KONNICHIWHAT!?: It's getting a little chilly

There are times where I feel like I've just updated this blog and then there are times where the days simply get away from me and I haven't posted an update in weeks. This is obviously falling into the latter category. For those that check this blog on a regular basis looking for news, I apologize for being so lax about it. However, I can't promise my blogging behavior will get any better because the moment I do, I'll end up only posting once a month.

Anyway, things on the work front have been pretty chill to be honest. I had to do some coverage last Tuesday at one of my least favorite schools, and to add a cherry to that doodoo sundae, I had to teach JT lesson's. Us NT's are in no way trained to teach those properly so it always just ends up being a day of games with the kids. Even my boss says to just try and have fun with the students. There's been a lot of NT's having to cover JT lessons these days because we're simply short-staffed with Japanese teachers. It's becoming a real pain in my native arse. To detail my day at this particular school, I got off the bus to witness quite a scene at the intersection with a car having flipped on it's side. There were police everywhere (luckily the accident happened just across from a police station) and people involved were looking genuinely shaken. I snapped a few pics...classy, I know. After preparing for my lessons at the school, the first lesson beings, students are doing their writing and in comes a little boy around 15 minutes late. With him enters a woman who apologizes for being late and starts taking her shoes off; getting comfortable basically. I'm like, "are you this boy's mother?", to which she replies, "no. haha. I'm the new JT for this school, here to observe your lessons". Now, those that know me know that I hate surprises...especially work-related surprises and this was indeed an unwelcome surprise. No one told me that I'd have a visitor observing my lessons that day but I instantly flipped the, "F it" switch and told her, "well, I'm here covering JT lessons, to which I have no formal training in, so don't expect much. Certainly don't expect a proper JT lesson". Luckily, she was a cool person with a good attitude about it all and she spoke really great English having spent a number of years in the States. As expected, the lessons were basically just me playing games with the kids but doing my best to have them speak English throughout. Sometimes you just have to wing it I guess.

This upcoming week is a bit different because it's Halloween lesson week. I was originally scheduled to be teaching Halloween lessons at the same undesirable school as mentioned above, but fate smiled upon me and I won't be going there. I did, however, plan for these lessons by ordering a costume of Mario (of Super Mario Bros. fame), and I think it looks pretty solid. Since I'm not going to be teaching lessons with it, I may just walk around town with it. That could prove interesting and rather entertaining. That's right, Halloween is right around the corner and while it doesn't mean much to me, the weather's rapid change certainly does. The days are super comfortable and I'm diggin' 'em but the nights are getting downright chilly. I need to buy a winter jacket before the real cold hits or I'm screwed. My winter jacket from last year is worthless because the zipper broke. Lame.