11:02am here in Akashi. I'm just getting myself ready to go to work a little earlier than usual, because I have to teach my first private lesson today. The cleaning staff tried to break into my room again this morning. I thought they had gotten used to me, and my leaving around 11 or noon, but apparently I was mistaken. It was a nice early 9am when they tried to get in today. *sigh* Oh well!

I'm a bit nervous about starting to teach on my own, especially given I haven't really taught that much before this. My student today is apparently a relatively low level of English, but luckily, he's already used to an American accent, and I don't sound all that different from his old teacher.

Last night, after school, two of the FTs and a JT, went out to a French restaurant in Akashi, which is located right above Murphy's Irish Pub. (Who'd have thought...? Apparently, Murphy's is a pretty big hotspot for local foreigners/gaijins.) Anyways, the food was fantastic and felt almost like comfort food to me. (A throwback to my Cote d'Azur days.) I had a delicious salad, some tapenade, chicken and a beer. Not so much at all. (Not cheap either, though. Damn, eating out is expensive here!)

Food has NOT been agreeing with me here in Japan. I've been ill since Sunday, which I assume is directly related to new food and water, as well. Mom's recommended I cut out the raw fish and sushi, and local water for a few weeks, and see if my stomach calms itself a bit. I'm hoping that works! I hate feeling sick. Also, I'm not a wuss about the food! But I feel like my stomach has betrayed me. Oh well.

I'm a bit stressed about my school. It seems there are some long-standing problems among the staff, and I feel like I've been dropped in the middle. Nobody really wants to say anything; they don't want to freak me out, or God forbid, scare me off, but little things come out, here and there, and they don't really paint a great picture of the place I'm to spend the next year. I'm TRYING to be open-minded, but it's a little hard, given all the stress. Two staff members (in addition to the one I'm replacing, starting next week) are leaving by November! One is a foreign teacher, so I hope their replacement is a nice, well-adjusted and calm person. Here's to hoping!

In a way, I don't feel it's very fair to have put me in this position. Not only is the school a bit off, it's in a small city, so to do anything interesting, I need to leave! Also, my apartment is probably a bit farther than the other FTs were. This is mainly because two of the existing FTs mentioned the grossness and rinsect issues in the apartments that are near Akashi Park.

I'm not really complaining, mind you. This is life in another country. You roll with the punches. This IS, however, my place to vent about it. I do like Japan quite a bit, and I'm not ready to go home to Canada by any means. It's just going to be a bit of an adjustment! I'm headed to Osaka tomorrow to see Chris and Ray (the girls from the training week) and maybe just relax and decompress a bit.

Any votes on which phone I should purchase from vodaphone?
Also, I get my ARC card today! Life in Japan TRULY begins today....