Interesting times...

Challenging, disruptive, disturbing, confronting, anxiety and gratitude are all words that came to mind as I started writing this blog and I am sure they will resonate with you too, as we live through these historic times.

The year started off well with a recruiting trip to Bangkok and then a quick trip to Taipei during mid-winter break. There was risk in the trip to Taipei as it was at the very beginning of February when talk about the virus began to escalate, yet Mihoko and I decided to go ahead as planned and we were fascinated by the lines of people queuing for face masks. Little did we know! It was a great weekend and is certainly a place I would like to revisit at some stage. It reminded me so much of old Hong Kong, and we ate very well.

We were lucky to be able to run our week-long ski trip at the end of February, even though there was very little snow. However, while we were away, Abe-san announced that all schools would be closing. When I announced this to the students there was great excitement - little did they nor we know what was ahead of us. 14 weeks of remote learning - three different schedules until we got it right and way too many hours on Zoom to think about. However, all things considered, it went very well as we were able to pivot and engage most students in the online experience.

The extended time in Japan, did afford a couple of trips that would not have happened if it were not for Covid-19 and for this I am grateful. Plus, some further explorations around Tokyo by bike and on foot.

The stadium looks amazing - I pass it on one of my regular walking routes!

Firstly, during Spring Break, two colleagues and I took the risk to travel to Wakayama prefecture to hike the Kumono Kodo trail. The pilgrimage trail has been in use for over 1000 years and was mind-blowing from an historical perspective and also for its remote beauty. We loved the silence as well as the birdsong and the amazing meals we had as part of our accommodation packages. Photos are here.

 

During the summer break, I (along with another two colleagues) took a two-week, 2800km road trip around Northern Honshu that was nothing short of spectacular. We were incredibly lucky with the weather and had very little rain compared to other areas of Japan. The green of the rice fields, the mountains, rivers and lakes were so beautiful and visiting the Sanriku coast, which was hit by the tsunami in 2011 was sobering. The whole area is still a major construction zone. We truly appreciated our time in nature, and for me especially, to really switch off from school. More photos ...

I also managed to squeeze in a quick trip at the end of my break to the mountain town of Hakuba in Nagano. This was another new location for me and I was amazed by the beauty of the valley. I will be heading back there for sure.

Now, I am about to go back to school for the new academic year and am already daunted by the decisions that we will need to make and how the goalposts will keep moving as they did in the first half of the year.

Things that I learned or re-learned along the way:
1. Having hobbies is vital
2. Mindful colouring is stressful
3. It is difficult to keep up with daily Japanese lessons via Duolingo
4. Jigsaws are the best way to de-stress away from a screen
5. You can never please everyone

6. We have to take responsibility for ourselves and each other

So, on that note, I wish you and your families good health and a positive outlook.