As predicted, 2010 has been flying by since my last post and I am constantly in some sort of state in catching up. I find it humorous how I always try to treat the passing of the old year and coming of the new in the same manner same as any other time of the year, but events at the onset of this year have really forced me to make several minute and significant changes in my daily life (including work) that I really didn’t give enough consideration. It isn’t a problem or anything, and I am not in any way complaining. I just wish to explain why I seem to never be online or even at my computer at all anymore. Life, as well as some personal choices of mine, has actually forced me to physically live life beyond the confines of my apartment. It’s what I get for spending all that time watching TV as a kid haha.
Work . . . no complaints. The vibe has changed though, and in two ways. On the one hand, like I mentioned earlier, a lot of kids students have been deciding quit coming to our school. On the other, we have been seeing a lot more prospective adult and kid students come in with the interest to study with us. In the last two weeks, I have probably done more model lessons for adults and kids that I did in any three-month period during my first six months here. Aslo, there seems to be a better team like cohesion at the office. Everyone seems to help each other out more, planning and communication have a improved a little and the day to day pressure isn’t too high. We’re just busy with the new flow of things and chuggin along. It may feel a bit busier from day to day right now, but I am cool with things and hope to get a good new office rhythm figured out soon.
Dance . . . If I haven’t mentioned this cultural element I have noticed, let me fill you in. When people pay for formal instruction for a skill here, it often seems that the interaction between staff and student/customer is as personal as it is professional. Once patrons enter the domain in which they will be instructed, their fellow students and instructor(s) form a special social unit that resembles a family in terms of familiar interaction, and attentiveness to each others’ needs and desires. Time also takes an affect on this phenomenon. The longer the group has existed, then the closer the long term members seem to be. I have seen this with Aeon, people that go to my gym, as well as my dance class. With particular regard to my dance class, I am really starting to feel like “one of the gang” when I am there. Not only are my young classmates fairly comfortable with me, but other instructors as well as even students and parents have become familiar enough with me to treat me in a manner where I don’t feel too much like the outsider that I actually am. It's a really nice & refreshing feeling and I always look forward to class beyond the mere desire for my dance fix.
Personal . . . if you haven’t seen from my tweets from valentines day or other recent occasions, I guess I should inform you that a special someone has come into my life. I really enjoy her company and we had a wonderful valentines day. We took a walk through one of the really pretty parks here and along one of the rivers for a while. In the evening, we did some outdoor ice skating and had a good dinner. She is even busier with her Job than I am with mine and we really only get to hang out on weekends (Saturday evening and/or Sunday), so we try to spend as much of that time as possible together and I am thus not at home as much to catch up on things as I used to be. My personal life may be in some sort of upheaval in the moment, but I couldn’t be more grateful for the wonderful gift I have been granted to share. I’m looking forward to next weekend ^_^
Monday is catch up day, but I am usually pretty burned out and don’t get too much done. Especially today, since I had to work yesterday (Sunday). I need to learn how to utilize Mondays more efficiently now that it will be my only day to do ish that is moderately important and could become problematic if ignored (laundry and such)
Oh yeah . . . If you weren’t aware, Valentines Day is done differently here. In a sense, it has been cut into two holidays. The first is the traditional day on the 14th of February. The other is on march 14th. On the traditional day, Japanese women either buy or make chocolate (of any sort) and present it to the males in their life. Dad and brothers naturally get some of the action, guy friends receive “giddy choco,” and the specially made or expensive stuff goes to the boyfriend/husband. I also learned that girls will just make chocolate to eat together with their girlfriends also. As for the other day, it is called white day and it is basically the same as V-Day, but the responsibility falls back on the men. It’s an interesting custom. I dig it.
So this Valentines Day haha . . . I got my chocolate and a cute picture of us and card combo and after I said thanks she kind of had this expecting look on her face. And I was like: “what? It isn’t white day yet.” Then she was like: “youre American right?! You don't celebrate it like us!” Haha oops! I actually was planning to do my part on white day. We had a good laugh over the situation and agreed to celebrate the rest of the holidays in Japanese style haha. I’ll do good on white day. No worries =P
All right, this is long . . . my bad!
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Busy!
One month down, and I must say that January 2010 was one helluva month. I have been quite busy as you can tell by my two or three posts and one of them only being in video cause I was way lazy. I am sorry for it, but the way I have things prioritized right meow, it cannot be helped really. But fortunately I have finally been able to make the time to let you guys now what’s up and goin on around out here. I guess I should let you know why I have been so busy.
The primary reason . . . My Move!! As many of you already know, my American co-worker’s contract came to an end and it was her time to move onto something different. Usually not a big adjustment, but due to changes soon taking place at my school, I had to move into her apartment. Thus, the week after my last post, I the time spent packing little by little and taking care of loose that needed to be tied up to make the transition smooth.
On the 23rd (two nights before I moved), we had my co-worker’s going away party and I partied quite well. All I did was drink at the main dinner portion; it wasn’t much, but still on empty stomach . . . so yeah. Then after the main party, I headed over with a big group to the local karaoke spot and we did our thing for about an hour and a half . . . THEN a student took two others and myself to a local bar and we drank and sang till like 230 in the morning. I went to bed quite drunk and with a smile on my face haha. Of course, I was tired as hell all day the next day (especially since I woke up around 830) and did very little beyond some extra packing.
On the day of the move . . . I didn’t even get to my new pad till 6 in the evening. I packed and got out of my old place by 2:00 and waited around the school till I was able to head to my place. I wasn’t in the apartment by myself and ready to unpack until around 7 in the evening. As you can imagine, I didn’t get too much done since I had to get ready for work the next morning. Since I moved on a Saturday and had to figure out a new timing routine for getting to and from work, I wasn’t able to get much cleaning and unpacking done. Actually, my place still isn’t exactly organized to the point where I want it at this moment -_- Its nice enough though.
Anywho, another factor that hurt my available time to be at home and take care of ish was that work was particularly busy. I had a lot more paperwork than usual and other small factors gave me less time than Im used to in order to do it. Thus, I would go in early or stay after later (actually doing work) to make sure I didn’t fall too far behind (and I wanted to scoot as quick as possible on Saturday). The week ended up going by quickly and it wasn’t until Friday evening that my apartment was livable and ready for any guests I would want to have. No worries, it all ended up working out.
On Saturday, I was able to get out of work quicker than usual and enjoyed . . . wait for it . . . yes, a date. And that’s all I’m gonna say bout that here (ok . . . it was really nice) =P Then on Sunday, a group of students and staff from the school took a day trip to Disney Sea over here. It was a wonderful day. I was actually really surprised at how beautiful the park was. Any description I give it really won’t give it the justice I want to, so I will just leave it at the fact that I strongly suggest anyone go there if they get the opportunity to come to Japan. A very beautiful and happy setting for a good day in here ^_^
Monday was the catch up day. I had to go to the government building and register the fact that I moved and have my new address printed on my alien registration card. I also took a trip to pick up some things at the store I had needed for the apartment and hadn’t yet been able to get. Other than that, I did the laundry and enjoyed the snow during the evening . . . That’s right . . . it snowed finally . . . and I loved it ^_^
Work has been more or less the same this whole time with just one concern; MY KIDS ARE QUITTING. By the middle of the month I will have said goodbye to 7 of my kid students since November. They all say that they are quitting cause of cram school and busy schedules and I understand that, but can’t help but to be a little bummed out by it. If I had been better, would they have been more motivated to stay . . . I dunno. A couple of them, I am a little happy to be rid of, but I will miss the others dearly. I wish them luck in their lives and hope to see em again someday.
Well, I have once again made this long enough. I’ll give you a break now haha.
Sorry it took so long!
The primary reason . . . My Move!! As many of you already know, my American co-worker’s contract came to an end and it was her time to move onto something different. Usually not a big adjustment, but due to changes soon taking place at my school, I had to move into her apartment. Thus, the week after my last post, I the time spent packing little by little and taking care of loose that needed to be tied up to make the transition smooth.
On the 23rd (two nights before I moved), we had my co-worker’s going away party and I partied quite well. All I did was drink at the main dinner portion; it wasn’t much, but still on empty stomach . . . so yeah. Then after the main party, I headed over with a big group to the local karaoke spot and we did our thing for about an hour and a half . . . THEN a student took two others and myself to a local bar and we drank and sang till like 230 in the morning. I went to bed quite drunk and with a smile on my face haha. Of course, I was tired as hell all day the next day (especially since I woke up around 830) and did very little beyond some extra packing.
On the day of the move . . . I didn’t even get to my new pad till 6 in the evening. I packed and got out of my old place by 2:00 and waited around the school till I was able to head to my place. I wasn’t in the apartment by myself and ready to unpack until around 7 in the evening. As you can imagine, I didn’t get too much done since I had to get ready for work the next morning. Since I moved on a Saturday and had to figure out a new timing routine for getting to and from work, I wasn’t able to get much cleaning and unpacking done. Actually, my place still isn’t exactly organized to the point where I want it at this moment -_- Its nice enough though.
Anywho, another factor that hurt my available time to be at home and take care of ish was that work was particularly busy. I had a lot more paperwork than usual and other small factors gave me less time than Im used to in order to do it. Thus, I would go in early or stay after later (actually doing work) to make sure I didn’t fall too far behind (and I wanted to scoot as quick as possible on Saturday). The week ended up going by quickly and it wasn’t until Friday evening that my apartment was livable and ready for any guests I would want to have. No worries, it all ended up working out.
On Saturday, I was able to get out of work quicker than usual and enjoyed . . . wait for it . . . yes, a date. And that’s all I’m gonna say bout that here (ok . . . it was really nice) =P Then on Sunday, a group of students and staff from the school took a day trip to Disney Sea over here. It was a wonderful day. I was actually really surprised at how beautiful the park was. Any description I give it really won’t give it the justice I want to, so I will just leave it at the fact that I strongly suggest anyone go there if they get the opportunity to come to Japan. A very beautiful and happy setting for a good day in here ^_^
Monday was the catch up day. I had to go to the government building and register the fact that I moved and have my new address printed on my alien registration card. I also took a trip to pick up some things at the store I had needed for the apartment and hadn’t yet been able to get. Other than that, I did the laundry and enjoyed the snow during the evening . . . That’s right . . . it snowed finally . . . and I loved it ^_^
Work has been more or less the same this whole time with just one concern; MY KIDS ARE QUITTING. By the middle of the month I will have said goodbye to 7 of my kid students since November. They all say that they are quitting cause of cram school and busy schedules and I understand that, but can’t help but to be a little bummed out by it. If I had been better, would they have been more motivated to stay . . . I dunno. A couple of them, I am a little happy to be rid of, but I will miss the others dearly. I wish them luck in their lives and hope to see em again someday.
Well, I have once again made this long enough. I’ll give you a break now haha.
Sorry it took so long!
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