July 2013

I have a confession to make. I am not even close to being able to comprehend that I have less than a month left on my JET contract and house cleaning is suffering as a result. I’m still making lists of things that I need to do, and when I have time to actually do something, I get distracted and watch Community. I think the ‘proper cleaning’ is what will really indicate my life in this little part of Hyogo is coming to an end. I don’t want to accept that. I know that I can do little things; take down photographs, posters, pack away books, but it will make my house feel like less of a home just a little too soon. I have a horrible feeling that reality will come crashing through the door far too late and I’ll find myself faced with two days of no sleep and a lot of bleach.

School carries on with teachers worrying about 警報s (keihous) cancelling school when they really need all the lessons they can get to cover everything on the tests. I’m joining them this time around as I decided to do Show and Tell interviews as part of the end of term tests, but they have to be done during class time. I’m nearly done with it all, but the daikyuu resulting from a postponed 体育祭 caused a fair amount of stress that I could have done without. As I write, the end of term test is yet to be recorded, but I think I’ve got that down now and it shouldn’t take long.

And as we enter the final stretch of the first term, you’ll hopefully all be finding yourselves with a bit more time (unless you’re moving countries…) and can therefore take a few moments to have a gander at this, the July (and my last) issue of the Hyogo Times! Miso Green provides some helpful tips for those on their way out (or just wanting a bit of a clear-out) along with ideas for keeping cool as the temperatures rise. We have not one, but two movie reviews along with a rugby match report that makes me want to go and watch rugby. In the kitchen, a wonderful looking green tea cheesecake is being whipped up and over in Kyoto it’s time to play Maiko dress-up. There’s much more besides, including reflections on time spent in Japan, more from the Mochi Diaries and of course Love and Relationships. Finally, we have an introduction to some of the goings on of the JET Alumni Association, courtesy of the New York chapter, that shows JET life most definitely continues post-contract.

Enjoy July!

Imi