Quarantine

This year for Golden Week, I went back to America to visit my girlfriend in St. Louis. During that time, the swine flu had just began to break out across America and by the time I was getting ready to head back to Japan, it had begun to show up there, too.

Japan, being the incredibly careful (in some ways, at least) country that it is, had set up extra precautionary measures to stop the swine flu from getting into Japan. When I arrived at Nagoya Airport, we had to stay in our seats for about 2 hours while doctors dressed up in their full suits and masks walked the aisles collecting self-check forms from each passenger, as well as checking peoples' temperatures with an infrared (I assume) camera. I just sat there reading my book the whole time, so it was all good; I did miss my connecting flight, but ANA had re-routed me to the next available flight, so again, all good.


The interesting part, though, was when I got back to Fukuoka. On Monday, when I went into my office, my supervisor informed me that because I had just come back from America, he was going to cancel my school visits for the week and have me just come into the office, regardless of the fact that I was feeling perfectly healthy. Wanting to relax and take things slow, I wasn't going to disagree with the guy.

But...what would be the point of "quarantining" me to my office if I really did have the swine flu? I would just give it to the other teachers in the office who would visit all of the schools in the area.

The following day, my supervisor tells me that I should just stay at home for the next 10 days. It's okay if I need to go out to get food, but don't come to work. Feigning dissapointment, I nodded my head, sighing here and there and accepting the "bad news." Sweet!

Overhearing the conversation, the teacher who usually takes us out hiking came by to ask about the whole deal.

Nakaji: So can you still come hiking this weekend?
I look over to my supervisor.
Supervisor: Oh, um...sure.
Me: Oh wait, so do I have to use my nenkyuu (paid vacation) for this?
Supervisor: No no, it's a special paid-leave.

A grin broke out on my face and upon seeing it, they knew I was actually happy about the whole thing and started joking around, telling me how lucky I was and how jealous they were of me.

During each day of "quarantine," someone from the Health Center would call me, asking if I was feeling okay, if I had any diarrhea and also asking me for my temperatures. A small price to pay for a week of vacation!

Thank you, Japan.