Taiwanese Students and Figuring Stuff Out.

I was running a little late this morning, so I threw on a suit (quick, easy and looks professional - probably the easiest and fastest when you're in a rush... especially for Japan). Anyways, I just sat down at my desk and suddenly, the smell of cigarette smoke sort of wafted over in my direction. I was looking around to figure out who it was coming from (we have a "secret" smoking room at school and all of the men that sit around me use it)... and then I realized... "omg, it's totally me. I am wearing the suit from Halloween!" I was outside or on a packed train on the way to work this morning and in a rush, so I somehow didn't notice it until I got here, but I totally forgot to get the jacket I am wearing dry cleaned after the Halloween party(Scully's FBI attire) and grabbed it in my half-woken state. You can't smell it unless you're really close - like wearing the jacket- and I have another blazer in my locker here which I am just going to throw on (mostly so I don't gag at the smell and the kids don't ask too many questions)... but yeah, pretty nast. Probably shouldn't post stuff like this on my blog, either, but I found it kind of funny. Just not my week.
Taiwanese Students
Today is already Wednesday. Time is flying... Things have taken a turn for the busy although I still sort of feel like everything is out of whack. I sort of function better going 100 mph (as Megs would put it... I know you feel, girl), so it's probably for the better.
As I mentioned before, we had a group of students visiting from Taiwan on Monday, so the week began with a running start. I didn't have too many responsibilities for the guests this time around, but was busy with classes all day and then went out to dinner with the Taiwanese kids and a few members of our staff on Monday night. It was kind of funny when I first met the kids, actually (although maybe not-so-funny for being an English teacher at this school). Our school had assigned a group of third-years to escort the visiting students around, and I went to watch them play basketball after school, during club activities (ie sports practice).
Well, I barely stuck my head in the gym when the designated "escorts" (my seniors) came charging at me. They were apparently having trouble communicating (the Taiwanese kids spoke English and Chinese, of course, but not Japanese) and wanted me to translate. I have had some of those boys in class and I know they would be fine with English if they tried, but I think it was a shyness factor. I told them to try, but ended up translating for them (sigh...), then got bombarded with picture requests from the guests for the next 10 minutes (it's still really strange when that happens) and showed the kids the kendo and ping-pong clubs before we had to leave for dinner.
The plan was to go to dinner at the Fish Market at Harborland (in Kobe) since the Taiwanese students were staying nearby, so I arranged to meet someone in the city after dinner (since I was going to be there and wanted to go discuss an upcoming charity event with a venue in Sannomiya, anyways). Well, I was pretty surprised when we all boarded the bus... and then pulled up at a yakiniku place near where I live. I realized the plans had been changed and noone had told me! I had totally changed my plans around based on the fact we were going to Kobe (including skipping J-class...), so I was a little annoyed, but in the end, though, dinner was fun. The Taiwanese group ended up letting me hitch a ride to the city on their bus, so I got in pretty easily and had a little more time with the visiting students, too. I swear, though... why does this stuff always happen to me? My life is like Seinfeld.
When It Rains...
So I arrived in Sanno, got the big details for the January event worked out with the bar manager and waited for my friend. I talked to the manager and then made friends with the two other guys at the bar while I was waiting, one from France, teaching French, and the other from Italy, teaching Italian. They had really interesting stories and sort of looked more like gangsters more than teachers, so it kept me occupied.
When my friend showed up, he was pretty upset so we left right away. I was really sort of startled and worried at first, and then he told me his father had had a heart attack the same day (and he had found out about 2 hours earlier). I still can't believe he came out to Sannomiya on the same day he got that news from home, but I am glad he did when he probably needed someone to talk to and just get a hug (since there is a definate lack that in this country... and yes, his dad will be ok, btw... whew).
Makes You Think...
There have actually been a lot of things going on lately that have put family and the fragileness of life into perspective. I got an email from Katherine (who is truly like a sister to me) last week, saying that her dad (who has also been like a father to me) was going in for some tests to explore a suspicious lump. There was a 30% chance it wasn't cancer, but the tests came back with bad news, and I got another email from Kat on Monday asking for prayers and support as her father was facing cancer. That one hit me hard. Another good friend's dad was diagnosed this year, but he was pretty quiet about it and the treatment is going well... but Katherine's parents... that is a little too close to home. I grew up with that family. Anyways, a coworker reminded me that you CAN fight cancer, so I am just praying and staying updated. The Bucka family is in my thoughts, but I also sent my parents a message... it makes you realize how much you have to appreciate and I think I am going to try to start showing that more. If you haven't in a while, hope this inspires you to call up those you love, too.
My bike
Anyways, I left my bike at the express station since I was meeting the kids and returned home yesterday to find bike was gone. Japan is a safe, safe place, but bikes do get stolen a lot here. I got a few dudes from the okonomiyaki place next to the station to help me look and give me information on the impound lot (in case it got towed... there's no official bike park at this particular station), but I had to get home to meet a delivery and didn't make it back to the station in time to talk to them about where the bikes might have been taken. Crossing my fingers it wasn't stolen, but not freaking out yet.... just sort of a long week. Sigh.
Even with these big things happening and a 'bout of bad luck recently, though, I have definately been out of it for the last few weeks. So I am under the general belief that you can truly do whatever you set your mind to. And I think people think I am a little crazy sometimes because I am willing to bet on that fact, but lately... I don't know... it's all about motivation and drive... and mine has just been uncharacteristically lacking. (mostly referring to the Japanese test...). When I got back from America, I was pretty upset about all the expat drama that goes on here, but now... it's like I don't even care about that either. I am not sure how much has to do with stress or being mentally preoccupied by applications and this Japanese test, but I really think it might be from being sick and, thus, not being bale to run (basically my stress-reliever and meditation). Hmm. Maybe it's only being busy? Maybe I'm getting more mature? Maybe I'm just tired? I don't know... but it definately just feels like a funk and I'm ready to be done with it. I think India will be good medicine for this (climbing in Nepal, too), but wish me luck on kickin' whatever this is and getting at least a little quality time in with the textbooks before the test... not a complete slacker here... yet.

Alright, I'm gonna try to get some notebooks and stuff done, but more later. We're doing the second part of a class on immigration with the I.S. kids today so that should be good, too. Mori Sensei brought in a lot of pictures from visiting the immigrant tenements in New York City and stuff.

This is slightly random, but I'll leave you with two quotes from one of our handouts from that class, actually, one from a young immigrant boy coming to America via Ellis Island. I can sort of relate, but also shows how easy we have it (as expats) compared to people who struggled for so many things that I now take for granted (like langauge ability and support in a new country) for their survival. I love that my kids are affected by and love this stuff. Anyways, enjoy:

"I was the one who always went to the gas company to complain about the bill. And I was the one who dealt with the landlords, the real estate agents. i coudl read the contract or the lease and speak English. I became in a sense a sort of junior father of the family." -Immigrant Boy

"Ellis Island -- you got thousands of people marching in, a little bit excited, a little bit scared. Just imagine you're 14 1/2 years old and you're in a strange country and you don't know what's going to happen." - Albert Mardirossian, Armenian immigrant