Awkward Conversations in the Staff Room

I'm not a stranger to weird, personal questions, but this ranked a 9.5 on my Awkward Meter

On Monday, the ladies at my school congregated around the snack table and talked about nothing in particular. This was typical, but today was special because all the men were out for the day, which caused unfiltered conversations amongst the women.

The school nurse flipped through the pages of a newspaper and eventually stopped to point out a weight-loss ad. The ad showed a chesty women with measuring tape wrapped around her impossibly small waist. The school nurse admired the woman's breast but noticed something off about her face. I speculated that the woman has multiple procedures done to enhance her looks, and I also pointed out her boob-booty disparity. Then my school nurse said, "Speaking of boobs, my friend had on a nipple pack the other day." Apparently her friend is currently trying to bleach her nipples, from brown to pink, using a blend of yogurt, cucumbers, and lime (or lemon) juice.* How she puts it into a "pack" is beyond me, but supposedly it's working.

 I was kind of dumbfounded by the weird things Japanese people do for vanity, but my astonishment was cut short because a teacher asked me, "Are your nipples pink or brown?"

So far, I've been asked fairly innocent questions about my weight, height and age. I've even heard stories of other female ALTs who were asked about their three sizes. However, I think this tops ALL awkward inappropriate-ish questions. I'm a good sport so when she asked, I laughed and said I didn't know.

I can't say that this is a Japan-only situation because I've had all female coworkers in the U.S., and those conversations were always...interesting. 

*Don't try this, like, ever!

When a Pet Passes Away While You're Abroad

It's not easy to hug a hedgehog, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't try.

A downside to living abroad is that anything can happen to your loved ones while you are away. In actuality, it's my biggest fear because it's something that I cannot predict or circumvent. Before I came to Japan, I entrusted my five* pets to my parents knowing very well that two of the five were advanced in years, and that I might not see them alive upon my return. 

This morning my boyfriend informed me that my hedgehog, Mrs. Pricklepants, passed away. During my visit in the summer, I noticed that she had thinned - a drastic contrast from the rest of my pets that my mother fattened - and seemed a bit sluggish. Nevertheless, I hoped beyond reason that she would live past the extent of her hedgehog live span. 

That just didn't happen.

To my sweetest pet that loved booty scratches,

Goodbye (´；ω；`)

RIP Mustang and Mrs. P.

Five Pets

1. Chin Chin (cat) - 15 soon!

2. Napoleon a.k.a. Nappi-poo (Red-earred slider; turtle) - 10

3. Panda (Shih Tzu) - 7

4. Tiger (cat) - 7

5. Mrs. Pricklepants - 6

By the way, I don't consider Feisty (cat; 14) as my pet even though she's an indoor cat.