I was walking around last night and I was happy.

I've been torn about what to do in regard to my contract being over and the idea of heading back to Canada for a visit to see my friends and family. That last bit is a no-brainer. Of COURSE I want to go back home. But my thinking has been I want to return after my visit to Canada. Where would I return to? What would my school be like? My boss? My apartment? My students? My co-workers? Here, I'm safe in my apartment. It's settled and it's been mine for two years. It's filled with me. My job is alright. Fairly easy. Dependable. My boss is really quite great. Students- generally very good, but nowadays even the bad ones don't shock me. I'm used to them. I know them, and they like me. Co-workers, ups and downs. If you don't know, read the archives. Overall, though - at work, ok.

So what do you deal with? The devil you know - or the devil you don't?

A fellow who has been here seven years advised me toward the former.
Generally, I've had good luck with my employers and jobs both here and in Japan. It's been good. So I've considered cutting down my intended 6 weeks or so vacation down to 2 weeks for the sake of my current employer. She begs me to stay. But she won't give me time to go home. She explains all teachers took time off this year (Judy's honeymoon, Elizabeth's breakdown,) and she doesn't want any more time off.

I was surprised then, today, to learn Elizabeth's got Friday off. She's joining her uuber Catholic pals for a trip up to North Korea. Good for her, I say, but I did mention to my boss - in a nice way, "What the hell?"
"You just said you didn't want anymore teachers taking time off~!?"

"She's been here three years, and never asked for a day off."
(Except when she took 7 days off a few months ago.)
Granted, she didn't ask.

I shake my head a bit in awe. Last year, when they wanted me to stay on, they said they could handle a foreign teacher going home for a week or two. This year, I'm told they empathize that I haven't been home in 2 a half years, but they won't give me time.

There's extenuating circumstances. On both parts, to be sure.

But yesterday I was walking around happy, thinking, "I'm ok here."
And I just about decided I would stay.
But.