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I wrote before how my company gave me a schedule for my job which neglected to inform me that instead of having a day off as shown I actually needed to work. This therefore caused me through no fault of my own to spend the time I should have been teaching Japanese 11 year olds English, happily eating my breakfast in the comfort of my home.

Today I was to teach at the same school and a Japanese coordinator from my company came to smooth out relations. He told me to give them the excuse that instead of being blissfully unaware of having to work, I was to tell them that I got lost on the Osaka train network and therefore was unable to teach.

I almost spat in his face.

I get a small bonus each month for perfect attendance and after being convinced that I would get this bonus as my schedule was incorrect, I relented and went along with the deception. There are two kinds of people in this world - The shepherd and the sheep. I am the sheep.

I sat there meekly in the headteacher`s office whilst my tale of gaijin woe was retold to her and then at the end of the first lesson, the children asked me in Japanese why I didn`t come.　　Coordinator translated this to me and I am sad to say I lied to those pure and honest children and told them I got lost on the train network. I am on my way to Hell.

The thing is that this reflects badly on me when I have done nothing wrong. In the eyes of the headteacher, the teachers and the children, I am less of a man than I was before. I am a sheep. Is this a typical Japanese thing of putting your company before yourself or sick and twisted staff do you think?