The elementary experiment, cont.

I have nothing but bad news to report to you kindly people back home. Last week, the elementary school teachers, the Junior High School teacher in charge of elementary relations, and my boss had a meeting. At this meeting, they were going to decide if either Nigel or I were going to teach full time at either the Jr. high or the elementary school, which I believe I have mentioned previously, would be a total nightmare. Hear me out:
It's not that I'm afraid of hard work, but five classes a day five days a week at the elementary school is bound to be a horrible idea. For one, the students' English capacity is barely over greeting and grouped vocab (foods, animals, etc.) For two, to take the lessons to the next level, one would need a much higher command of Japanese than I currently command to explain some grammar and functions of words in Japanese. For three, there wouldn't be any time to plan out the much-more-time-consuming elementary school lessons, because I'm busy teaching each period of the day, except the last 45 minutes, which is enough time to review the book (which I will have to disregard, because there won't be enough lessons to teach this often ... oh, and also it's all in japanese, so I need someone to translate it for me anyway) and write down some ideas. Four, the few games and songs that I have been turned on to during my time here are already getting stale, which requires the invention of new games and new songs. It's already too hard to explain simple games to the teachers, let alone inventing or reinventing new games with new vocab, or a new song with new choreography.
So, bottom line: this totally sucks for whoever has to do elementary school.

In any case, our boss walks in to our office today, and literally says "By the way, has anyone talked to you about next year?"
"No, why?"
"Because in January, The Single, White Gaijin has to go to elementary school every day...
"...and Nigel has to go every day in February."

So, we're alternating months, which I guess is something, but it really appears like the worst of both worlds. At Junior High, one person will be teaching double the usual load, and one person will be handling the entire elementary load all by themselves (without the much-needed and relied on help of our friend S-Lan!, because she probably can't accommodate to taking us to school once or twice every week). It causes all kinds of other problems, too. For instance, if I attend the Jr. High graduation on Saturday even though I'm teaching the elementary schedule, do I still get the following Monday off as a substitute holiday, or am I just stuck with any extra day of work?

It's actually really frustrating, and it seems like things just keep getting worse, a little at a time...though, this is the biggest all-at-once. I definitely have to request that the schedule be changed, maybe alternating weeks, or teaching only four classes a day and having help from the teachers to make lesson plans (like they're supposed to do anyway!), or something. I don't want to sound like a drama-queen, but I really might be coming back to America a little sooner than I planned on. I'll air my grievances, and make recommendations (if anyone will listen), and I'll give January a shot. But, if I feel like killing myself (living in a house with no insulation, biking an hour in the cold to work to teach five lessons with no help, and being expected to stay overtime to plan my lessons for tomorrow, so I can return after sunset to my cold house alone, too tired to do anything but sleep and wait for the next day...) I'll just quit, and tell 'em better luck next JET.

I sound like a wiener, huh? I hope I don't sound irrational - I know I am working and all. It's just...with the cultural and linguistic differences and all, on top of all this new stuff, it seems like a bit too much to deal with. So, if I don't think I can, I don't think I will.

But, hey, January is a long time away, right?