Always Busy

I've been enjoying life in Japan, but it feels like I am ALWAYS busy!
This week, I have had three visits to my elementary school. I love my elementary school visits, but it always takes so much out of me. Today, I was supposed to have lessons for all of the 5th graders, but they were on a school trip and the head of the English program forgot about it. Instead of 5th grade, she had my language supporter and I visit all of the first grade classes. It was so much fun!
Mitsue-san brought a Mrs Clause apron for me to wear. She wore a Santa hat and I wore a headband that had holly on it (of course). We talked about Hollie Days and holidays ^_^ The kids really got into the lessons. I was amazed at their English abilities. It was as good as the 5th graders at that school. They were absolutely adorable. The teachers were awesome too. They really got into the lessons and activities.
Mitsue-san and I also are a great team. I really enjoy working with her. Her enthusiasm rubs off on me and we have so much fun teaching together. We were joking about starting our own language school after my JET life.
In other news, one of the science teachers at my junior high school is actually a well-known scientist in Japan. He has a new publishing, so the media has been at our school all week. I don't know what is more shocking to the camera crews and interviewers, the fact that this famous teacher is in the inaka, or the fact that there is an American sitting amidst 500 Japanese people. It's fun to watch their faces as I pass them in the hallways and greet them in Japanese. It's also fun when they approach me for the purpose of practicing English. It also makes a certain 3rd year teacher a little jealous, but I don't worry about her anymore.
Yesterday, a photographer showed up to our school. I didn't think much of it until there was a commotion and my name was brought up several times. Eventually, I found out that they wanted my picture for the yearbook. I was at a JET conference when the pictures were taken for the rest of the school. The photographer coming back to schooled had been planned for awhile. When she showed up, the 3rd year teacher looked at me and in a vindictive way she said, "Oh yeah. I was supposed to tell you that she was coming, but I forgot. Oh well". I pretended like I didn't notice her tone of voice or the look that she gave me. I just played along with it. The photographer took me into the hall just as classes were finishing for the day. A lot of students came by and started pretending that I was a celebrity and asking for my autograph. This didn't settle well with the 3rd year teacher. The photographer tried to make conversation, but before I could respond, the teacher snapped "She doesn't understand ANY Japanese at all". What a poo-head!
So all of that, trying to finish up Christmas shopping, planning lessons for conversation classes, and trying to have a healthy social life has exhausted me! Tonight, I am intentionally staying home on a Friday night. I am watching a movie and then I will go to bed early. I have something planned every day and/or week for the next 2 weeks. I do NOT want to be sick when I go home for the holidays.
I am very content with my life here in Japan. There are many moments where I wonder how I got here or why I am here, but when I experience days like today with the first graders, or moments like on Tuesday when one of my 15 year old students came up to me and told me that she wants to be an English teacher like me, I realize that I can make a difference in shaping and molding the future. It's scary and exciting!
Overall, I am happy.