M starts the day by telling me to empty my trashcan every night, as she’s “always doing it” (oh, cry me a river, M). Sure, I’ll do it - just don’t act like you’ve told me repeatedly and I never listen. M and the other teachers are discussing the new teacher, Ally. They tell me she’s “difficult” and if I have any problems with her I should go to them. Whoa, time out - if she’s so difficult that I may need assistance from them, should they really hire someone like that? From what they’re telling me, Ally will arrive on the weekend. Despite my doubts, I’m a little concerned; IS this Ally as bad as they say? Her apartment is right under mine, after all.

Nearly every child is sick at the school. No, EVERY child is sick. Not only are many of them wearing those useless paper surgical masks, but the others have runny noses thick with snot. Everyone’s sneezing, and many Japanese have an unhealthy habit of sneezing without doing anything to staunch the sneeze; no turning the head, sneezing into their hand or arm, nothing. They just sneeze straight forward! I’ve been seeing so many people do it, not just kids. They do this with coughing, too. So much for being a clean country. So these kids are all sneezing, sending their lovely little viruses into the air, in turn infecting others.

I noticed my appetite had increased, a sure sign I was getting sick. Lovely.