It’s the time of year when I’m not sure what day it is. Even worse, I don’t actually trust myself to know where I’m supposed to be.

This week, starting with this past Friday, is Golden Week which four Japanese national holidays all occur in the same seven days. The 29th was Showa Day, which is named after the era of the Emperor the world new as Hirohito. The 3rd is Constitution Day, celebrating the 1947 constitution. The 4th is Green Day, which used to be on the 29th, while the 4th used to be a “bridge” holiday between the 3rd and 5th but that was all changed in 2007. (Confused? Now you’re beginning to understand my world). The 5th is Children’s Day which is actually in honor boys but, well, yeah.

The problem is that this big holiday season comes just a couple weeks after the start of the school year. Right about the time we get in a teaching rhythm, we have four days off (sometimes, unless the 4th is on a Saturday, then we don’t. Long story.)

Friday was a day off, but even She Who Must Be Obeyed said it felt like Saturday. Then we had Saturday which felt like Sunday, and today I woke up as if it were Monday (then went back to sleep when I remembered it wasn’t.

Even more confusing, we work tomorrow, but then we have three days off, and have to work Friday. It’s common at this time of year to wake up in a panic and check your calendar several times to make sure you are where you’re supposed to be. Luckily, because it’s a national holiday and not a random day off the schools tend to have, you quickly calm back down and go back to sleep, laziness, sloth, etc. On the random days, you no longer trust your calendar or any other ways of tracking time.

The trouble is, I actually have to be some place tomorrow. At least I think I do.