Bummer. I wasn't able to make it to Nagasaki last weekend. Last weekend Goto experienced some formidable weather with strong winds, high waves, and even some snow. The jetfoil was cancelled and while I believe the ferry still ran, my teachers weren't comfortable leaving Goto in case the weather got worse and all boats ended up being cancelled. Instead we met for dinner and karaoke and had a fine time!
One cool fact is my teacher's call our monthly/bimonthly get-together a "Will Party" (ウィル会). It is very flattering and honestly my co-worker does the planning: she coordinates the time and location; I just show up. Yet who is to say the teachers would meet up for dinner without my suggestion? After all I suggested the idea of monthly dinners during a work party last fall and we have enjoyed several dinners together since that time. Accuse me of arrogance but I'm going to accept calling our dinners as Will Parties!
Speaking of parties tomorrow is going to be one hell of an event. Back in November my mentor Dan, co-worker Tsutsumi Sensei, and three Sakiyama students went to Tokyo to present information about Goto's English program. I finally got my hands on a recording a few days ago, watched it, and was incredibly impressed! Everyone did really well. Included in the presentation was an invitation to come to Goto. Evidently the Ministry of Education enjoyed it because they accepted my school's invitation and sent a representative to visit my classes tomorrow. Needless to say I'm going to bed early tonight (for once). It should be a straightforward day no more difficult than any other observation class but I can only imagine the anxiety my co-workers must be feeling right now!
In other news, my half-marathon is in ten days. I'm not ready but it's too late to make any significant training changes at this point. All I want to do is finish under two hours; that seems to be a reasonable goal from what I've heard. While I was at the gym, I hyped up the Spartan Race to a friend, Hanagawa-san ("Flower River"); he said he is very interested. Singapore was always a long-shot but there is a Sprint coming up in Tokyo in late May. I think I will do it but it would be fun to have a friend along for the race so if he's in, I'm definitely in. We will see...I say the odds are about 50/50.
I'm six months in as a teacher and I feel really comfortable. More importantly my students and teachers are comfortable with me. I understand my teachers' different teaching styles, the expectations and environments of my different schools, and my students' abilities. It feels great! Nothing ever lasts of course which isn't cynical as much as it is realistic. The end of not only the semester but the academic year ends in March and with it comes reassignments for some of my teachers. They won't know until perhaps a week or two before the beginning of the new year. I'm told schools are exceptionally chaotic during that time. It will mean saying goodbye to friends as well as welcoming new faces. No doubt there will be plenty of parties around that time too. Yay!
I'll stop there but will follow-up later with a post about tomorrow's action and other stuff. This has to be a record as one of my shortest posts.