Friday after work was the end of year enkai, or Christmas party if you like.
I was really tired on Friday as I haven't been sleeping well, as a result I really didn't feel like going. But since it was just down the road I went along. It actually turned out to be a pretty good night. Although I understood hardly anything that was being said, there were some games and joke presents.
We played bingo and had to pick a wrapped gift from the table when we got 5 numbers in a row. I chose a small box, not wanting to look like a greedy foreigner and grab a big one. Turns out it was a box of band-aids. Which could've been worse.
Saturday I bleached the bathroom again, the mold just keeps on coming. Saturday night I went to Ashikaga with Galen and Carol, a couple of other ALTs. Ashikaga is a nearby city that has an exhibition of lights at the 'flower park'. It was really cold but impressive looking. Afterwards we went to a mexican restaurant where I had a not bad chicken enchilada.
This week there is a holiday on Tuesday for the Emporers birthday, then the 25th and 26th are work days as usual. I am not taking leave since there's nothing in particular to do. The office manager was asking me about it today, maybe I'm causing trouble by wanting to work, doesn't matter really. If it's a big deal they can always tell me to 'work from home' but I don't think that kind of flexibile thinking operates in my school.
I bought ingredients for trifle yesterday, I'll make it tomorrow night. Plus I got a couple of steaks. I cooked one last night with mushrooms and onions, it smelled so good I had to photograph it with my phone. I rarely cook steak at home (as in not often), but over here I seem to buy it about once a month.
So I leave Japan on wednesday week, and my plane arrives in Melbourne at 11:30 am Thursday morning, Jan 1.
I'm not looking forward to the flight, but it'll be good to be back home for a while.
