6 weeks to go…

How time flies… 

School
After tomorrow I only have 2 weeks of classes left.  I’ve already had my final lesson with a few of the classes at Sugito but I didn’t really care to tell them it was my last class.  They probably wouldn’t have cared to hear it.  Although I did mention it to one group of students as they were leaving the class because they said, “See you again!”  And I said, “See you… oh wait.  This is my last class with you.  So I won’t see you again.”  “Why?”  “I’m going back to Canada at the end of July.”  “Why?”  “…”  Then the Japanese teacher cut in and told the story of me going back for school.  Whenever people here ask me why I’m not staying and I tell them that I’m going back to try to do pharmacy, it always feels like I’m giving an excuse.  I don’t know why but it just does.   I won’t miss teaching but I’ll miss (some of) the students. 

Nagano
Last weekend was the spring/summer ALT soccer tournament and once again, our crappy Saitama Dasai team made an appearance.  Prior to the last tournament in September, the Dasai had never scored a goal.  That sort of changed in September when we managed to force one of the teams to score on themselves.  This time we were looking to score for real.  Once again, we lost all 5 games we played but gave up significantly less goals than last time.  The scores were 0-5, 1-2, 0-3, 0-7 and 1-3.  That’s right, we scored TWO goals!  We also managed 2 own-goals, which was kind of disappointing.  The highlight/lowlight of the trip was the onsen.  Apparently of the 4 rooms reserved for the guys team, I stayed in the only Japanese style one so we didn’t have a shower in our room.   It would mean I would have to try the Japanese onsen.  Since it’s same-sex, it’s a really gay experience and I don’t understand why people enjoy it.   So, I entered the outer area where you basically strip naked, and it smelled like… ass.   Then you go through the doors into the shower area.  It was really crowed so there was basically a line of naked dudes waiting for a stool to free up so they can wash themselves before jumping into a hot tub of more naked dudes.  So there I was shielding my area from sight with my hands, while trying to keep my eyes away from dudes, yet still keeping an eye out for a free stool.  What I will say, is that the onsen (or hot tub) is really good for soothing the soreness and aches from soccer.  But you can’t do it with pants on?  Seriously?  Afterwards I was walking out (clothed) with a teammate and I said, “That was really gay.  I don’t see how people can like that.”  He was like, “Oh, was that your first time?  It’s not usually that crowded.  That was disgusting.  Like a roman bath.”  At least I can say I’ve tried the Japanese onsen.  And I don’t like it.

Pharmacy
I should hear from them by next weekend I think.  It’s kind of bad because somehow I’ve gone from being pessimistic/realistic in thinking that I might not get in, to being optimistic/almost over-confident and expecting that I’ll get in.  It could be from everyone asking what I’m going to be doing when I go home and I tell them I’m going to go back to university for pharmacy.  I’ve said it so much that I’ve started to believe that’s what I’ll be doing.  It’ll really suck if I don’t get in, after telling so many people that that’s my plan after I go back.  And once again, I have no backup plan.  Just like when I applied for the JET programme.  Let’s hope this pharmacy thing follows suit and I won’t need a backup plan.