7 Days and Counting

First, as an addendum to my last entry: the day of the storm, Tokyo recorded its highest-ever wind speed, 144 km/h. In Chiba where I live (okay, actually I live closer to Tokyo but I'm trying to score points) the winds were recorded up around 172 km/h. There were 5 wind-related injuries, hundreds of flights were cancelled, planes were re-routed, ships ran aground, dogs and cats living together, etc.

So I officially have one more week in this place. I can't say I'm really happy or sad; all I feel is a low-level sense of dread at having to move all my belongings yet again. And of course, the now- familiar feeling of not having a job or a place to live. I have a couple of offers, but none of them is really satisfactory (there's me looking for the perfect situation again)...

Anyway, I have a week to clean up my apartment. As I've only been here 3 months this time, I haven't accumulated too much extra stuff. I should be able to pack up everything I brought with me, and then mail home everything else I've bought or received since arriving. Sigh. Another box to add to the collection of boxes I am storing in Lindsay... I look forward to that glorious future day when I will finally be able to unpack my boxes and arrange all the useless doo-dads I've collected over the years on my very own doo-dad shelf. What a day that will be!

I have a lot of other stuff to do between now and then, like prepare student reports and grades, instructor reports, contracts for next semester, job applications with other companies, and a million other things I'm forgetting right now. The thing that makes all of this doubly stressful is that I have completely run out of money, and I don't get paid until the 16th, one full day before I leave. That's going to be one hell of a busy day...

Tuesday of next week, my students have arranged a final party for the members of our English class. Of my 65 students, about 40 have signed up so far, so it should be quite a bit of fun. But now my students are hinting that they want me to come up with games or activities for the party. Argh! I have absolutely no idea what to do, particularly not for a Japanese party. I wonder if we can rent a karaoke machine...?

Anyway, as I mentioned, I have been offered a position to come back here in April of next year. I think I'll take it; this was a really fun job, I will be more familiar with the area, I'll be able to jump right back into things with much less of an acclimatization period next time. Well, that's the general idea, anyway. So really, maybe I should say "4 months, 7 days, and counting..."