It always feels sad to say goodbye.

     It always feels sad to say goodbye.       It has been almost a month since I came home. I helped my parents, especially my mom, move things and clean. My mom just started a tourist base an hour from the city center. There were a lot of things to do, specifically, little things that needed to be done. Then I became an inpatient at Bodi Setgelten (the one I was hospitalized back in May of this year). I spent 5 days and got home today. Now, I have a few more days before I go.       No matter how many times I have said goodbye to my family and friends, I always feel sad. Initially, I felt like crying. I cried once when I had to leave my 3-month-old brother. Even though I don't cry anymore, I always feel sad.       Back in May, I thought to myself that I needed to come back home at least once a year. It helps my sanity and physically ( I am in a cooler environment when it is the hottest in Japan).  Also, I g...
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In hopes of using my brain...

    I have been teaching English where I worked part-time as a student. I accepted a position at another company where I worked (part-time, of course) during the pandemic before moving to my current employer (non-profit organization). 

    For a couple of years in the beginning, I learned a lot. It is a set of skills for navigating tantrums, conflicts with a toy, or whatever the situation may be. The skill set you have relied on might not work on the next kid. You have to update and refine the skills constantly. 

    Don't get me wrong, it is rewarding to work with kids, and I am humbled (thankful for their trust) by the fact that the parents are leaving their kids in my care (there are other teachers, of course). However, after a while, once you have gotten the basics of child care and development, everything you are (I am) doing becomes routine. That's where I struggle. 

    Last week, I had a meeting with my supervisor. I was honest with her that I was not learning anything. I pointed out that I have an MBA which I feel is not being utilized in the way I hope it would (secretly thinking it may not be the place). She was understanding and explained there would be changes that would happen from April (In Japan, the new year starts in April). Our meeting was productive and I was able to get answers for the questions I had and some more. 

    That brings me to my next point. I am giving myself 1 year to learn and take on different projects and tasks where I would learn new skills and maybe (more like hoping) land a new job in a new company. 

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