminding her that she sucks at Japanese-school. Shortly after the teacher calls for a 15 minute break, so that Mike and Tina have a chance to pull themselves together. Mike too, has burst into tears because Tina is upset.]

---

Yeah, today was real awkward.

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In case I haven't said this, the first seven weeks of school are 'intensive'. In school-language, I have learned, this is a euphemism to describe an impossibly hard, foot-to-the floor accelerated, break-neck pace course. I HAVE NEVER EVER SEEN ANY CLASS THIS FAST! We have two texts; they are the same textbooks we had in the U.S. In a semester in the U.S. we cover 4-5 chapters per semester. Here, that same chapter: 2 days. The other textbook we cover approximately 8 chapters per semester. Here: a chapter per day with a quiz on it in two days. It has literally sent me into tears. As of today, it sent me into tears once in public.

Lastly, some cultural hints from our teachers: if I want to be cuter I should wear a skirt, men should always pay for dates and Mike should have given his first date a big bouquet of flowers.

I really hate pink.