The tragic misadventures of an American English teacher in England
Just wanted to get this in on the actual anniversary day but Happy Anniversary Serenity!! I hope y’all are doing something shiny to celebrate. I am getting things ready for the shindig I’m throwin’.
Keep flyin’ — Can’t Stop the Signal
You can’t take the sky from me.
Big Damn Movie Anniversary 2007
As in the creature, not the lamenting expression.
Last month or so, we heard something scuttling on the roof. We passed it off as nothing.
The other night, Rob heard the same sort of scuttling, only louder. Then, he saw a gray furred nose poke through a hole in the wall where the air conditioner had been installed. We think we may have rats.
Akemi has been super cool about all of it and bought a rat trap (non-lethal) and she wrote out instructions. My favorite part reads “another rats will come down to help its family” — isn’t that cute? They help their family out. I really liked that. It made me think of Ratatouille. I told Masumi that maybe our rat is like Remy, alls he wants to do is cook. That would be cool since I can’t cook. 
My friend sent me this and I thought it was kinda neat. In honor of the upcoming anniversary, I thought I would post it.
*sigh* I guess it’s that time of year again…the time of year where my Caffe Latte Mochas go out of season because this is Japan and they do flavors and such in season. I hate this time of year. Stupid seasonal flavors…!
Two Firefly Sundays ago, we went to Mukanna’s pad for yakiniku. They were all kinds of excited ‘cuz they got a grill and so they wanted to try it out. We also watched Surf’s Up which was surprisingly good.
Tonight we went out for sushi and I gotta say it was wicked good. It was the kaitenzushi that was on Dotombori, the same chain that’s by the house. That place is usually hit or miss for me, but tonight it was grand. I was quite happy.
Steve and I followed Mike and Anna back to the pad to watch Happy Feet — we’d intended to watch it the same night as yakiniku but ended up not having enough time. I think I like Surf’s Up more, but both movies have planted the idea that I want a penguin.
I’ve also decided that I like the public transportation in Japan. I mean, I’ve always liked it, but I took the bus tonight and it was quite easy. I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all and it made me think about Chicago and how I would never feel as comfortable.
Japan certainly has its moments.
Next Sunday: Serenity Anniversary Sunday
I had a TOEFL student yesterday and at the end of our intro, I asked her if she had any questions about the test or about what we were about to study.
“Well, not about TOEFL, but I have a question.”
“Okay.” All smiles and expecting something about her English or some such.
“Are you okay?”
Uh, weird much? “Um, I think so…why do you ask?”
“I heard that some Nova teachers did not get paid.”
Oh. That. But wow. How do I answer this? Um… “Well, I know that some of my friends still haven’t been paid and I’ve heard about others.” I ain’t like everyone else ready to knock the company. I know that sounds crazy, but I was never any good at conflict or tension. Even when it is deserved.
Mistuko went on to say she was sorry to hear that. “It’s very kind of you to think of us,” I told her honestly. I know it may sound crazy, but I was strangely touched. It felt good to know that students were thinking of us.
“My friend is very worried,” she went on. “She thinks Nova will close. But I heard we are getting a new teacher next month so I’m not worried.”
Again, I wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. I’d like to believe it’s true…but I heard some other true stories today about several instructors getting evicted from their Nova accommodations because Nova hasn’t paid the rent. One such fellow was complaining about it today, and he had every right to be incredibly upset.
To add fuel to the fire, some realizations have been made about unemployment. None of us are full time workers. So now we’re wondering what our sitch really is. One of our friends who is kinda in the higher ups is looking into it, but there is a general feeling of new uncertainty.
It’s going to be an interesting month…
I had no idea. My beloved Firefly is five years old. It seems strange to me ‘cuz I’ve only been in love with it for about three years.
I can’t say I’m gutted, this is more of a hollow feeling. There’s just a sense of loss really.
On the bright side, I got me plans for the Serenity anniversary. Now that I vividly remember. 
Keep flyin’ — Can’t Stop the Signal
You can’t take the sky from me
I’ve been rather reluctant to report on this topic if anything because like many of my co-workers, we figured it would blow over.
Well, so far, the feeling is that it’s not…
The company I work for has been having major legal and financial problems since May. There have been reports of false advertising and lawsuits which has resulted in some interesting schedules (for the better part of the past three months free periods have been liberally littered on our schedules) and rumors.
Here is an article in English from The Japan Times detailing some of the troubles.
From our point of view, or rather, my point of view, I am indifferent. If the ship goes down, then those of us who have stayed on to drown at least have unemployment coming our way. If it stays afloat, well then go team. Many instructors and office staff workers are still leaving the company. Some of the rumors are true; not just the office staff, but also regular instructors from various parts of the country have not been paid, nor the titled instructors (green tags) as of this morning. In fact, this one Aussie chick I know (Bec to those of you in the know) is one of the only TI’s at her branch to be going into work. Apparently all the others have called-in due to the lack of payment. As for the folk who have just been hired…well, I’m not sure what they’re being told. Most of us have been honest with them: find a new job or go home. Another Aussie worker I know has just returned from Australia and he said that this is big enough news for them (since so many Aussies work for the company) that the newspapers predict an influx of ex-pats returning down under within the next two months. I guess these next two months will be the deciding point of whether we even make it to the new year.
There is general discontent at the moment, on the teaching floors and the offices (LS and 19). I went out with Gunthar Rob last night after my swap and he gives it another two weeks before we’re all unemployed. This is a minor problem for the people who are still reliant on Nova housing.
I can’t say I’m optimistic, but if it goes down then so be it. I have enough money saved to continue playing about here until Christmas. I would like to find another job in Japan, but I know that is unlikely if anything because of family pressure to come home.
Too bad I never learned how to swim. At least I have a life jacket.
For a while now hotmail has been informing its users that it’s becoming affiliated with Windows Live. I don’t have Windows Live, so I figured it’s still all good. And it is. But as of yesterday the changes really started to show. It’s all weird. And…like, I don’t know…shiny…but not in the Fireflyese shiny…just like…shiny…
I am confuzzled and I hope that it will not scare me too much to the point where I don’t even want to use it anymore.
Would someone smart like Mark or some other computer-savvy type explain why Windows Live is so cool?
I’m so mad! I know I’m not much of a pirate or anything, but after last year’s misadventure, the idea grew on me. This year I was all kinds of thinking ahead — I was going to wear my shirt that I don’t like but everyone else thinks is nice and looks like a pirate shirt ‘cuz of the frilly stuff on the front and wish all my a students a happy International Talk Like a Pirate Day. I based these plans on last year’s post, which was dated the 20th. I’m a moron. It was dated the 20th because I posted about it the day after the misadventure!! I was gutted at work last night when I realized my stupidity!
Still heartbroken. Hope everyone else had a good one.
Yar.