This morning I woke up and contemplated staying home because of some wicked cramps. I didn't want to stay home because I had promised Suzuki-sensei that I would administer an English listening test to each of the first year classes. I got out of bed and struggled to school.
I got to the top of the hill and two of the teachers that close the gate were waiting for me, which I thought was sweet because they could've just closed the gate and made me ride around to the main entrance.
I walked into the staffroom and the first thing my kyoto-sensei(vice-principal) did when I walked in was point to his head and ask if I was OK? ( I went home early with a splitting headache on Friday). I said "my headache is gone, but stomach hurts" and I left it at that ready to go about the rest of my day. On the way to give the oral test, Suzuki-sensei said "are you going to take nenkyu(holiday) this afternoon because you will have nothing to do?" (because the students are doing midterms, so I have no lessons to teach). I hadn't even thought of taking the afternoon off, although he and a few other teachers had. After I gave the listening test, we got back to the staffroom and he walked up to the VP and asked him for nenkyu for me. The VP in turn called Rokudai-sensei(supervisor at BOE) and told him of 'my condition'....I just had some bad cramps lol. It turns out I got to leave work at 12:30ish and I didn't have to use any nenkyu. Are these people serious?! I was ready to just sit in my chair and struggle while bored throughout my day, cramps and all.
Just before I left to go home, some of my students came to talk to me with their conversation cards. There is a line on the card that reads "Recommendation Things to do" and two of the boys suggested origami and proceeded to give me origami that they had made for me. That really lifted my spirit.
Come to find out the timing of me coming home was GREAT. Just after I got in, I laid down and my stomach went CRAZY...I fell asleep due to the pain.
All of this to say "I LOVE MY JOB", but more importantly my work environment and co-workers.
2 comments:
These folks seem so nice! have you watched Sicko? It's nice that when you're legitimately ill you can stay home and know that folks actually care about your well being and would actually prefer for you to get better than come in and work in a compromised state.
Monique, yes I did see sicko and it literally made me sick to my stomach (pun intended). It is very refreshing to be working in a situation like this. It is so new to me, but I can't get used to it because it will all change when I get back to Toronto.
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