This morning I felt like bit-part in one of those sickly horrible overly melodramatic movies that seem impossibly popular here in J-land. Imagine the scene....
A group of 30 something women and a silent man meet at a train station through a careful co-ordination of text messages. Anxiously we wait on the platform like a bunch of sad VIP stalkers. Then a wave and cheer as a diminutive man comes up the escalator weighed down with 4 bags of suitbags and a computer case. After handing the things on the waiting train there are bows, hugs... awkward silences as we try to figure out what to do next. Then the whistle blows and we line up to wave off...tears in the eye as we wave our beloved sensei, onto his new position as head of department down south.
..... And cue big strings or maybe some warbly MISIA or Angela Aki song and a misty montage of lab parties, photo's, beers and cake.
Yes, this was me at 0810 this morning- I dragged myself out of my bed early to do the group bonding farewell thing. Its been a pretty emotional week here in the lab- we've had about 3/4 goodbye parties- drank lots of champagne, lots of handshaking and huge amounts of bowing (I think the chiropracter will be having a busy week).
I also was told that unless I get my own funding- there's no job for me from April. So I'm on the hunt for a new job- hopefully in Japan, but I'm on a global search, or one last stab at getting my own funding.
4 comments:
Oh no! Sorry to hear about the funding :( I really hope that you'll be able to sort something out that you want to do. I guess it's good that they told you now so you've got a bit of time to get hunting but still, what an awful bit of news. Hope that you're planning to spend the weekend medicating with copious quantities of booze!
Thanks umebossy- I made it through today without tearing up- so I'm doing better. I believe tomorrow I have a pedicure date with Oyomesan and there made need to be a karaoke session asap.
My friend posted this on facebook- I don't know if you've seen this- it made me laugh
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FFRoYhTJQQ
ahhh, teary good byes :( champers :D
Hope you manage to get some funding - or at least get another job in Japan that tickles your fancy. Ditto umebossy - need a weekend of beverages in kampai to your boss and in preparation for the job stress/drama ahead.
pedicure and karaoke also good substitutes. Yoroshiku to the woman WHO SHOULD BE ON HER SOFA RECUPERATING.
Sounds like fun! Hope you were able to switch off and chill out before getting back to thinking about things at work today (easier said than done I know!)
That clip was so funny - and so true too! When I was working as an ALT in Toyama my school got the EIKEN test software - listening/reading practice mostly but the supposed big plus point of it was that they could practice the speaking part of the test as well. Hah! Unless you spoke with an American accent it would fail you. I spoke in my usual accent - big red X. I faked an American accent (not Dublin American ;) ) and I passed! So you can imagine how well my students with their katakana pronunciation did...
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