routine + morning

i thought i would write about my average daily routine over here 4900 miles away.

firstly, i am paranoid of being late because late doesn't exist over here. it simply is not allowed. even if there is a problem on the train, whatever you gotta get to where you gotta be on time. (mom, be proud, i haven't been even close to being late!) this is one reason i have my clocks set 10 minutes fast, a little buffer time. so my alarm goes off at 6:45 am (really 6:35), i usually do a few (or several, depending on the day) 5 minute snoozes. once i wake up, i get out my computer and check email, the weather (to check for rain and bike to work conditions) and facebook (yes, i'm addicted and i'll admit it). then i proceed to do average morning routines. have a little something to eat, usually cereal or pbj maybe some fruit. i get dressed, pretty much skip makeup all together (i sweat it off anyways in about 5 minutes), fix my hair which consists of pretty much one style over here, pony tail/bun with bangs swept to the side with a bobby pin. this is due to the massive amount of sweat i create getting to work. i need to leave my apartment at 7:40-45.

then i get on my bike. if its rainy or i am tired i bike about 7 minutes to the station and catch the 7:58 train which arrives in my school neighborhood about 8:04, ten min walk to school and i am at my desk at 8:15. i am supposed to show up early but my official paid time starts at 8:30. if i decide to bike to school, it takes about 35 minutes so i arrive at school about the same time either way. if i bike, i have a cool down routine first thing. i walk into the school and open my cubby in the lobby to get out my school shoes and put in outdoor shoes. then i walk into the teachers room. (in japan the students are in classes like 1-1 (first year, first class), 2-3 (second year, third class), etc. the students stay in the same class room all day while the teachers come and go. so all the teachers desks are in the teachers room. it is a pretty active place, everyone buzzing around.) so i go in to the T.R. and say "ooo-hi-yo  goo-zai-mas" or good morning and whoever is near says the same back to me. this is custom and all you hear in the morning are multiple voices saying mostly "masssss". they kinda mumble the first part of the phrase and really like to drag out the masssssss. seriously for like 3 seconds. it was weird at first, now i am used to it. 

after the hellos, sit down at my desk and immediately fan myself for a while and begin my cool down routine. others are doing this too so its not weird or rude or anything. i usually am sweating tons at this time, so i am also swabbing my face with a mini towel, also standard. then i usually pass on the hot morning tea and pound some cold water to try and regulate my elevated body temperature. i'm maybe also doing a little prep if i have any, making copies, cutting worksheets but its mostly just cooling off. sometimes one of the japanese teacher of english (JTE) will come have a quick convo about the lessons we have together so i will have a heads up, sometimes we have chatted the day prior in the afternoon though).

at 8:30 the teachers have their morning meeting. a bell rings and the principal comes in, everyone stands and says "ohiyo goziamus", bows and sits to listen to whoever talks. (the principals office is attached to the TR at the front, the VP and head teachers desks are adjacent to the door of the principal but are in the main TR. my desk is two desks from the back, fine with me!) the meeting is all in japanese so i of couse dont catch a thing. at 8:50 classes begin. i usually am not scheduled for 1st period, so its more "preparation time" but usually i am already prepared so it has turned into an extended cool down time or reading a book at my desk time, doodling at my desk time, studying japanese at my desk time, writing letters or postcards at my desk time, you get the drift. 

the classes are 50 minutes each. with 10 minutes between lessons, so the 4 morning lessons being at 8, 9, 10, 11 on the fifty. 

to be continued...