Truckin' Down the Road of Life

Hi everyone!

Nothing new and exciting to report this week. Life goes on everyday in Japan just as it does everywhere else in the world. It is funny to notice how the weekday life has become routine already. Get up, Juan makes breakfast, go to work, come home, someone makes dinner, spend time with lonely husband, go to bed and do it all again the next day. Now there are variables to this. Tressa comes and visits every Monday and Wednesday and twice a month I teach my adult class... but all in all this is what we do every weekday. This life is comfortable, there is comfort in the routine of life, but country living is starting to get to us both.

There are things that Juan and I want to come away with when we leave the land of the rising sun next year (and speaking Japanese is neither of our desires, hahaha). I really would like to learn how to cook several traditional Japanese dishes before leaving, maybe take a couple ikebana classes. Juan is interested in taking a wood working class (or some type of other traditional Japanese handi-craft). But in the middle of farming country there are no opportunities for us to have classes in English, or sometimes classes at all. We would like to join a gym, but the closest one is 30 minutes away, always crowded and highly inadequate in equipment (hello... they don't even have free weights or an elliptical machine). Hell... even taking a salsa dancing class once a week would spice up our weekdays. Living in Yachiyo keeps us so remote from having any opportunity of having an outside hobby or life. We really gotta get out of here! I love Yachiyo. The people are so great! But I think that I have gotten all I can out of living here. It is time to move on to other things.

My company (which has always remained anonymous due to the fact that they have a clause in our contract stating that we can not bad mouth the company) has finally extended me a contract for next year. I am both relieved and unhappy. Relieved to know that I have a job secured for next year, but highly unhappy with the terms.

See... my company has contracts all over the country, from Hokkaido to Okinawa. And unless your contract specifically states the location, the company can choose to send you anywhere it wants. Hell... we could even end up in someplace more remote than Yachiyo (totally plausible and yes there are lots of places more remote than Yachiyo). Secondly, my salary was not increased to an appropriate level... I deserve a raise!! This company isn't the only game in town ya know!!! I have other companies e-mialing me all the time with better offers. Hopefully this contract is just a starting off point in negotition, because if not, as of the end of March, they will find themselves less one damn good teacher!!!

I promise to keep ya all informed of our living and job situation as the end of my contract nears. 8 weeks left . 8 WEEKS LEFT!!!?!??!! Holy crap I need a Job!!!

Anywhoo... I have ranted and raged enough for the time being. It is time to get breakfast started and get ready for our weekend adventure. Talk to ya again soon.\
Lots of love to y all... JDWL