Week 70: February 27 – March 3, 2023
Day 490: February 27, 2023
Monday – Rumoi
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| Rumoi High School 2.27.23 |
It's a chilly -11°C morning, and I'm heading back to Rumoi High School for work. There are no collaborative tasks today since everyone is busy preparing for the 3rd-year Graduation Ceremony and the upcoming entrance exam for the incoming 1st-year students.
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| I finished making my "message rose" to the members of the Rumoi High School English Club who are graduating this year |
Matsuda-sensei helped me by reviewing my practice driving application form. He also mailed it to the Asahikawa Driving Center. He said that it should arrive tomorrow. Hopefully, they approve my requested practice driving dates—March 3 and 5. In a way, I'm a bit desperate as failing wasn't an option and there were a lot at stake if I fail.
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| I spent the day studying Japanese using the VLJ learning site |
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| Before heading home, I received my new work laptop from the school |
As for work, since there were no classes, I spent the day studying Japanese. On another note, the school issued me a new laptop today. It's much faster than my old one, but since everything is in Japanese and I can't change the language to English, I'm still adjusting to it. Nonetheless, I’m grateful for the upgrade.
When I got home, I was happy to find that my 1TB external hard drive had finally arrived. I spent the evening transferring my Japan photos to it, which will serve as my backup.
Day 491: February 28, 2023
Tuesday – Rumoi
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| Rumoi High School 2.28.23 |
Today was an interesting day. Despite being winter, the weather was surprisingly warm at 4 degrees, which made the snow on the ground wet and mushy. It almost felt like a preview of the upcoming spring season, which I am definitely excited about.
Rumoi High School Graduation Rehearsal
I had to report for work today at Rumoi High School, where we were all busy with the graduation rehearsal. There were no classes today, so we spent the whole time practicing for the ceremony, which will take place tomorrow. The rehearsal only took 3 hours, which was quite a relief, as we had a lot of other preparations to make.
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| The graduating members of the Rumoi High School English Club gave a farewell message to the other members |
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| We wish you good luck on whichever path you are taking! |
After the rehearsal, the remaining members of the English Club met with the graduating members to give them farewell gifts. We exchanged messages and wished them good luck on their future journeys. It was an emotional moment for everyone in the room, as we realized that some of our closest friends would soon be leaving us to pursue their dreams.
Despite the bittersweet farewell, I am grateful for the time we spent together and the memories we created. I will always cherish the moments we shared, and I wish them all the best in their future endeavors.
Day 492: March 1, 2023
Wednesday – Rumoi
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| Rumoi High School 3.1.23 |
Good morning! Today was a warm day, which made the snow on the ground very mushy. However, it was also slippery in some areas, which made it a bit of a struggle for me to walk from my place to Rumoi High School. I had to alternate between penguin walking and crab walking to avoid slipping. It took me about 20 minutes to reach Rumoi High School, but I am glad that I got there safely.
Rumoi High School Graduation Ceremony
Today is a bittersweet day for me because it is the Graduation Ceremony for the 3rd year students, whom I have grown attached to over the School Year. I don't have any collaboration work today, but I will be attending the ceremony to show my support for the students.
I am very happy for the graduating batch, as they are one step closer to becoming more productive members of society. It's amazing to see them achieve this milestone, but it's also hard to say goodbye. After the afternoon special meeting, we were asked to go home immediately. It's a relief to have some time to myself, as I need to process my emotions and reflect on the day's events.
Day 493: March 2, 2023
Thursday – Rumoi
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| Rumoi High School 3.2.23 |
Today was a beautiful sunny day, and I was back reporting at Rumoi High School since I didn't have any visiting schools to attend this week. It's the Entrance Examination for the incoming 1st year students, which means that I won't be having any collaboration work today.
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| My lunch for today is roasted sesame ramen |
Instead, I spent my time studying Japanese using Visual Learning Japanese. I managed to finish several lessons before going home. It was a productive day, and I feel like I'm making good progress in my language-learning journey. After the afternoon meeting, we were asked to go home immediately. It's becoming a routine now, but I understand the need for it given the current situation.
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| Grocery shopping in COOP |
On my way home, I walked to COOP to meet my wife and daughter, and we went grocery shopping together. It was nice to spend some quality time with them, and we were able to stock up on essentials for the week.
Overall, it was a fulfilling day, and I'm grateful for the opportunities to learn and spend time with my loved ones.
Day 494: March 3, 2023
Friday – Rumoi
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| Rumoi High School 3.3.23 |
Just like that, it's already Friday. The temperature outside was -3 in the morning, but the weather forecast said it would get warmer at noon. Today was the Interview and Selection portion of the incoming 1st-year students, which meant that I wouldn't have any collaboration work again. Nevertheless, I helped with disinfecting the school and rearranging the classrooms after the exams. It was a busy day, but it felt good to be productive.
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| Driving along the Fukagawa - Rumoi Expressway |
After work, my family and I drove to Asahikawa Driver's License Center in Asahikawa City. I reserved the 7-8 PM slot to practice driving around the course so that I could familiarize myself with it and also apply what I have learned from the vlogs and the Japan Driver's Guides that I have watched and read online.
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| Night driving practice at Asahikawa License Center |
I was able to drive around the course multiple times and refine my driving skills. However, I still have a lot to improve on, so I know that I need to practice more.
Overall, it was a week where I didn't go to any visiting schools and only stayed in Rumoi High School. Despite that, I was able to study several units in my Intermediate Japan Online Language Course and practice my driving skills at the Asahikawa Driver's Licensing Center. As the day comes to a close, I look forward to spending the weekend with my family and taking some time for myself to rest and recharge.
Read more:
Japan Diaries 4: Weekend 70
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