Being firmly locked down under a non-disclosure agreement I don’t have a lot to blog about when it comes to work, and since most of my time now is spent at work, there just isn’t a lot I can blog about. Every day I hear some good blog-worthy stories but unfortunately I cannot relate them here. The students were at first a little reluctant to speak, but as they get more and more comfortable with the situation they have become more inclined to speak out. More than once I’ve thought that some of the students see the English lesson as a kind of therapeutic escape from their daily grind, and the freedom of speaking a different language really helps them open up. Often students come out of the 45 minute class looking refreshed rather than exhausted.
For me it is mentally exhausting to keep the students progressing on their different tracks, remembering each person’s current project, workload, family members, and make sure the lesson ends right at 45 minutes so that the next guy isn’t waiting too long. The good news is that the preparation isn’t as time-consuming as group classes, and the day flies by quickly. And I get to talk with interesting people all day – that is a big plus.
This weekend I had to cancel a meet up with Yoshi because I caught a cold. Actually, I had the strong symptoms of an impending cold, but taking the night off from drinking and staying home, gargling iodine medicine like mad, and a ton of vitamin C saved the day. Saturday I spent staying home in the warm living room doing odds and ends, and by the time Sunday rolled around I was back to normal. Dodged a bullet, really. Sunday afternoon Risa and Anthony came over for lunch, and I grilled up a monster roast to serve with couscous and salad. Overall it turned out well, and it was great to see Risa and Anthony again. They both look the same as always, and it was fun to catch up with them. We even broke out the Wii for a little fun and games after lunch. Good times.
My schedule this week (outside of work) is rather light. I have to do a little shopping for the holidays sometime this week, and sooner or later we have to get organized and figure out what to do when we’re in Thailand. We also have to send out our New Year’s cards – luckily we are ahead of the game this year and all that is left is to write messages on them and drop them in the mailbox.
Kuniko has a few events this week, and next weekend we’ll be entertaining again, so the calm won’t last too long. I’ll try to enjoy it while I can.
