Swine Flu, Elementary Schools and Me.

Let's kick this off on a personal note: I'm sorry I haven't been updating like I know I should. It seems that since I got back from Vietnam and Cambodia, I hit the ground running and haven't stopped to rest until now. Last night, I slept 13 hours. Today, my plans are to finish reading a book, possibly take a bath, and if I'm feeling extremely productive, I'll do a little laundry. I anticipate a full recovery.

Speaking of illness and recovery, have you guys heard about this Pig Flu thing (please read irony into that comment, as I realize how poorly irony can travel in print)? Well, if answered that you had heard of it, you're in step with everyone in Japan. It seems to be the only thing people can think about lately. I heard yesterday that Japan is suffering from unprecedented shortages of facemasks (commonly worn when sick or to defend against infection) around Tokyo. The emphasis was initially placed on quarantining Japan from the outside world at the airport, involving screening people for potential symptoms and placing them into quarantine rooms. Since quarantine failed (several cases were reported around Osaka), they've moved the emphasis to domestic prevention. Hence the mask sell-outs. But, there's another possibly-unintentional effect; the fear of gaijin. As Swine Flu is seen as a foreign illness brought into Japan by foreigners, every gaijin is under suspicion of carrying the disease. So, I've been asked at least once every day, at every school, not just if I had the flu, but how it was going. A friend of mine came back from a trip to India and brought with her a stomach ailment, and her school forced her to take an entire week off from school! Yesterday on the train, when I sat down, the two people on either side of me put on the surgical masks.
It's a hard time for the gaijinl; once universally loved, now universally distrusted. We shall overcome.

Nigel and I have progressed through two weeks of the new elementary school schedule, and initial findings would indicate that it's not as terrible a plan as they could force upon us. For instance, Minami was notorious for a five-class schedule every time paired with an extremely critical English liason. This teacher, Ms. Frowny had a personal grudge against one specific game, the "basket game" and if one so much as mentioned it, it illicited a quick response of "That is a bad game. Think of a different one." Well, Ms. Frowny got knocked up a few months ago and is away on maternity leave now. Of course, personal differences are nothing compared to bringing a new life into the world, and I wish her nothing but good health and good luck.
But, holy shit, I am so glad she is gone! We're only teaching three classes a day, which is much more up my alley, as I have time to plan and enjoy everything rather than just run from one class to another all day. And guess what my first lesson plan was? Fuck yes! The basket game!

Of course, there are still problem schools, but they seem few and far between. And in fact, the new principals seem just as upset at the BOE for not communicating to us or giving us our teaching supplies as I am, which is wonderful news. One new principal even rolled his eyes, and said he'd call one of the Big Boys to arrange for us to get the 6th grade English book. So, everything is looking up with just one exception: I'm leaving soon.

As the weeks of elementary school are flying by, and I'm managing to be so busy while standing still, the list of things I have to do before coming back home isn't getting any shorter. But that stack of To-Dos is going to have to wait, at least until tomorrow. For on the 24th day of constant activity, he rested.