Divisions, Decisions
There was a very small (3.3 magnitude) earthquake in central Kochi early this morning. I slept through it, but the school's morning meeting was abuzz with the teachers talking how they'd woken to find picture frames crashing to the ground. I'm nervous as hell that this is only the beginning. Usually there are many earthquakes in an area for months as the plates settle underneath. Oh, I hope I'm wrong. I like being able to sleep through earthquakes and not die.
That was the division. Now onto the decision.
I had a short talk with my supervisor today. She really wants me to stay in Japan, purely for business reasons. See, next year elementary schools all over Japan are beginning a major English program initiative. All 4th year children and above will be required to log a certain amount of official English class hours a week. They'll even have a textbook. My supervisor's worried that the next ALT they hire won't speak any Japanese. At least with me, even though my Japanese is really not that amazing, I do speak enough to help with elementary-level English classes. They want me to start teaching ESL classes once a week in the evenings to tutor the elementary school teachers in elementary-level English. Teachers all over the country are freaking out because a vast majority of elementary teachers can't speak English, let alone feel qualified to teach it.
(Let's not get me started on this. Japan starting an English initiative in elementary schools without hiring or even training English teachers is a whole other rant.)
Also, in August, just after I'm scheduled to leave, a group of around 150 fourth-generation Japanese-American middle schoolers and their parents from the LA area are coming to Sakawa for a cultural exchange. A guy I know at city hall is desperate for help with this. In his eyes, it would be awesome to have an American here who already knows the town well to help with tours and general adjustment. Because, although the kids are Japanese, they are fourth-generation Japanese-American. To put this in perspective, I'm fourth-generation Slovak-American and as American as you can get. The kids probably don't speak much Japanese, if any at all.
And so the pressure is on to recontract. And, as positive as I was that I wouldn't recontract for a third year before the break, now I'm just as indecisive. I am exactly split 50/50 between my decisions. I have no idea what I should do. Not a clue.
The adult part of me wants to go home. I miss my family, friends, culture, and language. I want to get on with my life and start on a career. I also feel like it's time I started the long, desperate search for lasting love. It would be nice to have a family before I'm thirty.
The child part of me wants to stay in Japan. I like the job security, the lack of responsibility/accountability, the free time and the adventure. I have so much time to write, goof off, and do nothing. When am I ever going to get a chance like this again?
This is going to yet take some serious thought. I have a long weekend (Monday's a random Japanese holiday yeah!) and then Wednesday to Friday is the (dreaded) Midyear Conference. So I'll have plenty of time to think, talk with other JETs about their plans, and hopefully, maybe, have a decision by this time next week.
I just don't freaking know right now.
That was the division. Now onto the decision.
I had a short talk with my supervisor today. She really wants me to stay in Japan, purely for business reasons. See, next year elementary schools all over Japan are beginning a major English program initiative. All 4th year children and above will be required to log a certain amount of official English class hours a week. They'll even have a textbook. My supervisor's worried that the next ALT they hire won't speak any Japanese. At least with me, even though my Japanese is really not that amazing, I do speak enough to help with elementary-level English classes. They want me to start teaching ESL classes once a week in the evenings to tutor the elementary school teachers in elementary-level English. Teachers all over the country are freaking out because a vast majority of elementary teachers can't speak English, let alone feel qualified to teach it.
(Let's not get me started on this. Japan starting an English initiative in elementary schools without hiring or even training English teachers is a whole other rant.)
Also, in August, just after I'm scheduled to leave, a group of around 150 fourth-generation Japanese-American middle schoolers and their parents from the LA area are coming to Sakawa for a cultural exchange. A guy I know at city hall is desperate for help with this. In his eyes, it would be awesome to have an American here who already knows the town well to help with tours and general adjustment. Because, although the kids are Japanese, they are fourth-generation Japanese-American. To put this in perspective, I'm fourth-generation Slovak-American and as American as you can get. The kids probably don't speak much Japanese, if any at all.
And so the pressure is on to recontract. And, as positive as I was that I wouldn't recontract for a third year before the break, now I'm just as indecisive. I am exactly split 50/50 between my decisions. I have no idea what I should do. Not a clue.
The adult part of me wants to go home. I miss my family, friends, culture, and language. I want to get on with my life and start on a career. I also feel like it's time I started the long, desperate search for lasting love. It would be nice to have a family before I'm thirty.
The child part of me wants to stay in Japan. I like the job security, the lack of responsibility/accountability, the free time and the adventure. I have so much time to write, goof off, and do nothing. When am I ever going to get a chance like this again?
This is going to yet take some serious thought. I have a long weekend (Monday's a random Japanese holiday yeah!) and then Wednesday to Friday is the (dreaded) Midyear Conference. So I'll have plenty of time to think, talk with other JETs about their plans, and hopefully, maybe, have a decision by this time next week.
I just don't freaking know right now.