It's been raining a bit round here...

Technorati Tags: events, japan, life

Pictures of reflections were quite apt since it has been a day for kicking back and reflecting upon life (as I know it).

Several significant things have happened recently.

At home:
My flatmate of 20 months, Charlene, moved out today. She is moving in with her BF for her last month in Japan so she can save money and just be with him. We have some sub-letters (a Japanese woman based in Canada and her Mum) moving in for a month, before my old friend Fuku-chan moves in. Fuku lived in the share-house that Tim and I lived in when I first moved to Tokyo, in Komaba Todaimae. She's been off living in the UK (including a stay in Wimbledon with my cousin, Hamish) and Berlin for the last 15 months and her return timed perfectly with Charlene's departure. Charlene and I had some rocky times, to be sure, but that only served to make us more like sisters. I'll miss her and her laugh and our morning coffee's in the sunroom on weekends.... But I'm really looking forward to the language exchange opportunities. Ah, life. It goes on.

Administrivia:
5th time lucky! Yes, my 5th visa application was finally rewarded with permission to stay 3 years without having to re-apply. Such a relief. Such a saving (¥10 000 fee each time, with the multiple re-entry permit). A word of advice to folks sick to death of the Shinagawa office: try the immigration office in Tachikawa. The first time I went there, they called my number twice before I had even finished the paperwork! My longest wait was about 15 minutes. I will never set foot in that hall of hell (erm, the Shinagawa office) again! Actually, I feel sure that this will be my last visa application in Japan. I can't really see myself still being here in 2010!!!. But then, you never know... anything is possible.

At work:
The school where I've been teaching for the past 3 years has offered me an extra 7 classes for the new school year starting up in April, taking me up to 21 classes. This takes my load up to this: Elementary school first year x 4, Junior High School first year x 5, High School first year ALT x 8, High school second and third year elective conversation English x 4. I have been seriously considering doing an online TEFL teaching diploma, and well, I'm going to be making a bit more money from April so.... hmmm. One thing is for sure: I have to give up some of my private students to make time for the new (more lucrative) schedule. That'll be sad. And will I have the time to do an online diploma anyway? I should make the time, since there will come a time when I leave Japan and want to teach English elsewhere and sadly, will be considered under-qualified if I don't have that piece of paper...

Out in the world:
I HAVE to go to India this summer (July/Aug). It's a long story but it involves a bright Tibetan teenaged school leaver and a computer. Does anyone out there wanna go with me? Landing in New Delhi, heading up to Dharamsala in the mountains for a week or so - maybe go up to Leh if there's time and no flooding. Probably go via Thailand where I plan to buy the air ticket since it's so much cheaper to do it there than in Tokyo. Pop down to some pretty beach for a few days..... I was also thinking about heading over to France, Spain and Morocco after that, but well, we'll see how the budget's looking. My feet are itchy and my imagination is running riot. Seriously though, I need a traveling companion. India is just too much for me alone.

In photography:
I met a lovely man who loves the Holga photos I'm exhibiting at mikorin's at the moment. He wants to introduce me his good friend, the editor of the amazingly beautiful glossy fashion/art magazine DUNE. Turns out to be none other than Fumihiro Hayashi [aka Charlie Brown, the crazy dude who sings God save the Queen in Lost in Translation]. They have been friends for decades and thinks that he would love my pics. I'm going to get a profile and portfolio together and in March we 'll go have a meeting with the guy. I'm scared shitless.
The exhibition has been going well, there's been a good steady flow of visitors - some I've been there to meet and some I haven't, some I know, some I don't... You have another week and a bit to catch the show before my afore-mentioned new friend hangs his post-9/11 pics there from March 1.

Time to step away from the computer and go eat some ice-cream and chocolate sauce, finish “Smart women finish rich” (quite honestly transforming my life) and listen to some Cat Power. Or The Grates maybe. Hmm, no, wait! - Explosions in the Sky!