the forgotten ALT
Today I went to school, as I usually do on weekdays, and sat at my desk, as I normally do on days when there are no students or classes. It was a low-key day, not many people there. Turns out it was a holiday celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the school.
As a matter of fact, I didn’t have to be there but nobody remembered to tell me. I have to admit, I could have been a little more curious about why so few people were there and why there was no morning meeting–actually I never would have guessed if the music teacher hadn’t dropped in and kindly told me to take advantage of this opportunity and get myself gone.
I guess if I could read or understand Japanese more competently things like this wouldn’t happen, huh. Kind of an old saw at this point, but proves true over and over and over again. Due to language deficiencies, I remain on the fringes of comprehension and involvement but still dependent on the kindness of fellow teachers to translate kanji and dumb down their thoughts so I don’t feel too left out.
And because I am far away from people who credit me with higher reasoning capabilities, and understandably a more remote part of their lives right now, I have a lot of conversations on instant messenger that go like this:
guyonIM: how’re you liking your stay?
ximengna: in japan?
guyonIM: oh sure
ximengna: my stay where?
guyonIM: japan
ximengna: um, it’s quite nice, thank you
guyonIM: heh
guyonIM: cool
Which on a rainy gray day like this one just isn’t the inspiring miss-you wish-you-were-here message you want to hear.
So to beat the bleak chill of nearly not-quite spring, I went shopping yesterday. I looked for nice spring clothes to wear to school, to teach and be stylin’ at the same time.
I went having made up my mind that I might have to spend as much as 10000 Yennies, 100 bucks, on a skirt and a couple of tops, and I had more or less made peace with this idea. Well if they could have, the skimpy little skirts and jackets would have laughed out loud at my paltry offerings. There was no single item to be had in any small shop in the area for less than $125.
Who buys this stuff? How do people shop in this country and still eat? I’m still in shock, $300 for a sweater, $400 for a skirt, what is this, New York? I know I’ve moved up a tax bracket since the last time I seriously went shopping, but really, I can’t even fathom how those other cutely dressed teachers who recommended these shops, who get by on less than my salary, possibly convince themselves to spend a month’s rent on clothes every season.
I want to boycott the local Wal-Mart equivalent and support local shops, but this is not about the extra couple dollars at the local neighborhood store. It is ridiculous and I refuse to even attempt to live like this. No wonder the answer to everyone’s “I wish I had…” question on the final was “more money.” Japan might be a rich country but everyone sure does their best to throw it away, with Pachinko balls or a shredder when necessary.
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