Rainy Day

This morning I woke up in my cozy warm bed, with my silky soft blanket snuggled about my face, fluffy down comforter above it for insulation, and yet one more comforter on top for weight. Warm and wonderful, I reset my alarm for an half hour later and revisited those sweet morning dreams. When it was finally time, I got up at my leisure to survey the raging winds outside. It was blowing the winds at a near 45 degree slant. "Oh well!" I shrugged, and went to heating up some yummy veggie soup for breakfast, and huddled under the kotatsu as it blew warm air over my legs and feet. A lovely morning, made even cozier by the soft lamplight in the living room.

Finally, it was time to get going to work. So I dressed, strapping on a winter jacket beneath my bright red raincoat, and set off to work, intending to bike. "The weather's not so bad!" I thought to myself as I stood under the eave of my balcony. Well, well.

That opinion was soon retracted. The cutting wind blew the freezing rain right into my face, the cold paid little mind to my poor gloves, and the road was populated with dangerous umbrella clad bicyclists - and I wasn't even a block from home! This was my day to the tech school, which is a 30-40 minute bike ride away. I considered turning back to drive instead, but by this point it was much too late for such a move, as the drive would take over an hour through the too-smart-to-bike traffic. So I persevered.

It may look pretty now, but offers no relief from the elements on a bad day.

The hail started 5 minutes in, and yet I kept on. My knees were entirely drenched 10 minutes in, but they kept pedaling. The worst part came after 15 minutes when my shoes gave out and let the cold rainwater sink in and splash around, to the horror of my tights-glad toes. All of this was grim, but the worst part was what lie ahead. 8 hours of cold wetness, with no hope for relief. My feet were condemned to lie in that cold bed of water, legs clinging unwillingly to the damp tights and sopping pants, and hair to dry at its own frizzy leisure.

So here I sit at school, pressing those freezing feet together for warmth, nursing a cup of irony green tea, and wondering when the convenient store across the street will open and I can look for dry socks. On top of that, I forgot my lunch. :S

Well, I feel a bit better now after telling the plight. Things are not so bad as all that. You see, we have no class today, since all the students are in tests, so I have a leisure day of writing and planning a Christmas lesson. I have my wallet, so I can buy whtever food or warmth I need. I have a secure job, nice coworkers, a warm home to return to at the end of the day, and people back home who care about my little troubles. Also, I'm pretty happy to have a car, which allows for this to not happen every time it rains.

In short, I have cold feet, but life is good!

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That night I unthawed in a scalding bath. I then reversed the morning routine: more soup for dinner, camping out under the kotatsu, and returning to that wonderful bed with a hot rice bag for companion. ^-^

A Week in the Life

As a sort of penance for my lack of posting, I decided to type up a record of a week in my life based off my daily diary entries (by December 18^th, it'll have been a year straight!). So here you go. It's long, but a nice summary of the day to day.

Couple quick notes:

3^rd grade = 12^th grade | 2^nd grade = 11^th grade | 1^st grade = 10^th grade

Kitako = the Academic school = high level English

Kagiko = the Science and Technology school = low level English

AwaNou = the Agricultural school = even lower level English

Thursday, November 24, 2011 ☼

Today was a huge contrast to yesterday. Happy Thanksgiving, by the way! I felt really rushed and flustered with this inner agitation... Anyway, up at 6, had breakfast, baked a couple more muffins, and went to work (Kitako) early to do the 3rd grader's test. Printed it off, made a warmup for Debate class, then had debate with E先生 in class 204. They weren't in high spirits. Worked on the test some more, had ramen for lunch. In 109 we had combined class, and a guy from Australia visited. During lunchtime I found something for English Club & chatted with that 3^rd year student. Next, 209 with W先生. They're so much faster than 204! Then the extra class with E先生, Translation, in 303. Got to tell them all about Thanksgiving. Went right from there to English Club, where we played a Department Store board game, then chatted. Left about 5:15, tired and flustered, rushed home, realized my carrot cake had gone bad (green) and started driving out to Tokushima for a Thanksgiving party at Zandra's. Traffic was really bad, so by the time I got past the first bridge, I just turned back home. The return was super fast. Hunkered down at home, ate some supper and one of my carrot cake muffins. Kind of vegged out in front of the computer for a while, checking facebook, and all the Thanksgiving posts. Then washed dishes from that messy carrot cake, started listening to Russian Short Stories, showered, and went to bed at 9, extremely glad that I turned home after all. Guess the week has had plenty of ups and downs.

Friday, 25 November, 2011 ☼

The week is coming to an end, but it's not over yet! Got a text in the middle of the night that the family planned to talk over Thanksgiving, so woke up at 5 and Hungout (on Google) with Nic and Zac, then moved to Skype with Mom, Dad, Grandma, & the Nelsons, who'd all just eaten their dinner. Such a small group this year! It was fun being passed around the room on Sandy's ipad. :) Finished at 6:30 and got ready for school, then went in early to Kitako to work on and print that test once more, then to Kagiko. Lovely morning. Sent some emails, printed my worksheets. Taught the Speaking Test Review lesson with Y先生, then with O先生. Lunch, got a snack at the school store, and got wedding gift ideas from O先生. H先生 gets married tomorrow! Last class with K先生, and went to work on those science articles for Ks先生. Left right at 4:15 and started riding home, but decided to swing by the newly opened YouMe Town shopping mall in Aizumi on the way. Got a card to rack up points. I've never done so much shopping in one night in my life! My arms were getting tired from carrying the bags. Got through with most of my Christmas shopping and left around8. Biked home, then went out to fill my car with gas for tomorrow. Vegged at the computer, posted on my blog about my car's gas mileage, and went to bed around 10.

Saturday, 26 November, 2011 ☼

A long, long day, but excellent in many ways! Got up at 4am so I could talk with Mom, Dad, Nic, Adam, & Cunninghams before they set out for tree hunting. After that I journaled, organized presents, made a couple envelopes to send gifts in, tried to put some folders away, and got ready for the day. Left here at 8:15, picked up Thomas, then went to Tokushima station & picked up Zandra and Katie. We drove out West to Shikoku Saburo no Sato for Shikoku Field Day! Hung around, and started at 12:00, lunch somewhere in there. 90 ALTs from all 4 prefectures came. I was put in brown team, with mostly Ehime people. We played... human pyramids, hunker, janken, sumo, dragon tail, knots, capture the flag, slaughter ,and a hand-pushy game. All a lot of fun, high contact sports. We ended around 3:30, got in our cabins, which were way nicer than expected. Made a trip to Marunaka (grocery store). Adam announced the animus spirit for each team. Were were the Falcon! Then we had a Thansgiving BBQ outside, everyone sharing food. Cleaned up, and played a game of Sardines that lasted forever (50 minutes), since no one could find Robyn. Then went in and curled up in the cabin with giant futons wrapped around us. Chatted til midnight with Zandra, etc (5 others), and bed soon after midnight. Our cabin housed all the people who had an inclination to actually sleep, not get wasted on drinking games. Huzzah!

Sunday, 27 November, 2011 ☼

The end of this busy season is in sight... maybe. Aside from Harry's alarm going off around 5 and 6 am this morning, I slept like a rock. All the way until almost 9am, when everyone in the cabin started waking up. We all sat around eating breakfast and chatting. Collected gifts for the Kodomo Gakuen CWC (Child Welfare Center Visit, celebrating Christmas with the orphans) from a few people, and got on the road about 10:30, with Zandra, Katie, and Sarah. Arrived at YouMe Town at 11:30, got lunch at the foodcourt from Sukiya, then shopped around for a while. We were all a bit tired and didn't wanna stay long, so I sent them to the bus stop and got home around 2. Laid down for a nap til 3, then checked email n' stuff, sat under the kotatsu with hot chocolate and my diary, got groceries at the Big, and returned home. Did laundry, listened to some more Russian Short Stories and left~5:50 to go to my pastor's house for the Natsume Cell meeting. We had home made mochi for dinner (YUM!), chatted, then had a little bible study and talked until 9. Headed home, had a snack, and got to bed around 10.

Monday, 28 November, 2011 (misty)

Today wasn't as peachy keen as it might've been, but there was nothing terrible about it. Slept until 6, got up, and spent a long time over my miso and rice for breakfast. Got dressed, and arrive at Kitako by 8:15. Printed my activity for 1^st period, was briefed on the classes for today by Thomas, then started in on the 3inarow classes. 302/3 was a discussion & test review period. I didn't do a very good job of leading, but it was finally over. Next, combined Debate for 209. Thomas led a Jeopardy game review session. For 109, we just went through the book. Our students are so understanding >_<. Ate lunch with N先生 and chatted about our trip to the zoo this weekend. When will I have a free weekend ever again??? That student came by again to talk. E先生 and I did a review Jeopardy with 204, then I revised and printed that wily test. Chatted with Ng先生 and T先生 about H先生's wedding last weekend, then about boyfriends and whatnot. Left right at 4:15 to go home and sit at my computer ,eating dinner & watching 3 new episodes of Watashi ga Renai Dekinai Riyuu (JPN Drama, lit. “The Reason I Can't Love). They know just how to draw in young girls! <3 Took a shower, had some milo, looked at videos from my first month in Japan (from the Flip, formerly inaccessible), and went to bed by 9. No Aikido tomorrow!!! I was just so tired today...

Tuesday, 29 November 2011 ☼ /♣

Slept in luxuriously until 6am (that's almost 9 hours of sleep!), thinking there was no Aikido. Ate breakfast, read the news, got dressed, and cycled on over to Kagiko to discover that I'd skipped practice! >.< Printed the grading sheets right away, updated my diary with the latest entries, printed a page of JPN Sign Language, and had my first interview test with 101 & K先生's class. They did a lot better than I expected, and really tried to memorize their responses! Came back, graded the sheets, finished with my diary and journaled a bit, sent some emails, ate ramen for lunch (surprise, surprise). Found out more about Friday's enkai(school drinking party) when I went to the school store with Hy先生 and B先生. Had the interview test with Y先生's class and they did even BETTER! Cleaned off my desk, chatted with teachers, and left at 4 because they were all going to a meeting and wanted to lock the staffroom. Stopped at Geo, the video store on the way home and rented Home Alone for class tomorrow. Stopped at Circle K to pay bills, and rode home in the setting sun. Went for a bike ride until 6, then came in and had udon and miso, and hot chocolate in front of the computer. Watched Home Alone, washed dishes, took in the laundry, and generally picked up the apartment. Bed by 10!

Wednesday, 30 November, 2011 ☼ /♣

Well, it's the end of November and none of my well intentioned plans have come to fruition :/. Ah, well. Woke up at 6 and slept til 6:30, got dressed, and cleaned the apartment a little more. Sent off some facebook messages and went to AwaNou. Listened to “The Darling” from the Russian Short Stories. She reminds me a bit of me. They moved the staffroom at AwaNou to add space for the heater. I had class for first and second period, both in the library, and with all the 20 students. We watched Home Alone. They were really absorbed with/by/in it! Thought its interest gradually lessened for me with the repeated back to back viewings... Wrote in my diary and journal for 3^rd period. Last class for 4^th with the movie one more time, then back for lunch. Ramen, of course, while I read news at my desk. Sent out a few emails and such, journaled some more, viewed the oshibana artwork in the hallway, and went to cleaning time with S先生. Left at 4:15, stopped to pick up some pretty leaves. Went to YouMe town for my last round of Christmas shopping and got home at 6. Had some udon as I read the latest letter from Mom <3! Started organizing gifts to send tomorrow, then went grocery shopping at the Big and got more presents at Daiso. I think I've been spending way too much recently :(. Came home and continued packing until 10. Showered, replied a facebook video to Justine, and got to bed by 10:30/11ish. Can't wait til these gifts are out of my hands!

Thursday, 1 December, 2011 ♣

Work is going to become awfully easy when I finish this week! Happy December, by the way. I'm getting into the habit of waking up at 6 and sleeping until 6:30. Had breakfast, dressed in my new clothes from yesterday, and finished up packing those Christmas packages. Drove to work so as to be able to carry them. W先生 filled me in on how to conduct the Debate class interview. Started with 204. The students were much better than expected. They had to give a rehearsed opinion, then form once about a random topic. After that I went to the PO, err, first Bank to pull out yet more money and pay the gas bill. At the PO I discovered that to send everything would cost over $100! YIKES!!! So I sent the small stuff and will pull things out of the big'n. Ramen for lunch, chatted with teachers. Finished Ch. 6 with 109, and more interviews in 209, bit higher level. Thought I had the extra class with E先生, but he was mistaken, so I got to go back to my desk and write in my diary :). In English Club we watched Home Alone – my 5^th time in 3 days. We ended at 5, so I went home and had red bean bread, udon, and miso soup for dinner. Watched a Documentary called Stuff, then one called Stupid in America, which led me to shorter 20/20 segments and learning about Eugenics in America. I also took a bunch of my Christmas package, hoping to drive down the cost. Cleaned up a bit, and went to bed at 10:30m after contacting a bunch of JETs through facebook about the CWC visits and Swing Dance this weekend.