The Year in Review
I hope everyone had a VERY Merry Christmas, and I wish you all good fortune in the New Year!
I really wanted to say something profound and full of wisdom to start this year in review column, but I couldn’t think of any pearls of wisdom. No thoughts came to mind, and nothing deep came to mind. Well, except this: “Change is the only constant in life.” How interesting is that. The only thing that has stability in life is that things change. Nothing ever stays the same. Even if you think things stay the same, they really aren’t! That’s what my year has been like. Things have changed and yet, they in some ways, have remained the same.
This year, I have seen a new head teacher at my school, a “new” manager and two new assistant managers. I have had one of my foreign co-workers leave the company and another move back to England. I have also seen a shit load of my foreign friends leave Sapporo. And before the end of March, I will see one of my closest friends and another foreign friend leave Sapporo.
My life has been in a state of flux. And in some ways, I have become desensitized about it all. I have seen so many people come and go from Sapporo. Since I’ve been here, I’ve had countless students leave the school (either because of promotions, transfers, money problems, studying abroad, or personal reasons). I have also seen a complete change over of staff at my school, and of all the foreign teachers in Sapporo. Amongst the foreign teachers at AEON in Sapporo, I have been here the longest. I feel ancient compared to them.
In the last year, I have also seen a drastic change in my going out and partying. I used to go out every weekend. Now, I go out only once a month or once every two months. There was also a time when I enjoyed Friday night sushi. I don’t really like it anymore and only go on special occasions.
I once again spent some time in the hospital. This time in October and basically because I had food poisoning. But going to the hospital revealed other problems, which now have to be taken care of.
Aside from that, this year has also been good to me. I have met many new friends, and experienced more that I expected. I went to Korea. I went home in May and saw my family again. I also met someone that I really care for, even if he doesn’t share the same feelings that I have for him. I lost 5 kilograms! And most importantly, I renewed friendships with people that I hadn’t talked to in years.
Yes, change is indeed the only constant in life; however, the more things change, the more they stay the same.
I really wanted to say something profound and full of wisdom to start this year in review column, but I couldn’t think of any pearls of wisdom. No thoughts came to mind, and nothing deep came to mind. Well, except this: “Change is the only constant in life.” How interesting is that. The only thing that has stability in life is that things change. Nothing ever stays the same. Even if you think things stay the same, they really aren’t! That’s what my year has been like. Things have changed and yet, they in some ways, have remained the same.
This year, I have seen a new head teacher at my school, a “new” manager and two new assistant managers. I have had one of my foreign co-workers leave the company and another move back to England. I have also seen a shit load of my foreign friends leave Sapporo. And before the end of March, I will see one of my closest friends and another foreign friend leave Sapporo.
My life has been in a state of flux. And in some ways, I have become desensitized about it all. I have seen so many people come and go from Sapporo. Since I’ve been here, I’ve had countless students leave the school (either because of promotions, transfers, money problems, studying abroad, or personal reasons). I have also seen a complete change over of staff at my school, and of all the foreign teachers in Sapporo. Amongst the foreign teachers at AEON in Sapporo, I have been here the longest. I feel ancient compared to them.
In the last year, I have also seen a drastic change in my going out and partying. I used to go out every weekend. Now, I go out only once a month or once every two months. There was also a time when I enjoyed Friday night sushi. I don’t really like it anymore and only go on special occasions.
I once again spent some time in the hospital. This time in October and basically because I had food poisoning. But going to the hospital revealed other problems, which now have to be taken care of.
Aside from that, this year has also been good to me. I have met many new friends, and experienced more that I expected. I went to Korea. I went home in May and saw my family again. I also met someone that I really care for, even if he doesn’t share the same feelings that I have for him. I lost 5 kilograms! And most importantly, I renewed friendships with people that I hadn’t talked to in years.
Yes, change is indeed the only constant in life; however, the more things change, the more they stay the same.