(no subject)
It's been a long time...Really nothing much has been going on in my life to write about. Nothing really exciting. I did go to Hawaii back in August, but it was mostly a family reunion and it rained most of the time so that I didn't get to experience a stereotypical Hawaiian vacation. It was good though. AND I got to eat Taco Bell so I'm an extremely happy camper.
Recently I've been thinking about my future. I'm trying to decide what to do come March when I leave my current job. Should I try to stay in Kansai? Should I go to Tokyo? Should I go to another Asian country? Should I try to get into grad school or a post-bacclaureate program? Should I go back to Tennessee? These are just some of the questions that have been floating around my brain the last couple weeks. I know I have time, but I am the type of person that wants to have a plan made up. I'm the guy who planned his entire time at college during his first semester. I know I'm a dork.
I do kinda have a couple goals to reach before I leave Japan. I would like to pass at least the second level of the JLPT before leaving. Actually I would really like to pass the first level. I'm thinking that if I pass the second level this year I can take the first level in 2009. After that I feel I can leave Japan. I keep telling myself that I'll leave by 2010 no matter what, but everytime I sit down and think, I keep talking myself into wanting to stay until I pass JLPT 1. I know that is a very lofty goal, but it would pretty much assure me a job back home and it would give me the satisfaction of actually finishing something that I started. Pretty much everything I've done in my life I've done to a half finish or less. I did get Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts, but I coulda done more. I didn't finish ROTC (though that was due to biological factors rather than mental). I quit the violin after 2 years. I never really tried to get good in German. I keep making excuses and then I look back and am like "What the fuck? I haven't finished shit." It pisses me off. That is the main reason I want to stay in Japan until I've passed the JLPT 1. I think that it would be good for me both as a career advancment tool and as a personal milestone in that I would've completed something to the end. After level 1 there is no where else to go. I think that would make me feel that I've finally accomplished something. So I guess this paragraph has answered whether or not I'll stay in Japan after March. Looks like I'm gonna be in Japan for a while longer.
Now I gotta figure out where in Japan I'll be. I'd really like to stay in Kansai. After 2 years I finally feel like I've carved out a life for myself here. I have a Japanese teacher that I like. I've got good friends, favorite restaurants, favorite walks and parks. I've also kinda gotten used to the pace of life here. I know I can find that in other parts of Japan, but I dunno. I don't really wanna uproot, though the change of scenery would be cool and I always enjoy moving. Basically I think I'd be happy anywhere in Japan...As long as there was a Tsutaya and a conbini near my apartment. I just think moving somewhere around this area (more specifically Shiga or Kyoto) would be best for me. I'm hoping I'll get lucky and find an awesome job in Kyoto and would be able to move up there.
I think what I'm going to so is this: Pass the JLPT level 2 this December and chill at my job till March. Get a job in Kyoto or this area of Shiga, hopefully at a real school in April. Study my ass off over 2008 in Japanese and also try to find a course in English teaching (so that I can get certification and thus a better paying job). I will continue studying my ass off throughout 2009 and will take the JLPT 1 in December of that year. If I pass I will probably leave Japan sometime late 2010. If I don't pass, I'll study even more rigorously in 2010 and take the test again in December 2010. If I don't pass again. I will repeat until the test is mine! And it will be mine. After that...I don't have a clue.
So, I guess that wraps up this rant.
Recently I've been thinking about my future. I'm trying to decide what to do come March when I leave my current job. Should I try to stay in Kansai? Should I go to Tokyo? Should I go to another Asian country? Should I try to get into grad school or a post-bacclaureate program? Should I go back to Tennessee? These are just some of the questions that have been floating around my brain the last couple weeks. I know I have time, but I am the type of person that wants to have a plan made up. I'm the guy who planned his entire time at college during his first semester. I know I'm a dork.
I do kinda have a couple goals to reach before I leave Japan. I would like to pass at least the second level of the JLPT before leaving. Actually I would really like to pass the first level. I'm thinking that if I pass the second level this year I can take the first level in 2009. After that I feel I can leave Japan. I keep telling myself that I'll leave by 2010 no matter what, but everytime I sit down and think, I keep talking myself into wanting to stay until I pass JLPT 1. I know that is a very lofty goal, but it would pretty much assure me a job back home and it would give me the satisfaction of actually finishing something that I started. Pretty much everything I've done in my life I've done to a half finish or less. I did get Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts, but I coulda done more. I didn't finish ROTC (though that was due to biological factors rather than mental). I quit the violin after 2 years. I never really tried to get good in German. I keep making excuses and then I look back and am like "What the fuck? I haven't finished shit." It pisses me off. That is the main reason I want to stay in Japan until I've passed the JLPT 1. I think that it would be good for me both as a career advancment tool and as a personal milestone in that I would've completed something to the end. After level 1 there is no where else to go. I think that would make me feel that I've finally accomplished something. So I guess this paragraph has answered whether or not I'll stay in Japan after March. Looks like I'm gonna be in Japan for a while longer.
Now I gotta figure out where in Japan I'll be. I'd really like to stay in Kansai. After 2 years I finally feel like I've carved out a life for myself here. I have a Japanese teacher that I like. I've got good friends, favorite restaurants, favorite walks and parks. I've also kinda gotten used to the pace of life here. I know I can find that in other parts of Japan, but I dunno. I don't really wanna uproot, though the change of scenery would be cool and I always enjoy moving. Basically I think I'd be happy anywhere in Japan...As long as there was a Tsutaya and a conbini near my apartment. I just think moving somewhere around this area (more specifically Shiga or Kyoto) would be best for me. I'm hoping I'll get lucky and find an awesome job in Kyoto and would be able to move up there.
I think what I'm going to so is this: Pass the JLPT level 2 this December and chill at my job till March. Get a job in Kyoto or this area of Shiga, hopefully at a real school in April. Study my ass off over 2008 in Japanese and also try to find a course in English teaching (so that I can get certification and thus a better paying job). I will continue studying my ass off throughout 2009 and will take the JLPT 1 in December of that year. If I pass I will probably leave Japan sometime late 2010. If I don't pass, I'll study even more rigorously in 2010 and take the test again in December 2010. If I don't pass again. I will repeat until the test is mine! And it will be mine. After that...I don't have a clue.
So, I guess that wraps up this rant.