Sorry I've been away all this time, everyone! Honestly, I've had many opportunities to update this blog, but I just got lazy...haha. Now that I see it getting viewed by more people, I feel the need to at least post a quick summary of what life has been like since my last entry (over a year ago!).
Let's see.....I've done A LOT of traveling. I did some counting and I've been to 12 prefectures! There are still so many places I want to see, but I'm planning on staying 3 years total, so I think I can make it happen. Other than that, I've settled into the ALT position fairly well. It has its ups and downs, but overall it's not a bad gig. I'd have to say my least favorite thing about it is how much time I end up spending at my desk. I'm at 2 middle schools - one of which keeps me pretty busy and I really like it, the other, not so much. I usually only have 1-2 classes a day there, and the rest of the time there is nothing to do. I'm required to stay until 4:30pm, regardless of when my classes are done. I use the time to study Japanese and catch up on the reading I've always wanted to get to. My Japanese has definitely improved, though not as much as I would have hoped. I'm still trying to pass JLPT Level N3.
I would try to get involved in some club activities, or start up a new one myself, but since I switch schools so much (I go to an elementary school on some Tuesdays, and City Hall on Wednesday afternoons), it's pretty much impossible. I have had some chances to help out international students from the Philippines and Peru, and do some light translating work. On the bright side, I like all my JTEs (I've only had problems teaching with 1-2 of them, but nothing too serious). For the most part, the students are awesome. They make me laugh on a regular basis. I absolutely love my elementary school and wish I could be there more.
I've been recently fighting some major homesickness, which I've heard is pretty normal for a 2nd year JET like myself. I'm going to be flying home for Christmas this year, though! I haven't been to the U.S. since August 2012, and I really miss my family and friends. In the meantime, I've been trying to focus on the things I love about Japan (like delicious curry)! There is a big group of ALTs here in Mie-ken that have been friendly and supportive, which has helped me greatly. I have some Japanese friends, too, but sadly I don't get to see them much outside of work because they stay so busy! Also, there aren't many people my age that live in this small city. Most seem to live in the Mie capital city next to us, Tsu.
I hope those of you applying for 2014 are doing well gathering all the info for the application packet! Good luck!
Maybe you'll be hearing from me again soon? I make no promises! Hah. However, if you do have questions, I'll try to answer them in comment form ASAP!
Friday, November 29, 2013
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Chills
I'm feeling pretty tired from these past few days....well, actually the past week. I really should be going to bed now, but I feel the need to just stop and talk about yesterday.
I was invited by my friend, Cara, who is a JET in Komono-cho, to help carry the women's shrine at the Souhei Matsuri. I knew I wanted to go to the festival, because 1) I hadn't gotten to go to any festivals since arriving in Japan yet, and 2) The festival takes place up in the mountains, and having seen pictures of the area, it looked gorgeous... So, I figured that if I was going to go anyway, I might as well get involved and be an active part of the festivities. This ended up being a good decision, despite how much my shoulder hurts now from helping carry the shrine. The pain was totally worth it. I had a blast. But...I'm getting ahead of myself a little...
Earlier that day, we made plans to meet up in Yokkaichi to get lunch and do a little shopping. I headed there by train from Suzuka, which takes about 40 minutes. During the ride, the train went over a little bridge across the bay. At that moment, I remembered the first time I ever crossed that bridge from the other side about 2 months ago. It was after the Tokyo Orientation, with the other Mie JETs, and I was headed to Suzuka. Memories came flooding back, and I could vividly recall how I felt then and I got chills. I remember thinking how I couldn't believe I was here. I remember feeling a mixture of nervousness, hopefulness, and amazement. This place was (and still is) an adventure. I was so scared...but excited. Filled with adrenaline.
After crossing that bridge again yesterday, and thinking about how things have changed just within the past 2 months, it made me smile. I found myself in a great mood, thinking about how I went from having no idea where in the world I was, to being able to (roughly) navigate the train system well enough to make it to a neighboring city by myself now. I went from being almost completely dependent, to almost completely independent in a matter of weeks. You kind of have to when you move across the world, away from family and friends...away from the world you grew up in.
I seem to get into the habit of beating myself up about all the things I've done wrong since I've come here, and not enough on the things I've done right. I got the job, right? I've made it this far, right? I should be proud of myself for following my dreams and achieving them. I've wanted to come to Japan for as long as I can remember.....before I even knew exactly where Japan was on a map. Now, here I am. I'm still in disbelief.
I had such an amazing time yesterday in Yokkaichi and Komono. The hilly, mountainous terrain, mixed with the little rocky creeks, reminded me a lot of home. As we carried the shrine down the winding mountain road, passing little shops and hotels as we wished for their prosperity, I was tired, but happy. I got chills again.
This is why I'm here -- for the chance to have experiences just like this one. My time here has only just begun, and I can't wait to experience more :)
I was invited by my friend, Cara, who is a JET in Komono-cho, to help carry the women's shrine at the Souhei Matsuri. I knew I wanted to go to the festival, because 1) I hadn't gotten to go to any festivals since arriving in Japan yet, and 2) The festival takes place up in the mountains, and having seen pictures of the area, it looked gorgeous... So, I figured that if I was going to go anyway, I might as well get involved and be an active part of the festivities. This ended up being a good decision, despite how much my shoulder hurts now from helping carry the shrine. The pain was totally worth it. I had a blast. But...I'm getting ahead of myself a little...
Earlier that day, we made plans to meet up in Yokkaichi to get lunch and do a little shopping. I headed there by train from Suzuka, which takes about 40 minutes. During the ride, the train went over a little bridge across the bay. At that moment, I remembered the first time I ever crossed that bridge from the other side about 2 months ago. It was after the Tokyo Orientation, with the other Mie JETs, and I was headed to Suzuka. Memories came flooding back, and I could vividly recall how I felt then and I got chills. I remember thinking how I couldn't believe I was here. I remember feeling a mixture of nervousness, hopefulness, and amazement. This place was (and still is) an adventure. I was so scared...but excited. Filled with adrenaline.
After crossing that bridge again yesterday, and thinking about how things have changed just within the past 2 months, it made me smile. I found myself in a great mood, thinking about how I went from having no idea where in the world I was, to being able to (roughly) navigate the train system well enough to make it to a neighboring city by myself now. I went from being almost completely dependent, to almost completely independent in a matter of weeks. You kind of have to when you move across the world, away from family and friends...away from the world you grew up in.
I seem to get into the habit of beating myself up about all the things I've done wrong since I've come here, and not enough on the things I've done right. I got the job, right? I've made it this far, right? I should be proud of myself for following my dreams and achieving them. I've wanted to come to Japan for as long as I can remember.....before I even knew exactly where Japan was on a map. Now, here I am. I'm still in disbelief.
I had such an amazing time yesterday in Yokkaichi and Komono. The hilly, mountainous terrain, mixed with the little rocky creeks, reminded me a lot of home. As we carried the shrine down the winding mountain road, passing little shops and hotels as we wished for their prosperity, I was tired, but happy. I got chills again.
This is why I'm here -- for the chance to have experiences just like this one. My time here has only just begun, and I can't wait to experience more :)
Saturday, September 29, 2012
So much to learn
I've learned a lot since coming here, but I still have a long way to go....
One of the best ways to learn is to experience things for yourself, right? So here I am, on this crazy journey of living by myself in a foreign country. Sometimes, I think I'm insane to have come here, out of my comfort zone and into the unknown. There are also times that I think applying for JET was the best decision I've ever made.
I was hired as an assistant English teacher -- the native English speaker in the classroom. While I've been able to answer some grammatical questions my coworkers and students have asked, I don't feel like I've been very helpful in my position yet. I often feel as if I'm just in everybody's way, bumbling around aimlessly. This job is kind of a strange one, if you think about it. Here I am, trying to master a new language, adjust to a new culture, making my apartment feel like home, being away from friends and family, having a job completely different from my previous one, and learning the way each of the 14 teachers I work with want me to teach, despite having no real prior teaching experience and not being able to understand 95% of what people are trying to say to me.....
I feel a lot more like a student than a teacher.
There are a decent number of foreign students at my current school who have recently moved here to Japan with their families from countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, etc. Most of them can't speak Japanese very well, so they meet up every day with part-time teachers/city hall workers that can speak enough of their fluent language to answer questions they have about their homework assignments, as the instructions are usually all in Japanese. Tuesday, I talked with a few girls, in English, about effective ways to study Japanese and laughed about awkward experiences we've had adjusting to the culture. Thursday, I got to meet with a few students who were going over some Japanese grammar. I went through and did some of the Japanese study worksheets they had been doing, and they laughed as I struggled through it, not because of the questions, but because of misunderstanding the instructions.
I feel like I bonded with those foreign students and, now they wave to me as I walk past them, with smiles on their faces because they know that, even though I'm technically a teacher, we have a lot in common. We're fighting to understand this wild, new world around us and find our places in it.
Speaking of having a lot to learn.....here are some things I've learned so far:
1) In the summer (and even into the fall), you must wear a tank top or some sort of layer underneath your shirt to soak up/mask sweat. Otherwise, you will get sweat stains. I didn't know it was possible to sweat this much. Don't think you are exempt from this. I thought I'd be ok, since I hardly ever sweated back home. I was wrong. It was embarrassing.
2) Carrying around a small hand towel or some Kleenex/napkins in your pocket, purse, or backpack is always a good idea. Many public restrooms don't have paper towels and you may want to dry your hands. Some restrooms don't have toilet paper (I haven't run into that problem yet, thankfully). In the summer, you may want to wipe off some of that sweat. Some restaurants give you little to no napkins with your meal. The benefits of having a towel/napkins are endless. It is very common in the summer to see Japanese people walk around town with a towel around their neck.
3) When you go to the grocery store, the cashiers will usually not give you any sort of bag for your groceries. At my local grocery store, you may purchase a plastic bag for 5 yen. This is obviously not something you want to have to do every single time, so investing in a reusable shopping tote, preferably something insulated, is a good idea. I usually just load up my backpack.
4) If you leave any sort of food scraps around, especially anything with sugar or grease, there is a good chance you will visited by a cockroach. The chance is greater if you are on the ground floor of your apartment complex or if you're in a rural area.
5) Be extremely careful when walking and/or riding your bike in Japan. Roads can be very narrow and drivers don't always look both ways. By the way, that sidewalk you're riding on is actually a road.....surprise!
6) You can pay your bills at your local convenience store, which is very....convenient!
7) If you are like me, and prefer white meat chicken over dark, karaage is probably not for you. Instead, go for chikin katsu (chicken cutlet). Also, KFC's crispy chicken strips are white meat. Yay!
8) In Japan, it isn't dangerous to eat raw eggs. Japanese people do this quite often, actually. Apparently, the eggs here are good quality and are kept clean, so it's not a big deal.... I'm personally still weirded out by this, though.
9) Ramen itself is considered a Chinese food, not a Japanese food. However, there are flavors and types of ramen that were created in Japan, such as miso ramen (and cup ramen :-P).
10) If you put in sugar in your tea, especially green tea, you'll probably get some weird looks.
I'm sure there are even more things on top of this that I just can't remember right now.
Oh, Japan... <3
I hope everyone is doing well! :) See you later.
One of the best ways to learn is to experience things for yourself, right? So here I am, on this crazy journey of living by myself in a foreign country. Sometimes, I think I'm insane to have come here, out of my comfort zone and into the unknown. There are also times that I think applying for JET was the best decision I've ever made.
I was hired as an assistant English teacher -- the native English speaker in the classroom. While I've been able to answer some grammatical questions my coworkers and students have asked, I don't feel like I've been very helpful in my position yet. I often feel as if I'm just in everybody's way, bumbling around aimlessly. This job is kind of a strange one, if you think about it. Here I am, trying to master a new language, adjust to a new culture, making my apartment feel like home, being away from friends and family, having a job completely different from my previous one, and learning the way each of the 14 teachers I work with want me to teach, despite having no real prior teaching experience and not being able to understand 95% of what people are trying to say to me.....
I feel a lot more like a student than a teacher.
There are a decent number of foreign students at my current school who have recently moved here to Japan with their families from countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, etc. Most of them can't speak Japanese very well, so they meet up every day with part-time teachers/city hall workers that can speak enough of their fluent language to answer questions they have about their homework assignments, as the instructions are usually all in Japanese. Tuesday, I talked with a few girls, in English, about effective ways to study Japanese and laughed about awkward experiences we've had adjusting to the culture. Thursday, I got to meet with a few students who were going over some Japanese grammar. I went through and did some of the Japanese study worksheets they had been doing, and they laughed as I struggled through it, not because of the questions, but because of misunderstanding the instructions.
I feel like I bonded with those foreign students and, now they wave to me as I walk past them, with smiles on their faces because they know that, even though I'm technically a teacher, we have a lot in common. We're fighting to understand this wild, new world around us and find our places in it.
Speaking of having a lot to learn.....here are some things I've learned so far:
1) In the summer (and even into the fall), you must wear a tank top or some sort of layer underneath your shirt to soak up/mask sweat. Otherwise, you will get sweat stains. I didn't know it was possible to sweat this much. Don't think you are exempt from this. I thought I'd be ok, since I hardly ever sweated back home. I was wrong. It was embarrassing.
2) Carrying around a small hand towel or some Kleenex/napkins in your pocket, purse, or backpack is always a good idea. Many public restrooms don't have paper towels and you may want to dry your hands. Some restrooms don't have toilet paper (I haven't run into that problem yet, thankfully). In the summer, you may want to wipe off some of that sweat. Some restaurants give you little to no napkins with your meal. The benefits of having a towel/napkins are endless. It is very common in the summer to see Japanese people walk around town with a towel around their neck.
3) When you go to the grocery store, the cashiers will usually not give you any sort of bag for your groceries. At my local grocery store, you may purchase a plastic bag for 5 yen. This is obviously not something you want to have to do every single time, so investing in a reusable shopping tote, preferably something insulated, is a good idea. I usually just load up my backpack.
4) If you leave any sort of food scraps around, especially anything with sugar or grease, there is a good chance you will visited by a cockroach. The chance is greater if you are on the ground floor of your apartment complex or if you're in a rural area.
5) Be extremely careful when walking and/or riding your bike in Japan. Roads can be very narrow and drivers don't always look both ways. By the way, that sidewalk you're riding on is actually a road.....surprise!
6) You can pay your bills at your local convenience store, which is very....convenient!
7) If you are like me, and prefer white meat chicken over dark, karaage is probably not for you. Instead, go for chikin katsu (chicken cutlet). Also, KFC's crispy chicken strips are white meat. Yay!
8) In Japan, it isn't dangerous to eat raw eggs. Japanese people do this quite often, actually. Apparently, the eggs here are good quality and are kept clean, so it's not a big deal.... I'm personally still weirded out by this, though.
9) Ramen itself is considered a Chinese food, not a Japanese food. However, there are flavors and types of ramen that were created in Japan, such as miso ramen (and cup ramen :-P).
10) If you put in sugar in your tea, especially green tea, you'll probably get some weird looks.
I'm sure there are even more things on top of this that I just can't remember right now.
Oh, Japan... <3
I hope everyone is doing well! :) See you later.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Busy busy
Hey, everyone! It has been a while since I last posted and a lot has happened since then.
I started teaching and have now finished all my self introduction lessons. I'm getting to know my fellow teachers and students and I feel like I'm starting to get used to this whole ALT thing. There are times it can be hectic, but most of the time, the job is "ok students, repeat after kayla sensei", and I read passages from the text book. I have gotten to play games with some of my classes, which have been really fun, but there are a lot of required monotonous tasks I must help with in order to prepare students for tests. I understand that this is necessary; learning a new language requires some repetition. However, fun activities are really what help keep students' attention and allow them to really connect and relate with the subject. I'm hoping that, once the JTEs (Japanese teachers of English) and I get used to working with one another, I can be given some freedom to do activities every now and then.
I have gotten to do a good amount of traveling recently, too! Since my last entry in mid-August, I have been to Shima, Ise, Tsu, and Kuwana in the Mie prefecture, as well as Osaka (Universal Studios and shopping/exploring in the Shinsaibashi and Namba areas). When we went to Osaka, we stayed in a Capsule Hotel, which was a rather interesting experience. I always imagined that sleeping in a 'capsule' would make me feel a little claustrophobic, but it was actually kind of comfortable :) It was also very cheap to stay there (about 2300yen!) Osaka was amazing, and I hope to go back very soon. It only took about 1 1/2 hours to get there by a limited express train, so taking weekend trips there is very feasible. The next place I'm hoping to check out is Nagoya, as it is only about an hour away by the express train.
Tomorrow and Friday, I don't have any classes, because they are doing midterm exams. I think I'll be using that time to study Japanese and do some research on games I can play with the students. Also, I really need to clean up my apartment and buy some shelves! I'm getting pretty close to making this place feel like home, but it's still a little too cluttered. I'm starting to get used to what shops I can go to to buy certain things and where they are located in relation to my apartment. When I'm at the City Hall and look out the window, it makes me realize that Suzuka isn't really that big. However, when you travel by walking, biking, and train only, it can make a small city seem like a never-ending maze.
Hope everyone is having a good day! I'll see you guys again soon.
I started teaching and have now finished all my self introduction lessons. I'm getting to know my fellow teachers and students and I feel like I'm starting to get used to this whole ALT thing. There are times it can be hectic, but most of the time, the job is "ok students, repeat after kayla sensei", and I read passages from the text book. I have gotten to play games with some of my classes, which have been really fun, but there are a lot of required monotonous tasks I must help with in order to prepare students for tests. I understand that this is necessary; learning a new language requires some repetition. However, fun activities are really what help keep students' attention and allow them to really connect and relate with the subject. I'm hoping that, once the JTEs (Japanese teachers of English) and I get used to working with one another, I can be given some freedom to do activities every now and then.
I have gotten to do a good amount of traveling recently, too! Since my last entry in mid-August, I have been to Shima, Ise, Tsu, and Kuwana in the Mie prefecture, as well as Osaka (Universal Studios and shopping/exploring in the Shinsaibashi and Namba areas). When we went to Osaka, we stayed in a Capsule Hotel, which was a rather interesting experience. I always imagined that sleeping in a 'capsule' would make me feel a little claustrophobic, but it was actually kind of comfortable :) It was also very cheap to stay there (about 2300yen!) Osaka was amazing, and I hope to go back very soon. It only took about 1 1/2 hours to get there by a limited express train, so taking weekend trips there is very feasible. The next place I'm hoping to check out is Nagoya, as it is only about an hour away by the express train.
 |
| Entrance of Universal Studios Japan!!! |
Tomorrow and Friday, I don't have any classes, because they are doing midterm exams. I think I'll be using that time to study Japanese and do some research on games I can play with the students. Also, I really need to clean up my apartment and buy some shelves! I'm getting pretty close to making this place feel like home, but it's still a little too cluttered. I'm starting to get used to what shops I can go to to buy certain things and where they are located in relation to my apartment. When I'm at the City Hall and look out the window, it makes me realize that Suzuka isn't really that big. However, when you travel by walking, biking, and train only, it can make a small city seem like a never-ending maze.
Hope everyone is having a good day! I'll see you guys again soon.
Monday, August 13, 2012
My First Week in Japan
As you may have guessed, I am now in Japan, where I have been since last Sunday. These past few days have been amazing, but my time here didn't start off so wonderful.....
When I first arrived in Japan, I was an absolute mess. Jet lag hit me like a ton of bricks and I felt physically and emotionally worn out. I wasn't sleeping right, I couldn't eat without feeling nauseous and I was very dehydrated. Tokyo Orientation was all a blur and I had to skip multiple panels just to go lay in my room and sleep. I would lay down and it would feel like everything was spinning. I got to explore Shinjuku a little bit, but not nearly as much as I would have liked. I was just too exhausted to be adventurous. I don't know if I had ever felt so strange before in my life...
However, once I arrived in Suzuka-shi, Mie-ken, my new home, and got settled into my apartment, I slowly started feeling more like myself again. Now, I am feeling great and have gotten my appetite back. I'm really loving exploring my neighborhood and trying all the different foods, especially the pastries :) There are a few shops very close to me that have a large variety of things. I bought a nice new bike that I've been taking everywhere and I'm in love with it.
I can't say anything about the job yet, as I don't begin teaching until September, but right now it's really easy and kind of boring. I have to report to the City Hall every weekday from 8:30 to 4:30, but we get a full hour for lunch, and all we have to do is sit at a desk and we occasionally are asked to help with minor tasks. Mostly, though, us 4 municipal Suzuka ALTs just talk amongst ourselves and this awesome Japanese guy who loves to hang out with us. It's pretty laid back, but I know it won't stay this way. In just a few weeks, work will become a lot more hectic, as I get used to a completely different schedule and a much more demanding work load.
So far, so good! Stay tuned!
When I first arrived in Japan, I was an absolute mess. Jet lag hit me like a ton of bricks and I felt physically and emotionally worn out. I wasn't sleeping right, I couldn't eat without feeling nauseous and I was very dehydrated. Tokyo Orientation was all a blur and I had to skip multiple panels just to go lay in my room and sleep. I would lay down and it would feel like everything was spinning. I got to explore Shinjuku a little bit, but not nearly as much as I would have liked. I was just too exhausted to be adventurous. I don't know if I had ever felt so strange before in my life...
However, once I arrived in Suzuka-shi, Mie-ken, my new home, and got settled into my apartment, I slowly started feeling more like myself again. Now, I am feeling great and have gotten my appetite back. I'm really loving exploring my neighborhood and trying all the different foods, especially the pastries :) There are a few shops very close to me that have a large variety of things. I bought a nice new bike that I've been taking everywhere and I'm in love with it.
I can't say anything about the job yet, as I don't begin teaching until September, but right now it's really easy and kind of boring. I have to report to the City Hall every weekday from 8:30 to 4:30, but we get a full hour for lunch, and all we have to do is sit at a desk and we occasionally are asked to help with minor tasks. Mostly, though, us 4 municipal Suzuka ALTs just talk amongst ourselves and this awesome Japanese guy who loves to hang out with us. It's pretty laid back, but I know it won't stay this way. In just a few weeks, work will become a lot more hectic, as I get used to a completely different schedule and a much more demanding work load.
So far, so good! Stay tuned!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
It's getting close...
7 days until the farewell/early birthday party at my house, where I'll get to see a lot of friends and family for a final time before I leave
14 days until the last day of my current job (where I've worked at for 7 YEARS). I'll miss some of my coworkers, but I am very happy to be moving on to something new!
And, last but certainly not least, 21 days until I accomplish one of the biggest items on my bucket list -- JAPAN.
These past few weeks have been super busy with work, running errands, and trying to hang out with friends as much as humanly possible. Two of my best friends are moving to Baltimore today, which is a good 7 hours away, and I already miss them :( . One of my other friends who can't attend the party got to hang out last weekend and I have no idea when I'll get to see her again. There is just a lot of goodbyes going on recently and it's making the whole "moving to Japan" thing super real. Like, this is a thing I am actually doing. People are saying goodbye to me, and it's not the "I'll see you again in a couple of weeks for dinner" type of goodbye. It's the "I have no idea when I'll see you again. It will probably be a couple of years or something. We'll have to Skype every now and then..." type of goodbye. It's so strange.
As far as preparations go, there's a lot left to do. Still got to call Visa about using my card overseas. Still got to get vaccines, if I'm going to get any at all (I'll probably just update my tetanus. I live life on the edge..). Still got to go to the dentist, if I still want to do that (probably not). Got to finish packing, but I've already got quite a bit of that done, actually. I have to get a mailer box and send off some bulky winter clothes to Japan ahead of me. Gotta print off some pictures that I took of my house and family that I can show students. Aaaaaand....I think that's about it. I think.
Life has been moving pretty fast. I kept telling myself I would have plenty of time to get all this stuff done, but...not really. 21 days = 3 weeks, and I have to tell myself not to start freaking out. I'm excited, don't get me wrong, but stress has been getting the better of me lately. I think I'll going to go run off this nervous energy and start making a detailed to-do list for next week....
14 days until the last day of my current job (where I've worked at for 7 YEARS). I'll miss some of my coworkers, but I am very happy to be moving on to something new!
And, last but certainly not least, 21 days until I accomplish one of the biggest items on my bucket list -- JAPAN.
These past few weeks have been super busy with work, running errands, and trying to hang out with friends as much as humanly possible. Two of my best friends are moving to Baltimore today, which is a good 7 hours away, and I already miss them :( . One of my other friends who can't attend the party got to hang out last weekend and I have no idea when I'll get to see her again. There is just a lot of goodbyes going on recently and it's making the whole "moving to Japan" thing super real. Like, this is a thing I am actually doing. People are saying goodbye to me, and it's not the "I'll see you again in a couple of weeks for dinner" type of goodbye. It's the "I have no idea when I'll see you again. It will probably be a couple of years or something. We'll have to Skype every now and then..." type of goodbye. It's so strange.
As far as preparations go, there's a lot left to do. Still got to call Visa about using my card overseas. Still got to get vaccines, if I'm going to get any at all (I'll probably just update my tetanus. I live life on the edge..). Still got to go to the dentist, if I still want to do that (probably not). Got to finish packing, but I've already got quite a bit of that done, actually. I have to get a mailer box and send off some bulky winter clothes to Japan ahead of me. Gotta print off some pictures that I took of my house and family that I can show students. Aaaaaand....I think that's about it. I think.
Life has been moving pretty fast. I kept telling myself I would have plenty of time to get all this stuff done, but...not really. 21 days = 3 weeks, and I have to tell myself not to start freaking out. I'm excited, don't get me wrong, but stress has been getting the better of me lately. I think I'll going to go run off this nervous energy and start making a detailed to-do list for next week....
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Yay! It's an Update!
So I have finally got the e-mail with loads of important documents (contract, guidebook, apartment details, etc.)! Here is what I know:
1) I'll be living near the downtown area of Suzuka.
2) My apartment is considered spacious in comparison to other JET apartments
3) It will be equipped with a western style toilet(THANK GOD) and a dryer. If I'm getting any other furnishings, I don't know yet.
4) I'll be alternating between two middle schools every two weeks. I may also visit some elementary schools and have occasional office hours at the City Hall.
5) I will only have to pay about 70,000 yen for apartment starting costs, which is pretty freaking awesome. I was expecting to have to pay at least 100,000 yen.
What I don't know is whether or not I have a predecessor. I know I don't have a JET pred, but I assume I do have one from the other ALT company. However, I do not know if this person is expected to contact me or not. It would be cool to know if any other furnishings would be left in the apartment for me and other little details.
I am really happy that I'm going to be in the main part of the city, close to lots of things to do and places to eat :) Not to mention, most of the other ALTs in the city live in this same area. If you're reading this and you're a Mie prefecture JET too (or if you're a JET anywhere remotely nearby), let me know! I want to meet everyone I can.
1) I'll be living near the downtown area of Suzuka.
2) My apartment is considered spacious in comparison to other JET apartments
3) It will be equipped with a western style toilet(THANK GOD) and a dryer. If I'm getting any other furnishings, I don't know yet.
4) I'll be alternating between two middle schools every two weeks. I may also visit some elementary schools and have occasional office hours at the City Hall.
5) I will only have to pay about 70,000 yen for apartment starting costs, which is pretty freaking awesome. I was expecting to have to pay at least 100,000 yen.
What I don't know is whether or not I have a predecessor. I know I don't have a JET pred, but I assume I do have one from the other ALT company. However, I do not know if this person is expected to contact me or not. It would be cool to know if any other furnishings would be left in the apartment for me and other little details.
I am really happy that I'm going to be in the main part of the city, close to lots of things to do and places to eat :) Not to mention, most of the other ALTs in the city live in this same area. If you're reading this and you're a Mie prefecture JET too (or if you're a JET anywhere remotely nearby), let me know! I want to meet everyone I can.
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