Oh god, is this really my last day in Japan of the year? Am I really getting on a plane tomorrow and heading back to Seattle? Will I really be home by the end of the week? I'm afraid that the answer to all of those questions is yes.
I don't feel ready at all. At least this year, I got my packing out of the way and the only thing left to do is clean up my house tonight after my private lesson. Physically, I'm in better shape than last year, but emotionally, I'm more of a mess.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
This Week Gets Even Better...Not: Retroactive Post
So what the hell, is this my punishment for trying to enjoy Christmas? This year is the first when I actually haven't HATED Christmas, where I was actually looking forward to things and God seems to want to remind me that things are not all peachy-keen. First, it was the poor little stray kitten yesterday during lunchtime. Then it was the back-to-back-to-back announcements about one of my teacher's mother-in-laws passing away, one of my vice-principals being in the hospital, and other of my other teacher's fathers passing away...all in two days.
Then, as if to remind me of my powerlessness in certain situations, as I'm leaving one of the tiny little mom-and-pop-run grocery stores on the way home from school, another stray, this one a dog, comes up and tries begging me for food. Unfortunately, I had only bought spinach, eggplant and bamboo...not really anything suitable for a dog. I definitely couldn't take in a nearly full-grown dog, after the kitten earlier in the week, but I have to say, walking away from yet another stray really sucks. It breaks my heart that I can't do more for it.
I guess the reason why I suggest that all of this is pointed directly at me, to remind me to have a crappy time around this time of the year, is that, I've gone nearly a year without running into a stray, and now to have it happen right after another, along with the human situations...I'm nearly giving in and resigning myself to another crappy holiday season. Gah. Santa, all I want for Christmas is some peace of mind...is that too hard to ask?
Then, as if to remind me of my powerlessness in certain situations, as I'm leaving one of the tiny little mom-and-pop-run grocery stores on the way home from school, another stray, this one a dog, comes up and tries begging me for food. Unfortunately, I had only bought spinach, eggplant and bamboo...not really anything suitable for a dog. I definitely couldn't take in a nearly full-grown dog, after the kitten earlier in the week, but I have to say, walking away from yet another stray really sucks. It breaks my heart that I can't do more for it.
I guess the reason why I suggest that all of this is pointed directly at me, to remind me to have a crappy time around this time of the year, is that, I've gone nearly a year without running into a stray, and now to have it happen right after another, along with the human situations...I'm nearly giving in and resigning myself to another crappy holiday season. Gah. Santa, all I want for Christmas is some peace of mind...is that too hard to ask?
So When Does the Ball Drop?: Retroactive Post
This morning during second period, one of my JTEs (a pretty close one, since she is always helping Luther and me with various Japan/school-life issues) left in a hurry from school. I was on my way up to the LL to prep for my third period class, and caught up with her in the hallway. She was upset about something and soon explained the reason why. She had gotten a call from her family and found out that her father just passed away unexpectedly. Now, she is middle-aged, so it's not like her father was very young, but there was apparently no reason to suggest that he was sick or anything. She didn't know the cause of death, so I have no clue either.
This comes on the heels of two announcements during the morning meetings with bad news. The first one on Monday was accompanied by my former JTE/supervisor coming up to the middle of the teachers room, bowing and obviously very upset about something. I couldn't catch what he said, I thought I heard "musume," which is Japanese for daughter, but I wasn't sure what exactly happened. I didn't get a chance to ask about it until the next day, after hearing another disturbing announcement about one of my vice-principals.
This one, I managed to catch the words, "hospital," "sick," and "gone until next week." Actually, I verified with the teacher whose father just passed away, my suspicions that our VP was in the hospital. Our principal said that he couldn't say exactly why she was hospitalized, but that she will be undergoing surgery tomorrow. She also clarified that my other teacher's mother-in-law had passed away, which was he was upset and hence the announcement on Monday.
Obviously, all of this sucks for the people involved. I can't imagine what they are all going through, but I can't help but think about my own situation with my father. Especially after one of my other JTEs and I were talking about what was going on and she asked me to take care of my health...Little does she (or any of the other teachers, except for Luther, for that matter) know (since I haven't mentioned it to anyone), that it's not MY health that I'm worried about.
I've managed to keep thoughts of my dad, his health and his lifespan at bay, since I know that I can't really do anything until I'm home, but all of this is just a bit too familiar. I know that at least, unlike my poor teacher, I do have a heads-up of his health but that doesn't really help. Especially since I keep wondering, when's the ball going to drop and if I'm going to be the next person to have to make an announcement at a morning meeting.
This comes on the heels of two announcements during the morning meetings with bad news. The first one on Monday was accompanied by my former JTE/supervisor coming up to the middle of the teachers room, bowing and obviously very upset about something. I couldn't catch what he said, I thought I heard "musume," which is Japanese for daughter, but I wasn't sure what exactly happened. I didn't get a chance to ask about it until the next day, after hearing another disturbing announcement about one of my vice-principals.
This one, I managed to catch the words, "hospital," "sick," and "gone until next week." Actually, I verified with the teacher whose father just passed away, my suspicions that our VP was in the hospital. Our principal said that he couldn't say exactly why she was hospitalized, but that she will be undergoing surgery tomorrow. She also clarified that my other teacher's mother-in-law had passed away, which was he was upset and hence the announcement on Monday.
Obviously, all of this sucks for the people involved. I can't imagine what they are all going through, but I can't help but think about my own situation with my father. Especially after one of my other JTEs and I were talking about what was going on and she asked me to take care of my health...Little does she (or any of the other teachers, except for Luther, for that matter) know (since I haven't mentioned it to anyone), that it's not MY health that I'm worried about.
I've managed to keep thoughts of my dad, his health and his lifespan at bay, since I know that I can't really do anything until I'm home, but all of this is just a bit too familiar. I know that at least, unlike my poor teacher, I do have a heads-up of his health but that doesn't really help. Especially since I keep wondering, when's the ball going to drop and if I'm going to be the next person to have to make an announcement at a morning meeting.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Ah, Pets...: Retroactive Post
Lord, it's been a while...
Anyway today I just had to write about my run-in with an adorable little stray. Luther and I were leaving the school to go out to lunch at the Chinese guy's AKA Mr. Wong's (though that isn't even it's real name), which is a pretty rare occasion these days, when we hear a mewing noise coming from near the entrance of the school. We make a quick turn on our bikes and see a tiny little grayish-cream kitten meowing its heart out next to one of the pillars at the front of the school.
We stop and pet it briefly, but even that short bit of attention seemed to have endeared us to him/her because when we went to leave, it started following us. I tried to bike, but it wasn't deterred. We couldn't take it with us in our bike baskets, and we were afraid that if we let it follow us, it might get run over by a car on the street. Eventually Luther had to pick it up and let me get a head-start on my bike, drop it off near the bushes at the entrance and then try to make his own getaway. Even so, the poor thing managed to get back to the sidewalk and we had no choice but to leave the thing staring at us in despondence.
I decided to get an extra order of gyozas for takeout and bring some back for the poor thing in case it was still wandering around. We got back to school and heard it mewing near the bus stop. Luther didn't think it was old enough to eat solid food, but after I managed to get it near enough to the gyoza filling that I had taken out of its wrapper, it ate it up. I left it another one and then we decided we had to go...
I didn't know what else I could do for it, especially since I: 1) don't know if I'm even allowed to keep a pet at my apartment, 2) don't know a thing about raising a cat and 3) will be leaving for America in a little over a week. Still, it would've been nice to finally have a pet.
Anyway, where-ever you are little nekko-chan, I hope you stay safe and find a good home.
Anyway today I just had to write about my run-in with an adorable little stray. Luther and I were leaving the school to go out to lunch at the Chinese guy's AKA Mr. Wong's (though that isn't even it's real name), which is a pretty rare occasion these days, when we hear a mewing noise coming from near the entrance of the school. We make a quick turn on our bikes and see a tiny little grayish-cream kitten meowing its heart out next to one of the pillars at the front of the school.
We stop and pet it briefly, but even that short bit of attention seemed to have endeared us to him/her because when we went to leave, it started following us. I tried to bike, but it wasn't deterred. We couldn't take it with us in our bike baskets, and we were afraid that if we let it follow us, it might get run over by a car on the street. Eventually Luther had to pick it up and let me get a head-start on my bike, drop it off near the bushes at the entrance and then try to make his own getaway. Even so, the poor thing managed to get back to the sidewalk and we had no choice but to leave the thing staring at us in despondence.
I decided to get an extra order of gyozas for takeout and bring some back for the poor thing in case it was still wandering around. We got back to school and heard it mewing near the bus stop. Luther didn't think it was old enough to eat solid food, but after I managed to get it near enough to the gyoza filling that I had taken out of its wrapper, it ate it up. I left it another one and then we decided we had to go...
I didn't know what else I could do for it, especially since I: 1) don't know if I'm even allowed to keep a pet at my apartment, 2) don't know a thing about raising a cat and 3) will be leaving for America in a little over a week. Still, it would've been nice to finally have a pet.
Anyway, where-ever you are little nekko-chan, I hope you stay safe and find a good home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
