時間 (The Hours)
Project Stay in Okinawa Longer (working title) has really started to bear some fruit over the past couple of weeks. Sweet delicious, money bearing fruit! I started off the month with 2 measly hours of teaching at a diving school, and by the time April 30th rolls around I'll have an additional 10 hours under my belt. That's right, ladies and/or gentlemen (or a combination of the two): I'm halfway to my 25 hour goal! Sort of...I guess the real halfway point would be 12.5 hours. But nobody is throwing around 30 minute classes like that anyway.
Remember the interview I had with Okinawa Hands On NPO a couple of weeks back? Sooooo I thought I'd have to go back and interview again with the big boss over there, but I must have done so awesome the first time around that another interview was unnecessary. Either that or nobody else was clamoring for the job. Anywho, to seal the deal I had to do a demo class yesterday with a handful of first year elementary school kids and it was aweesooomee. It's been nearly a month since I last taught kids, but I stepped back into the role with surprising ease. According to my liason, the principal was happy as hell, the kids enjoyed themselves, and she said, "It's amazing how quickly you grabbed their hearts." That's right lady, I'm a grade A bonafide child heart grabber alright!
I also had two interviews during the week. Both of them were in Naha. Both of them were in the Shintoshin/Omoromachi/Makishi area. Both of them were worthwhile, for totally different reasons. I knew going to the first interview of the week that I wasn't gonna land any classes, but it was nice to meet the manager over there and get my name out and about. Turns out he's from the DC area too. Bonus points! The guy at the other place I went to was super awesome and pretty much hired me the next day no questions asked. I'll be teaching a few hours at his school during the week and on weekends. And just like that my hours have gone from zero to hero status. I might not even have to survive off nothing but ramen for the month of May. Maybe I can splurge and eat Top Ramen! May's looking much better as I'll be taking on an additional 16 hours working fire stations again. Who knows...pseudo leaving my job could turn out to be a positive thing after all.