Many a thing continues to surprise me while I’ve been here in Japan. I am slowly realizing that my perfectionist personality can be both a help. . and a hinderance.
Anything from blowing my nose in the restroom, to trying to walk the corridors here at work quiety, I am trying not to send too man ‘ripples through the water’.
I am being effortful to respect the many workings of life and society here in Japan. Here in town, however, I really am the only Canadian and foreigner. Unless there is someone else living under a rock that I am keenly unaware of. Another foreigner, that is.
Back to work, then.
Here in the office at the Board of Education all employees work in one large open office space. And our office space is located here inside town hall. The ‘bigger chairs’ residing upstairs, of course (mayor, etc.).
But this talk is about the office.
In this large and open office space our desks and departments respectively, are grouped in sixes. I sit at a desk with what I believe to be the healthcare bureau. Directly behind me sit the other members of the board of education. Not that I have all my titles and departments down pat yet but at least that gives you a ball park figure.
And now, the way we work.
Let me put it this way: everything is dead silent. There is no music. There is nothing. Aside from the odd firehall vehicle that drives around town at a designated time and with a little jingle plays a public service announcement to keep speeds down and to drive safe, etc.
Aside from these mild disturbances, if you will, everything is silent. And that means if you get a phone call, everyone can hear it. If you are discussing a plan or calendar schedule everyone can hear it. If you maybe -I dunno, don’t hate me for this- have a habit of uncontrollably tooting at your desk.. well, let’s just say that people will know.
The good news is that people are rather nice and amicable here in my department. People are people. And these people are nice. Nice and friendly.
But at peak production times in the day, say, right before lunch and such everyone is quiet.
And just before our lunch bell clattered away at noontime today, I swear, the phone rang at the desk just next me and startled any productivity right out of my system!
But I love it.
Today is a good day. It is raining outside and we apparently have a second typhoon (or ‘great wind’) headed our way.
THat just means a little less sleep, if you’re a light sleeper, and a whole lot of rain plus wind.
And I am still, of course, dearly hoping for the safety of people in affected areas where winds and rains are a little more than unpredictable.
How is the weather where you are today?
Is it raining?
And speaking of life, I sure hope it isn’t raining in your world. I hope that you are otherwise bright and sunny on the inside. If you happen not to be so, those rains too shall pass unto sunnier days.
Sun-bright.
The Traveller's Typewriter 