If you’ve been following my blog recently you might have noticed that I’ve been going home pretty early every day. It’s a weird feeling to go in just for a few hours, but getting paid for the whole day. Since I took my vacation just before the official spring vacation, I feel a little bit like I’m double dipping.
On one hand I know that I’m going to be working hard soon enough, and that I put in extra hours normally, more than my contract stipulates. I also know that after next year I’ll have to get another job, and I’m sure they won’t be so cavalier about leaving early.
On the other hand I still feel a little guilty going home early – people I know ask me why I’m not at work. Other teachers are still at work – why am I going home?
Today I thought that I’d work a little later. Keep in mind that I don’t really have any pressing work – I’m way ahead of everything and ready for classes. At lunch time I went over to the cafe next door with the history teacher and Watanabe sensei. He continued to hit on her – enough to make me slightly uncomfortable. She’s a grown up, though – she doesn’t need my help.
After lunch I was hanging out in the teacher’s room studying, and the vice-principal came by to say hello. He’s a really cool guy – he knows about Kuniko and my upcoming marriage, and he’s really excited. He’s also got my back when it comes to telling Mr. Hayashi about Kuniko – just in case. He had this funny smile on his face, and he said discreetly, in English, “It is the afternoon, so you can sneak out.” I thanked him and we joked around a bit in English – he was an English teacher and he really enjoys chatting.
I gave it about 20 minutes and then left. On my way out, I was walking down the hallway and I caught the principal of the school taking off early too. He gave me a look that said, “I won’t tell if you don’t…” and we said goodbye and left. My school seems to suffering from a guilt complex, but we still get the work done.
Once I got home I spent some time doing research on just what exactly I’ll be doing once I finish up on the JET program. There’s lots of information on the web, but I really have to sift through it to find good information. Looking through what’s out there you see a lot of garbage, horror stories, rumors, and flat out lies. What’s it really like getting a job in Japan? I know that it won’t be easy, and I’ll be working a lot harder than I am now for the same kind of money. Add in the idea of supporting a family, and it sounds pretty daunting. I’m just trying to figure what I can do right now to put myself in the best position possible.
For dinner I cooked up some leftover beef and made a big thick beef, cheese and onion sandwich with lots of hot sauce. Delicious.
Kuniko said that she may end up at my place tonight. Tomorrow she doesn’t have to work, and tonight is her welcome party at her new school, so she might be pulling in here pretty late. I’m looking forward to seeing her, even if it’s just for an hour or two before bed.
