September 2016

Greetings!

Remember, remember the month of September- it’s when school resumes. Yes, I’m sure we’re all aware that we’re back to work this month and I’m sure we’re all thrilled about that prospect. If you’re new, it might be a shock to actually start classes; if you’re old, it might be a shock how exhausting classes can be.

At least in September it starts to get cooler, if only by inches. But by October it’s generally agreed to be tolerable, so not that long to go. I don’t remember much of last September, I think because everything was much of a muchness: a lot of self-introductions, being carted out to various community events, feigning interest in those events and then singing karaoke every second day because I needed the release. I’ll actually be heading home briefly later this month, so maybe this year, September will prove slightly more memorable.

This is also my birthday month and this will be the first time in half a decade I’ve spent my birthday in the same place two years in a row. Last year, I took a nenkyuu and went to an onsen when it was thirty five degrees outside- this year, I think I’ll just save the money and still my head in a microwave.

As a returning JET, it will be interesting to see all my charges again- I change schools in January, so it’s been nine months since this particular crop of students have laid eyes on me. Of course, the third years will be gone and there’ll be some new eleven year olds to make me feel old (seriously, I’m more than twice their age) but I find that most flocks of students are exactly the same as each other- wheat and chaff, muck and gold, vinegar and mayonnaise.

In this month’s Hyogo times: Caitlin continues her liking for hiking; Giora is wondering what’s maid in Japan; Byron reminds us how it felt to be new; a chance meeting on Awaji leads to juice and friendship; The Jungle Book is reviewed after it’s already been Honest Trailer’d; a good old fashioned library heist goes horribly wrong.

Something for everyone!

Rory, Da Chief