The One Week Review

Today was my one week review. Dara came out from Kashiwa to observe me, and give me some pointers on my lessons.
I went to Kashiwa today a bit early to exchange the rest of the American money I had in my pocket for yen. I had about $140 sittin around, and I got about 16,400 yen back. So, now I have enough to last me a couple of days. I got my bank book today too, so I will be able to make withdrawals too, so now I'm a whole lot more stable than I was 24 hours ago. Now I'm just waiting on my ATM card to arrive so I can do my banking more conveniently.

The review went well, but it started off on something of an awkward note. I was getting on the bus today to go to Mallage, and I saw another white guy. What are the odds, right? I knew right away that he was someone from another branch coming out, and I turned out to be right. So then we had the awkward small talk on the bus while waiting to get to work, which was of course the most fun imagineable.

After that though, he came and obsreved one of my lessons, for which I got good reviews. It was a solo lesson, and he complimented me on switching the roels around and making the lesson work for only one person, something which apparently the other new people seem to have a problem with. So, I got the obligatory couple of things to work on, which I assume he just kinda ticked off on the checklist because something HAS to be on the first review, and we talked a bit about life here to make sure that I was going to get on my feet alright. Then he got into the talk about how I shouldn't call in sick unless it's really serious, because of all the negative effects it has on the branch, and morale, and most importantly, sales. So yea, blah blah blah play nice jump through hoops mission accomplished. By the end of the day I think he had warmed up to me a bit and things went smoothly. I think most importantly he figured out that I wans't a tool, and that I could keep up with the topics he was talking about on their more significant and meaningful level, i.e. money. As if they aren't making enough to begin with.

For a company that has increased its workforce twicefold in the last year alone, hiring thousands of new employees and opening offices in dozens of new places, you would think that they would be a little less than money grubbing, but, alas, such is the nature of man and business alike.

Anyway, I'm scheduled for more kids training soon, and before long I will be well on my way to becoming in charge of the kids program over in Mallage. Yeeeehaw.

When I was in Kashiwa today, looking for a place to exchange money, I saw another American guy, older, walking around. When I was in the exchange shop, I saw him again coming to buy some yen. We got to talking after having been seated next to one another, and lo and behold, he and I are both from Texas, and from neighboring cities as well. He made a comment which stuck with me:
"Amazing how you can travel halfway across the world and still run into someone who grew up in your backyard."

How very true. What an odd world we live in anymore.