Three little things

1. I FINALLY get to start studying for a TESOL qualification tomorrow. It's been a long time coming and I can't wait...

Update: The first day is done! There's seven of us doing the course and it was a long day, although it was fun. There was a lot to take in - and I think today will probably prove to be one of the easiest days on the course. I've already got a heap of new things I want to try with my students this week though. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the course now.

2. Two years ago, to the day, I made my first blogging post. Happy blogiversary to me....

And I remember well making that first post. The idea just suddenly came to me one day, ten weeks before I was due to leave, whilst sitting bored shitless at my desk at work, that blogging about Japan would be a fun thing to do. I chose the name first - Jo-in-Japan - and was really happy to see the name was available. I didn't intend to start the blog until I got to Japan but frustration and tedium at work tempted me into making a start on it. And I'm glad I did. I now have a permanent record of, not only my time here, but the range or emotions and the planning and the learning processes that went on in the lead up to coming here. I feel I've changed quite a lot in the last two years since I started blogging and mentally began the escape that I followed through two months later.

3. My bloody neigbours kept me awake (again) until 3am last night and THEN the frigging builders woke me at 7.15am. I had to work all day. Guess who is NOT happy and REALLY craving peace and quiet...?

And who was suffering from PMT during this little episode. After I wrote the above I
emailed the girls phone. Partly because I knew if I didn't 'say' something straight away I never would and partly because I was too damn tired in the morning (I had an early start for work as normal on a Saturday) and also because I knew I was due to go out in the evening and then be out all day today. And I had time on the way to work to carefully compose and double check what I was saying so it wouldn't seem aggressive. Maybe I should have got up at 3am, got dressed and gone next door, hammered on their door and shouted at them, or waited until the next time we were all in to do it, but this was simplest. I didn't get a reply. If there's a repeat performance I guess I'll have to either FIND time to go around or write a letter to them. Or if that fails - complain to the company that leases us the apartments.

Just give me peace. If I can't have it in my own apartment, where can I have it?

Does anyone else feel this way?