Hi y'all! I feel so happy today because the schedule that I have is very suitable for me. It took me awhile to realize that.
Recently, I am on the job hunt. Having a late afternoon schedule for my online teaching job is good to compromise with the job hunt. I guess I have not talked about my schedule before, right?
Well, when I started, my schedule starts from 1500-2100. This was from a year ago during my first six months. I remember I applied to some job openings and the having interviews with that kind of schedule is not a good combination. In my next six months, I changed my schedule to 1400-2000. It's an earlier schedule because I need to compromise with what happened here at home. My mom had an accident so I need to help more with the house. And with this second schedule, having some interviews still did not go well because it covers a lot of time during the day. The third schedule that I have now is better because I start late, however, I end late. It is from 1630-2200. It's a better schedule than the previous two because it doesn't cover a lot of time during the day and I can do job hunting freely in the morning.
So, now I just realized that my current schedule perfectly well. It compromises well if I have some impromptu interviews and I don't need to block out our replace many time slots.It's good!
29 August, 2012
15 August, 2012
Obon
I'm so excited for the Davao holidays! It's only a few days now. I want to take a rest from having many lessons especially this week. This week is the Obon holiday in Japan for most students so we get a lot of reservations.
Maybe I haven't talked much about Obon last year because I only knew it as a holiday for the dead, like Philippines' All Soul's Day on November 2. And basically, most of the practices are the same: go to the graves, bring food and flowers, light up some incenses, and offer some prayers. So, recently, I knew that the Obon practices can vary from family to family. But here's the general idea that I learned from some of the students.
Usually, Obon runs for three days. In some prefectures, two days. One student said that it is from August 13-14. One also said that it is only on August 13-14. But it depends on the calendar. So in these days, families can go to the graves or their ancestral houses.
Usually, the first born son, in recent times daughters too as long as they're first borns, handle the commemoration of their dead on Obon. The first borns take care of the ancestral house, thus it leaves them with the responsibility of handling Obon preparations.
Some families prepare an altar of good things. Most importantly, they prepare some vegetables that they make into a horse and a cow. According to one of the students who make this practice, they use a cucumber to be made into a horse and an eggplant is made into a cow. The horse cucumber is the bringer of the souls of the dead. The horse fetches the dead on the first day. On the last day, which is the third day, of Obon, the souls of the dead will ride the eggplant cow. The cow sends them back to the underworld or the world of the dead. They also some incenses. This is to help the souls find their way to their ancestral houses. Favorite foods and fruits of the dead are also put on the altar.
In general, Obon is a reunion time for most families. Many workers from big cities are given a chance to spend a week or two for holidays. Unfortunately for some, they don't have any Obon vacation but they can take a summer vacation a week or after from the Obon week.
As a foreigner, I somehow look forward to Obon because I can hear interesting things about their culture and practice on this special day. I'm also interested with the special foods and their corresponding meanings. I like this Japanese holiday! Even if it means a busy schedule for us teachers. ^_^
Images were from Google Images...
Maybe I haven't talked much about Obon last year because I only knew it as a holiday for the dead, like Philippines' All Soul's Day on November 2. And basically, most of the practices are the same: go to the graves, bring food and flowers, light up some incenses, and offer some prayers. So, recently, I knew that the Obon practices can vary from family to family. But here's the general idea that I learned from some of the students.
Usually, Obon runs for three days. In some prefectures, two days. One student said that it is from August 13-14. One also said that it is only on August 13-14. But it depends on the calendar. So in these days, families can go to the graves or their ancestral houses.
Usually, the first born son, in recent times daughters too as long as they're first borns, handle the commemoration of their dead on Obon. The first borns take care of the ancestral house, thus it leaves them with the responsibility of handling Obon preparations.
Some families prepare an altar of good things. Most importantly, they prepare some vegetables that they make into a horse and a cow. According to one of the students who make this practice, they use a cucumber to be made into a horse and an eggplant is made into a cow. The horse cucumber is the bringer of the souls of the dead. The horse fetches the dead on the first day. On the last day, which is the third day, of Obon, the souls of the dead will ride the eggplant cow. The cow sends them back to the underworld or the world of the dead. They also some incenses. This is to help the souls find their way to their ancestral houses. Favorite foods and fruits of the dead are also put on the altar.
Cucuber horse and eggplant cow.
A Traditional Obon Altar
In general, Obon is a reunion time for most families. Many workers from big cities are given a chance to spend a week or two for holidays. Unfortunately for some, they don't have any Obon vacation but they can take a summer vacation a week or after from the Obon week.
As a foreigner, I somehow look forward to Obon because I can hear interesting things about their culture and practice on this special day. I'm also interested with the special foods and their corresponding meanings. I like this Japanese holiday! Even if it means a busy schedule for us teachers. ^_^
Images were from Google Images...
03 August, 2012
Annoyed
I don't know I've written something like this... but here it goes.
A student stressed me out a lot today. I thought we will have a fun lesson together but in the end, it came for the worse. I guess she was not that as enthusiastic as before. Perhaps, I have forgotten how irritable she is when she can't get what the words mean. Or maybe I expected so much of her because I know she knows a lot of words and reads between the lines and can understand even the strangest expressions. As always, in the end, she apologizes about that. But the hurt has already been inflicted.
I got annoyed. I almost lost my cool. I believe I have forgotten about handling those kinds of people.
And maybe, after a year and six months of teaching, I still don't know how to teach. Sigh.
I guess I do.
I am now on the point where I am to lax in my job--where the room of improvement is there but I'm not budging any step to take initiative and do it. I have gotten to lazy, pre-occupied of some thoughts. I was very different when I was just starting out as an HBOET. There was a drive to be better but now, I don't know.
There is something wrong with my outlook and there is something wrong now on how I look on things. I guess I need help on how to do this improvement. Another job perhaps? Or maybe teaching in our company office? I don't know. I'm constricted with my time and my mind wants to stay in this constricted mind.
A student stressed me out a lot today. I thought we will have a fun lesson together but in the end, it came for the worse. I guess she was not that as enthusiastic as before. Perhaps, I have forgotten how irritable she is when she can't get what the words mean. Or maybe I expected so much of her because I know she knows a lot of words and reads between the lines and can understand even the strangest expressions. As always, in the end, she apologizes about that. But the hurt has already been inflicted.
I got annoyed. I almost lost my cool. I believe I have forgotten about handling those kinds of people.
And maybe, after a year and six months of teaching, I still don't know how to teach. Sigh.
I guess I do.
I am now on the point where I am to lax in my job--where the room of improvement is there but I'm not budging any step to take initiative and do it. I have gotten to lazy, pre-occupied of some thoughts. I was very different when I was just starting out as an HBOET. There was a drive to be better but now, I don't know.
There is something wrong with my outlook and there is something wrong now on how I look on things. I guess I need help on how to do this improvement. Another job perhaps? Or maybe teaching in our company office? I don't know. I'm constricted with my time and my mind wants to stay in this constricted mind.
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