Monday:
Well today is not a good day. Actually it's really crap. This morning while the other teachers were having a long meeting I decided to go to the library and work on my introduction Canada Powerpoint. I proceeded to plug in a LAN cable into my computer which somehow totally f*d up my computer. Seriously, it's taking my all not to start crying right now (I think I already woke up on the wrong side of the bed). I called Duane and David on my cell phone but both say I may be screwed. I hope I have my Windows CD with me but knowing my rush packing job I am sure I was lucky just to back up some of my files. Therefore I left it in Canada and even if mom and dad could find it= weeks/months to ship.... maybe someone here has the same copy?? I'm so clueless about these things sometimes. I can't even think about how much data I will lose-- since the beginning of August I have been working on lesson plans, presentations, videos and a master game/activitiy database. Think 8hours x 5 days x 3 weeks.... argh.... all gone! Makes me wish I had spent more time on facebook putting up pictures---because those are now all gone too. Ouch. ahh and the videos that I had taken all across Alberta during Wynchemna this summer... it pains me even to think of them all! Grr, okay I guess it is my own fault so I'm going to stop complaining now. Aww I guess I have to cancel my Skype date with Duane too : (
Tuesday: Days of Actually Working During Summer Vacation
Now Japanese people have multiple reasons that they are willing to list as to why teachers work during their summer vacation. (Probably the most reasonable is the claim that they are government employees and no longer have to work on saturdays so have to make up the time). Still..somedays I am skeptical that any work actually gets done. Sometimes (heck a lot of the time) I think that the whole summer system is pointless and backwards (ooh there goes my cultural sensitivity). However, usually those are the days that I am watching the clock and surfing the net. Today however, I am going with the mindset that Canada should incorporate a little more time for teachers to get ready before classes start. I am not actually saying we should cut summer vacation-- but I wonder what would happen with more mandatory prep time? Then again, I have come from a family of teachers who practically live at the school on weekends and evenings anyways at certain times of the year.
So today I made and then mastered my Japanese alphabet flashcards (2 different 46 character phonetic systems). I cannot resist the plug here for Michael Rowley's Kana Pict-o-graphix Mneumonics for Hiragana and Katakana as well as the Australian Hiragana and Katakana in 48 Minutes Sets. Just can't say enough good things about them!! I also got some teaching work done by making more English alphabet flashcards and photocopying out of my ESL books. Quite productive I was-- not in any way am I saying that my laptop crashing on me yesterday was a positivive thing-- but I probably got more work done today than most days.
Last night when I was leaving school I found Simon (a 2nd year ALT who lives nearby) waiting outside with his brand new-used scooter. I didn't recognize him at first and was wondering who the heck kept honking at me (1) in Japan people don't use their horns much at all 2) Simon's family is from Asia and with the helmet I couldnt tell he wasn't just a local Japanese man). His scooter is really cute (not the word he likes me describing it as mind you)--but at the same time it sure made me glad that I gave up my original plan of driving a scooter and bought Kaki's old car. His scooter cant go over 40 clicks (km/hour-- apparently only Canadians say clicks) and is only for one person. Since Simon was in an accident and was caught driving without a valid international licence when I first arrived-- he was just happy to have wheels again.
We went down to the river and went swimming and jumping off the rocks until the sun started to set. It sure was nice to cool off and get my mind off of my broken stuff (ooh did I mention when I tried putting in the DVDs last night that I rented, that my DVD player is broken? ah lovely). Anyways we drove to his place (oh so slowly with me following) and then he got in my car and we went for some eats and cruising around the (new to me) city of Ono (closer than Maleria-- yeah!!) We also found a video store selling $1 Video casettes from the 80s so I gave into the temptation and got some interesting classics-- in English! yeah!!!
When I got home I got a call from Duane which totally made my day! It is crazy how fast time flies by when talking internationally!
Tonight I am off to badminton and tomorrow Simon, Narin, Kiri and maybe some other nearby ALTs are going for a meat buffet where you cook things for yoursef in a boilinh pot of oil-- Shabu Shabu (I think it is Korean). Also pumped to try to get my computer working again!! Please! Fingers crossed!
I heard from Camille the other day-- she seems to be having a rough time so far--really hoping it improves for her! Different cultures make the world of difference in your life when choosing a job teaching overseas. She just arrived in Qatar and the culture shock is pretty extreme I think. My friend Matt starts in Vietnam n a few days- wishing him luck too! As of now my plan is still to go home at the end of the year.. but... after talking to Simon I've gotten both inspired to keep doing this ESL thing and seeing the world (he's lived in US, Korea, Africa, Australia, China and Japan) while at the same time I'm learning to really appreciate what a good deal I've got going for me with the whole Jet Organization Setup.. No frets yet people (MOM!) the plan is still Canada (at least for a little while) in August 2008.
Well a 3rd Welcome party has been planned for Monday! And I may go up to the Hida region in Gifu for the weekend with some friends. Everyhing is lookin ok-- kids start monday!
Writing Monday the first day of school
Ok I survived the crazy awful week which was last week. The awful part I am going to try to minimize because I just want to put it behind me. In short, the computer wasn't working no matter what I tried but I found a Jet who is a computer expert-- although lives over 2 hours away. He agreed to meet me in Gifu city if I would drive him home afterwards because the trains don't run much to the country. So I agreed and decided to venture off into the big Gifu city with Narin and Sandra by my side. We were going to meet up with Kevin try the computer thing, and have dinner with a whole bunch of Jets. Plans got sidetracked however when we were just about to the station and I had a minor car accident. No one was hurt and the cars were only scratched-- like very tiny that we didn't even know if we actually touched and had to pull over or not. But... in Japan nothing is that easy! We pulled over and thankfully I had Narin who speaks Japanese with me! The man in the other car was nice but we had a big long procedure to follow. In Japan if there is even the tiniest accident you have to go to the police station. Luckily I had amillion trillion insurance and shaken and international licences with me--- however--- left my passport in Neo (we were told we didn't need to carry them once you have your alien registration). After a big caffuffle at the police staiton questioning my licence, validity of being in Japan, travel dates to Japan, detailing the accident, insurance shaken etc etc they decided they wanted me to drive back to Neo right then to get my licence (an hour an a half away). It was already 8 by this time and I wasn't looking forward to driving all the way back and forth and was so overwhelmed that I started to cry (at least it made them realise I was sorry and really didn't want to drive back.) After callng our supervisor because we couldn't understand and wanted to try to get him to help us sort it out over the phone, the supervisor and his wife drove to meet us in Gifu (he lives a half hour away). The fun continued from there when it wasn't until 3 hours later that we finally could leave the police station with the promise of coming back the next day so they could make a photocopy of my passport. Just as I was about to pull away however I got phone calls from my 3rd in command at my school, my Japanese English Teacher and messages from my vice principal and principal- geez goodnews travels fast. To make a long story short(er) we met up with some of the Jets at a Mexican (one of the few in the country I think!) joint and then I drove Kevin home and left my computer with him for a few days. I didn't make it home until about 2am and was going to get picked up by my Vice Principal at 8. Ah lovely. First I got a knock on my door by the OTHER vice principal (of the Elementary school this time) coming ot check on me because he had heard the news too. I think they were all trying to be nice and make sure I was ok but it just seemed embarassing and long! So I got passed from my Kyoto sensei to my Supervisor in Motosu city and then taken to the police office again in Gifu city where they wanted not only my current passport but copies of my previous ones too! Took awhile to explain that I had to give my other one to the Canadian Gov't in exchange for the new one. Next we drove back, made some phone calls to insurance and then I crashed on Narin's couch for a few hours (I was not allowed to drive my car and didn't feel like going on 2 hours worth of trains for 2 hours). (Oh yah and did I mention this was the friday that I had booked off for vacation!). Anyways at 4 I met with the supervisor, one of the head guys from the Board of Education and my Principal opf the Elem school (who had to leave his Golf Game early-I was reminded of multiple times). I got a lecture about being more careful and how accidents look bad on me, all JETs, Canadians and all teachers. More lectures pertaining to how a Jet got killed on a bicycle 10 years ago and how there was a teacher in Gifu City that got caught drinking and driving last month and that I would get fired if that ever happened. (Remember mine was just a tiny scratch!). After half an hour of lectures and me apologizing, I got to go with them to buy apology gift cakes and bring them to the office of the man who I was in the accident with in order to apologie to him formally and to his family. pff like I said nothing is small in Japan. I was reminded a million more times of "ahh you are so lucky, you hit the most kind, most gentle and nice man in ALL of Japan! ah yes he is such a gentleman!" True, the man was nice, but he was approached my 4 of us all dressed up in suits offering multiple apologies, cake and my offer to fix all the damages.
After that whole deal I was pretty much ready to go home and so I took the train home, walked in the dark to my apt and was a bum watching VHS for the rest of the night.
Oh yah-- and I got a phone call from Kevin (the computer guy) confirming my computer most definitely was screwed up and that I would lose all my data and would need a new harddrive. ah lovely. Did I tell you my friend Katie decided to pack it in? She leaves JET and Japan tomorrow : ( I guess I'm a survivor!
Monday Night:
Life is finally turning around! : ) I found out that I can get the accident paid for by insurance and my premiums don't go up until next year--- when I will be out of the country! Whooo! Free accident! (Though not necessarily something to brag about!). Sunday was also fun because Rika and her father took me around to temples in our area, out for cheap sushi and then to meet Kevin to fix my laptop. I was pretty proud of myself because after Kevin helped me put in my new harddrive I set up the internet all by myself-- in Japanese! Boo yah! Ooh and Rika and I make some Print Club stickers-- they are so intense here! Like editing and all! Good times. Tonight I just got back from my welcome party with the people of my apartmnet building. There were 8 of us in Kyoto Sensei (Elem)'s apartment downstairs. Although I never understand much when I don't have Murachi sensei or a translator around, these guys were hours of entertainment! It was about a 4.5 hour party and you can imagine how much drinking went on! hehe too fun. Kocho sensei and Kyoto sensei (both Elem) are absolutely hilarious! Too akward and cute and dorky and funny for words! Can't get enough of them when they are drinking especially! What characters! Also tonight Murachi sensei came in his new Spiderman mask from Osaka and was in a fun mood too. We're thinking of having parties once a month in alternating apartmnets! Could be some fun times ahead! Not really sure why we all got drunk on a monday night--- oh well, I am sure I won't be as hung over as the bosses tomorrow!
Oh yah I keep forgetting to write-- I finally saw monkeys! Twice at the side of the road in Neo! Whooo for wild monkeys!
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