yes, I am still in Japan

Ah, Japan in early February. The school is coming near its end (late march, and the next one begins in April) and its still pretty damn cold outside. The temperature is actually beginning to rise I think, but I feel like the wind is picking up to make for it. That's really almost worse when a bike is still your main form of transportation.
A few things on my mind at the moment. First, I'm going to Sapporo tomorrow! I'll be there for 3 days and four nights with Aussie Amber, where we'll be staying with my friend from college Mari. I'm lucky to have a friend up that way, as the Yuki Matsuri (snow festival) is one of the most famous in Japan and would probably be too difficult and expensive for me to figure out by myself. Thank you mari! I'll be sure to put some pictures up afterwards (I'll be back on Monday).
However in order to do this I'm being super devious and planning ahead to be sick on Friday so I can catch my Thursday night flight. I have a pretty limited number of vacation days, and because i have to use those even when there's no class, I want to save them for big trips. Plus I've never taken a sick day in my 6 months here. This normally wouldn't make me think twice, except there's been a touch of drama at my school lately, and more pressure has been put on me to actually be responsible. One of my coteachers is apparently seriously ill, and on top of that, pregnant (though the last part is a secret, hush hush). I was told she may have "neuralgia," which according to my medical expert knowledge (wikipedia) is associated with some of the worse pain a human can experience. Wow. Anyway she is out for quite some time, and I'm told that they "may" get a teacher to replace her for the rest of this school year. So now there is only me and another assistant teacher to do every first year student class (15 a week maybe?). Not a big deal but this assistant seems to have a fear of teaching alone. But i'll be leaving her on her own this Friday. I hope she can find it in her heart to forgive me.
There's actually been other "drama" at work as well, but to be honest it's all a bit abstract to me when everything is in Japanese. I can usually pick out what is being talked about, but generally not what they're actually saying. Plus, I work with mostly younger women who perhaps see the young foreigner male as the ideal person to gossip and practice English with. In that way office behavior seems pretty universal...
Besides all this, a part of me is still thinking about home, and Pennsylvania. My parents are, as usual, hatching a devious plan. Is there no stop to their scheming? I'll be sure to let you know how the plot goes when I have more information.
So for now I'll just leave with an "I'm off to Sapporo!" But my love to all, even if they don't really want it.
Aaron