What's with the internet?

In six days I'll be at a year in Japan. Right now I'm in Takatsuki, a city in between Kyoto and Osaka. I'm at a two week training for my third job in Japan. In a week I'll head back to Tokuyama and move into my third apartment.

I've spent the past week in nine hour training sessions, enduring long commutes, and eating コンビニ "convenience store" food because there's nowhere to cook and nowhere I can eat. I am a little depressed today. I didn't leave my hotel until 2pm. I stayed in bed watching a Japanese show about these four year old kids whose parents had them walk to the local supermarket and buy a bunch of stuff and try to walk back, alone. It was so sad, I was crying. One of the kids had down syndrome.

I also spent about 40 minutes this morning trying to think of the word "autism." I just couldnt remember what it was called. I kept picturing those little colorful puzzle-piece bumper stickers, that say, "Fight ----!" I thought it started with an "I." Then, I thought it probably started with an "A."

So I went to Kyoto after all this. I forgot my sunglasses and iPod, so I was pretty miserable. It was really sunny, so my eyes were tearing up, and I had loads of eye makeup on.

As soon as I got to Kyoto station I was exhausted. The thought of looking at one shrine or temple was totally unappealing. I really just wanted Mister Donut. I walked around a bit, not having a map or destination in mind. Finally, I returned to the station and found a Mister Donut. I ate two donuts and bought a $4 peach iced tea. I now have zero yen.

That was Kyoto.

Last Sunday I was in Nagoya, that day-trip was a lot better. I visited two art museums, went to an organic vegetarian restaurant, went to Starbucks, watched street performers. It was a nice day. I have some drawings from that that I'll probably scan in a few weeks.

Other than all that, I've been working on an illustration project for a woman in New York, eating a lot of sugar, and thinking about the future.

Letter of Resignation

Dear Boss Lady,

I regret to inform you that I'm leaving (your company). It is with reluctance that I'm submitting this letter. I have enjoyed working with everyone and have learned a great deal, and my departure in no way reflects badly on the company. Although my time with (your company) has been, on the whole, satisfying and productive, for quite a while now I have become less and less satisfied with the work situation. The split schedule, work load, and the living situation are making it increasingly difficult for me to continue here. Please be informed that I am resigning as of ８月３１日. I'll be happy to help train a replacement before I go.

Sincerely,

ジェネットラングミド

(Taken straight from the first Google result for "resignation template")

Full

I just ate Indian food in Tokuyama! It was amazing. It was the best meal Ive had since Ive been here. I decided one of the cooks is my new boyfriend.

So, we still havent been paid. The President of the company is missing. And now it's getting real, when friends say they have no money for coffee and they literally have none. I'm still looking for jobs, I have a lot of work to do with that, but they're turning off our internet soon for lack of payment, so that will make it very difficult.

If I dont quit my job and the company goes bankrupt I will receive 80% of the wages due to me in 6 to 12 months. And then I dont know if they'll deposit that into my bank account, or mail the money, and to where. I dont know how I would access the money outside of Japan. I dont know if I should keep going, or devote myself to finding new work full-time.

My belly is full and happy.

Fake Sick

I didnt go into work today. I called out sick. I decided today will be better spent finding a new job and doing some laundry.

The situation is bizarre. They're closing massive amounts of school, teachers are being relocated, quitting and going home, or finding other work. So no one would give a shit if I left. It would help them.

Even when I called out sick today, I had to call the Osaka office. Osaka is far away, but that's how this company works. I dont have any managers to fight with, give ultimatums, or ask questions.

There is this one guy in Hiroshima who's like my boss and possible knows that I am not getting the salary advance I was promised. And I fully intend to bitch him out over the phone next time he answers. Because they havent send me any notes telling me that money isnt coming.

That's another thing about not getting paid yesterday. The company didnt say shit about it. Monday we received a fax that pay would be delayed until Friday. Friday came and went...?

I realize now I'll have to really focus on getting a new job, even if September's pay comes through soon. And then there is always October's pay to worry about next month (a much fatter check for me). I know I will get paid eventually, but I need to make sure I can survive in Japan long enough for that day to come.

(Not to mention my stack of unpaid bills in the US I was going to take care of with my advance.)

A friend, and one of the teachers at my school is booking her ticket back to England this weekend. My roommate doesnt plan on working past October 31st. She said she'd travel and go back home.

And I really wanted to go to Iwakuni on Monday, to get some Tex-Mex food and see some old bridge.

Ok, no more blogger, time to send out some frikkin resumes.

Hmmm...?

I didnt get paid today. When they said we'd get paid.

I cant afford to live. I cant afford to change jobs, I cant afford to go home.

I dont know if I should go back to work tomorrow.

Why I Like My Job

I like explaining random American things to the students for no reason whatsoever. Like today I was hungry and asked a woman if she'd ever had Mexican food. She said no and I spent fifteen minutes telling her all about tacos, burritos, and guacamole (I'd say something like, Avacado. You understand? Ok. Smash. Add ingredients, for example, salt and lime.). But the best part is I get to draw while I'm talking. There was a whole Mexican feast on the paper by the time I was done.

I taught someone else about Thanksgiving. That was tougher than I thought it would be (remind me never to bring that up again). I talked about it while drawing turkeys, pilgrims, indians, the May Flower.

And I explained to a sweet, shy woman how to make hot chocolate and smores (I just ran with marshmallows). And made her promise she'd try it and report back. She giggled. I drew a campfire scene.

One thing I dont like about my job: today was pay day. I got no pay.

Hiro Wrap-Up

Im back from my training in Hiroshima. I wrote a bit while I was gone and took some photos of the super depressing A-Bomb tourist traps. You can see more photos on my Flickr page.

24 September 2007
Well, the euphoric phase ended abruptly. I shouldn’t have wasted all my serotonin on the first two days.

I don’t want to complain. I don’t want a complaining blog. I want to share all the wonderful and bizarre stories of life in a strange new land. But, c’mon, it’s me. As I mentioned before, I do feel a bit isolated here. I blame the lack of internet access as well as all the obvious. I feel like I am talking to myself in my head all day. I need this blog to communicate. Even though Im not online right now I am typing this on my Word program.

An internet addiction is a hard thing to break.

I need time to work all the kinks out. I am under a lot of stress and haven’t figured out my routines yet. I like routines.

After training today I went out with the other newbies to get food. I ordered rice and a “salad.” We parted ways after that (they’re mostly all living in Hiroshima) and I took the street car back to my area. I like knowing how to take this random public transit. That’s really fun.

I went back to the apartment I am temporarily staying in and took off my heels and slacks. Here, even when I dress up I feel like a slob. All the Japanese people dress so well. After changing into my jeans and mumbling a “hello” to my co-occupant I headed out on the town. I had no idea where I was going. First I went to the internet café, and to elaborate on the story with the Australian man who sat next to me, after he showed me how to switch the kanji off he asked me if I was working in Hiroshima. I said “yes” and then he invited me on a cruise on the 14th. Woa. I told him I wasn’t from around here and heading back to Kudamatsu. That shut him up. Why cant I have a non-creepy interaction with someone? You know, like “Wanna go get some coffee or a beer?” Maybe he works for the cruise line, I don’t know.


view from Hiroshima apartment

So I left the café when he was in the bathroom and wandered around Hiroshima a bit. I couldn’t really find anything interesting, so I stayed around the station. I bought a little notepad and pencil and headed for a coffee shop to draw. They actually had soy lattes so that was excellent! I was pretty exhausted and only did a few scribbles. I was feeling bored. So I stayed about an hour then headed back to the apartment.

I contemplated just going in a random direction and getting lost, but I do have work tomorrow. A partner in crime right about now would be nice.

Training is kind of intense. I mean, the work isn’t hard but the semantics of the lesson plans are a lot to memorize. The speaking English part is a breeze. Tomorrow I’ll be teaching my first lesson by myself. Im not too worried, but I do get nervous if Im being observed.

So the company is pretty shady with a few things. You get paid for 44 minutes every hour; a forty minute lesson with four minutes to prepare. But there is no way you could pull all the files, pick a lesson plan, and get yourself together in four minutes. And they know that. It’s sad they don’t just pay you for your whole work day. But it is a salary, so no matter how much work I do in between I get the same pay. But when you’re asked to come in twenty minutes early to plan it really is unsettling. Maybe that’s just my American attitude. At past jobs you weren’t allowed to even help a customer after you punched out.

Yesterday, when I was traveling to Hiroshima, I was having massive panic attacks about work. I took a pill, didn’t help. I heard some more stories about how the company is in trouble. I was already feeling really stressed out because I had to repack and take a bunch of trains by myself and start this new job. I thought I was going to vomit. Walking to the station with my suitcase was torture, with sweat pouring down my face. When I got to the Kudamatsu JR station I had to drag my bag up a ton of stairs, and then go straight down another flight. While I was doing that my bag began to turn, and it would have twisted my wrist around had I not let go. So my suitcase went tumbling down the stairs. Girls giggled. My laptop was inside. I started crying later while I waited at the Tokoyama station. Maybe I wasn’t crying, maybe it was sweat.

As far as my worries about the company as a whole, and my pay, Ive started to feel a lot better. Ive talked to a lot of people about it and it has put me at ease. The company is closing 200 branches this month, but they aren’t kicking the teachers onto the streets, they’re transferring them to other schools, and just kind of consolidating.

Plus, I found out I am at an advantage, because I have a fresh new work visa. Teachers whose visas are about to expire would be more at risk for getting the boot, people say. And at a certain point if the company collapses Id be eligible for unemployment!

25 September 2007
So day two of training was intense. I taught two full forty minute lessons by myself. The first one was a bit rough; it was only one student, a teenage girl. She went through everything super quickly and I had trouble improvising activities for her to do to fill the rest of the time. At the end of the lesson I asked her if she had any questions and she started giggling and told me she’d just had the same lesson right before! Luckily (since I was being observed), I spinned it super positively and told her, “Oh well, that’s great! Now you’ll have no trouble if you’re ever in this situation!” It was another teacher’s error that caused the repeat, but I handled it well and the student understood the mix up. The staff at work are very concerned about student satisfaction and want the student to return.

I went to dinner and had some pasta and coffee with co-workers. When we got back to training I started feeling really sick. Like, I was gunna puke. I excused myself and I kind of had a cold sweat and was totally dizzy and nauseous. I had my next lesson in twenty minutes. I couldn’t focus on preparing at all. I was just trying to keep myself together. And my supervisor was observing this one.

I told him I didn’t feel well, and that I may just jump up and run to the bathroom at any second. He was cool with it. I think people just get sick when they move to another country, you know? But I actually had a great lesson. I kept everything on track schedule-wise, and was really personable with the students. We made some jokes and I kept them laughing quite a bit. There were definitely things I could have improved on, which may not have been an issue had I prepped more. But all-in-all I feel confident in teaching. I taught the two girls in that lesson what “indie” movies and music are (totally useless information).

Oh, and Ive completely forgotten how to speak in a Boston accent. Im not kidding. I was trying to do an impression for my coworkers and I completely blanked. I tried to channel Lauren, and how Id talk if I was with her, but I couldn’t think of anything past “pahk the cah” and “it’s wicked hahd.” Ive been hanging around too many Brits and Aussies.

So tomorrow is my last day of training. When I get into work I have about an hour to prepare two lessons, which will be back to back. Then I have another two lessons later that day. And that’s it. Thursday I go back home and I begin work Friday.

I hope to do some sight-seeing and picture taking Thursday before I leave. You know, so I have it on record that Ive been to Hiroshima, and never have to come back. Actually, I think I come back in a few days or weeks or months for kids training.

Yeah, so… I blog about my workday. Super-fun stuff, eh?

26 September 2007
Ive been here a week, today.

It could be a lot worse. Please, tell me miserable stories so I can think about how great I have it. It’s the rumours that are killing me. Giving me terrible stomachaches and sucking the fun out of all of this.

I guess I have a choice: a) start looking for a new job and do all the hard stressful work that comes with that but garuntees I stay in Japan or b) go with the flow, see what happens, and if it all goes to hell buy a ticket home.

So why wont my anxiety go away?

For the last few days all Ive been surviving off of 7-11 food, coffee, and rice. I don’t mind, because I don’t have much of an appetite, but I think it has a lot to do with being in someone else’s apartment, not knowing where a grocery store is, and working eight hour days. I could really use some fruit.

I cant wait to get back to Kudamatsu tomorrow. I found out that my schedule has been changed and I’ll be working all my shifts at The Mall. Kinda cool, because it cuts my commuting time down to about five minutes, yet I wouldn’t have minded getting a little further away from home every once in a while, into Tokoyama.

I haven’t really been watching a lot of TV, but I flip through sometimes. Today I saw a show that was teaching French to Japanese people. It made me feel like I was fluent in French.

Random stuff about Japan: I cant understand a word anyone is saying. I fell in love with a train conductor this morning (he may have been slightly mentally incapacitated, I couldn’t really tell). People bike on the sidewalks. The schoolgirls do wear those sailor outfits. There is always the sound of the click-click-clicking of a woman’s heels behind you. You can tell a foreigner from a block away [from behind, in the dark] because we walk completely differently (the Japanese have a lot of bow-legged men and pigeon-toed girls). I have yet to see a robot (unless you count the people). Seriously, dudes, Hiroshima isn’t that cool (Osaka was amazing). Men of all ages stand in rows at 7-11’s reading comic books. Some of the girls here are so shockingly beautiful you want to throw yourself off your ninth floor balcony in a bout of self-pity. There is no soap or paper towels in the bathrooms evah. People here get really, really fall-down drunk. I’ve seen quite a few Japanese people being carried out of bars.

Everything is efficient and everyone is perfect, from the trains to the coffee shops. As soon as you stand up someone is there to bow and wipe your table at a café and written notes of apology are handed out if a train is ever late.

Some problems that may become bigger problems: today I was looking for a “Pepto Bismol” anti-nausea type product and stood in the aisle for literally fifteen minutes, and left the pharmacy empty-handed. I did figure out some products for heartburn, diet aides, and gas, but nothing for nausea. I was scared to just try something with a picture of a sad tummy because I couldn’t be sure it wasn’t laxatives. Would hate to take a few of those before work.

I am really tired. Im heading to the Peace Memorial Park tomorrow afternoon, before I catch my train back. Lots of pictures will be taken, I promise.

27 September 2007

My new attitude: enjoy all this while it lasts (meaning: go out drinking a lot).

I went to the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima this morning. Not a super fun place to visit, as you can imagine. It was really depressing reading about children being burned to death. But it was pretty, I just wish it wasnt so hot and I wasnt rushing to catch a train. I am a terrible tourist.


Schoolgirls around the Peace Park


A Boat Restaurant

Oh, and please, only encouraging comments. Im really stressed out enough. Lie to me and make me feel better. And my computer still doesnt work, Im using my roommate's. She's downloaded Skype, and you should too, so we can talk for free!

"Konnichiwa, Bitches"

Jon has bought his ticket to visit me in December! I am super excited!

So I bought some instant drip coffee stuff, so I kind of have coffee now. The soy milk I bought tasted horrible. Maybe it wasnt soy milk.

I went to an electronics store last night and the laptops were all super cheap. I guess it would be cool to have a machine with kanji capabilities? After work settles down, and I know my branch isnt closing, I may try to buy a new computer (I feel bad stealing my roommate's all the time). I would need help figuring out all the specs though. I have time.

We're going to try to get an internet phone, so we can call the US & Canada wicked cheap. That would be rad. Seriously, Ive been doing way too much typing, and I havent even begun to describe what it is like here.

Last night the Aussie-across-the-hall-neighbor, Roomie, the English girl (I need to make better nicknames) and I went and played pool (I sucked) at the only place to do anything in Kudamatsu. Saturday night and it was hopping (not). There were a few Japanese people there playing, with really stern dedication, we were all loud, laughing, having some fun. Then we went to the video store and rented Dodgeball, which (for obvious reasons) I had never seen.

I want to post a video tour of the apartment later today. Stay tuned!

Four Days

Today is Friday and I leave Tuesday. No better time to start blogging about my move to Japan than now.

I don't know what's going on with the company Im working for. I'll admit, I didn't put much research into where Id apply to. I knew of a few people who used them to teach English in Japan. They survived. That was good enough for me.

Maybe I should have been skeptical when twenty-two days after I received my rejection letter I get a phone call from their Boston office asking me where my paperwork was. Apparently I did get the job and a "database error" caused me to spend those twenty-two days in one of the deepest depressions of my life.

Once I knew I got the job, on June 22nd, there was a lot of paperwork and waiting around. They were late with letting me know where I'd be moving and teaching. I didn't get that information until September 11th. With an apology attached.

Then on Wednesday they called to confirm I had my work visa and yen. They also let me know that due to something-or-another in the Japan office, my $1,200 salary advance would probably be delayed four to six weeks. I expected to get it after two. And of course at this point I have no way of getting together a couple of extra hundred bucks.

Then, there was this morning. I leave in four days. All my stuff is in boxes at my dad's house. I quit my job. I spent over $500 on new "professional" clothes. Im wicked busy with a million things to do (as you can tell by this super ugly blog). I get a phone call from the Boston office telling me they heard some of the teachers weren't paid on time this month. The man on the phone suggests I wait a month to leave.

What?

I cant wait a month. I don't have a job. I have a ton of bills. I already said goodbye to people.

Thanks for making me feel super confident about my flight to Japan. This isnt going to help my brand new stress-induced-adult-onset acne. I totally don't expect anyone to be at the airport in Osaka when I land. Hey, maybe if Im lucky the whole company will go under the day I arrive.

EDIT (I just received this email):

Dear Jeannette,

I refer to our conversation this morning. I informed you of our concerns about adverse speculation regarding [the company] which may affect your plans for travel to, and employment in, Japan.

We asked you to consider whether you wished to:

1) Continue with your current employment process and travel plans; or
2) Delay your departure to a future date until matters are satisfactorily clarified.

In our view it would be prudent to delay your departure pending confirmation by [the company] management that adequately responds to the adverse speculation.

In any case, we suggest that you take the precaution of bringing additional funds with you.

Would you please confirm, by return email, your decision to continue with your trip in order that we facilitate your arrival and employment in Japan.

We would be grateful for your prompt reply.

We sincerely wish you the very best.

Regards,
Satan