Birthday Challenge: 28 Weird Facts About Me

I complied a list of the most random facts I could think of! Some of my close friends and family members will my know most of these, but I hope a few eyebrows are raised! Enjoy!

1. I have mini panic attacks on express elevators.

2. I Wikipedia most movies before watching them. 

3. I flipped to the back of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows just to check whether or not Harry lived. Spoiler Alert: He lived!

4. My fantasy is to have a full body chiropractic adjustment. 

5. My vice is make up and I spend too much money on it. Double the amount if it's Korean make up! 

6. I'm not a full vegetarian because the shrimp at Samurai is too good to give up. 

7. I used eye glue to fix my left eyelid crease. 

8. I ordered my wedding cake topper at 19. 

9. I was bullied badly in middle school and it changed everything about my personality. 

10. I went to a dermatologist for adult acne. 

11. I began to walk with an exaggerated sway to prevent my hips from popping. Now, I pop my hips in the morning, but I keep the sway out of habit. 

12. I was anemic as a baby and during high school, but it wouldn't surprise me if I have become anemic once more in Japan. 

13. If a doctor or a nurse touches the inside of my elbow or places a turnacate when taking blood, my blood pressure drops and I come close to fainting. 

14. Yoga music stresses me out. 

15. I can tell how close of a friend I am with someone on whether or not they spell my nickname correctly. #Judgement

16. I've had plastic surgery. Well, technically surgery done by a plastic surgeon. 

17. I'm good at a lot of things, but I'm great at nothing. #Truth

18. I have Tokophobia, and therefore most of my pregnant friends (and mothers) are hidden from my Facebook newsfeed. 

19. Bananas are my favorite fruit, but I can't eat them because they make my stomache ache. 

20. Although I have had a questionable mole removed, I still love sunbathe. I just use SPF 30 instead of SPF 4.
21. During senior year of high school, I stole my science teacher's rat, which was meant to feed his snake, and set it free. Sorry (not sorry)!

22. I also took our senior mascot, a hand puppet named Pierre, because some classmates were planning to throw him away during our senior trip in Germany. 
23. The extra estrogen in birth control drove me insane.
24. For some strange reason, when I'm drunk it's difficult for me to hear music.
25. Because I have a hard time swallowing pills, I avoid most medicines unless it's absolutely necessary.
26. I was held back a grade in elementary due to illiteracy cause by ESOL classes. I didn't even need ESOL classes because I was bilingual!

27. I am very guarded and I've put this wall up that even I can't tear down. I'm working on it though. 
28. I saw a doctor for for about a year and a half to combat depression.

Random enough? 

Summer Vacation: The Art of Looking Busy While Doing Nothing

My main job during the summer is to give off the appearance of looking busy while doing absolutely nothing. In actuality, I do this all year but my efforts are doubled during the summer. This is also a great time to catch up with teachers who are otherwise too busy to talk to during the school year. Although every situation is different, work rules are typically thrown out the window during summer vacation.

• Go to Work Late
• I make it a point to come to work late everyday. There is nothing for me to do and thus there is no reason for me to be on time. I am usually expected at work at 8:15 but during summer vacation I casually stroll in at 9:30.
• Forget the Dress Code
• Sleeveless shirts, tanks and spaghetti-strapped tops are a big NO in the Japanese workplace - except during summer vacation. No one has said anything about my attire besides a few comments of how cute and summery I look; something that they expressed as "refreshing."
• Extend Lunchtime
• Whether I head home for lunch or bring a bento, I extend my lunch break to atleast two hours. If I eat at school, I use that opportunity to gossip talk with teachers.
• Catch up on Hobbies
• Summer vacation is a great time to catch up on varied interests. In preparation for my Mount Fuji trip, I knitted a scarf in the middle of work. Aside from the comments of amazement, my coworkers couldn't care less. I blog at work, watch movies at work, gossip at work, and spend too much time on my phone at work. Hell, I could change into sweats and workout at work - they just don't care.
• Go Home
• The great part about teaching at multiple schools is that no one knows where I am even though I've had the same schedule for a year. On days where I switch schools, I leave one school early to relax at home for a bit, and then drive to the other school. I do this during the school year, but my time at home is extended for a few hours during summer vacation. No one seems to notice or care. 

Now, before come at me with your judgment, know that when the situation arises I will drop what I'm doing and help my coworkers. They wouldn't love me if I wasn't eager to help in any way possible, right? So go forth my fellow English teachers, and get paid to do nothing! 

Drop it Like it's Hot: Honorifics

One thing that I really love about Japanese culture is way honorifics can define your relationship with another person. The U.S. has honorifics that incur respect and distance from the speaker by describing a person (Mr. or Ms.), their job status (Dr., Fr., Stg, Lt., etc.) or, in the case of women, their marital status (Miss or Mrs.). However, Japan has many honorifics with contradicting rules that make them both confusing and fun.

Two Rules of Honorifics

Never describe yourself with an honorific, and always use an honorific when addressing or referring to others.

Common Honorifics

San is a general suffix used between equals of any age and gender, and in both formal and informal contexts. San is the most recognizable suffix due to the movie “Karate Kid,” when Mr. Miyagi addresses Daniel as “Daniel-san.” Basically, when it doubt, use san!

Sama is the super respectful version of san used to address customers, guests, and those of high ranks. Letters I receive in the mail refer to me as Gabi-sama, but I've never been addressed as such in person.

Chan is an endearing suffix used for babies, young children, grandparents, cute animals, lovers, young women and close friends who have known each other for a long time. Technically, chan is a gender-neutral suffix but since it’s an endearing suffix, most men prefer not to be addressed as chan in public. I am sometimes addressed by my young male co-workers as Gabi-chan. In a previous post, I stated that I sometimes used the suffix to playfully insult a male student who purposefully butchers my name. I also use the suffix to embarrass two young male co-workers. Their names, Ryuuichi and Makoto, change to Ryuu-chan and Mako-chan respectfully. 

Kun is used when addressing or referring to male children or male teenagers, or among male friends. It can also be used to address women as well, but I have never heard it. The use of kun instead of san is generally used if it flows better with the name.

The Most Important Suffix for My Job

Sensei is used to address doctors, teachers and other authority figures. It can also be used to address someone of has mastered a certain skill, which includes artist, novelist, martial artist, etc. During the new OkiJETs workshop, inconveniently held on my birthday last year, we were told that our co-workers may not address us with the honorifics san or sensei since we were neither Japanese nor part of the “system.” I was a little confused but assumed that dropping the honorific may be common for Japanese Teachers of English (JTEs) who understand that these honorifics don’t exist in our countries. However, until recently, I was always dressed with the sensei suffix. 

Yobisute (Dropping the Honorific)

Even though the unofficial rules for honorifics state that an honorific must be used when addressing or referring to someone, yobisute or "dropping the honorific" can be used if the person is a family member, a spouse or a close friend. The first instance of dropping the honorific with a person marks an important point in a friendship. I was a bit confused when I was first yobisute'd by my trouble buddy because up until then I had only addressed him with the sensei suffix. After that, I played around with his name using either san or kun and reserving sensei in front of the students. Eventually I asked which suffix to use, and he told me that I could use whichever one I liked or to yobisute. 

As time went on, I noticed that more co-workers began to drop the honorific, not out of disrespect, but out of closeness. It felt great to be included and I really feel at ease at my workplace. It's funny how something so simple as a honorific can completely change your dynamics. That being said, students will never be allowed to yobisute me. Some have tried, but I am very quick to correct them when it occurs. They should always address me as either Gabi-sensei or Ms. Gabi. No exceptions!

It's Summer Vacation! You Don't Exist!

Today was the last day of the first Japanese school semester and the start of summer vacation. Even though I am still expected at work during the break, I've requested enough nenkyuu (paid vacation) to keep me away from the office. In all seriousness, I desperately need a mental break. Japan has a masochistic school schedule with summer vacations only spanning a little over a month; and even when there are no classes to teach (say, during spring vacation), the teachers are still expected at work. 

I sound a bit whiny, huh? 

Truthfully, I am exhausted with planning English lessons, games, and activities. For example, I planned a lesson based on Frozen and had the 4th graders at Ginoza Elementary sing a bilingual version of "Let it Go." A bilingual version of the song doesn't exist, so I had to use my nerd skills to splice together the Japanese and English versions of the song. I also made a handout with the lyrics and, since the kids can't read English, I inserted the Japanese phonetics for the English words. After teaching the 4th graders, all the other grades wanted to learn the bilingual version of "Let it Go" as well. After teaching the lesson 20 times at three different schools (I'm not sure if that's an exaggeration anymore), I wanted to punch Elsa in the face.

It begins to feel like Groundhog's Day, and what's worse is that some students give up without even attempting the activity because of the muri or "impossible" attitude that anything slightly difficult is impossible to achieve. So I have to begrudgingly cheer them on even though I want to shake the sense into them. I can't get upset, though. I just found out yesterday that my 6th graders believe I speak Japanese because they think I'm half Japanese. They just cannot fathom that I studied Japanese. 

Do you see why I need this mental break?

I have a lot of plans for this summer, but my first act of summer business is to ignore my students as though they don't exist.

Just kidding! I'm not that mean! Well, that actually depends on who you ask, lol! 

Super Typhoon Neoguri World!

Last week at Ginoza Elementary, the principal announced that Typhoon Neoguri (Typhoon #8) was projected to hit Okinawa. As a Floridian, nothing under a Category 3 Hurricane fazes me but when they announced that Typhoon Neoguri had the same strength as 1992's Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 Hurricane that devastate all of South Florida, I knew I was in for it.

Stocking up on supplies was easy and since my apartment is solid concrete, I knew that I wouldn't have any real damage aside from a possible broken window. Moreover, because there is only one window in my apartment, actually a large sliding door, I knew I could take refuge in the kitchen, shower, or toilet room.

As Typhoon Neguri closed in on Okinawa, the typhoon suddenly changed course and the center would slightly miss Okinawa but travel close to the west of the island. Although it wouldn't be considered a direct hit, I knew from experience that the inner and outer bands could cause enough damage to shut down the island. This was a massive typhoon, or so it seemed compared to the tiny, tiny island that is Okinawa.

It's customary in Florida to have the day off before a hurricane strikes in order to party prepare or evacuate. I assume the Okinawa would take the same precautions, but boy was I wrong. The day before the typhoon I was beside myself with anger. The principal called an emergency meeting and announced that if the buses canceled their services for the following day, we were not to come to work but take nenkyuu (paid holiday).

Did you read what I just wrote?

I had to wait for Okinawa's bus companies to cancel their services in order to know whether or not schools would be closed! When the f$%# did bus companies become meteorologists? And why do I have to take a paid holiday off?

No one at work could confirm that school would be canceled. When I asked, their response was 「台風くるかなぁ」　or "Will the typhoon come?" I just mentally screamed, "Will the typhoon come?! The f%&$ do you mean will it come? It's coming people!" I could not handle the bureaucracy and although I love Japan and Okinawa, their vagueness over something as serious as a natural disaster really "tap danced on my nerves." Later that Monday evening, the bus companies canceled services for the following day.



See that long island to the right of the eye? That's Okinawa!

I moved my dead potted plants and drying rack inside and awaited the storm. Later in the night I heard the winds pick up, but I peacefully slept through the night. Tuesday morning, Typhoon Neoguri hit Okinawa with relentless winds. When I looked outside, I saw telephone polls, power lines and trees swaying in the wind. My apartment, which was built to withstand earthquakes, also began to gently sway. My phone rang constantly with emergency text warning various cities to evacuate due to landslides and flood, and it wasn't before long that I lost power.

I spent most of the morning messaging friends and family, but I kept my phone powered by using my laptop and an external Iphone battery. I read books and played DS the entire day until I feel asleep.

We had a meme off that day. My messages are on the right

The following morning, no one knew what to do about work. The buses had resumed service, but the weather clearly indicated that the typhoon had not completely passed. I contacted my town's middle school ALT, who told me that he was expected at work. If he was expected at work, then so was I. I began to dress for work but half way through, he sent a text saying morning classes were canceled, and that he was sent home. Later, they said he needed to take nenkyuu for going home, even though they sent him home. It doesn't make sense! I was so confused and, since my classes were canceled, I decided to stay home. Around 1pm, the weather cleared but my phone was down to 3%. I made a trip to the BOE (Wednesday afternoons are my BOE days) to charge all of my electronics. I thought they would question as to why I wasn't at work, but they only asked if I was alright. They are too good to me!

I stayed there playing on the computer working until it was time to leave. The power returned, but the Internet was still down until I contacted my Internet service providers, who sent workers to my apartment.

First typhoon of the season and hopefully the last!