And now, for the rest of the week.

J79 Tuesday, June 12th 2007

So, that was last last Sunday. Monday was spent...uhh...resting. I attended Brush Club, the kanji practice lesson organized and run by the other foreign teachers in Hitachi. After that was the Japanese Lesson, also run by the same group of people. We all get together and practice our collective Japanese knowledge, filling in the gaps with what we know. It's terribly useful, and I'm remembering a lot more than I thought I would. My kanji is getting a little better, too, though I really need to practice it.

Then the next week was somewhat business as usual. It was Counseling Week, where my students come in for counseling instead of classes. We talk to them about their strengths and weaknesses, and we suggest courses, materials, and study habits to help their progress. Sessions are short, only half an hour, and every day I had easily double the amount of break that I normally do. It was a relaxing week at work, all things considered.

The only thing of note was my manager requesting I come in a few hours on Monday to help pass out fliers at the nearby university. Now, a quick bit of info for the uninformed: when your Japanese boss asks you to do something, they are not actually asking you. They are telling you, but they are being polite. So, despite my want to *not* work on my day off, I agreed. Arguing would only make me look bad and unreliable in her eyes, which I'd rather not be considered.

Come Saturday night, as always, I headed out to G-Bros to enjoy drinks, gyoza, and good company. The night was enjoyable, and much fun was had. Many drinks were consumed, songs sung, and games played.

Sunday I wanted to go exploring again, but the weather was overcast and poor. I struck out anyway, but found myself rapidly drained of energy. The rain sucked the life force right out of me, and I didn't last long. I managed to find a media store nearby, called Fooding Zone (though it did not sell food). I found a nice video game/DVD/music section and bought a discount movie, Grasshoppa 4, a collection of short films and animation. Home I went toward, but heavy rain forced me to find cover in the nearby Sakura City department store. I decided to kill some time in the arcade there, slaughtering legions of zombies in the copy of House of the Dead 4 that lived there. I attracted a crowd as I played, as foreigners almost always do when playing a game in public. I did rather well for myself as things go, but some of the bosses toward the end are nearly impossible to defeat without dying once or twice.

The rain had stopped while I waged war against my undead foes, so I bought a few groceries in Sakura City's basement (which is like a small Kroger) and headed home before the maelstrom started up again. I watched a few segments of Grasshoppa and set about downloading some more media for AMV projects. I've gotten inspired, and I think I'll finally have the time to devote to the hobby of amateur video editing now.

Monday was beautiful. Bright, clear sky, and big puffy clouds. Not a raincloud in sight. I was up and awake early, and I headed off to work. We grabbed a taxi to the University, having to keep our big sign wedged between our selves and the front seat. We passed out fliers and tissues for the better part of an hour and a half. When we got back to the station, where my school is located *and* where the taxis idle waiting for passengers, I came back home and started writing these blog entries.

Then I had to get to my lessons. Brush Club, then the Japanese lesson. Starting at 2 and ending at 7, they're leisurely but informative, with plenty of space for breaks and food. I came back to my apartment again in the evening, recuperating after the mental exertion. The gang was gathering at G-Bros again for a quick drink, a sort of end-of-weekend farewell until next week. Several of the group have their weekend just starting now, actually, which is sort of funny to think about. I got back by 11, fixed myself some riceballs, and was asleep by midnight.

And now, as always, I must grab a shower and get to work. I have to prepare for my lessons today and tomorrow before the day is done, and the school opens in about 45 minutes. Time to dash!