The Backpack Adventures

Week 112: December 18 – 22, 2023 Day 777: December 18, 2023 Monday – Rumoi It’s the start of my work week. I received an early morning email from Midorigaoka Elementary School informing me that Ella’s classes are suspended due to the blizzard and heavy snowfall.  The blizzard buried a portion of our apartment and our cars Some of the houses were also covered in snow I hurriedly looked out the window and was shocked to see how deep the snow was. I also got a message from Sengoku-sensei about the cancellation of classes at Rumoi High School . However, teachers are still expected to report to work, but if it is impossible to head out, we can use the Disaster Leave. Regardless, I still went to work as I needed to accomplish a lot of tasks that I missed when I filed for sick leave ( byoinkyu ) last week. Rumoi High School 12.18.2023 There were only a handful of teachers in Rumoi High School, but we were all busy doing something. I was able to finish the tasks that I needed to do, so ...

Weekend 111: December 16 -17, 2023 Day 775: December 16, 2023 Saturday – Rumoi It’s a cold but thankfully not a windy morning. My family and I took the opportunity to get extra sleep after a busy work week, and as a matter of fact, we got up at around 10 PM already.  Another medicine time with Kai We needed to go to the grocery store today, so we needed to remove the ice from Ruru . There was a promo at COOP today. They were selling the dried squids at a very low price We didn’t have any road trip plans today, but we still needed to head out to do some errands. Our first stop for the day was at COOP to buy groceries. I was happy to discover that there is a promo for the dried squid, which is to buy three packs for just 1000 yen. Of course, I didn’t miss the opportunity to buy some.  Jabba Laundromat From there, we went back home to drop off our groceries and, in exchange, pick up the laundry to bring to Jabba Laundromat for drying.  After that, we drove to Maxvalu to ...

Week 111: December 11 – 15, 2023 Day 770: December 11, 2023 Monday – Sick Leave D1 Today started on an unexpected note as my family and I were hit with a wave of illness, marked by fever-like symptoms. Recognizing the need to prioritize our health, I promptly informed my supervisor, Matsuda-sensei, about my absence due to illness. Rumoi Municipal Hospital Following breakfast, we embarked on a trip to Rumoi Municipal Hospital for a thorough check-up. Upon our arrival, it became evident that many others were seeking similar medical attention. Surprisingly, the other ALT, Joshua, was among the familiar faces in the bustling hospital. Ella and Kai are both down with a fever Our hospital visit extended beyond half of the day, with the results revealing a mix of relief and concern. Fortunately, our daughter, Ella, tested negative, but our little Kai, unfortunately, tested positive. Thankfully, it wasn't COVID. Given the circumstances, my wife and I opted out of testing, considering the p...