The life thru the looking glass

- Never Stop Dreaming -

It have been quite a while since the last updates so here we go. Last week I was pretty tied up with a demostration class in the Elementary school which I thought was utter nonsense. Let me explain...

You see this really special class was attended by some 100 odd individuals from intern teachers to members of the Board of Education to some really high and reputable professors in Japan. The class was shifted from the usual classroom to the dining hall which was shelved half by the dividers across the room. The reason with this set up was to accomodate the "Guests" attending the open class. The problem with this was the stench...the stench from the trash, the food, the garlic, etc. It's pretty untolerable to me because it smells like rotting garbage cooked in stinky tofu with expired garlic. Now I am a sucker for fragrance and fashion so to expect me to conduct a class in such an environment is an insult.

Next was the context that was being taught. I had stressed my concerns prior about a lot of issues that I forsee but they were simply thrown out the window. Everything was planned in such a way that I, as a NATIVE ENGLISH teacher was to play a clown role in entertaining the kids. Every aspect of the lessons was to be amended and faxed to a reputable professor whom the Japanese teachers worshipped like God. Words that he said were like quotes from the Bible. It was here where I did not see the equilibrium of our ideas. In the end, I simply go with the flow to appease the masses.

The class went on smoothly with me in my stunning Kangol Fur Hat, cuff shirt, tie and a vest, I am proud to humbly admit that I do look way better than anyone else in the room. Luckily for the hat, it was merely an excuse to shield those unwanted attention from the 100 odd guests so I could go on with the lesson. If you ask me, I can proclaimed that I wasn't the least affected by their prescence. I can't say the same for the other helpless Japanese teacher with me but she did put up a fantastic class. Probably the best coordination that I had with her in months which made me question myself if she was able to perform likewise in a normal class.

With the class over, I was lined up with the Japanese teacher I taught with, and the rest of the English staffs from my school in front to the distinguished guests in a typical meeting arrangement. This was beginning of the "Death Penalty" as one after another, the guests brandished their pens and started firing salvos of comments and questions. The process continued on with awkward pauses, reloads, recharged and the volleys of shots. Surprisingly, 75% of their concerns were already covered by me weeks prior to the lesson but were simply shrugged under the carpet or window. There was 1 particular question directed in English by a another fellow foreigner English Teacher whom I know personally. The Japanese teachers were simply shoving the mic to me to resolve the issue. How ironical as none of the English staffs understood what the question was when all they excelled were to surpress the potential of the students. I was lucky to be able to comprehend both Japanese and English so I knew what the hell was going on most of the time. But in the defence of my school, I had to give an answer that was free from personal emotions which of course I did.

Towards the end, the last part was a lecture by the "revered" professor, very much respected by every Japanese who believes he might just be the God of English Education. Sad to say I think differently. He is a really nice and laid back chap whom I had spoken to on different occasions. I must admit he doesn't carry airs but most Japanese educators freak upon hearing his name simply because he is THAT legendary. The teachers in my school was indifferent so they worked extra hard when they first heard he was coming which ultimately led to their downfall. In the end when the professor concluded that this was indeed a great class, all the teachers were relieved that their hard work had paid off. Well of course it had to be a great class, afterall every single detail of the class were faxed to the man himself for clarification and approval. If it had turn out to be a bad class then the professor would have shot himself in the foot.

My verdct, yes the professor is a great figure to lean on and seek advise but too bad his visions are different from mine. His visions were to promote all listening to the kids in Elementary school and that they shouldn't be corced to speak. While I on the other hand sees it as communication works in both ways, to listen and to speak. And the Japanese teachers are always trying to cap the students' potential by deciding what materials are too difficult to teach so in the end, they end up teaching too shallow stuffs. The kids' facial expressions shows it all but too bad I couldn't get any pictures of that. So as I can see it, there will never be a lack of foreigners teaching English in Japan and the level of English for Japanese who never step of Japan will remain the same for the next 3 million, 25 hundred thousand, 74 hundred and 98 years. And that gives us the very reason to love the Japanese for their weird but CUTE English.

Cutting thru all that...comes the explantion of the title. Some how photography have found a path in me and I have decided to proceed to the correct schools of genre. Beginning from the humble roots of an amateur photographer with affordable gear, I have realised what I wanted and so I have decided to upgrade my gear. It's gonna to be a really expensive hobby because the next set of lens that I have set my eyes on will probably be near the SGD$2,000 range. Damn...given the current economic situation, I guess I will have to wait a little longer. That's right, to capture every fleeting second framed in the right lighting to tell my very own pixel story. That is my life thru the looking glass, a reflection of my ideas, my dreams and my vision.

It was this Singaporean photographer Dazza who dazzled me further and his wedding pieces that had granted me the vision of a right path. If you don't believe my words, go ahead and check out his blog or his works and tell me what do you think.