The 2nd Year

Three days ago, I came back to Japan from a relaxing vacation at home. When I arrived at the Tokyo airport, I had really mixed feelings.

On the one hand, I was returning to something that isn't so foreign anymore. While I'm still far from understanding the language entirely, I was able to read most of the important signs and understand the gists of the announcements.

At school, I will no longer have to start over as the new ALT and trying to gain the students' trusts or learn their names.

On the other hand, I felt as lost as ever. One of my closest friends from last year left the program after a year and I didn't quite know who to send the "I'm back!" message to from my cell phone. I realized that I will have to make the same efforts to get to know the 37 new teachers in town just like I had to last year. The task seems a bit tiring.

At school, while the students still make me laugh my head off, I feel as though the things that have been frustrating me the last year will not change.

So, here I am, on a really, really rainy Sunday, sitting and pondering (while avoiding the very necessary chore of cleaning my apartment) how this 2nd year will be....

I guess we will see.