So this past week has been quite productive and interesting.
First off, congratulations to me! Looks like I will be staying for sure in Japan and my current city of Utsunomiya for at least another year. I landed another job at a different company. Although my current standing at Amity is okay, I feel I can't go on another year if I stayed with them, so I went off looking for another place to work. Low and behold, and luckily I might add, I was able to find work elsewhere. My new place of teaching will be at a YMCA. Yes, an actual YMCA, but in Japan. I'll be stationed at the East Utsunomiya YMCA, which means I'll have to abandon my west-side neighborhood and live amongst the east-siders. Hopefully it will be okay. I'm anxious in many ways, yet comforted by the fact that 1) I won't have to deal with my current employer's bull shit, 2) I have a new M-F, 3pm-9pm (only) schedule, and 3) I have 12 weeks off throughout the year! Although when my 12 weeks off occur is already pre-scheduled, it's still totals to 3 months of paid time off, not including normal holidays, weekends, and having only a 25hr work week. Quite a steal, don't you agree?
Second, I have to mention something that occured during this week that will make me miss my students even more. I was ending a lesson with a student I started teaching only a few months earlier, a 3 year old named Shizuku, by singing a routine goodbye song, when she started to cry. Her mother (who is in the class with her) asked her what her problem was. My japanese may suck but I understood why she started crying when she explained, and I was deeply touched. I think I understand children's Japanese the best, maybe because my level is that of a child's! Hahaha. Anyways, she pretty much said something in the likes of, "WTH!? Class is over? I don't want it to be over!" Her mom and I had to comfort her and compromise. We were able to make a deal and limit her demands to just one more song. It was crazy heart-warming. For moments like that, I appreciate my job and especially my students. It makes all of the other shit I had to go through seem worth it. And for students like her, I will definitely miss working at Amity.
Third, withing the course of this week, I have been able to have glimpses of the bigger picture. I've been able to see how much I've grown personally. A bit scary, if I may say, to see the personal progress accomplished within the lengths of a year. Let's hope the growth doesn't stop nor heads in a negative direction. I know I'm not getting any younger, as young as I may be, but a smart person knows that there's only one thing that goes up, and never comes down. I'll let you come to your own conclusion on that one. ^_~ "I am so smart. I am so smart. S-M-R-T! S-M-R-T!"
Well, for now, "Hakuna Matata, Bitches!"
First off, congratulations to me! Looks like I will be staying for sure in Japan and my current city of Utsunomiya for at least another year. I landed another job at a different company. Although my current standing at Amity is okay, I feel I can't go on another year if I stayed with them, so I went off looking for another place to work. Low and behold, and luckily I might add, I was able to find work elsewhere. My new place of teaching will be at a YMCA. Yes, an actual YMCA, but in Japan. I'll be stationed at the East Utsunomiya YMCA, which means I'll have to abandon my west-side neighborhood and live amongst the east-siders. Hopefully it will be okay. I'm anxious in many ways, yet comforted by the fact that 1) I won't have to deal with my current employer's bull shit, 2) I have a new M-F, 3pm-9pm (only) schedule, and 3) I have 12 weeks off throughout the year! Although when my 12 weeks off occur is already pre-scheduled, it's still totals to 3 months of paid time off, not including normal holidays, weekends, and having only a 25hr work week. Quite a steal, don't you agree?
Second, I have to mention something that occured during this week that will make me miss my students even more. I was ending a lesson with a student I started teaching only a few months earlier, a 3 year old named Shizuku, by singing a routine goodbye song, when she started to cry. Her mother (who is in the class with her) asked her what her problem was. My japanese may suck but I understood why she started crying when she explained, and I was deeply touched. I think I understand children's Japanese the best, maybe because my level is that of a child's! Hahaha. Anyways, she pretty much said something in the likes of, "WTH!? Class is over? I don't want it to be over!" Her mom and I had to comfort her and compromise. We were able to make a deal and limit her demands to just one more song. It was crazy heart-warming. For moments like that, I appreciate my job and especially my students. It makes all of the other shit I had to go through seem worth it. And for students like her, I will definitely miss working at Amity.
Third, withing the course of this week, I have been able to have glimpses of the bigger picture. I've been able to see how much I've grown personally. A bit scary, if I may say, to see the personal progress accomplished within the lengths of a year. Let's hope the growth doesn't stop nor heads in a negative direction. I know I'm not getting any younger, as young as I may be, but a smart person knows that there's only one thing that goes up, and never comes down. I'll let you come to your own conclusion on that one. ^_~ "I am so smart. I am so smart. S-M-R-T! S-M-R-T!"
Well, for now, "Hakuna Matata, Bitches!"
