Skiing In Hidaka

From today until Friday, all of the first- and second-year students at Starfish High will be skiing at the Hidaka International Ski Resort.

I am not going with them.

This is not for lack of wanting to go.

Allow me to pontificate (see also: b***h).

I've known that there would be a ski trip to Hidaka for a long time now. I just didn't know if I would be up to the challenge.

When I went on the ski trip with the other teachers and was actually able to ski, I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could hold my own with a bunch of crazy high school students.

Unfortunately, due to the request from the local authorities that I be available for translation duties in case anything were to happen while the USS Blue Ridge was here, I didn't go on the one-day ski trip to Sunlaiva.

Then the question came. "Dustin, are you going to go on the Hidaka ski trip?"

Something you need to realize here is that this question was phrased in such a way as to make it seem like I wasn't particularly welcome on the trip. Or at least in such a way as I wasn't sure if they wanted me to come along or not.

They say that Japanese people are hard to read. I've known this for a while, but it was the first time I really felt it here at work.

Here's some other things that the teachers told me.

"It's okay if you want to come along." (also phrased in a very hard-to-read fashion)
"None of the other English teachers have ever gone on this ski trip."
"It's not any fun."
"Work comes before skiing." Duh.
"There's a budget we have to keep."

Look. If I'm not welcome on the trip, or if you just think I would get in the way, or if it would just be better if I stayed at school while you all go...

JUST FREAKING SAY SO!!!!!!!!!

ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!

So I just said that I'd stay here. I don't know. It was just a weird situation and I wish that the teachers organizing the event hadn't put me in it.

So yesterday, when I was teaching my one class that I would be teaching this week (two weeks, two classes...I'm earnin' my pay!), I told my students that I wouldn't be going. They seemed to be a little sad when they heard that. Sorry guys.

Today, I saw the buses off with the vice principal, The 'Gida, Hiroshi Numero Uno and a couple of students who couldn't go on the trip.

I must admit, the office is nowhere near as quiet as it was when it was just the vice principal and I. Hiroshi Numero Uno and The 'Gida just blab on and on and on and on and on and...

Ahh well, at least I'm not up on some mountain freezing my American rump off and sunburning my face to the point of permanent damage.

(This is what Aesop referred to as "sour grapes".)

I did watch "Glory" with one of my students, though. That was fun. AND educational.

Two more days of R&R at Starfish High. I could get used to this.