What can I say? It's a busy life. It's a lot like being a goldfish these days. I'm so consumed with the moment that there is little time to reflect about the past or ponder the future. It isn't a bad thing per se, but it does lead to not up loading pictures or blogging.
I don't think I've blogged for a month, so here's the short summary:
April I came back from the country school and back to my old stomping grounds in Shinkoiwa, where I lived my first year. It's full of neon and grim. There is a Japanese word, "natsukashi" which describes when something reminds you of a former time. It's similar to nostalgic but doesn't necessarily refer to good old days but rather just that kind of blast from the past intruding in the present sort of feeling. So going back to Shinkoiwa was a lot like that. Nearly 30 classes a week kept me busy as well as cleaning up the wreck the previous teacher left. It was great for my Japanese, though. Of course I still spoke only English in classes but all communication with co-workers slowly migrated to Japanese. I used my 45 min commute to study pretty effectively and I felt that my level really jumped.
The three weekends between the cherry blossom extravaganza and Golden Week were full of drinking with co-workers, going to a Couch Surfing beach party, a mexican dinner party, indulging foolish karaoke tendencies with my out of town buddy Matt, my friend Richard coming back into town and bumming around, and more stupid karaoke with other friends who are stupid enough to drunkenly start fights with strangers.
There was also a nasty cold and a few days at a different new country school thrown in. just for good measure.
Then there was Golden Week, a week vacation or 9 days out of Tokyo, with Joe, tramping all over the place. lovely.
then back to work, which was a tough change of pace. then another crazy weekend with a Thai festival, more singing, a wander through Kamakura, and hanging out till last train with friends.
Then there was setting up for the new teacher, and starting at a new school--where I am now-- north of Tokyo on the coast. Ibaraki prefecture.
Then there was a fun weekend in Osaka with Joe.
and then the bro and cuz arrived in Tokyo.
Then there was crazy training and management nonsense at work. It's weird that I train people, give them advice, give them feedback or criticism. It's weird being a role model. I feel very unqualified at times. but yeah. it's certainly never boring.
and then 4 days to bum around with the bro and cuz as they drunkenly beat boxed everywhere we went. good times. adventures included all my favorite places in Tokyo as well as a former student taking us to the Tsukiji fish market, where I was so blown away I didn't take any pictures.
and this week has been work up in Ibaraki and this weekend I head to Kyoto to meet Joe and then the boys and have more adventures.
When you ask if someone is really super ridiculously busy in Japanese, you literally say something like, so you are busy all the time everyday? At first I got a little confused when people asked, "are you busy everyday?" because sometimes I do have a day when I only do laundry and then go out for dinner or something, so... no, not everyday... or at least not with work... errrrr. but perhaps that's just part of the Tokyo lifestyle. perhaps that's part of what I'm learning to do here.
and I am getting enough sleep most of the time. and I am pacing myself. and I am tired some days and energetic others. It's a whirlwind but I take it one step at a time so as to not get too overwhelmed. such is my goldfish existence these days.
I'm not as busy or stressed up here in Ibaraki and want to blog individually about so many of these things (with all sorts of beautiful pictures!!), but not tonight. Tonight I want some sleep and perhaps a walk in the morning before work.
