I realized something today.

My JTE said to me, "You are so obedient!" After being initially puzzled that she called me an adjective usually attributed to a dog, I smiled in silent agreement. Yes, I am a good little foreigner. I follow all the rules to a T. If there is a volleyball game this weekend, I show up for practice. If someone asks me to help with something, I follow through.

So why do I wish I could be flakier?

Because flaky people have all the fun. If something else better comes up, a flaky person has no problem eschewing his/her responsibilities. They can talk their way out of situations that aren't desirable. I hate these people, so why do I want to be more like them?

Because I have no time for myself anymore!

2 months ago
A lady at the yakuba asked me to join her "nighto" volleyball team. Sure! "Ok then, practice is every Saturday at 8:30pm." Well crap, there goes my Saturday nights!

Last month:
I was having a pleasant conversation at my town's culture festival with a retired English teacher. I had just witnessed a tea ceremony, and she asked me, "Do you like to learn tea ceremony?" Of course, not wanting to seem close-minded and unwilling to try new things, I said, "yes." Next thing I know, the tea ceremony lady says to me, "Ok, then please wait for me outside your house every Saturday at 1:30." *

2 weeks ago
A man was talking to me about English education. I must have been hypnotized by his excellent English, because I ended up semi-agreeing to help him this weekend. Since I never fully committed, I kind of expected it to be like in America, where someone asks you to do something for them and you agree politely, then it never actually happens. Wrong.


Lesson learned: Japanese people are treacherous. Avoid at all costs.

* My tea teacher asked me to pay her last week - is it safe to bail now that it's not free anymore? Or would that be too flaky?