4 days before departure and I'm still glued to my laptop. I need to stop posting on Geoxpat. That's the troubles with Internet; when I was in Canada, I surfed websites about West Papua; when I was in Indonesia, I kept wasting my money on Internet cafe to check out what's happening to my friends and family in Canada; then I was in HK and I kept checking out Japan online, now I'm in Japan and I can't stop surfing HK forums...

It's ridiculous. I need to be packed by Monday and I've made zero progress in the past two weeks. I'm such a perennial procrastinator. If I don't even have the self-control to pack in two weeks, how can I expect myself to break camp early in a kayak-camping trip?

And I had to wonder how I ended up trying to cross Lamma channel in the dark...

Okay. No more posting until I've filled up my 80L backpack.

P.S.: Private Messages don't count... ^___^;;;;

I'm still sick as a dog; taught in Suzume this morning -- 60kids in a hall and 5 classes in a row! I lost my voice during my 3rd class and had to keep singing and speaking for the rest of the morning.

Then they asked me to go to the games hall for the farewell ceremony... but nobody told me there will be a ceremony! The kids were very possitive, the vice principal, principal and Kiku-class teacher each gave a speech, and the kids presented me with flowers and hand-made presents, and I was almost touched enough to cry ... except for the fact that I was frantically trying to clear my throat without interrupting the speakers. They expected me to whip up a last minute public speech in Japanese, in a hall with 200+ audiences...? And I couldn't find my voice ... (due to URTI, not nerves...)

Managed it anyway, to think I used to drop courses in college minutes before my oral presentations!

But the day's excitement begins way before the speech in Suzume. Marc, the American dude that was supposed to replace me in my company, showed up late again this morning, and explained to me that he thinks he cannot fulfill his contract, and askes me to interprete for him to my boss! The gall of him!

My boss was supposed to come with us to Suzume Kindy and introduce the new teacher to the school staff, then I was supposed to train him for today. First my boss arrived office 10 minutes late, as usual, then she tried to rush us out of the office as Marc insisted he would not come. And I had to stand between the two stubborn parties, interpreting and presenting each side's arguement... That held us up for another 5 minutes.

The whole ride was ... intensive. Both parties tried to argue their finer points through me, making sure to criticize my imprecise interpretation in the mean time. I also threw in my protests that neither party was giving me a chance to finish the statement before they cut in with raised voice... it's a VERY good thing that I worked in an emergency room for 3 years; because that 15 minutes ride would have driven any other interpreter out of her mind, I have no doubt.

Boss was ready to breath fire by the time we reached Suzume Kindy. Basically she forbids me to tell the school about the new teacher, and rushed me to run for my lessons before I have a chance to say good bye or good luck to Marc.

Enjoyed my evening classes immensely. The p4/5/6 group had a blast with the flashcard game I invented, so my ego was also inflated :) Oh, and little May (p3!) got a "job" in the TV station in Tokyo! The little minx! I'm really proud of her, honestly :)

The best thing is that most of these kids are old enough to have their own cell phones and e-mail accounts, so we exchanged e-mail addresses. In all honesty I think I will never write to them; but it's still comforting to think there is a way to keep in touch.

Now... I'm on meds again (anti-inflammatory + panadol), sick as a dog, feeling iffy and dizzy. I should lie down now...

Anti-inflammatory and Hot Chocolate

Full blown cold or flu again. Sore throat, thick, yellow mucus... yuck. Stayed in bed until I can't sleep any more, then spend the day cleaning the house and packing... took an anti-inflammatory pill, it says non-drowsy, then why am I all dizzy right now...? Maybe you weren't supposed to take it with hot chocolate...

Going back to bed now. I know I shouldn't complain, have been insomniac long enough that any sleepiness is like a godsend...

zzzzz

Under the Weather Again

Just as I thought I've already caught every bug in Kantou region, it looks like I'm under the weather again >_<

Woke up at 0700 and went back to sleep till 1145, which is very good news. Recent bout of insomnia is taking a toll on my immune system, I think.

Went to Tairaya to pick up some drinks and snacks, then went to Keiko's place again. Wiser from last week's mistake, I arrived an hour late; but was still the first to arrive.

Turns out it's a bad week for everyone. Two of the Japanese ladies from Boeing couldn't come due to serious personal crisis, like death of a family member and hospitalization. Giny also hurt her back, but she was kind enough to come anyway. Eriko was the last to arrive, because she has to come all the way from Koganei. She could have came by car, but she took the train and bus, just so she can toast to my good journey (preferably without turbulance.) She even brought a bottle of ice wine, which she knows is my favorite. She does spoil me, that Eriko! But my mind's in HK already; so I wasn't the most sociable guest. I could be the clown and live-blood of any party if I feel up to it, but today, I was rather subdue. Or rather, I made very little effort to speak in Japanese, or to speak in English slowly enough for the Japanese girls to follow. That was rather rude, since Eriko came a long way to see me off, and Keiko had spent a lot of time organizing the party. But speaking English at full speed is like eating chocolate when you're down... it's one of those comforting things that everybody needs a dose from time to time to retain sanity. And once you realize how good it feels, you just don't want to stop talking.

When I got home I was fine. But a few hrs later, I'm coming down with a sore throat, irritated sinus, and runny nose. Mucus's got blood in it. Gosh, please no, not again. I'd rather be punished with 100 push-up's and then run up that hill by Darren's house. It's my last week in Japan, please, don't make me teach with a sore throat, again.

The Cow who runs Itobunka Kindergarten

Finally gave up trying to read Murakami Haruki and Natsume Soseki. It still irks me though...

The principal of Itobuka Kindergarten is such a cow. I don't mind if she wants to terminate the contract with my company, it's not like I have a raging sense of loyalty towards my company. I've heard some rumors about the Itobunka Kindy being run by an elderly nutjob couple; I wouldn't know at first, since most Japanese social behaviors are strange by my standard anyway. But her demands are getting increasingly KY. First, she asked me to give free private lessons out of my free time; then she asks me to give flyers of competing companies to my students; and barged in on me towards the end of my lesson and ordered my students to pull out the letter from their bags to confirm that I have indeed passed on the offensive flyer.

She is completely incapable of understanding the two-letters English word, "no." She is my company's client, and as I'm paid to do a job, I try to be polite and agreeable, but where do you draw the line?

Japan is famous for her well-mannered citizens. But honestly, rude people will be rude even if they use honorifics, bow to you, and remember to say their "thank yous" and "sorry's."

What's Yours Like?

I was supposed to meet my friends at Keiko's at 1230 this morning. When I got there at 1245, I felt all guilty that I was late and all, turns out nobody (except for keiko, of course) was there =_=;;; Keiko was still making spring rolls so I just helped set up.

Turns out it's a chocolate fondue party... why am I always the last to know? No matter; I bought cake and ice cream with me, so it was fitting.

After lunch, we fixed Keiko's speakers, but turns out her DVD player can't play North American (Zone 1) DVD's. So we tried her pc, same thing. Why are they so proprietary about their DVD players anyway? Grr. Was seriously annoyed, tried to download and use VLC player, but didn't work. So we ended up watching a funny vid on the Internet about "Japanese tradition."

Giny was not impressed with the vid. She thinks all her American friends would believe all the things in the said vid and will be scared to come to Japan. All the Japanese girls (Madoka, Keiko and Manami) thought it was rather funny though.

Since we tried and failed again and again to play the DVD (The Phantom of the Opera), we finally gave up and decided we would try out my new game set, "What's Yours Like."

The categories were arbitrary enough, but if you play the game a few times it becomes too easy to guess. Anyway, my team (me and manami) won ... it wasn't really fair though, since I am the only language school teacher in the group and I play games like this for a living :p~

Brrrr, I still haven't finish packing. I've better move my lazy arse and get on with the schedule...

Finally I Got Some Sleep!

couldn't sleep at all on Wednesday night, so yesterday (Thu) I was all pathetic. Lose all the games with kids, including the memory games, and I'm usually quite good at memorizing numbers! Then went on to give Sentoku-san a wrong copy of the TOEIC test and he was wondering why he kept getting all the wrong answers...

Good news is that I got home last night and droped like a rock... turned on PC, checked e-mail, and fell asleep before even turned off light or PC! Didn't even have time to shower or even change out of my teaching clothes.

Once in a blue moon, I don't have morning lessons on Friday. Today is one of those "blue moons." Could have slept in, but woke up at 0730 anyway. Oh well, I'm sure it would come in handy when I have to break camp early to paddle ...

I spend two weeks *trying* to read two novels, one by Murakami Haruki and one by Natsume Soseki, both translated into English, and I don't know why it's so difficult. I'm still not finished with either of them, but decided to move on to read something easy for a change ... and started reading Anne of Green Gables. For goodness's sake, the child is a Cordelia-wannabe!!!

Sometimes I have to wonder why so many women wish to be young or child-like again. As an adult, I can still go back to read kids literature, enjoy it thoroughly, WHILE I have a beer and chocolate with rum, AND wake up next day to paddle a kayak from Fred's to DB. I can even completely screw everything up in school and go home without the fear of a spanking. My parents did let me have chocolate rum, even let me have brandy and strong spirits when I was a kid, but they would never let me paddle a kayak from Fred's to DB. And if I were to screw up like I did yesterday, well, I very much doubt that I would even want to sit on my sore butt in a kayak for 14 hrs.

Rich pinched MY Martlet!!

Rich just texted me about my Martlet ... err, I mean, the Tasman Breeze. I found this beautiful sea kayak on sale in Asiaxpat, was going to buy her as soon as I land in Hong Kong, and was going to christen her as "Martlet," when Rich texted me on Googlechat to gloat about it. He even told me that the kayak is too small for him but he has to buy it, knowing how I talked to Jan and was going to buy it...

I was rather cheeky when I worked for him last year, so now is his chance to pay me back in kind =_= He offered it to me though, as long as I agree to give Betty a few lessons on the water in exchange. In all honesty I will do anything for it, I will scrub his toilet for a year if I have to, so giving a few lessons seem like a small price to pay.

Moonlight Parties
I miss the hippy moonlight-explorations we use to have with Jeff and Ryan and Patric, back in the hippy town called Victoria. One of us would suddenly declare "Oh, it's full moon tonight!!" And the whole bunch of us -- roommates and schoolmates from UVic -- would drop whatever we were doing, and either head down to Caddy Bay for a canoe paddle and maybe skinny-dip around Flower Is., or, we would drive up to Mt. Douglas, and each find our route to the top with guitars on our backs and weeds in our pockets. Never touched the weed myself, but quite enjoyed the moonlight hikes.

It's a shame that I no longer live on Lamma, because Lamma to Hong Kong is truly like Victoria is to Canada.

I think I will try to organize some moonlight fests when I move to DB. But then again, DB isn't exactly known for a hippy population. Which is a shame -- we have it all. You can go for a moonlight hike in Yi Pak Au if you fancy a land route; or you can paddle to the numerous beaches in the area under moonlight and marvel at the HK lightups if you don't mind getting wet. You never know though; back in 2006, Andrew and I paddled my three-seaters out of Tai Pak Wan at night, when finished our explorations, it was nearly midnight, so we sat outside 7-11 to have a beer and something hot to eat. Another group of kids (teenagers) -- all foreigners -- were blatantly smoking pot right in front of us! You never know, maybe, just maybe, there is a generation of hippy right under my nose. I just have to sniff around harder.

That said, I am not sure if I will be very useful at fullmoon. My bloody cycle tends to sync with the lunar cycle (not surprising for a lunatic like me, I suppose.) Just this Monday, I was bleeding so heavily that I felt seriously sick -- not only was I dizzy, constantly dehydrated and had to drink like a fish, I was nausious, crammy, short of breathe, and couldn't keep any food down. What's the chance that I can organize an event...?

Yasukuni War Crimi'eros

Another typical Monday. Fusako-san brought up the Yasukuni issue in the morning lesson; I held my tongue for as long as I could, hoping to hear whether she's going to call its inhibitants "war criminals" or "war heros." Unfortunately, I don't think she has the vocabulary, so in the end, I had to ask her explicitly. I was impressed when she ducked around by saying that they are just dead soldiers. I don't suppose I can fault that.

Fusako san explained that her uncles were killed during WWII. What a coincident; my uncles were also killed during WWII, not that I've ever met them or anything. Fusako san was weeping after she finished telling her story; my eyes were also stinging a little, not because I was feeling anything for my dead uncles, but because I've read and watched too many graphic documentaries. Was tempted to compare the J-military to the Nazi, especially with the holocaust-denying snafu in Vatican right now, but decided it wasn't tactful, so I held my tongue.

Trying to practice morse again, but don't have my morse key here in Japan. So I listened to the ARRL training audios instead, and now, I am hallucinating morse codes all the time >_<

Tried another new Chuhai in the market. The Greentea + Maccha ones, 5% alc. And it's dis...gust...ting. I used to love green tea, but I think I am quickly developing another aversion now...

Just found out about IVE's seafarer program. Especially interested in the marine first aids, navigational watchkeeping, personal survival trainings, and survival/rescue craft proficiency. Not sure how much the courses cost, but will try to sign up if affordable.

And the next HKRAE is in April! O_O;;; Er, I think I will wait until Oct...

Will try to sleep now. Oh, BTW, it's full moon today.

Pratas Islands

I just remembered that beautiful sandy group of islands SE of HK. A few years ago I told Dennis that I thought they are maybe within paddling range, IF I can use a sea-anchor and out-rigger(s) to secure the kayak enough so that I could sleep in the kayak.

Well, I thought, that means the Islands couldn't be very far from HK. I looked it up in Google Earth again and whoa! It's a whooping, punishing 300km away, and god knows how much further I will have to paddle to look for the landing site.

Quick net search tells me that they are ...

• Appr. 296Km from Po Toi South.
• Administrated by China, though unclear whether it's under Taiwan or "The" Chinese gov.
• mainly occupied by military, fishermen, and researchers

So here I am wondering, if I play castaway with a HKSAR/ BNO passport in my dry bag in my kayak, would they ...

• give me a visa upon landing?
  
• assume I am a pirate (or his wench, more likely...) and shoot me before I open my big mouth...
• take me in as a vessel in distress, give me three days clearance to do my "shoppings" and replentish so that I am "seaworthy" (!?) again...
• arrest me as a refugee and impound my kayak... ;__;

Talked to Rich about paddling to the Pratas, and then another DB'er also gave me some ideas. Rich's only comment was "don't go there," Trish was more helpful, but also said I need a bigger watercraft and also offshore sailing experiences. Hmph, the world is so full of nay-sayers!

That said, offshore experiences are good to have. I should sign up for some formal trainings as a crew, but then again, my forehead is like a boom-magnet. Maybe I can find a captain who only ever chicken-gybes.

Will try to make a trip to the Pratas in 2009. Yacht or kayak would be more romantic, but I;m not above hiring a zodiac if it comes to that.

http://www.amcham.com.tw/content/view/2581/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pratas_Islands

Saying Good Bye

Had a good day today. Was so miserable yesterday even a JR-suicide couldn't make me feel any worse.

Had classes in Mizuhashi today. Told the principal that I am leaving at the end of the month, she was really warm and nice about it, kept asking if there is a chance that I might return to teach there again. Kids were also affectionate. Aoi has been shy after I got cross at her for lifting my skirt in front of the class in the Summer, but she is warming up to me again and was fighting the other kids to hold my hand and to sit besides me today. I'm touched that she still loves me. Kids are funny that way. You can screw up, over-react, make them cry, hurt them... and in the end they still love you.

Office at noon was a disaster zone. A couple of students and even a school had terminated the contract with my company after I formally informed them that I am quitting... and that is without me telling them about the shit that my company does to its employees, or the real reason why I am quitting. (Boss wouldn't let me take a two weeks no-pay-leave to visit my dying grandmother. Told me one week max, take it or leave it. So I decided to leave.)

Predictably, boss is in a really shitty mood today, kept saying bad things about me in Japanese, how that amused me!

Good thing I reminded the secretary to print the letter for Suzume today. Turns out our boss had forgotten to call the principal to inform them that I am leaving. So typical of her. When I took over Tony's classes in June, some of the clients freaked out, asked me what happened to Tony, and how come nobody bothers to tell them that they will be getting a new teacher... ha! I wonder what snafu my successor will have to deal with.

Anyway, lessons went well today. Satohiko showed me his homework as soon as I got there. He's so proud of himself. "Yorumade yatte mashita" ("I stayed up late to finish it"... he is only 5!!) I love that boy to bits. If only I could put him in my suitcase ...

At recess, I went up to the principal's office to give him the letter, explaining that I will be leaving. Same thing, he asked me if there is any way I can extend my contract and come back to teach, but I vaguely told him that it's beyond my control and there is no way for me to come back.

My cheerful mood must have something to do with the daylight. For the first time in months, it's still bright outside when I finish my last lesson. So spring must be around the corner.

But apparently, not everybody shared my cheerful reaction to the longer daylight. I understand that some 80+ souls commit suicide in Japan every day on average. But why do they have to jump in front of the train that I was going to ride? Couldn't they tolerate living just 5 minutes longer?

This is the third time I've been screwed by JR-suicides. Good thing I wasn't trying to catch my flight today. In the station, I overheard some commuters talking about how there has been a lot of train-suicides lately... might have something to do with the economy, I suppose. Why couldn't they build barriers at the platform like they do in HK? Think how much time you can save! Not to mention the poor folks who have to scrape the remains off the train with a spatula! Oh, and you even create jobs! My god, I'm a genius.

Went to a ramen-box near the station to stay warm; was very wary when I first got in, as it looked like a ghetto, with magazines and ashtrays and videos and dirty clothes piled every where, with only a handful of seats and one customer. But the food was excellent and said as much to the chief. Then suddenly everyone is friendly and we talked a bit about travelling and work before I headed back to the station.

Thanks god it's Friday anyway. This choronic sleep deprivation is getting to me. I am going to drain a couple of bottles of wine in the bathtub with onsen bath salt and a novel, and hopefully sleep in tomorrow. (must remember to kill cell phone and alarm clock before go to bed.)

I Whacked a Kid Today

I'm not proud of it. Didn't mean to do it. Wasn't even particularly angry. I just... did it.

Got 5 minutes to run to the bathroom between my 5th and 6th class (Itobunka). For some mysterious reasons, in the whole kindergarten, there is only one bathroom, with lots of baby toilets, and only one adult stall. I went in to use the adult toilet.

A kid came in shortly after me. I heard him pee, a few seconds later, he started pounding and hammering on the door of my stall while giggling. Then all went quiet.

When I came out of the stall, the kid jumped and screamed at me. I had guessed that he would do that, the rowdy assault on the door and sudden silence told it all. But I was still startled... and reacted with slapping him with a full-force, body-winded-up-and-swing kind of blow. I guess I am *only* a girl, but still, years of karate, self-defense classes, and paddling a kayak makes that kind of assault kind of punishing. The kid was brave, he rubbed and braced his arm at where I striked him, and tried to keep smiling. He went on and on to excuse that he thought I was another teacher. I calmed down, explained to him that he shouldn't do that to any teacher, washed my hands, and went back to teach the next lesson.

I still can't believe I did it. As a kid, I swore again and again, that I would never hit children when I grow up. And kids have pulled much worse pranks on me, and I would never intentionally punish them with violence. But somehow, without thinking, I just did it.

I'm a pathetic excuse for human being...

Did loads today:

• found a nice photo postcard with the Kyoto sea and a huge Torii.
• Mailed the said postcard to Mr.K and crew.
  
• did laundry, hanged them to dry
• bought groceries -- mostly oden stuff
• taught 3 classes, explained to most of my students that I am leaving
• returned books to library; borrowed more.
• joined GeoExpat and made a few posts to recruit fellow paddlers in the HKSAR
• Tried out a "strong zero -196 double" chuhai, which is 8% alc. Tasted like rubbing alcohol. Yuck.

Tired, drunk, and still can't sleep. O_O

Spent most of today socializing. It should be made criminal to meet at 0830 on a Saturday. But then again, I couldn't get back to sleep after I got up at 0700, so I shouldn't complain.

I met Keiko at the Takiyacho bus stop today, then we went to Koganei to meet Eriko. We drove to Oyama for the strawberries farm "Ichigo no sato," stuffed ourselves to the brim with fresh and warm strawberries; idled in the gift shop for a bit, then headed to the Coco farm again.

It was my request to go to Coco farm, so I feel a bit guilty that we didn't do anything extraodinary there. I was bouncing up the steep slope of vines, but felt really KY (geez, KY as in kukiyomenai, you pervert!) when I realized the other ladies were making a beeline to the giftshop. So I ran back down to join them. Maybe this is why I can't sleep; I've been dreaming up trip plans and great advantures in the sea, with adrenaline surging through my blood and too much energy with nowhere to spend. (ha! this from a kindergarten teacher chasing little tykes and monkeys all day!)

At the giftshop, I picked up some shiitake seasonings and a crystal dolphin wine bottle stopper. So my souvenirs for the DCC is set, but how about for Danny...? Is he ever going to forgive me? This isn't going to end well. If he decides his club is better without me; I will lose a lot of good friends whom I enjoy and admire. If he takes me back in, I have no doubt he will do everything in his power to put me in tears for being such an ungrateful little prat. It's just like that nasty chinese saying, "without a big heart, he is not a gentleman; without venom, he is not a man."


Anyway, after the souvenirs-hunting, I sat down at the table like a civilized human being, and we chatted as we had lunch. We talked for a long time, mostly we talked about the economy, about travelling, about racism, about family, and I talked briefly about the sea, but I might as well be bleating to the deaf.

At some point I noticed the sky begins to darken and felt that irrational pang of fear again. We have to sit indoor this time, the weather is fine, except for the unpredictable gusts of very strong wind that kept whipping up the leaves at intervals. I wondered how I would do if I were on the water today; wondered if I would capsize if the gust were to catch me offguard from the beam; and whether I would be able to make a re-entry if I were to capsize and fail to roll.

After much talking, we finally left for the Kurida Museum; it's a lofty place so I was getting a bit chilled. They have a lot of over-priced pottery stuff in the gift shop, and I paid an arm and a leg for two hankerchiefs with ukioe-like prints of waves, a junk boat, and the map of feudal Japan. The exhibition of artifacts from Incas were interesting, but the Japanese clay cups and bowls just didn't capture my fancies. Don't get me wrong, there are some Japanese potteries arts/ cups/ bowls that I *really really* liked (like the ones in the Kyoto exhibition), but the ones in Kurida seem too polished, too perfect, too shinny, and too symmetric. Even their most ridiculously expensive cup did not appeal to me at all.

On our way back to Koganei, I asked to stop at a Bookoff shop to pick up a few books for my mom; afterwards, we were supposed to go to a Bali restaurant, but Eriko had decided to spoil us with her home cookings instead. I can honestly say I'm glad we did. Her husband works in Korea now; she stays home alone in a pretty big house. It must be frighteningly... lonely.

But I am glad not because I thought she would be lonely; her cooking is excellent. We had a 5 course meal served on beautiful, artsy plates and crystal wine glasses. We talked some more, about everything, and then suddenly I realized everything built up to a silent, unspoken goodbye. I will probably never see Eriko again.

I guess it's a bit lonely to think of it like that. She has been so good to me. But I take what I can have; and let the rest go. We live in two different worlds, a different planet all together. She is married, meticulous, classy, professional woman; I am just a sea-monkey pretending to be a teacher...

To give me something to remember her by, though, she made me coffee at the end. And I drank it. I mean, I get insomnia just from a cup of Earl Grey... it's so interesting to find out what a cup of coffee would do to me!

Last mission of the day: I finally found the postcard that I promised to sent. Ocean views are out of season, and I couldn't find any photo postcard at all. At the end, I settled for some ukioe-like prints, composed a silly haiku, I will mail it first thing tomorrow. I wonder if the silly village postoffice can read enough English to understand the postcard is meant for Hong Kong.