Marc’s Japan Adventure

My grandmother passed away yesterday. She was the sweetest, kindest, most thoughtful person I have ever known in my life. It wasn’t a complete surprise, but it’s never something you want to hear, and it certainly came a shock this morning. This was a hard way to start the day.

I felt really far from home today. I’d been okay until now. There are just so many new and different things here to keep me occupied and distracted, and I hadn’t truly felt like I was separate.

Until this morning.

I have to give AEON credit; I told them what the situation was, and they said, “Please, use our phone, and take all the time you need. Come back to training if you feel ready.” That spoke volumes about the company and I’m glad to be working for them.

After speaking with my family and taking some time for myself, I went back to training with a renewed sense of purpose to show my students some of the same kindness and thoughtfulness that my Grammy showed me. Grammy, I love you very much and I know you’re with Grandpa now. I will miss you.

On a slightly better note, I now have my address information, although it won’t be valid until 1/25 and I can’t receive packages here. I’ll be in a hotel somewhere until then.

Marc Baizman
LeoPalace #210
1-12-17
Inada Honmachi Higashi Osaka City
Osaka 577-0007
Japan

Okay, today was day 2 of training and it was a LOT of information. Ellen, one of my fellow trainees, has previous english teaching experience and even she was a little overwhelmed. Needless to say, Craig and I are staggering under a mountain of new inforamtuion. BUT the silver lining is that this provides a structure for what to do in a class so I don’t have to stand in front of a roomful of people going, “So…uhhh…today we’ll do…stuff.”

But I am tired. And I had frickin’ McDonald’s for lunch today because it was a national holiday and nothing else was open. Yuck.

Okay, I’m heading home for some ramen, lesson plans, and sleep.

Ok,　so today was day 1 of training. It was…okay. There are only 2 others in the training group which makes it very intimate, but there’s not that much to do with only 3 people as far as excersices and such. The trainer was a bit stiff and excessivley formal, but didn’t seem like a bad guy. No doubt that’s what living in Japan does to you, I guess. So now we have the rest of the afternoon off, and tomorrow off also. I’m pushing for a day trip to Kyoto, and I think I can get my fellow trainees to go along with it. There are a Canadian guy (my roomate) – Craig – and a California/Australian girl – Ellen. They seem nice, and we found this internet cafe together, so they can’t be all bad. Okay, time to go! Buh bye!