Visiting Japan :-)

My mom recently came to visit during her spring break from school. Since this was her 3rd visit to Japan I found it much more difficult to plan things because she's already seen quite a lot.

It all kind of fell together in the end. My boyfriend's mother came from the most southern tip of the main island of Honshu just to meet her. The meeting of the mother's really was a bit epic. I have some wonderful pictures to share of the two days that we were able to do things with "the moms."

The first day the weather really was horrific. We spent most of the time in and out of cafes and restaurants just to keep warm!

This was a lunch stop where we could warm up and enjoy some Chinese food. (Minus one camera man!)

We also went to a funky art exhibition in a place that used to be an old warehouse. It was so cool! And since it was a student exhibition, it was entirely free! Here's some of the art:

There's more to be told, but the pictures say a lot... and I'll post more later!

My mom's here!

So, my mom is here from the States. We have had a really busy schedule so far. The day mom arrived, my boyfriend's mom also arrived. She had really wanted to meet my mom and so she came up all the way from her home in Shimonoseki (a 6 hour train ride - on a fast train!).

Last Sunday, we all met around 11:30 am at my mom's hotel room in a place called Sakuragicho in Yokohama. The weather was horrible. We spent the day walking a short distance and then going inside for a warm-up and then going out again. It was pretty intense and cold!

That evening we had a lovely formal dinner at a restaurant called Scandia. It was amazing! All of the food was delicious, but what was also important was that the setting was nice and also quiet. I was doing all of the translating that day... and in order to facilitate things I needed to be able to hear. The restaurant was perfect for that.

Pictures will follow... I have to get them off my mom's camera! :-)

A mistake.

I think I made a mistake.

I chose a job based on certain information and expectations and then I let myself (I was sitting there and just let it happen!) be hoodwinked. Here's what happened.

I decided that I would look for a teaching job around December and interviewed for two positions. In one instance, the company lost the contract with the school and consequently I didn't get the job. In the second instance, the company is led by someone who prepared me for an interview with a school, really seemed to understand what I wanted out of teaching (a M-F position being one of those things), and the company has a curriculum development division which would be an exciting new direction that I could take.

I was offered a job with the second company for a three day position (I should have smelled a rat when the days weren't specified up front). I was also led to believe that I might have a choice of teaching for the other two days of the contract or doing curriculum development.

I went in for a contract meeting. The three day position is Tues-Thurs-SATURDAY!! (Don't want to work Saturdays!!!!) I let the guy at the company justify it to me and end up signing the contract while specifying that if possible I would like to work the other two days doing curriculum development. (I've been handed a shit deal from them, so that was the least I could expect, right?)

Well, I received an email from the man at the company today asking me to teach at a completely different school on those other days and if I'm able to interview on Friday or Saturday. (I think that people must not value their free time or OTHER people's free time after a long enough stay in Japan!)

I feel like an idiot. I feel like I've made a mistake in taking a contract from this company. Though they have a development side that interests me and they have a unique and supportive approach to teaching, I think I let myself be hoodwinked into a contract that I really am beginning to regret.

Good things about this situation? I'm only under contract for one year. If I stick out a year, I get a small bonus at the end. At the end of year, I can say - I hate working Saturdays and will not do it another year, thanks.

But I still have a sinking feeling that I've made a mistake and still don't know how much I will regret it since the school year hasn't yet begun. Eek!