Overdue Update: Mostly Japan Stuff
Wow, I'm surprised that the Town of Franklin's evil content-filter hasn't deemed LJ some ridiculously-classified forbidden zone. Half the sites I frequent are apparently "pr0n" in the eyes of the PCers. O__O
Anyway, that's no excuse for being absent for a while, especially since a few of you I communicate mostly via this dumb thing. I hope everyone is well. As for myself, my life has been a series of ups, downs, and loop-de-loops. I'll try to keep this short...
Showa Friendship Cirlce
Sadness always abounds when you have to say "good-bye" to close friends. And by this, of course, I mean a REAL good-bye... not just "see-ya lata." Aya and Shizuka's last day in America has come and gone, but at least I did get to see them both this past weekend. The Drama Club (which both Shizuka and another friend of mine, Yuki-chan) are apart of had their semester-end presentation of "Wicked." Aya-chan found me during pre-seating, so I got to sit with her.
I had given my gift to them the time I saw them before... I forget the exact date, but it was the Saturday in which I showed them where I work and how I live. Their gifts were twin lobsters. Of course, I should have thought to buy three, keeping the third to myself as a reminder that all of us share one thing in common. Well, when I go to AB, I'll be sure to just grab another one. The gift shop had literally a hundred of them. Anyway, in return, they made me a "mix CD" (pause for LOL at concept of mix-tapes) which was made up of all the popular songs in Japan right now. Nice, when I go over there, I'm gonna be the hippest gaijin in town... NOT!
Of course, our "good-bye", as sad as it was, will not be permanent. Aya lives in Meguro-Tokyo and Shizuka lives not too far away in neighboring prefecture, Fukushima. Even Yuki lives in Saitama. So even if I don't become a teacher there, I should at least think of planning a journey over there to visit them all.
The next semester starts in a few weeks. I'm already anxious for my next pair of foreign-exchange sponsor students.
Teaching English in Japan
For those in the dark about what has been eating up all my time as of late, I've been working on setting my plans of becoming a teacher in Japan. Probably the wildest, craziest, stupidest idea I've ever thought up, but hey, if there were ever a time in my life for wild, crazy, stupid ideas... it's now. I've been single for a year now, my house contract is up in July, my car needs to be replaced, and all my debts have been settled. No family (well, dependants at least... otosan ya okasan ya itouto-kun ya imouto-chan are still around)... mediorce stepping-stone job... and a burning desire to explore the world!!
So why teaching? I just love the school environment. Kids are funny (albeit sometimes cruel and misgiving, but meh, that's life) and I love working with them. I think the pacing of the school year would be perfect for me. Semi-monotonous, but yet in tune with the life and world around it. And best yet... I'll be working during the day!!! Oh haruhi, how we all take normal waking hours for granted. So depressing to have to try to sleep while the world enjoys the sunlight. Sigh.
Ok... teaching = good, yes? Why Japan? Because it's something new, something interesting, something fun. I'll be the first to admit I don't know a heck of a lot, neh anything much, about the nation of Japan, but I have great interest in doing so. I've studied heterogenous culture (thanks UMass Sociology Dept)... now it's time for the flip-side, where everyone is the 98% the same and the culture relies on harmony and peace in order to sustain. Growing up in a White community, I haven't had much exposure to other cultures. I did work in the roughest ghetto of Boston for 4 months and it was the time of my life. Such a different world just 30 miles from where I was. Going to Japan is going to be eye-opening... and better yet, my first TRUE test at independance.
I don't want to have to drive. Gas is too expensive. I love trains and buses, so I'm looking forward to utilizing Japan's mass transit system, especially the Shinkansen. I'm hoping to be placed in Fukuoka on Kyushu Island, so taking the bullet train at least a few times will probably be necessary.
Anyway, I could go on and on about Japan, but I promised I would keep this short. The recent developments I have sustained were not beneficial, but at least gracious enough to coerce me into stepping up my resolve. The JET Programme denied me before the interview stage, which was heartbreaking to say the least. However, I take comfort in the stats that of 2,300 who applied, only 400 moved on to the next stage. I only wish I knew why I was denied so I knew where to go from here. My back-up plan was a similiar service called INTERAC. They conduct interviews year-round, but obviously ship-out teachers to coincide with semester starts. Boston interviews are not until June, and since it takes a month to process, I wouldn't find out if I got accepted until early July, then would only have 2 weeks to prepare myself for my trip across the globe. In the effort of giving myself more time to settle my affairs, I opted for the April interviews, but that will require me to make my way back to New York City. If anything, that should demonstrate how willing I am to do what it takes to get this position.
More developments to come... I'll write here more often... in shorted entries, too, I promise!!
Anyway, that's no excuse for being absent for a while, especially since a few of you I communicate mostly via this dumb thing. I hope everyone is well. As for myself, my life has been a series of ups, downs, and loop-de-loops. I'll try to keep this short...
Showa Friendship Cirlce
Sadness always abounds when you have to say "good-bye" to close friends. And by this, of course, I mean a REAL good-bye... not just "see-ya lata." Aya and Shizuka's last day in America has come and gone, but at least I did get to see them both this past weekend. The Drama Club (which both Shizuka and another friend of mine, Yuki-chan) are apart of had their semester-end presentation of "Wicked." Aya-chan found me during pre-seating, so I got to sit with her.
I had given my gift to them the time I saw them before... I forget the exact date, but it was the Saturday in which I showed them where I work and how I live. Their gifts were twin lobsters. Of course, I should have thought to buy three, keeping the third to myself as a reminder that all of us share one thing in common. Well, when I go to AB, I'll be sure to just grab another one. The gift shop had literally a hundred of them. Anyway, in return, they made me a "mix CD" (pause for LOL at concept of mix-tapes) which was made up of all the popular songs in Japan right now. Nice, when I go over there, I'm gonna be the hippest gaijin in town... NOT!
Of course, our "good-bye", as sad as it was, will not be permanent. Aya lives in Meguro-Tokyo and Shizuka lives not too far away in neighboring prefecture, Fukushima. Even Yuki lives in Saitama. So even if I don't become a teacher there, I should at least think of planning a journey over there to visit them all.
The next semester starts in a few weeks. I'm already anxious for my next pair of foreign-exchange sponsor students.
Teaching English in Japan
For those in the dark about what has been eating up all my time as of late, I've been working on setting my plans of becoming a teacher in Japan. Probably the wildest, craziest, stupidest idea I've ever thought up, but hey, if there were ever a time in my life for wild, crazy, stupid ideas... it's now. I've been single for a year now, my house contract is up in July, my car needs to be replaced, and all my debts have been settled. No family (well, dependants at least... otosan ya okasan ya itouto-kun ya imouto-chan are still around)... mediorce stepping-stone job... and a burning desire to explore the world!!
So why teaching? I just love the school environment. Kids are funny (albeit sometimes cruel and misgiving, but meh, that's life) and I love working with them. I think the pacing of the school year would be perfect for me. Semi-monotonous, but yet in tune with the life and world around it. And best yet... I'll be working during the day!!! Oh haruhi, how we all take normal waking hours for granted. So depressing to have to try to sleep while the world enjoys the sunlight. Sigh.
Ok... teaching = good, yes? Why Japan? Because it's something new, something interesting, something fun. I'll be the first to admit I don't know a heck of a lot, neh anything much, about the nation of Japan, but I have great interest in doing so. I've studied heterogenous culture (thanks UMass Sociology Dept)... now it's time for the flip-side, where everyone is the 98% the same and the culture relies on harmony and peace in order to sustain. Growing up in a White community, I haven't had much exposure to other cultures. I did work in the roughest ghetto of Boston for 4 months and it was the time of my life. Such a different world just 30 miles from where I was. Going to Japan is going to be eye-opening... and better yet, my first TRUE test at independance.
I don't want to have to drive. Gas is too expensive. I love trains and buses, so I'm looking forward to utilizing Japan's mass transit system, especially the Shinkansen. I'm hoping to be placed in Fukuoka on Kyushu Island, so taking the bullet train at least a few times will probably be necessary.
Anyway, I could go on and on about Japan, but I promised I would keep this short. The recent developments I have sustained were not beneficial, but at least gracious enough to coerce me into stepping up my resolve. The JET Programme denied me before the interview stage, which was heartbreaking to say the least. However, I take comfort in the stats that of 2,300 who applied, only 400 moved on to the next stage. I only wish I knew why I was denied so I knew where to go from here. My back-up plan was a similiar service called INTERAC. They conduct interviews year-round, but obviously ship-out teachers to coincide with semester starts. Boston interviews are not until June, and since it takes a month to process, I wouldn't find out if I got accepted until early July, then would only have 2 weeks to prepare myself for my trip across the globe. In the effort of giving myself more time to settle my affairs, I opted for the April interviews, but that will require me to make my way back to New York City. If anything, that should demonstrate how willing I am to do what it takes to get this position.
More developments to come... I'll write here more often... in shorted entries, too, I promise!!