ALT in Shimosuwa, Japan: Winter Continues

Well, hello there. It's been quite some time since my last blog post. I feel bad for neglecting it for so long. Yesterday was a new month, and I realized that I should write something, even if there's not much to say.

Actually, I have plenty to say. When a person is sick, they tend to spend a lot of time in reflection (or is that just me?). I became sick on Jan. 22nd, and as the flu was going around my school with a vengeance, I figured it was my turn to get it. I went to the doctor the next day and they said that it thankfully was not the flu, probably just a routine cold. I went home and started to feel better over the weekend. However, I developed a bad cough and my fever kept coming back. I attempted to go back to work and found that I couldn't do much but lay my head on my desk and cough. So my supervisor took me to yet another doctor. This time, they did a chest x-ray and listened to my lungs. My x-ray came back fine, so the doctor diagnosed it as bronchitis.

Well, I won't go into more details, but in any case, I was put on antibiotics and told to stay at home resting for at least 5 days. That time has now passed, and my cough doesn't seem to be much better. But I can't afford to miss anymore work. There are only ~35 school days left before I leave Japan. I don't think I said it yet in this blog... but yes, I will be returning home at the end of March.

Winter is frigid here in the mountains, but I'm grateful for the sun, which makes temperatures bearable during the daytime. So much is going to happen in the next two months. I have my apartment to clear out, things to ship home, and friends to say goodbye to. It will be a transition, to say the least, to return home. I might even have some reverse culture shock to deal with. But I look forward to the dismal rain of Portland and seeing all the flowers blooming for my arrival. :) And of course, seeing all my friends and family!