I can't believe I am actually posting a second entry within 24 hours! Yesterday this week looked like a logistical nightmare. In my diary for this week we had 5 girls arriving today for 2 nights, the children's PTA day at school today, English lessons at 2 schools and one kindergarten, piano lessons, swimming lessons, gymnastics, outdoor education programs to teach, drumming concerts to go to, a Christmas party at school on Sunday as well as a cultural festival to go to at a different school on Sunday etc. etc. My husband took today off so we could somehow deal with the junior high school girls and the school PTA overlap, and make some loud grunting noises about the classes etc. Then yesterday the 20 sharped knives I was juggling turned into 5 nice soft balls... all by the "cancellation" of our junior high school students. There was a message on my answer phone yesterday when I came home from a morning of teaching, going to the post office (not a "quick" trip here!) and some stocking up at the supermarket for the girls visit to say "2 of the 5 girls in your group will no longer be coming because they have the flu. Another 2 of the girls are absent from school today and although they have not been diagnosed with the flu they are sick, but are still really keen to come so a decision will be made in the morning whether they are allowed to come or not. The final girl in the group is best friends with all the other sick girls so is likely to break out into a fever the minute she steps through your door". As much as I'd love to say that I am a professional and put my business first I put my foot down and told them last night that we weren't very impressed about the situation and didn't feel like risking our children by exposing them to the girls.... I'm sure my children will eventually get the flu - although the school seems to be still under control for now, I just don't feel like putting them directly in a mixing bowl for the sake of a few yen. A phone call this morning confirmed that someone else was able to take them so after dropping the kids at school I went and got my haircut! A far better way to spend the morning than getting the cottage ready for the girls and searching out all my masks!
Wow. I can't believe they actually considered sending the girls despite obvious flu connections!
ReplyDeleteI also understand your relief at the cancellation. I too was hoping l a flu pandemic earlier this year when I wanted to cancel a tour. I lobbied our local "flu prevention guy" to ban all foreigners from the village. (this was before the swine-flu actually arrived in Japan) Unfortunately he didn't and my only hope was that the customers themselves would get sick and cancel themselves.
Our neighbor's daughter had it just three days ago,(3y/o), and they didn't even tell me, yet let me play with her and then carry whatever back into my house with my pregnant wife.
How is your week next week shaping up? Let me know if its not too mental on Monday or Tuesday and I will concide my trip to Beppu to stock up for Christmas party and pop in at yours on way there or way back.
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