Like a Bird on a Wire

If there is any truth to the saying/myth that "if a bird craps on your head you are very lucky" my chances of winning the lottery are higher now. Yea, a pigeon did it's business as I was riding my bike this past Sunday afternoon. Imagine, I was there minding my business and I felt a heavy rain drop hit one of my locs. You can imagine my confusion as no other raindrops were falling around me. I looked up and saw some pigeons sitting on a wire while killing themselves with laughter. I swear those things have aim! I guess it could have been much worse because only two strands of hair at the side of my head were hit as the crap proceeded to land on the shoulder of my jacket. That had to be the one time I was happy for the coldness outside because the excrement was kinda hard and just rolled off my jacket onto the ground. I swear whoever was passing by at that moment must have thought I was going crazy because I said out loud " awwwwwwwwww maaaaaaaan that is soooooooo disgustiiiiiiiiing!" Yea, just like that. I guess there really is a first time for everything huh?

I washed my hair like I've never washed it before that night. Now I just have to sit and wait for the lottery announcement.

Do you think I'll win?

Gastroenteritis??

Tuesday morning I woke up feeling not so hot, but I got up and went to work anyway. I had an interview with the city newspaper after work. It was a relaxed setting where the journalists asked me general questions like what my first impression of Japan was when I arrived, how I like my city, the people, do I remember the students from my last school etc. Afterward some pictures were taken in the classroom one of which was with one of my favourite students, Kenta or Kenchan, who is one of my special needs students. Shortly after we were finished I went home and went to bed waking up only to eat before going back to sleep.
I thought sleeping would help, but when I woke up Wednesday feeling the same way I stayed home and went to the clinic down the street where there is an English-speaking doctor. I wasn't feeling too bad, but I figured now would be a good time to seek out this doctor who could speak my language. I got to the clinic and was first on the afternoon waiting list. I went in to see Dr. Hirata and told him my symptoms. I laid down and watched as he listened to my stomach with a stethoscope. I honestly can't remember the last time a doctor has done that to me. He then proceeded to probe and push down different areas of my abdomen and ask if it hurt. A couple areas did while others didn't. And that was it, he was done and he concluded that because my stomach felt a little distended, I had very little appetite and my head felt funny that I had a viral infection, gastroenteritis to be exact. I told him I hate taking medication and he proposed a liquid infusion to which I refused. He wrote me a prescription for an antibiotic and something else. Keep in mind that I have a pharmacy technician degree from Humber college, so I was wondering why on earth he would prescribe antibiotics for a VIRAL infection. Granted gastroenteritis could be caused by bacteria, but he seemed pretty sure it was viral.....as he put it "I think you have a viral infection". I took the prescription, paid for my visit and followed the nurse while she showed me where the pharmacy was located. I told the pharmacist I would be back and then went home and went in my bed. Later that evening I woke up and guess what? I had a visitor that came a week and a half early! It explained EVERYTHING, all of my symptoms and why I was feeling so lousy. I just never thought of it because it wasn't expected. All I could do was laugh, thank the Lord that I follow my instincts and then call my parents and tell them the joke. I stayed home for the rest of the week... Thursday because my stomach was killing me and when I tried to go to work my vice principal sent me home twenty minutes later telling me to rest...and on Friday he called my supervisor before I left my house to make sure I stayed home to rest even though I felt good enough to go to work! I'm just not used to this kind of treatment. I'm programmed to work to the death, it's so sad.
Anyway, I'm feeling much better now and I've had an extra long weekend. I got out of the house Friday night for a birthday dinner at a Jazz bar and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It is now Sunday afternoon. I'm going to go think long and hard as to whether or not I'll be staying in this lovely country for another year. Talk to you soon.

Yaaaay Thailand Pictures!

Here you go! Enjoy!

My pictures #1

My pictures #2

Khaleelah's pictures

Week in Review #1

The Oyster Gratin

I know there will be more week-long updates so this is #1.

The Friday before last, my supervisor and his staff had their New Year's enkai(party) and I was cordially invited. We went to a restaurant nearby, which is run by the wife of one of his co-workers. The food was great and I tried something new! Oysters to be exact. This had to be one of the scariest moments in life, other than riding the motorbike in Thailand, but I sucked it up and did it. The oysters were in a cheese gratin casserole so it wasn't half bad. Actually, they tasted really good.

The following Monday was a national holiday, "Coming of Age Day" or Seijin Shiki. Click HERE to get some more information.

Mid-year conference
Before heading to the club

This past weekend has been pretty busy. On Thursday and Friday I had to attend a mid-year conference about a whole lotta nothing. The main purpose of the conference was to find different ways to improve interaction in English classes with ALTs(assistant language teachers). Well it seemed to me that the conference organizers came up with their own way, namely introducing debate into the classroom, and shoved it down our throats. My students can barely speak English, how de ass are they going to debate in the language?! Aside from this, the conference was fun in that I got to see alot of familiar faces that I haven't seen since Tokyo orientation in August. I also got to hang out with the other teachers from my city and surrounding area. I got some good ideas from other teachers in one of the workshops so I guess the two days weren't a TOTAL waste, and it was nice to be in a different setting. Thursday and Friday evenings involved myself and the ladies of my city and surrounding areas walking around Kobe shopping and going out to dinner. I enjoyed this because I found new places to wander and new restaurants to add to my list of places to go. Saturday I took the train to Leanne's apartment(my roomie in Tokyo) had dinner and got ready with some other ladies before we headed to club Sam & Dave's in Shinsaibashi Osaka. The music was actually GOOD! A decent variety for everyone, but I must say the DJ could learn a thing or two from the world's best DJs in Toronto. I stayed the night at Leanne's and we got up in the morning and had a big breakfast. Gabrielle, Myrie and I left just after 2pm and parted ways in Sannomiya(Kobe) where I did some shopping for the rest of the day. I was actually good and got the things on my list that I NEEDED. The sales in Japan are insane! When they say sale they actually mean it. Let's just say I got two BIG sweaters for less than $9 CAD.

Yesterday I was really tired from my eventful weekend so I fell asleep under the kotatsu shortly after I got home from work. I woke up at 10pm made something to eat, chatted and watched Grey's Anatomy then went to bed just after 2am. I had planned to go in my bed, but the kotatsu had different plans and I slept under it until 7am this morning at which time I got into my bed for another hour. I'm not feeling too hot today, which is not cool seeing as the city wants to interview me after work. I'm drinking some tea and may take a little nap as I only had one lesson this morning. Hopefully that will help me get camera ready. Ha! yea right, this should be interesting. Okay, there! You are all up-to-date! My apologies for taking so long, I just didn't feel like blogging. I know you've been waiting and the Thailand pictures are coming very soon!