Me and my Mask.

"Japanese people really like to wear the mask. Because it's fun for us to wear it."

So to make my six-month anniversary in Japan, I think it's about time I made the "Japanese people and their masks are so crazy" post. The truth is, I don't think it's such a bad idea in principle. But then again, I do have a tendency to duck and cover every time someone lets out a particularly explosive sneeze. Strangely enough, it's not sneezing that's a big deal in this country - or coughing, really. But when it's flu season? Everybody wears a mask and everybody is paranoid. So, as I say, this practise actually makes a lot of sense to me. Most masks are antibacterial, so they act as a barrier for germs coming in and kill germs coming out. 

I am, however, not without my issues. I tell a lie when I say it's my first time wearing a mask - technically, it's not. I used one back in October when I'd caught a cold but was testing out my bunkasai recipes at Nishi. Once again, that's standard practise - ill or not, people usually wear a mask and head covering when handling food - not that this fully eliminates germ transfer... hands and all... (this said, I encouraged bad practise among some of my third years when I wore neither for our baking event - not even an apron, gasp!). Anyway, at that time... I was in a pretty bad way. I was huffing and puffing and practically suffocating in that mask while I was ill. And that was only for a few hours. Today I actually wore it from arrival at school to departure. It wasn't so bad this time, but it still gets particularly stuffy in there :/

Second... it makes it very, very difficult to do my job. I pull a lot of faces and, teaching English and all, how the mouth moves is very important. Case in point... it's very difficult for students to tell the difference between "mouth" and "mouse" without me really exaggerating the 'th' and even then, they're always like "sssssssthhhhhhhsssssss" :/

Third... have you ever had a cup of something hot and comforting on your desk that you like to take small sips from every now and again as you work? I lost count of the amount of times I lifted my coffee to my lips only to realise the mask was in the way...

But I suppose however stuffy and uncomfortable and make-up-smearing and inconvenient the masks may be, as long as they (along with rigorous hand-washing regimen and copious amounts of hand sanitiser) prevent me from catching the flu from my high school students and passing it from place to place, it should be all right.

If only it was that easy with my elementary school kids.

Why did I choose to wear a mask today? Probably all down to this conversation...

Sensei 1: Helena! Long time no see! How are you?

Me: I'm fine!

Sensei 1: You know, we all have flu right now. Actually, I'm fine. But Japanese people like to wear the mask. Because it's fun for us to wear it. But when there's influenza, it's very important to wear it!

Me: ...oh.

Sensei 1: Yes! And Sensei 2 was off with the flu the past couple of days, but he's back now.

Sensei 2: I still have a fever! So I have to wear a mask! ^______^

Sensei 1: There's a box of masks over there if you don't have one!

After looking around and seeing all the other teachers were wearing a mask... I figured it might be a good idea to fit in :/