Hello From Japan (First Entry Jitters)

Hi there.

My name is Trey, and I'm a 29 year old English Foreign Language teacher working in Japan. I am living in the country in Gunma now, and am hoping to move near Tokyo or another major city this April. I have been asked to do a blog a few times while telling stories, and the website here seems to make it easy and has a good community. So this will be my attempt. That's enough about me for now. Lets get to the entry.

Work went like most days, so I had a good time as usual. The foreign teachers all got notes today saying we need to wear masks in school now that flu season has started, so I went through class resembling an Umbrella Corp lab technician.(Side Note 1: Jr High students in Japan look very much like zombies at the end of their school days.)

Example of Jr. High Zombies....Its hard to teach half dead children. I wish they didn't have regular classes, club, cram school...and then my class.

It is as much a part of the culture here to wear masks as it is in The States to keep a small bottle of hand sanitizer on you this time of year. And they have those at the door too. Even before the swine flu this has been the norm. Foreigner participation is less of a request and more mandatory now though. It is a polite system really. If you feel sick its customary to wear a mask so that you don't spread it around. If you work in schools or other gathering places then its polite to wear it too. Also if your just worried you will get it from someone else you can. You see a lot of them on subways and such. There is debate on how effective it is, but its a big business here so its not going anywhere, and I am sure its at least slightly more helpful than 0 masks or effort.I remember they actually ran out of masks when the first new influenza case hit Japan. (Side Note 2: If you had Japan stock in flu masks when the first cases of the swine epidemic were reported, you would now be richer than Uncle Pennybags.)

Actually, I think Monopoly money may be trading strong against the U.S. dollar now...might need to find my old game board.

Its not so bad wearing one, but I find it a bit stifling. Often when the kids are looking in their textbooks I will pull it down for a second to get clear breath of air. I am pretty sure that defeats the purpose, but it will take me some time to get used to it. As of today I still feel like Rick Moranis in space balls. Just cant breath in the thing.