I Got Sent to the Principal's Office

There's been a bit of administrative drama regarding my stay at Roslynn's apartment in Osa. Getting official permission for my stay became a production once Roslynn told the vice principal of her base school that I would be visiting for two months. It turns out that nothing is simple and easy in the world of junior high school Japan.

Roslynn has a "caretaker" at her base school in Osa, a Japanese teacher who teaches English. Caretaker Sensei is responsible for communicating everything necessary to Roslynn that she needs to know. It turns out that she doesn't tell Roslynn much and that school events and other important school matters to note are often sprung on Roslynn at the last minute.

Caretaker Sensei had known for several weeks prior to my arrival that I would be coming to visit and the length of my stay. Roslynn told her well in advance trusting that she would pass on any important instruction, like telling any other school administrators who need to know. Only two weeks before I arrived did Caretaker Sensei tell Roslynn as an afterthought that she should let the Vice Principal know. So, she sends Roslynn in to talk to the Vice Principal all alone, who only speaks Japanese. When he heard that I'd be staying in the apartment for two months, he was aghast. Three days is okay, but not two months. She would need permission from the local Board of Education to have a visitor stay that long.

I had already been in Japan for several weeks when I got a surprise call from Roslynn while she was at work saying that I was to see the Principal within the hour and to bring my passport. I met with the Principal, a very friendly and polite man who asked what I thought of Japan, what the purpose of my stay is, if I like Japanese rice, etc. I think I got brownie points for saying that I grew up eating Japanese rice, Nikko brand in fact AND that I like eating Japanese meat. Roslynn is a bit of an oddity as a vegetarian. He then had Caretaker Sensei, who was interpreting, make photocopies of my passport and landing papers for Japan. I also showed him my visa for India so they could rest assured that I would be moving on. They made photocopies of that too.

So now I am official, although no one has officially confirmed this to Roslynn. After our meeting, the principal went straight to the Board of Education to put my passport photocopies in an official file report stating that I am visiting Roslynn at her request for two months because she is lonely in Japan. The reason that Roslynn gave them, that I want to sightsee and study in preparation for my trip to India wasn't a good enough excuse for the length of my stay.

So now I am no longer a clandestine shadow staying at the Assistant Language Teacher's (ALT's) apartment next door to the school.