Soji Sweethearts

Friday, July 20 was the last day of school before summer break. Hmmm....so that means NOW we're on "summer vacation"...that explains why all the students are at school, of course. People keep asking me what I'm doing over my "summer holiday" and since all the students are here for "supplemental classes", it didn't really occur to me that I'd have a vacation (meaning, I wouldn't have to come into the office or school). However, the principal told my supervisor to tell me to "feel free to take time off and travel around" during this time. Hmmm, still need clarification if that means to take some of the 20 days of annual leave I have, or if these are "free" days. We'll see. At least if I have to be in the office that means free air con :)

Here's another photo from my phone - sorry! It doesn't get any bigger. The kids were just too cute. The last day of each term we have an 'o-souji' (big cleaning) and here are some students working on the girls' locker room in the gym. Since I ride my bike everyday, I would shower and change in here, so I was helping the girls clean and we put little decorations on the mirrors there. However, today, after a series of slightly embarrassingly humorous or (humorously embarrassing) events, which included a sweaty, barefoot Tracey sensei turning up in the staff room, I've secured a daily hot shower in the men's changing room (the women's room doesn't have one, and I'm told the men don't use theirs). Not that I mind trading my freezing cold shower for a warm one, but somehow, I think I might have some funny stories to tell of this new arrangement...


ps - that is not to say that I can't have a hot shower at home; I DID finally figure out how THAT contraption works - I'll have to post a photo of it - you'll get the idea. So, yeah, for the record, I DO still shower everyday, yo! I'm not THAT far out in the country :)