Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Airplane Ear

So Mason is trying to get us back to the blog and is encouraging me to write about today's adventure.

First, you must know that I went home for a short week to celebrate my friend, Devin's, wedding. It was a quick, but awesome trip. I got to hang out with family, meet my 3 best girls' boyfriends, see my pregnant friends, and eat American food (of course). OH, and be there for the 4th of July! yay!



Anywho, I arrived back in Japan on Sunday, and in much discomfort. During my flight from OKC to Houston, my ears never equalized. I think that I was slightly congested and it made the take off and descent uncomfortable. I had about 30 minutes to run across the Houston airport and connect for Tokyo. All the while I was chugging water, pinching my nose, and yawning. I even stopped to buy a pack of gum to try to get my ears to pop. None of it was working. Therefore, another painful take off and descent.

When Mason picked me up from the airport my hearing in my right ear was significantly muffled. I was tired, slightly grouchy, and every bit of irritated with my ears. I went home and went to bed, hoping things would ease up by morning.

Well the next day I went straight to work. Unfortunately, I did not experience any relief. So after the working day was through Mason and I went to a local ER. They examined me and told me that I would need to see a specialist the very next day (because by that hour, all offices were closed).
So another night of discomfort.

This brings us to today. Mason was a judge for the junior high Interactive Forum (you may remember me blogging about last year). Since he was judging, he needed the car to get out to the location. So I had to ask my nurse if someone from the school would take me to the specialist after I taught all of my classes for the day.

My vice principle volunteered to take me, and the time was set for 3:30.

Fast forward to seeing the doctor.

He sat me back in his fancy chair and took a look in my ears. There was this cool little computer screen where I could see what he was looking at. He explained that the ear drum was fine, but that the auditory tube behind it had air trapped in it that was causing the pressure. He agreed that the congestion made my ears unable to clear during the flight and that all of my discomfort was due to that, not infection.
Now, here is where the story gets interesting.

"I think the most important thing is to relieve this pressure. It has been two days like this. So I will use this (holds up long metal tool) to go through your nose, into your throat, to put some pressure on the middle ear tube that is connected behind the throat. Okay?"
I think I may have turned 3 shades lighter as images of Egyptian mummification documentaries flew through my mind.
"恐い!!!,"  I said (Scary!!/I'm scared!). The doctor laughed and said, "Your elementary kids can do it."
Oh okay, that doesn't make me feel any more brave. "The key is just to relax."
At that moment the nurse touched my ear with a camera and I jumped and squeaked like the kindergardener I am. Again, everyone laughed and then the proceeded with the treatment.
They did the left side first. It was quick and easy. I was surprised at how much my left ear needed to be relieved of pressure. The right ear had been so uncomfortable that it wasn't allowing me to notice how strained my left ear was. "Just like that, okay?" said the doctor and he continued with the right side.

Ugh. It. Was. Awful. The right ear, being worse, took longer to get to equalize. The longer I had to feel that long tool moving in my  nose and throat the harder it was to stay relaxed. My cute vice principle was patting my shoulder and in her best English saying "relax, relax, relax."

It was not painful at all. But it was creepy. creepy. creepy.

I was still all nerved up and jumpy after it was over.

I am glad to say that I did experience some immediate relief. I was prescribed some congestion medicine and told to return for a check up on Friday.
When I go, I'll try to snap a picture of that torture device and add it on here.

Monday, July 7, 2014

THIS IS MY DESK

Well it's been a while since I've been here. No excuses, aside from being too busy to spend free time writing. But I'm back temporarily to fill you guys in on something very important. 

THIS IS MY DESK


I sit here often. In fact, I sit here so often that  I thought it'd be worth writing about for the sole purpose of being able to look back and recall all the tiny details that only I would appreciate. So feel free to move along from this post because [SPOILER ALERT] I won't stray too far from what the title would lead you to believe. The following is about my desk. 

Well the first thing you should know is that I haven't always been here. Last year I was way down at the end of the room close by the door. Now I'm in the middle of my teachers room where it's hard as ever to unobtrusively get on my phone. 

"But why would you ever be on your phone during working hours?" You say. To which I reply, "Only to research educational English teaching material." 
Fortunately, there happens to be a lot of great teaching material on Instagram. #likesforlikes

Anyway when the new school year rolled over I was moved to this place. I sit across from Ichige Sensei (our grounds keeper) who happened to work at Carmon's school last year. He's super cool and he and I have formed a good relationship. I think he was pleasantly surprised to find out that I know a thing or two about lawn care, on occasion we’ll tackle some big tasks together.  It's funny because in Oklahoma it's not unusual at all for a boy to be out mowing or weed eating or on a tractor. But in Japan, nobody has any yard space. So kids don't grow up learning any of that. It's just not necessary. However, it is in Oklahoma, and thankfully I can use my (seemingly) common knowledge to keep me busy during the occasional spurts of free time I have at school. 

To my right is the strategically placed, young, English-speaking substitute, Yamamoto Sensei. She's only here for half the day but she is always a pleasure to chat with and is always willing to demystify Japanese culture for me. To my left is a row of printers which is fitting since that's kind of where the English teachers seem to fit best. Somewhere between a substitute teacher and a machine that spits out whatever you command it. 


This is my desk. It's not too shabby. Just your generic, three drawer workplace. Sitting on top you'll typically find a semi organized collection of papers and folders. I'm pretty good about keeping my place clutter free because I can't be productive if things aren't tidy. On the top left I have two vertical paper stands. One holding 6 binders (1st through 6th grade lesson plans) and the other holding an assortment of different folders, Japanese study books and lesson ideas and activities. I have a small calendar that was forwarded to August months ago because that's when Carmon and I go to Palau (Oh yea, we're going to Palau). I think the more I stare at the calendar the faster it'll arrive. Right? 



Laying over the surface of my desk is a myriad of papers, notes, reminders, schedules, menus, numbers, etc, that I refer back to frequently. They're covered by a thick plastic rubber thingy that allows me to still use all the desk space. That was the only thing I've requested from the school and I'm very glad I have it. It's very useful. 


カリキュラム (my years curriculum at a glance)
List of every class and number of students in each class. 
The months lunch schedule. 
A few business cards from car mechanics.  
My weekly schedule. 
A kanji cheat sheet
AET group photo 
12 month calendar
Desk assignments with teachers names (oh so important)
Random Japanese vocab
Gumbi -to remind my self to always be flexible 



1,2,3,4,5,6 grade lesson plans. 
Folder for all the random papers I get that aren't important. 
Folder for all the papers that seem important but I can't read. 
Kindergarten lesson plans
Printed off pictures
English “passport” copies/originals
Folder with previous lesson plans
Lesson plan paper and blank paper
Teachers craft book
Elementary Japanese book
Complete Japanese verb guide
Notebook and binder

This is my planner. 


I use this every stinkin’ day. I bought about thirty of these when I was in college, thinking that I'd finally start organizing my life but time after time I'd find myself opting out in favor of the unplanned and disorganized life. For whatever reason, perhaps necessity, I've come to rely on my planner here in Japan. It's a big part of my day and it goes with me everywhere. 

Back to the desk. Let's look inside. First we have the top drawer on the left. I don't use it much but It serves as a safe haven for all the important looking documents that I get but can't read. You'll also notice my toothbrush, American toothpaste (because Japanese toothpaste is gross), drumsticks and a guide book to living in mito. 



The top drawer on the right is my go to. It's got all my junk I need regularly. Pens, pencils, sharpeners, erasers, etc.. 


The second drawer is where my EDC Tom Bihn Copilot goes. And directly behind it is a secret box where I place all the thoughtful (but nasty) candies and snacks teachers give out on a regular basis. I have to unload it every week. 


The third drawer is where I've managed to squeeze all the crap I don't use and don't need. There's no rhyme or reason to that. We just don't talk about it. 


Anyway, that's it. I really hope you didn't read all the way through because that means you've got literally nothing better to do or you're my mom. 

Thanks!