終わりという始まり、始まりというなの終わり、僕たちはまだ歩いていく、僕たちがまだ歩いて行く。
I know I haven't updated in like forever. It probably doesn't bother anyone, it just annoys me since I have a paid account, I really should update more often. I constantly read my friend's list, but a lot of you guys are pretty busy in your own right, so I hope that you are all doing alright. Sorry that I haven't been around that much. <3
Anyway, for once, I have good news! I got a job here in Sapporo and I agreed to take it. The pay honestly isn't that high, but I really would like to stay here in Sapporo. I have a nice base here. Besides that, Narumi said I could stay with them until I can get enough money to save up to move out on my own. ^__^ I really appreciate it, because I totally don't have the cash to get my own place right now. Anyway, the job is kind of on the outskirts, so I might get a place near there to save on communting costs. Besides that, it's kind of far away from Sapporo proper, so the rent should be relatively low. It would be nice to be able to walk to work! Anyway, regardless of the commute, and even if I'm in Shinkawa with Narumi, the commute is going to be shorter than my commute to school now, so I'm pretty happy. I still am kind of worried about the working hours and if I can cut it, but I think I can do it. I've really started liking my part time job with the kids on Saturdays. I used to really loathe going, but the girls (one boy) and I have started to understand each other, I've gotten more comfortable with introducing games and they're working now to say sentences with me in English, so I'm happy. Yesterday we played telephone. That was really fun. The kids were trying their best. We played hangman, but it took them bloody forever. I kept telling them they need to just plain guess letters, but they just sat there trying to guess the word instead. Oh well. The point is that they're having fun. And the important fact is that I am getting more comfortable in a classroom which is always good.
Now I am figuring out when I can go home. I want to go home for a sizeable chunk of time since I'm going to be working here for at least another year, you know? I don't really know when I'll be able to go home again so I would like to spend some time at home to see everyone and catch up and all of that good stuff.
I still have to figure out visa stuff, so I'm going to ask Immigration on Monday if it is easier for me to go home and effectively cancel my ryuugaku visa, or if I should set up the paperwork to change residency statuses to a working visa. I feel sort of like the latter is going to easier, but you never know. I need to bug UMASS to see if they will issue me a document that says that I'm graduating on 2/15 so that I can change into the other visa.
Speaking of graduation, Narumi, Hina, Kanto, Fujiwara-san, Yuuto and Midori-san all came to support me. :D I was so happy that they could all come. They watched my presentation and then we went to Roye's and got free coffee and ate some yummy bread and chocolates and then we went to the 'graduation' ceremony. I got my 'diploma' thingie and we munched on snacks. I feel kind of angry since my tutor who is kind of a jekjkswjdljsdlanfkl I don't like her...anyway, she was supposed to come to my presentation, but didn't, lied about a class being extended. Whatever. She didn't help me with my project, left huge errors on my work that I was horribly embarrassed about and afterwards ended up just having Narumi help me fix my project. I've washed my hands of that yucky tutor. It is just a part-time job for her. I don't have to be her friend, nor do I want to. Midori-san gave me a pretty necklace as a graduation present and I'm wearing it now. :D
At the graduation we all had to say a few words. Because I'm the only American, I was last. I couldn't lie. I hated being surrounded by the Chinese kids. I said that I really had wanted to quit and go home, if I hadn't had the support of my host family, Fujiwara-san, and everyone that I would have gone home. Afterwards the Chinese girls were like, "Oh, but we liked you." Could have fooled me. It's too late. It doesn't matter anymore. I know that part of me is jaded and I know I should have tried harder and all that nonsense, but I won't see those girls again ever. I am not their friends, I didn't really even want to be their friends because ...well, how could I be when they were always speaking in Chinese? Oh well, I'm letting it go.
What I'm doing now is finishing up papers at Mister Donut. I haven't come here for three weeks! Kind of proud of that, lame. Still, I am probably just another donut away from being able to get a mini- Pon De Lion stuffed animal. Do wantttt. I know Betsy and Megan will be jealous, ahaha. ^__^
終わりという始まり、始まりというなの終わり、僕たちはまだ歩いていく、僕たちがまだ歩いて行く。
(A beginning called an end, an end called beginning, we keep walking along, we keep walking along.)
I don't know. I'm feeling really good. I've been feeling that way for the past few days. I tried my best, I did my best and was proud of my presentation, I was supported by people who love me, and I am really ready to start this new job and to move on to this new part of my life. :D I'm excited to go home and see my family and give everyone huge hugs and kisses times one thousand. Being away for almost a year is hard, but I'm almost done everything that I need to do. :D I'm proud. Like I said at graduation. This was really, really hard. This experience was so hard. But what I will think about when I look back is that I did it. I made it. I tried my best and I kept going. That's not something you can always say. But I'm proud of what I've accomplished. If I can make it here...I can make it anywhere. :D
...
...
Well, maybe not Broadway, but we all have our limitations, right? ^.~v
Anyway, for once, I have good news! I got a job here in Sapporo and I agreed to take it. The pay honestly isn't that high, but I really would like to stay here in Sapporo. I have a nice base here. Besides that, Narumi said I could stay with them until I can get enough money to save up to move out on my own. ^__^ I really appreciate it, because I totally don't have the cash to get my own place right now. Anyway, the job is kind of on the outskirts, so I might get a place near there to save on communting costs. Besides that, it's kind of far away from Sapporo proper, so the rent should be relatively low. It would be nice to be able to walk to work! Anyway, regardless of the commute, and even if I'm in Shinkawa with Narumi, the commute is going to be shorter than my commute to school now, so I'm pretty happy. I still am kind of worried about the working hours and if I can cut it, but I think I can do it. I've really started liking my part time job with the kids on Saturdays. I used to really loathe going, but the girls (one boy) and I have started to understand each other, I've gotten more comfortable with introducing games and they're working now to say sentences with me in English, so I'm happy. Yesterday we played telephone. That was really fun. The kids were trying their best. We played hangman, but it took them bloody forever. I kept telling them they need to just plain guess letters, but they just sat there trying to guess the word instead. Oh well. The point is that they're having fun. And the important fact is that I am getting more comfortable in a classroom which is always good.
Now I am figuring out when I can go home. I want to go home for a sizeable chunk of time since I'm going to be working here for at least another year, you know? I don't really know when I'll be able to go home again so I would like to spend some time at home to see everyone and catch up and all of that good stuff.
I still have to figure out visa stuff, so I'm going to ask Immigration on Monday if it is easier for me to go home and effectively cancel my ryuugaku visa, or if I should set up the paperwork to change residency statuses to a working visa. I feel sort of like the latter is going to easier, but you never know. I need to bug UMASS to see if they will issue me a document that says that I'm graduating on 2/15 so that I can change into the other visa.
Speaking of graduation, Narumi, Hina, Kanto, Fujiwara-san, Yuuto and Midori-san all came to support me. :D I was so happy that they could all come. They watched my presentation and then we went to Roye's and got free coffee and ate some yummy bread and chocolates and then we went to the 'graduation' ceremony. I got my 'diploma' thingie and we munched on snacks. I feel kind of angry since my tutor who is kind of a jekjkswjdljsdlanfkl I don't like her...anyway, she was supposed to come to my presentation, but didn't, lied about a class being extended. Whatever. She didn't help me with my project, left huge errors on my work that I was horribly embarrassed about and afterwards ended up just having Narumi help me fix my project. I've washed my hands of that yucky tutor. It is just a part-time job for her. I don't have to be her friend, nor do I want to. Midori-san gave me a pretty necklace as a graduation present and I'm wearing it now. :D
At the graduation we all had to say a few words. Because I'm the only American, I was last. I couldn't lie. I hated being surrounded by the Chinese kids. I said that I really had wanted to quit and go home, if I hadn't had the support of my host family, Fujiwara-san, and everyone that I would have gone home. Afterwards the Chinese girls were like, "Oh, but we liked you." Could have fooled me. It's too late. It doesn't matter anymore. I know that part of me is jaded and I know I should have tried harder and all that nonsense, but I won't see those girls again ever. I am not their friends, I didn't really even want to be their friends because ...well, how could I be when they were always speaking in Chinese? Oh well, I'm letting it go.
What I'm doing now is finishing up papers at Mister Donut. I haven't come here for three weeks! Kind of proud of that, lame. Still, I am probably just another donut away from being able to get a mini- Pon De Lion stuffed animal. Do wantttt. I know Betsy and Megan will be jealous, ahaha. ^__^
終わりという始まり、始まりというなの終わり、僕たちはまだ歩いていく、僕たちがまだ歩いて行く。
(A beginning called an end, an end called beginning, we keep walking along, we keep walking along.)
I don't know. I'm feeling really good. I've been feeling that way for the past few days. I tried my best, I did my best and was proud of my presentation, I was supported by people who love me, and I am really ready to start this new job and to move on to this new part of my life. :D I'm excited to go home and see my family and give everyone huge hugs and kisses times one thousand. Being away for almost a year is hard, but I'm almost done everything that I need to do. :D I'm proud. Like I said at graduation. This was really, really hard. This experience was so hard. But what I will think about when I look back is that I did it. I made it. I tried my best and I kept going. That's not something you can always say. But I'm proud of what I've accomplished. If I can make it here...I can make it anywhere. :D
...
...
Well, maybe not Broadway, but we all have our limitations, right? ^.~v