After Action Report
Loaded and prepared for a fight, I did not force one. I did not hide but neither did I make myself conspicuous. I walked freely down the halls to visit the head and later, the vending machine but I did not parade down them. I was the only unmasked being in the building. Only two also wore the face shield though. At least that I saw. I collected several looks of surprise, shock and at least one that looked like disdain. Hard to tell with just the eyes visible. But for the most part, that powerful weapon that often works so well for us gaijin and even for Japanese when away from their group, the S.E.P. Field, held fast.
I would like to think that it is settled but experience tells me that it may not be and even, probably isn’t. I suspect that among those who saw me today there will be at least one who spreads the word that some filthy gaijin was polluting her med. school with his unfiltered breath, probably one of those who stopped in their tracks to stare as I drew near. It was after 18 months of teaching in person without the compliance rag at two different schools when both suddenly demanded that I wear a mask for class. Until this silliness ends, I can not rest, and I no longer think it ever will end.
Next is an update on what is going on in Tokyo now. Many more unmasked, especially on the trains and subways. A lot more tourists from abroad. Most Westerners I saw today were unmasked, but not all. Quite a few unmasked Asians too, many seemed to be Japanese.
This year’s class of nursing students has 16 in it. All are in their third and final year. All were masked and seated with barriers between them.
Photo by author. With only 16 students, much of this large room is not needed. Took this photo between class sessions.
This will be the first class of nurses to graduates that have had their entire nursing education under these ridiculous conditions. They seem like a decent group, but what kind of nurse have they been educated to be?
There is a full month until our next lesson together.
You cannot give in to this illogical behaviour. The best you can do is to ignore the disapproving looks and side glances and go about your life looking straight ahead. It will be hard but you cannot submit to irrationality.
This is so freaking silly. The barrier is the height of ridiculousness. Wow. I have to just stare at it as it reminded me of the lucite barriers some of the convenience stores put up.
This reminds me of a joke, where you see a guy walking in a desert...and he is dragging a car door with him. You can tell he is out of breath from the exertion, and someone passes by him and asks, "What's with the car door?"
"It's in case it gets too hot, then I can roll the window down."
I know the joke is an old variation of the politically incorrect jokes of the past. But it fits in this situation.
Similarly..during nursing class, the instructor goes into a lecture on how respiratory airborne viruses work. How they can stay afloat for hours and permeate a room. And the instructor stops as someone walks in with a lucite barrier, places it on their desk, along with all their books. The instructor continues...talking about room ventilation, airborne travel, particle size etc. then finally has to stop and ask the nursing student and asks "What is the barrier for?"
She says through her mask "It is to protect against viral transmission."
SEP field. Yes! Love the Douglas Adams reference.