04/25/2009: "Stuffed raccoons make surprisingly nice pillows"

I am tired. So very, very tired. I haven't actually woken up (and stayed up) at 7am since I was in Korea, nearly 4 months ago. But the high school I work at was having a medical checkup for all the staff this week and wanted me to get checked out. At first, it was an off-hand suggestion. "Hey, if you want to do it here, you can.", which later turned into "Hey.. uh.. yeah, you really should do the checkup." It's helpful to remember that there IS a right answer to offers and suggestions in Japan. I intended to go anyway (can't turn down a free medical checkup!), but.. yeah.

So, this meant I had to come into work an hour early on Wednesday with a plastic vial of my own urine (which I had to obtain from a paper cup and then suction up into said plastic vial.. not an experience I enjoyed). Arrive, and hey! The nurse is busy and asks me to come back the next day. That's good and fine.. except that I now am stuck with a plastic vial of my urine in my briefcase for the next 5 hours. I know, "Throw it away". But there are no trash cans in restrooms here, and the next choice is in the teacher's office. Not something I really want to just kinda toss in the trash. So.. yeah, had to stick that one out. Show up early on Thursday, she collects my papers, and sends me on my way, asking me to come at 8:30am on Friday for an xray.

The problem is that I don't do 8:30am. Sure, I used to work from 7:30, but I was done at 4, or 6 at the latest. On Fridays, I work until 9pm. That's a LONG day. I also hate going back and forth just to wait, so after my xray and eye test, I went to the office I'd be in all day. I arrived at 9:15am, and I left there earlier tonight at 9:30pm. In an office with only 2 rooms, that's a long time. Since I have a key, I let myself in, locked the door behind me. Free until 1pm, that's quite awhile with not much to do and no internet access, so I pulled all the curtains shut, grabbed a raccoon stuffed animal as a pillow, and slept for an hour and a half in the office.

Anyone who thinks an English teacher's life is glamorous should read that line over 3-5 more times. Fun? Sure. Great for stories? Definitely. Glamorous? Not by any definition of the word I'm aware of (and I'm an English teacher..!).

After that? I studied for about 2 hours before heading out to teach some kindergarten kids. Came back, taught some more, and finally got home a few hours ago. Long day. Loooooooong day.

Got a semi-busy weekend ahead of me, then 3 days of work next week before my 7 day vacation starts. Will probably head out for some short day trips, and I'll try to take some pictures.

I'm gonna go to bed now (finally), but I'm sure I'll write more as more excitement comes into my life. I can't avoid it, no matter how much I try.

Later!


Jason

On Monday, May 11th, Robert said:

Jason,
You have me rolling with the sarcastic comments. I can hear you speaking so clearly in my mind! Personally, I would have confronted the old, Japanese condo police. I always argue with the Spaniards. What a world! Take care of yourself.
robert & ingrid