Post 41

I actually do have a lot to say, but don't seem to get it down.  Not a lot of good excuses for it.  Oh, like right now, I have a pretty incredible headache, or lately I've been getting heartburn like you wouldn't believe... these things happen when I get stressed.  Why am I stressed you ask?  Because there is not enough time in the day to do my job well.  I plan for four different levels and I'm finding it impossible to plan for them all at the same time. Most other teachers here have five or even six levels they teach, so I can't complain, but still.  I will plan out some fabulous lesson for year 10, and then realize I've not made the copies for my year 8 class.  And the marking?  Good god.  Although homework is only assigned once a week here, the marking is amazing. 

No more complaining right now.  The high today was a balmy 48 degrees.  In May. 

Oh wait, that was going to be more complaining, wasn't it?

Okay, here's something, This weekend, I got together with some friends I met in Japan.  When I was 24, I signed a contract to teach English for three years in Nishinomiya, Japan.  It was one of the best decisions I've made in my life.  Living as an absolute foreigner, one who is pegged the moment she is seen as "other," actually did change my life and my outlook on it.

However, I sure had fun.  Being that there were so few westerners there, perhaps around a thousand in our 20's, teaching English, having adventures, we had a pretty tight-knit community of English speaking "Gaijin."


S was from Ireland, P from Canada, and J  from the east coast of the US.  I even went on P and J's first date, not knowing it was supposed to be a date. They got married and now live in the Ukraine where they both work for the embassy.  S married a Japanese man, and they live back in Dublin now.

Anyway, we had a reunion of sorts.  S flew out and stayed with me the past two nights, and P and J and their two kids are in England for a 10-day vacation (they lived here for several years as well).

It is amazing sometimes, when we look back.  I've not seen S since 1993, and P and J since 1995; we've all taken different paths, lost touch with each other for periods of time, and yet last night, eating take-out indian food, and drinking (far too much) white wine, we had a ball.  Yes, we're all in our 40's now, yes, we all have responsibilities now, but we're still the same.  We still get along, we still laugh and laugh and laugh.

As much as I complain, I have a blessed life.  I really do.  I have friends all over the place, from all different parts of my life, and yet they are the kinds of friends who last.  Last summer, I got back in touch with a pile of friends from the summer camp I used to go to and then lifeguarded at when I was in college.  They are all good people.  We all met up at the beach just before I left for England, and again, I was touched by how lucky I am.  There are so many lovely people in my life, who have been in my life, and will continue to be in my life... new people from this year in Enfield too. 

No, I don't have a family of my own.  Not the one I fully expected to have when I was 21 or even still hoped for at  30.  I won't give birth to my own children.  But I do have a family.  These people, all over the world, are my family.  Do I wish things were different?  I can't answer that.  Would I have to give up one for the other?  Perhaps. My life is what it is.  Right now?  It's a pretty good one.