I got here and everything worked out well as I posted previously, but after three days I lost my job. The company who fired me, Nova made me feel like I am not cut out to be a teacher or perhaps I am mentally slow since I could not keep up with their training program. However, all of this was proven wrong when I went to the General Union yesterday to get help in fighting what you they have done to me. The representative at the Union asked me if I was a qualified teacher. I didn't know how to answer except that I had experience teaching adults and also I have a TEFL certificate. When I described the problems with my lessons during the training period, I said how I told the trainer that Nova's teaching materials are "different" from how I was taught to teach and therefore I needed more time to adapt to their methods. The representative sort of laughed and said that I had inadvertently insulted their curriculum and that is why they fired me. So I guess even when I intend to be humble and conform to what I need to do it's impossible. Apparently my higher standards of doing things and perhaps even my intelligence if I may go so far outshines the mediocre situations that I try to adapt to just to get on in life.
However, my present situation is not without merit. I think this experience has taught me to stand up for myself . I can say I am mildly angry, but more so I am just fed up with people walking all over me from employers to boyfriends. I will not accept any sort of treatment anymore that is less than I deserve!
Furthermore, I can continue to say I love my life in Japan. I am much more motivated here for some reason. I love getting on a train every day. I love all the little things too like the hot towels you get to wipe your hands before a meal, how tax is already included in everything! and also how the toilet sprays my butt, the sinks have motion sensored soap dispensers and faucets, and the hand dryer has a cool electric blue light in it! Haha I also like the peace and sense of contentment I feel when I go to a temple or shrine and hear the monk chanting. The ability to have some place beautiful to pray at is lovely too.
There are a few things I don't like, but they're minor. I don't get why the toilet talks to me when I sit down (mostly in public places) it's not like it talks to me in English! And I don't need the "sound effects" that start either, as I don't care if anyone else hears what I am doing in there! It's a bathroom for a reason! Japanese women don't like to be "heard" doing neither number one or two.....I don't like the damn motor bikes that drive on the sidewalk near my house, and I think I rather don't like the post system here. I have had something from my bank trying to be delivered all week, but they want to actually be able to deliver it to me in person and I am never home for that. I would just like to pick it up and be done with it! And today my gas bill, which is like a store receipt was slipped under my door? What the hell do I do with that and where do I go to pay it? Whatever though, I will ask someone and figure it out haha Oh and last but not least, I can't stand what I call "squatters" which are trench toilets in the bathrooms at train stations and other public places. The department stores thankfully have the nice ones that have warmed toilet seats and spray your butt!
I probably should get my butt dressed and get out of this apartment for a while!
