The weather hasn’t quite decided to change to fall yet – yesterday was as hot as summer, although it stayed cloudy most of the day. In the evening a heavy rainstorm came through, but I was on the train home during the storm, and by the time I arrived at Okubo station it had passed. So now umbrella required – nice.
Most of this week I am recording exit interviews with my students, which is nerve-wracking for them but a little repetitive for me. At the end of this week I should have most of them done. Next week I have just two full days of work, an orientation, and the rest of the time it looks like I can take it off and recharge my batteries to prepare for the new round of students.
In true Japanese fashion, nobody told me that I have a couple of days off, and I never confirmed it, because if I ask someone if I have those days off they would probably have to go on record and say I should do some work those days because I am getting paid – so everyone involved is hoping that things just slide on through the cracks and that I keep my mouth shut and get ready for the next course. Spelling things out in Japan can sometimes work to your detriment, which is a lesson I learned early on.
Tomorrow is Friday, and right now we only have a Chianti wine tasting on our weekend schedule. I’m hoping to work a visit in to Red Spanky this weekend, but other than those two events we’ll probably spend most of the time at home relaxing (and maybe staying dry).
