Stirring, Still Crazy, but Stirring

I cannot wait to get started with classes again.

I've felt particularly directionless this week, but have been trying to get over the hump by doing minor tasks to break up the monotony. In the words of Brian Murphy in Crown of Candy: "Yes! Busywork!

My office at work is now considerably tidier, and I've shifted everything over to one side of the room. I've also added a few new decorations. This sounds like it might be nothing but procrastination and uh ... well I won't lie that was part of it, but I also wanted to have a nicer looking, better organised office as that helps me work a little bit better and stay focused.

We'll see how long it stays tidy ...

I've also been trying to keep the doors to my office open, partly because it's getting hotter, partly because being observed helps me stay working but also because it helps me meet people a little bit easily. I've already met a new Japanese teacher and a new Korean teacher just by keeping the door open and being there when they passed by on their tour of the campus.

I've also been running into teachers outside of class which is nice, but it always hits me with a little bit of melancholy. The language barrier jumps in the way of what I want to say and I'm worried that I'm coming off as very uncaring and unfriendly because all I can really say is "Hello" and "Hi". I can't really say the things I'd say in English like "Where are you going?", "Do you live around here?", "Is this your family?", "What would you recommend from this bakery we're both in?". Anxiety might be a factor here, lol.

Semi-related, but one of the Japanese teachers helped me set up my account on Research Map which is a website Japanese researchers use to upload research and make blogs on their research progress. It's been a low-priority but I want to upload my completed research articles and also write up a few blog posts to keep myself on track. My co-teacher who I'm doing the Mausritter project with, has been visiting family for the last week or two so I haven't really been able to get a lot of work done.

I also got to meet the new exchange students, it was mostly standing up and telling them "Hi, I'm Max, here are some classes you can take that I teach, here are some classes you can volunteer in that I teach, any questions?". I'm interested to see what students show up to help with classes, a few seemed interested in my film class, and a few seemed to like the idea of showing up to Communication classes and meet some of the Japanese students.

Next week is going to be mostly induction, registration and introductory sessions before classes start so I'll be spending it prepping class material and trying some new materials out. One of the things I did while tidying the office was to get copies of all of the materials I've made so I can easily upload them to iSL Collective.

Ultimately, the main thing I'm going to be doing this coming week is psyching myself up for the classes this semester. Making materials, meeting students and making plans. In case you haven't gathered, the general theme of the last few weeks have been me going a little crazy without having classes to teach or lessons to plan. In a few short weeks that's all about to change and I'm going to be back to having something to focus on.

Yay!