Notes to Myself

Thanks

Kansha - Thanks, gratitude

From the heart with thanks.

Move On

It's funny how things can change in such a short space of time. With the end of school I started to wonder whether it was a good idea to continue into the new academic year with a new contract. I've been having some personal problems and hadn't been enjoying school like I'd hoped to. Would there be a career more suited to me?

Someone very close to me who doesn't normally come across as mature said some very insightful things about personalities and the workplace when I mentioned teacher-teacher communication. I agreed with everything she said but I do believe it's hard to change who you are.

If not school, then what? Searching for a job with a month or two left on your visa seems a little tough if you want to try something other than teaching and your job experience wasn't too extensive before arriving in Japan. Or is that just a lack of confidence?

So, cut off all ties in tears and head home? Things might seem easier that way, but in the end similar problems will be waiting at home. Why waste good relationships and a small life you have made for yourself? To find better things?

Hmm, I need some food and sleep.

School Farewell

The inevitable farewell speech awaited me at school this morning. This 'aisatsu' business should becoming a familiar event after visiting so many schools now, but they are few and far between and I always get nervous.

I'd prepared a very short speech in Japanese and wrote it out in case I might blank out. When I arrived at the teachers' room there was a strange feeling in the air, or was it just me? The chime rang and the teachers just sat waiting, nobody saying anything. Normally the head teacher next to the vice-principal moves proceedings along to the year group morning meetings if there is no big news.

Of course, I was expecting somebody to call my name for me to say my little speech. But it didn't happen. After a few seconds of silence the 3rd year next to me said, 'What is this strange atmosphere?' before deciding to start the 3rd year meeting. Had I escaped?

Later in the morning one of the English teachers finally realised that it was my last day and I was asked if I could say my speech at the afternoon teachers' meeting - it is held once a week but just so happened to be today because of the public holiday on Monday. So I had to wait. When the meeting was about to begin I searched for the English teacher who said that he'd accompany me. He was missing... well he had gone on alone.

During an afternoon class the sky took on a very strange dark yellow colour. It looked almost as if the windows were tinted. That kind of sky is very rare. The teacher mentioned the weather in English and several students commented on the 'maji yabai' sky outside. I proposed it might be the end of the world (I recently saw The Day After Tomorrow). Or was it just the speech?

At the meeting the principal decided to say a few words on my behalf and he decided to praise me on my Japanese ability after passing the level 2 Japanese proficiency test. Everyone clapped. Then he claimed that I could have a normal conversation in Japanese, even though we have never really spoken in Japanese because of his great English. Just great - there was me holding my crappy little 3 line speech on a piece of paper. Talk about setting somebody up for a fall.

In the end I did my few lines without the paper but with a distinctly nervous voice. As usual I got embarrassed and couldn't do the Japanese bow - I hate it but I do the old 'head nod' which is probably worse than not moving at all. To my surprise one of the English teachers presented me with a bouquet of flowers - if no one had remembered it was my last day I wonder where they came from. Still, it was a nice touch.

Another small era in Darren's Japanese experience ends battling the rain holding armfulls of stuff.

Sweets Forest

Five minutes' walk from Jiyuugaoka Station in Tokyo, Tokyu Toyoko Line you will find Sweets Forest. It's a collection of the most delicious looking cake and ice-cream shops inside a magical colourful looking forest with fake trees and pink leaves hanging everywhere. It's a really cosy place. I tried a cheese cake stick and boy was it good!

This was my first visit to Jiyuugaoka and I thought it was great. On the Sweets Forest side of the station (the only side I visited) the pace of life felt much slower than other places in Tokyo and there are plenty of shops to wander around.

> Sweets Forest

Kimono Boots

'Ah, a young lady in kimono wearing heavy duty Dr. Martin boots,' I thought to myself. Whatever next?

Warm Current

Danryuu, Warm Current

Strange Feeling

The phone rang at 11:55pm and I woke up. After a short conversation with my family back in the UK I tried to go back to sleep but then a strange sensation started. The closest word I can think of to describe this sensation is 'headache' but this was unlike any headaches I have experienced before. It was more of an uncomfortable, unsettling dizzy feeling which ran in a rough semi circle from just in front of my temples up to the top of my forehead. Any sleeping position I tried couldn't shake the swaying feeling I had. Today I woke feeling fine but soon after a small pulsing pain started. My throat also feels really odd. What is wrong with me these days?

Tissue Mistake

Wouldn't you think if you were going to make the effort to travel for over an hour to get to someone's house they'd have the decency to tell you before you got there that they were feeling too sick to see you? Catching a cold but thinking some sleep might perk you up by the time your visitor comes is all very well, but perhaps you should play on the safe side and not risk wasting so much of someone's time. Well, that's all I can say.

On my way home some guys were handing out tissues. I passed one guy then decided that I'd gratefully accept the next pack of tissues offered to me. In but a few seconds another man approached holding out his tissues with an outstretched hand. I realised a little late but reached out to accept his generous offer. But just at that moment he looked at me and presumably realised I wasn't in his 'target market' and snatched his hand away saying, 'sorry.' Agh! Some days you just want to end as soon as possible.

Kimono Fare

If you have a kimono and live in Kyoto you might be able to save some yen!

> BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Kyoto rewards kimono wearers.

No Subscription

When the doorbell rang I knew I shouldn't have answered. If it is someone I know then they'll call me first. It could only be someone wanting something. I answered, inspite of my instincts. It was a man trying to sell newspaper subscriptions.

I thought that if I said I couldn't read Japanese then he'd shuffle away quietly but he quickly offered me the Japan Times. Don't these people represent only one newspaper? 'No, thank you,' I repeated endlessly. But he kept on... 'The first time is free... Free service... Just one month??' 'No, thanks.'

He used the most pityful face and made it hard for me to slam the door in his face (when have I ever done that?). Then he started wondering whether I was living alone - looking for someone else to flog his papers to. He gave up, but I give him credit for a good fight.

Two Tickets

The Odakyu-sen (rail) has a pre-paid card called Pass Net which is convenient because it saves you the hassle of having to queue up for a ticket every time you want to catch a train.

What happens when your ticket is down to something like 10 yen which won't let you through the barriers? I used to think I was 'in the know' because I knew that I could put my Pass Net back into the ticket machines and use the remaining credit to purchase a normal ticket.

On the ticket barriers there are little stickers indicating that you can put two tickets through. At the same time? Yes. All you have to do is stick in your old Pass Net along with a new one into the barriers, one on top of the other: the remaining credit on the old card will be used up and the remaining fare deducted from the new card. I wish I'd known about this a long time ago!