Four weeks in

The first two weeks of online teaching were a nightmare but the second two weeks have been under control. I still can’t manage a day off because it’s more work to prepare. It’s not just me who says it’s hard work and draining, and I don’t feel inclined to search for positive aspects. It’s good for DH and I don’t miss the commute. Who knows, I may miss some aspects of it when normal teaching resumes in the autumn, which it surely must.

At the start of the pandemic, I was surprised at how non Japanese here and people abroad were so negative about Japan’s response to Covid. I’ve found people kind and stoical and I looked at my own past whingeing about life here and decided it was unnecessary. There’s nothing wrong with being critical if it’s reasonable, but I just decided to stop. I was ridiculous enough to counter what people said on Facebook and got some aggressive responses. I didn’t care.

So I’ve learnt something: It’s more peaceful not to be critical, at any rate of ordinary people.