It's been a while.

I know.

"So you go to Japan and have nothing to write about? Phooey."

I'm sorry, OK?

Yes, there were different, strange and exciting things happening all around me. And yes, much of it was blog-worthy. But for some reason the thought of sitting down and writing about it turned me off.

I guess It was combination of feelings that kept me from updating. I felt like blogging about the things happening to me would somehow cheapen the experience (if that makes sense). And at the same time I felt sad that the people who I wanted to share those experiences with were thousands of miles away, and blogging was just another reminder that they weren't here.

Excuses, excuses.

Bottom line: I'm back.

To go back and recap everything may take a few posts.

So here is the first installment:

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WORK AND PLAY

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Teaching has been awesome. I do enjoy it. I liken the classroom to a tiny theater and the students to an interactive audience, who I can yell at when provoked. Pretty sweet deal.

If every regular class I teach is a community theater show, then private school classes are effing Cirque du Soleil. Regular classes have (at most) 6 students in them. My private school classes have about 50. Lately the classroom has spilled onto the public transportation system.

As I mentioned in my previous post, the kids get RUHL excited to see me on the train platform. And since the first incident (my getting attacked on the train), I've managed to avoid the kids on the train on my way home from work. How?

I hide from them.

I'm talking full on hide-and-go-seek hiding. I've figured out that the children board the train at the center of the track. So, when I arrive I head to the very end of the platform. Not only that, I hide in a little nook behind a cement wall. So if a child happens to look at the end of the track, they can't see me. The nook is dingy and smells a little nasty but its free of children.

And sure, when I'm standing there pressed against a nasty wall at 3 o'clock in the afternoon hiding from a group of 7 year-olds, I ask myself how did I (a grown 27 year-old woman) end up there. But what choice do I have? It's either the dingy nook, or risk being attacked by the children of the rice paddies.

For the most part hiding has been successful. But there are still those occasions when still manage to run in to this very group of children.

Tuesdays (my day off) I go into the city for improv rehearsal. Three weeks ago I took the train into the city around 2 o'clock. I boarded the train near the center - which made perfect sense to me at the time because I was 5 stops away from school, I boarded an hour before the kids were released and I was going past the school (in the opposite direction I normally take the train). When my train arrived at the private school stop there were twice the number of children on the opposite track waiting to board my train car. Apparently they are released early on Tuesdays.

I was swarmed by children shouting Janglish at me from all directions. Luckily for me, none of them hit me. I rode about 8 stops before the herd exited the train shouting, "Good-bye! See you!" When they left, the train car fell silent as all the passengers looked at me.

But a scarier incident happened this week.

I left the private school like I'd done every week prior, only now I was being followed. Behind me was the little devil who found it so funny to pummel me on the platform before. I didn't understand how he got out before everyone else. Then I realized he must have a doctor's appointment or something. Unlike the States, kids here are pretty independent. It doesn't matter if they're only 6 years old. These little guys travel from the city to the burbs for school all by their lonesome. So the spawn of Satan that was hoofing-it behind me wasn't after me. He was trying to catch the train.

We both hit the platform in time to watch the train whiz by us. The little bugger seemed pretty distraught. The only thing that seemed to distract him from thinking about the trouble he would get into for being late was the expression of sheer terror on my face. He knew and I knew that in 30 minutes the rest of his classmates would be at the station. I had two choices: I could stay there on the platform and try to comfort him and risk whatever public humiliation was in store for me once his classmates arrived, or I could leave.

I left.

I'm not proud of this fact, but as you will see karma is a bitch.

I left the poor kid to sulk on the platform. I decided that I would ride the train one stop in the wrong direction, then catch the next train home. This way I would avoid the kids and not have to hide in the nasty corner. I thought my plan was flawless. I exited the train at the next stop. Standing there, pleased as punch with myself when I hear, "NATASHA-SENSEI!!!!"

A chill ran up my spine.

I looked over to see a field of white hats, and white and gray uniforms. Could this really be happening? How in God's holy name did they manage to out smart me? Were these kids magic? Was I hallucinating?

I wasn't hallucinating. They were real, their punches told me so. I smiled my way through another train ride . The kids swarming, yelling an poking me while the whole train car stared at me.

The question still remains as to how they ended up at that station. I tell myself they were on a field trip so I can sleep at night. But if I were to be honest with myself, I would have to seriously entertain the notion that they really are in fact demons.