The Last Day of Summer & The First Day of My Last Year

Yesterday was the last day of summer freedom. School has been out since mid-July. I have taken several trips around Japan (Disney Sea, Sumo in Nagoya, Hokkaido, Hiroshima, Mt. Fuji), but I haven’t left the archipelago since May. When I wasn’t traveling, I was dutifully coming to work every morning. However, after a few hours, I was also sneakily leaving work everyday. But I never left without the permission of one of my teachers or my Vice Principle. Except yesterday! All the teachers were back in the staff room preparing for the opening ceremony and start of classes. But I still had NOTHING to do. So I decided to leave at lunch but didn’t bother asking permission from the head honcho. Was it a mistake? It was the last time I’d be allowed the privilege of skipping out on work-so I did! So for my last day of summer, I biked to the beach to swim, gossip and soak up the sunny rays on the sand. The day was made perfect because…SOS was back together again. After the beach, we frequented our favorite mochi-cheese izikaya and continued the gossip and girly bitchiness at Ducks Farm while eating chocolate.

And now, today, I’m wearing a skirt and blouse and locked in the confines of my staff room…all alone! But this morning when I walked into the staff room, all the teachers were sitting at their desks, waiting for the morning meeting to start. I usually make it to my desk in time for the meeting, but I’ve been known to walk in late. Mind you, that doesn’t mean I’m late for school. The meeting starts 15 minutes before my contract says I have to be at school. So in reality I’m early everyday. But I’m sure no one else knows that except for me. So they all think I’m late! Anyway, back to the point. Immediately my VP looks at me and asks if I got the fax and phone call from another one of my schools yesterday afternoon. He knew full well I hadn’t. And I knew full well he was exposing my little lie to everyone. But a few hours later he was joking with me again. And he got me a day of daikyu for sports day. And I promised to go to the enkai after sports day. And life seems to be back to normal. But I still haven’t seen the fax from the other school concerning Monday’s schedule. And I’m still sitting alone in the staff room. Dressed up with nowhere to go, no classes to teach and nothing to do. But I’m not complaining. I’m just aware that these moments won’t be here forever.

And today is the first day of my last year in Nyuzen!