It's been almost a week now since a typhoon hit Japan. That was Tuesday night until early Wednesday morning. Another typhoon is brewing in the Pacific that is set to hit this Thursday. It's supposed to be violent. I hope not. Not only because I worry for possible damages it'll cause but because no matter how violent that typhoon is, I know I still have to go to work. Just like last Wednesday. Classes were suspended. There were no students but teachers still have to go to school. Such a waste of a possible rest day, really.
In more than a year of working here in Japan, I came to the conclusion that the Japanese teachers know no rest day. They seem to live in the schools, I swear. They're always in the school- after school, on weekends, on holidays and even on days with typhoon. They stay in school even if they don't need to. Just like last Wednesday. The principal already told the teachers that they can go home after 12. I was so ecstatic the whole morning waiting for the clock to strike 12. Yey! I can go home early and continue watching Grey's Anatomy. (I'm hooked on it lately.)
Then comes 12 noon. I was waiting for the teachers to stand up, get their bags and go home like any sensible human being would do. No one was moving. All were staring intently on their computers. Others were endlessly shuffling papers. (I don't know why they can't figure out how to arrange a few pieces of paper). Then an old teacher across me moved. He got his bag. I told myself that I'll leave as soon as he does. Pffft! The teacher got a bento box from his bag. Maybe he'll eat lunch first, I think. Soon, other teachers also brought out their bento boxes. Not to be outdone, I brought out my sandwich and yogurt wrapped in 7/11 plastic. I have to eat too. Maybe when everyone has eaten, we'll all go home. We can't be hungry on the way home, I think.
So everyone ate silently with all eyes eyeing the computers in front of us. If you want to eat like a real industrious Japanese teacher, take note of the following. Chopsticks on the right hand, bento on the left and eyes on the computer monitor. Blinking is not allowed. It would mean you're not working hard enough during lunch. You should also wear a stoned and serious face. You can't show that you like how your food taste. You're busy working so you have no time for gustatory delights. I did just that trying to set aside the number of things I'm planning to do when I get home- watch Grey's Anatomy Season 4 Episode 1, then watch Grey's Anatomy Season 4, Episode 2, breathe, cry a little, watch Grey's Anatomy Season 4 Episode 3, then 4, then 5. (You get the idea.)
One o'clock came but everyone's still intent on staring at their computer monitors and shuffling papers. Some stood up a little to brush their teeth while staring intently on their computer monitors. I sat there waiting for someone to just leave so I can follow. I know I can technically go home but I don't feel I should be the first one. Foreigners already have a reputation of being lazy just because we can finish our job on time. I don't need to emphasize it further. I was praying that one brave soul will pick his/ her bag and say "Osakini Shitsurei Shimasu" then bang the door on the way out. I looked at the old Science teacher. He's busy cleaning his ears, he won't go home yet. I looked at one of the English teacher, he's still writing something. I looked at one of the Math teachers, she's shuffling papers and maybe counting them. Nobody seemed ready to go home yet.
The clock turned 2. I went to the toilet hoping when I get back somebody has left already. Fail! Everyone's still there. I already did every possible thing I could do- lesson planning, doing worksheets, journal writing, news reading, Facebooking, Instragramming, and Candy Crushing on my mobile phone. I looked at the clock and it was just 3 pm. I thought of being the first one to say goodbye but I was intent on being proper and polite. I will not be a lazy foreigner. I decided to just go home at the usual time- 4 pm. I'll finish my working hours. So I continued playing Candy Crush.
The golden hour came. I turned off my laptop, put all my things in my bag and hand my hanko sheet to the vice-principal. (A hanko sheet is like a signature sheet. Everyday, I have to ask the vice principal to sign this sheet as a proof that I am a diligent ALT who comes every workday.) With my bag on my shoulder, I bowed and said "Osakini Shitsurei Shimasu." Upon doing this, a most awaited thing happened. Three teachers closed their laptops. A few teachers started putting things in their bag preparing to go home. Some stopped shuffling papers. Others, who were busy checking were suddenly done. I know that in a few minutes, they'll all be ready to call it a day. I touched my bag straps and started going down the stairs chuckling to myself. All this time, the Japanese teachers are actually waiting for this one lazy foreigner to go home so they can go home too. How they must hate me for finishing my day. How I hate myself for not being lazy that day. Such a waste of a possible rest day, really.
In more than a year of working here in Japan, I came to the conclusion that the Japanese teachers know no rest day. They seem to live in the schools, I swear. They're always in the school- after school, on weekends, on holidays and even on days with typhoon. They stay in school even if they don't need to. Just like last Wednesday. The principal already told the teachers that they can go home after 12. I was so ecstatic the whole morning waiting for the clock to strike 12. Yey! I can go home early and continue watching Grey's Anatomy. (I'm hooked on it lately.)
Then comes 12 noon. I was waiting for the teachers to stand up, get their bags and go home like any sensible human being would do. No one was moving. All were staring intently on their computers. Others were endlessly shuffling papers. (I don't know why they can't figure out how to arrange a few pieces of paper). Then an old teacher across me moved. He got his bag. I told myself that I'll leave as soon as he does. Pffft! The teacher got a bento box from his bag. Maybe he'll eat lunch first, I think. Soon, other teachers also brought out their bento boxes. Not to be outdone, I brought out my sandwich and yogurt wrapped in 7/11 plastic. I have to eat too. Maybe when everyone has eaten, we'll all go home. We can't be hungry on the way home, I think.
 |
| A Japanese Office Photo credit: http://www.buzolich.com/indecorum/media/crampedJapaneseOffice.jpg |
So everyone ate silently with all eyes eyeing the computers in front of us. If you want to eat like a real industrious Japanese teacher, take note of the following. Chopsticks on the right hand, bento on the left and eyes on the computer monitor. Blinking is not allowed. It would mean you're not working hard enough during lunch. You should also wear a stoned and serious face. You can't show that you like how your food taste. You're busy working so you have no time for gustatory delights. I did just that trying to set aside the number of things I'm planning to do when I get home- watch Grey's Anatomy Season 4 Episode 1, then watch Grey's Anatomy Season 4, Episode 2, breathe, cry a little, watch Grey's Anatomy Season 4 Episode 3, then 4, then 5. (You get the idea.)
One o'clock came but everyone's still intent on staring at their computer monitors and shuffling papers. Some stood up a little to brush their teeth while staring intently on their computer monitors. I sat there waiting for someone to just leave so I can follow. I know I can technically go home but I don't feel I should be the first one. Foreigners already have a reputation of being lazy just because we can finish our job on time. I don't need to emphasize it further. I was praying that one brave soul will pick his/ her bag and say "Osakini Shitsurei Shimasu" then bang the door on the way out. I looked at the old Science teacher. He's busy cleaning his ears, he won't go home yet. I looked at one of the English teacher, he's still writing something. I looked at one of the Math teachers, she's shuffling papers and maybe counting them. Nobody seemed ready to go home yet.
The clock turned 2. I went to the toilet hoping when I get back somebody has left already. Fail! Everyone's still there. I already did every possible thing I could do- lesson planning, doing worksheets, journal writing, news reading, Facebooking, Instragramming, and Candy Crushing on my mobile phone. I looked at the clock and it was just 3 pm. I thought of being the first one to say goodbye but I was intent on being proper and polite. I will not be a lazy foreigner. I decided to just go home at the usual time- 4 pm. I'll finish my working hours. So I continued playing Candy Crush.
The golden hour came. I turned off my laptop, put all my things in my bag and hand my hanko sheet to the vice-principal. (A hanko sheet is like a signature sheet. Everyday, I have to ask the vice principal to sign this sheet as a proof that I am a diligent ALT who comes every workday.) With my bag on my shoulder, I bowed and said "Osakini Shitsurei Shimasu." Upon doing this, a most awaited thing happened. Three teachers closed their laptops. A few teachers started putting things in their bag preparing to go home. Some stopped shuffling papers. Others, who were busy checking were suddenly done. I know that in a few minutes, they'll all be ready to call it a day. I touched my bag straps and started going down the stairs chuckling to myself. All this time, the Japanese teachers are actually waiting for this one lazy foreigner to go home so they can go home too. How they must hate me for finishing my day. How I hate myself for not being lazy that day. Such a waste of a possible rest day, really.
