School or military camp?

Well Japanese schools continue to amaze me. The students are continually coming in and out of the teachers room and acting quite chummy with the teachers. Today however was the opening ceremony and I was able to view the drill team aspect. Each class has a special order that they line up in grade one (= 7) lined up alphabetically but each line had a different amount and boys and girls were never in the same line. Grade 2(8) was by the place they sat in the classroom and grade 3 was by height and they boys and girls were never in the same line. Before sitting down however the head teacher called out a command and they assumed the at ease position in the military and then they snapped back. They then measured the space in front of them and to the side with their arms and all sat assuming the same position with knees up and feet together.

Speaking of the opening ceremony, I had to give a speech. I was lead to believe it was quite a formal ceremony and a teacher had mentioned something about dressing up, so I did and I was concerned when I left the house this morning that I wasn't dressy enough but I didn't feel like wearing a suit jacket. I show up at the ceremony and the head teacher is wearing his usual sweats and t-shirt and the other female teachers are wearing khakis and short sleeved polos. I guess that is dressing up?

Luck smiles not for me

People in Japan have come to know me as the unlucky one. Now to tell the truth much of it is my fault but of course it would happen to me. On the day I arrived in Japan I lost my passport on the bus from airport to hotel. I did not realize this until four days later when we were leaving to go to our prefectures. I then had to go through much paper work and red tape to apply for another passport, not to mention a $400.00 trip to Tokyo. Because I did not have a passport I could not obtain a alien registration card which I need to drive, open a bank account, get a cell phone and various other things. If I had not had to spend the money to obtain a new passport I would have had enough cash to last until my first pay check as it was I had to dip into my Canadian bank account. I attempted to get money out of a ATM and it repeatedly replied that my pin number was not verified by my bank. I then spoke to my bank and they claimed I entered the wrong pin three times which suspends the bank card. I thought it was something they could fix over the phone, after all what is my secret phone pin number for, but no they persistently claimed that the only way to reactivate my card is to physically go to the bank and re-enter my pin. Thus I had to debase myself and ask for an advance from my work.

SO that was bad but I need a passport so there was no way getting around it. I finally got my new passport two days ago and I was relieved that I could finally get my ducks in order. BUT to top off my bad luck I spoke to my supervisor today and she revealed to me that the bus company had just found my DAMN passport. So not only was obtaining a new passport completely redundant because they found the old one shortly after I received the new one but it was a stupid waste of money.

Fortuna has it out for me.