spacealien_vamp (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
spacealien_vamp) wrote2008-02-01 10:00 am
spacealien_vamp) wrote2008-02-01 10:00 am
The end draws near...with the pitter-patter of little koala feet
I have been rather swamped recently with end-of-year duties, but that all ends today.
Last week, my students had their final classes. This meant that I was spending all my free time baking the prizes to give them for turning in an optional notebook assignment.
This year I made:
I also added in a jar of homemade persimmon jam, but no one chose it. They don't know what they are missing! Oh, well, more for me.
My kitchen is still recovering. I am gradually whittling away at the enormous stack of dishes/baking pans/plastic containers/cooking utensils.
Since then, I have been concentrating on giving and grading their final exams, plus any random assignments that I hadn't graded yet. I'm giving the last make-up final today.
Yesterday the school shut down normal operations to give the high school entrance exam. I was told that none of the teachers would be showing up, so I took the day off and went to Otsu to set up a vacation. I had been afraid that I wouldn't be able to arrange something, because I had sent my passport off for renewal, but the new one came back in record time. (I hadn't expected it until mid-February at the earliest.)
I visited a travel agency in Otsu and spent some time poring over their Australia tour booklet. Finally I picked a package that I wanted and one of the agents came over (hesitantly) to deal with me. I told him (in Japanese) which plan that I wanted, including details of extended nights that I wanted to add.
Agent: ...All of our rules are printed in Japanese.
Me: Yes?
Agent: Also, although Australians speak English, our guides will be giving all explanations in Japanese.
Me: Mm hmm?
Agent: <flips to the back of the booklet, looking stressed out> Our terms and conditions, such as what happens if you cancel, are all printed in Japanese.
Me: ...I understand Japanese.
I mean, really. I was just READING the booklet, not to mention SPEAKING in Japanese. He still couldn't grasp that this was not a problem for me. Throughout the conversation, he kept trying to throw in English words whenever he could. People like this just can't understand that having random English dropped into an otherwise Japanese conversation is far more jarring and difficult to follow than just saying everything in Japanese.
He also seemed to be afraid that I wouldn't be able to pay for the trip. He kept saying things like, "Are you SURE you want me to make the booking? You'll have to pay a fee if you cancel later..." and "Here's the total cost of the trip, it's a lot of money, are you SURE you will be able to pay it?" I mean, I can understand informing a customer that there will be fees and such, but the way he phrased it was less "informing" and more "warning." It almost felt like he was trying to scare me off. I don't know what was up with that.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the first package that I wanted (which included a trip to Ayers Rock) because there were no connecting flights (I believe from Hong Kong) available. However, I did manage to book a package that starts in Cairns and goes to Sydney.
Here is my itinerary:
3/05 (night) Leave from Kansai International Airport
3/06 (morning) Arrive in Cairns
3/10 (morning) Fly from Cairns to Sydney
3/14 (noon) Leave from Sydney, arrive at KIX
I believe the package includes a tour of Sydney on the 10th, but other than that I should be free to do whatever I want. If anyone (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
msscullyred?) will be in the area, I'd be happy to try to meet up.
I'm planning to use my remaining vacation days to take off the entire month of March, and possibly some of February, since I won't have any duties at work. I'll probably need a lot of time for packing and cleaning.
Last week, my students had their final classes. This meant that I was spending all my free time baking the prizes to give them for turning in an optional notebook assignment.
This year I made:
- Banana walnut muffins
- Stollen (baked in the CUTEST mini-loaf pans I picked up at the dollar store)
- Chocolate chip cookies (which came out PERFECT thanks to the advice I got last time)
- Pumpkin pudding (pumpkin pie filling baked without crust)
I also added in a jar of homemade persimmon jam, but no one chose it. They don't know what they are missing! Oh, well, more for me.
My kitchen is still recovering. I am gradually whittling away at the enormous stack of dishes/baking pans/plastic containers/cooking utensils.
Since then, I have been concentrating on giving and grading their final exams, plus any random assignments that I hadn't graded yet. I'm giving the last make-up final today.
Yesterday the school shut down normal operations to give the high school entrance exam. I was told that none of the teachers would be showing up, so I took the day off and went to Otsu to set up a vacation. I had been afraid that I wouldn't be able to arrange something, because I had sent my passport off for renewal, but the new one came back in record time. (I hadn't expected it until mid-February at the earliest.)
I visited a travel agency in Otsu and spent some time poring over their Australia tour booklet. Finally I picked a package that I wanted and one of the agents came over (hesitantly) to deal with me. I told him (in Japanese) which plan that I wanted, including details of extended nights that I wanted to add.
Agent: ...All of our rules are printed in Japanese.
Me: Yes?
Agent: Also, although Australians speak English, our guides will be giving all explanations in Japanese.
Me: Mm hmm?
Agent: <flips to the back of the booklet, looking stressed out> Our terms and conditions, such as what happens if you cancel, are all printed in Japanese.
Me: ...I understand Japanese.
I mean, really. I was just READING the booklet, not to mention SPEAKING in Japanese. He still couldn't grasp that this was not a problem for me. Throughout the conversation, he kept trying to throw in English words whenever he could. People like this just can't understand that having random English dropped into an otherwise Japanese conversation is far more jarring and difficult to follow than just saying everything in Japanese.
He also seemed to be afraid that I wouldn't be able to pay for the trip. He kept saying things like, "Are you SURE you want me to make the booking? You'll have to pay a fee if you cancel later..." and "Here's the total cost of the trip, it's a lot of money, are you SURE you will be able to pay it?" I mean, I can understand informing a customer that there will be fees and such, but the way he phrased it was less "informing" and more "warning." It almost felt like he was trying to scare me off. I don't know what was up with that.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get the first package that I wanted (which included a trip to Ayers Rock) because there were no connecting flights (I believe from Hong Kong) available. However, I did manage to book a package that starts in Cairns and goes to Sydney.
Here is my itinerary:
3/05 (night) Leave from Kansai International Airport
3/06 (morning) Arrive in Cairns
3/10 (morning) Fly from Cairns to Sydney
3/14 (noon) Leave from Sydney, arrive at KIX
I believe the package includes a tour of Sydney on the 10th, but other than that I should be free to do whatever I want. If anyone (
msscullyred?) will be in the area, I'd be happy to try to meet up.I'm planning to use my remaining vacation days to take off the entire month of March, and possibly some of February, since I won't have any duties at work. I'll probably need a lot of time for packing and cleaning.
no subject
no subject
If there is only one tour of Sydney, I wonder why the agent was so concerned for you. But, I guess if you were disappointed at all, he would feel bad to hear about it.
Thanks for the schedule. I can hardly wait to see the pictures.