Job hunting.......

 Got really boring really fast....Sigh.  Not very many interview requests.   Funny how it seems like all the businesses are desperate for people but not for me...

Gas prices are getting insane too, though not having to go anywhere helps me with that bill.  Hear people are trying to steal gas, and one unfortunate thief caught fire in the process.  Hope people are keeping safe and away from crazy stuff like that.

Still crazy dry here too, though we're very grateful to the rain we got monday.

Lawn mowing may not be a big deal because of that, though the problems we're having with the belt for the riding mower is not helpful regardless.

That's it so far...

Wow...

 It does not feel like April...I'm back in the US but missing friends in Japan.  It snowed today, and I had a job interview.  Nothing like seeing how my driving skills are after two years...But I was fine.

Getting a flight home and all the fun paperwork stuff to leave was a looonnnngggg process.  Still have two things I didn't get taken care of before I left.  One's not a big deal, but the other I have to wait for contact.  Figures....

I hate job hunting....so I've been breaking it up by cleaning.  Though I might get in trouble for that....

Bored right now.  Sigh...and alone, but I've gotten used to that...mostly. Snow melted already but definitely cooled things back down.

2021....

 And that year kind of flew by...hard to believe it's January 2021.  I know it was hard for everyone, though I think I didn't have the problems I see a lot of other people have.  At least I still had a paying job with no big impact on my income.  But I am a single in a smaller apartment and not a lot of bills.

Still in Japan too, which I still think is doing better at containing this virus madness than most places. Not that they haven't been hit.  I'm stuck at home outside of work(sometimes work at home too) because of it.  Meh...

Flights are not helping either, trying to go home in April(ish) and it's way more than last year.  You'd think it'd be cheaper to encourage people to fly but whatever....Have a credit for a flight and the cost so far is more than twice my credit.  Rather not pay more than I did originally for the same flight.

Raining a lot this week, heavy last night so I didn't sleep very well.  My parents tell me it's snowing there but they're worried about a drought(snow is where the summer water comes from) as it still isn't much.

Hopefully everyone can feel safe and happy as this new year goes on....I'm just bored most of the time.

They are Stalking me...

 Crazy mosquitoes.  Went to a barbeque sleepover with some of my ALT friends during the break in July.  Got home after noon the next day and had mosquito bites on both legs and both arms.  Figures...no one else got bit.  Got bit in the forehead twice at work before that, and once on the elbow after.  Went out for an hour yesterday and got bit at least once.   I swear they wait long enough for the last batch to go away(however long it takes)and then go after me again.

Was able to get the sacrament yesterday with the help of a nearby bishop and his son, so I didn't have to go all the way to Tokyo even though I would have enjoyed the social interaction.  But I can get some of that here.

My parents and siblings are sick, which makes me nervous given what's still going around.  Been all week, so that's not helping my concern.

Two week break started this weekend, but I'm stuck in the prefecture where I work by request of my company.  Just have to find some local sites to visit so I'm not bored in my apartment the entire time.

Hear of crazy things all over the world lately.   Explosions in Lebanon, famines, and so on.  Makes me wonder how all of this will play out.... 

Angel Teachers

I was talking to a friend and fellow ALT the other day and we got into the subject of teachers who really helped us growing up.  I know of a few who really helped me through the years, so while I won't name names I'd like to mention them somewhat and how they helped me.
1. My third grade teacher who spent hours after school with me to help me master long division, as well as helping me earn money to buy a musical instrument(I'm sad to say I don't recall it's name, though I know what it looked like) so I could join the rest of the class in learning to play it.
2. My fifth grade teacher who decided that instead of our usual indoor recess activities we could try writing stories, which led to the teacher and my classmates informing me I had a talent for creative writing.  Funny how I don't like ghost stories but that was what I wrote...
3. My 7th grade English teacher, who later was my 8th and 9th grade French teacher.  They knew when students needed to get up and move, and how to keep them learning while doing it.  I may not remember much french, but I remember the stuff the teacher had us do to remember tricky stuff.
4. My 8th grade english teacher, who had us try writing poetry about ourselves, and told me they wanted copies of mine after I turned it in.
5. My high school creative writing teacher, who played music during writing time(which always helps me even now) and made sure to challenge us as often as they could.
6. The college literature professor who told their classes that the students should not be expected to read the teachers mind.  So they almost required us to turn in the term papers early in order to find out what they wanted from us.  Plus they gave us extra credit and advise for doing so.  Glad they taught almost all the literature classes I had to take.
7. The college math teacher who let their students redo tests and homework for extra credit and practice, thus allowing me to finally pass the required math class.
8. A ward member who was also a teacher that stood up for me when I was trying to get back in student teaching.
9. My mom, who taught me life skills like cooking, cleaning, shopping, and caring.
10. My dad who taught me to drive, make special desserts, grill, fix a car(kind of, I think I've mentioned my muscle deficiency in that area) mow a lawn, plant a garden(mom helped there too) and watch my finances.
Probably missed a few, but these were the ones that came up during the conversation. 
Have to wonder if they are still teaching with all that's going on...

Humid....

Had a small earthquake Thursday morning.  The usual kind that startles awake but doesn't break things.  Woke me up before 5, and my phone alert went off.  Then some kind of city alert was going off so there wasn't much chance of going back to sleep before my 5:30 alarm.  Sigh...Did make for fun conversation topics in the lessons and after school though.  Learned the word for earthquake in Japanese: jishin.  Got a long conversation with some students about it after school before the VP walked up and told the students they had 'good english'.  Given it took a bit for them to catch what I was asking and the VP came up right after the light bulb moment when we all got on the same page it was kind of funny.  Still cool when that happens.
Switching between schools is fun and yet crazy.  Have to make sure I have all my stuff at the end of each day as I'll need it the next.  Keeping track of which class is where in the lesson is tricky, with six or seven in each grade and they might be in the same chapter or on the same page but not the same section.  Sigh...got a notebook to write down each one just to help me keep track a bit better.
Had dinner with a fellow female ALT after work on Thursday as we got paid this week.  They were feeling a bit antisocial and trying to break out of it.  Spending three months stuck at home doesn't help...at least they have a pet.  I don't get that luxury.
My Japanese understanding is steadily improving but speaking and kanji are still slow.  Muzukashi....(hard in Japanese)
Humid and warm today, which means I'm sweating even though it's only mid 80's.  Did laundry this morning and even with the cold water I was hot. Figures.  Get rain every other day too, which only contributes to the uncomfortable factor.  Oh well.
I pray everyone is staying safe and following precautions as summer starts up.  Not that I get one.  With the shutdown we work through July and half of August.  So our summer is two weeks in August.  No speech contest so no practice sessions.  Sad but I understand.

Am I

Annoyed or amused?  Kind of hard to tell.  First I get to go back to work this week, which means I'm no longer stuck in my apartment most of the day.  But then the teachers are busy and I still have next to nothing to do.  The company who hired me asks me to check my temperature before I go into work(and not go if I have a fever).  And I've been trying to get a thermometer for the past month with no luck.  Ask for suggestions and everyone seems to respond like they think I haven't looked (or asked, which I did that too) or even know what it's called in Japanese(I have a dictionary for that...).  Had to order one online.
Which is another thing.  Ordered the conference ensign almost a month ago and am still waiting on a delivery date.  Thermometer was due this coming saturday, they delivered it yesterday.  Why do some delivery companies use my drop box and others make me ask for redelivery? Sigh...
Funny part about the thermometer, the instructions are all Japanese, and the reading is Celsius.  But the on/off switch is English...
Went to the school I started at today, and one of the teachers noticed I'd lost weight since last year.  They then asked me if I was okay...Guess losing weight might not be such a good thing right now...  Kind of funny though.
At the school I go to Monday through Wednesday, they don't really talk to me much, though it was getting better yesterday.  Work with three teachers there but only heard from one about lessons next week.  Still tried to plan stuff just in case.  Did get to do a quick self intro with the whole first grade, long one next week.  Also help clean the teachers room and main entrance after the students leave(have to sanitize everything it seems) for this week at least.  Tried to say goodbye to all the students as they left so they get used to me.
The school I go to Thursday and Friday almost everyone greeted me and several talked to me(VP even gave me a note that if I was having troubles I should talk to them).  Even though there were no real lessons, one teacher had me do a very short self intro to one of the 1st grade classes and help intro phonics(not fun trying to speak up wearing a face mask, kept slipping down and getting in my mouth).  Also got to farewell the students as they left.  Cleaning was more involved, helped a teacher clean a classroom-sweep the floor then sanitize the desks, chairs, and door knobs(well, not knobs, but I don't know if they'd be called a handle or something else.  they don't stick out).  Took most of an hour.  Laughed inside as there was a very annoying mosquito buzzing around the teachers room after that.  I tried to squash it but missed.  Flew in another teachers face as a third encouraged me to try and get it.  Of course I lost sight of it after that.  Don't know if anyone got it.
Trains are busy, but I can tell that less people are riding than usual.  The train in the morning had all the seats full, but it used to have plenty of people standing too.  The afternoon train had open seats, but some people were standing anyway.
Hot and humid in the sun, but a nice breeze in the shade.  Figures...