September 23, 2019

September 23, 2019

            Being 100% honest, I was not convinced that I would write one of these this month. Life has not been good. It hasn’t been bad, exactly, either, but it has been a tumultuous whirlwind. So, in order, I was sick for the better part of…good lord, 8 weeks? Only about four days out of that were so bad I couldn’t work, but still, when you lay it all down, it was one heck of a struggle. I’m doing very well now. Even though we’re doing lots of Eiken test practice, which requires heavy use of my voice, I’m handling it well. Thank goodness for throat drops. Busy time at school has been a blessing as it keeps me busy and, in many ways, fulfilled. More on that later. I’m dealing with a personal tragedy that I don’t wish to go into here, but I’m managing, as best I can. My community around me came together to help me through some of the hard times for a few days, though it can be easy to forget they do that when the support disappears once you can stand on your own. Still, I suppose that is for the best. As a wise god once said, perhaps it is best for the people to not rely on my power. The best thing we can hope for is for them to stand on their own. More on that later, too.

            So, the big thing for me recently has been job hunting. For any interested in working in Hokkaido, the Hokkaido Insider is your inside ticket, as the man who runs it has contacts all over the island. Beyond that, I’ve tried reconnecting with an old friend who lives in Hiroshima and a few of my Chinese friends. I’m job hunting most week days for at least an hour or two. I had to update all my information and I even wrote out an introduction and a resume in Japanese. It was…an interesting challenge. Oh! And I got my JLPT test score back. I passed! Spectacular, eh? But though I want to work in Hokkaido, I have to be open to all options, since I want to stay in Japan. That’s really been one of the big problems. Choice paralysis is an occurrence in many situations where an overabundance of possibilities leaves someone doing nothing, as they don’t know the correct thing to do first, which is a bit…terrifying until you come to grips with it. For me, I had to force myself to sit down and say, “You are going to do something job related for this one hour period!”

            Speaking of sitting and working, I am trying to get my book edited. It’s slow going, as my sickness and the personal stuff knocked me out of writing for at least two months, but I am coming back, slowly. It’s been hard, at times. My days being sick left me bedridden on the weekends, but I’m finally able to go out and do stuff again and it feels great. I went to the bath house this week, I went to a number of my favorite restaurants the week before, had yakiniku for the first time in like 3 months(Again, I was sick and busy) and I went for a long ride to go get pizza. It’s all been very exciting and enjoyable. Since it’s September in Japan, we also have one of the best treats of the year, the moon/tsukimi burger, which is a twist on an egg burger in the US. It’s really delicious and a personal recommendation for the season.

            Game wise, I’m still debating the value of Magic the Gathering, as I love the art, lore, and mechanics, but it is addictive. I have to be very careful with that. I’m also juggling a switch controller repair, which has been tough because I can’t send mine in from Japan and they won’t ship to America, so…I’ve had to collaborate with my family to get the ball rolling. I also got Astral Chain, which I beat even during a power outage, thank you Switch, which is fun, but a bit too complicated for some players. I also got Monster Hunter Iceborne, which I love and is a good replacement for Warframe, which I’m on a break from again. In media news, I’ve also developed a deep love for the Moomins, which is a series that is both very old and very new, with many charming incarnations.

            Now, before I finish, I do want to take a moment and say something rather personal. I talked before about standing on your own and fulfillment and I’ve had to take a hard examination at my life when it finally sunk in that I’m…well, I’m going to be leaving the students I’ve taught for almost three years. I’m kinda thankful they don’t read this blog. I don’t want them to be sad. Anyway, I’ve seen many of them struggle, some of them misbehave and learned the quirks that make them tick and I feel the kind of overwhelming pride and protectiveness that I can only imagine must be what a parent feels. I’ve taught over a hundred, maybe close to two hundred, kids over the last three years, with new faces arriving and old ones bowing out. I’ve always wanted to help them. To give them the courage and the skills needed to stand on their own, unafraid of English or of the trials of life. Sometimes, I listen to my students share their problems and I am always reminded of the teachers who helped me through my own crises, like Brenda Williams. She sadly passed on some years ago, but it is a nice reminder how profound an impact a teacher can have on someone. My teacher saved me, in more ways than one. And I hope that I can help my students in just the same way. Whether that’s as a friend, as a mentor, or just as someone who cares. I’ll say this. I have a few naughty kids, but I don’t have any bad kids. All my students are good and special in their own ways. And I am going to miss them dearly when the time comes. Haha, I funny thought for a few of my friends in the area is, what if you stayed in Miyagi? True, it is possible. I could even come visit. But it’s not the same. I’ll truly miss them.

            I’m not sure if the message of how important this work has been to me can be properly gotten across through a blog. To often we get mired in the small stuffs, in the personal details, or just in life in general. But, I’m hoping that at least at tiny glimpse into my mind has given people an understanding for why I love this career and why I have such respect for any teacher who truly cares for their students. Now, if you please, send me what good wishes you can. If this has been a whirlwind so far, a tornado is on the horizon. Busy busy busy.