Farewell to America アメリカよ さようなら

The next couple days I'm going to be pretty busy getting everything packed, and getting my visa processed, so more than likely this will be my last post from America. I'm only three days away from Japan. It doesn't feel like I'm that close to leaving. I'm pretty much positive it won't hit me until I'm on the plane. It doesn't feel the same as it did last time but that's because this time I'm going to a different place, and I'm going alone (at least until I make friends). If this trip is half as fun as the last it'll be amazing and well worth any stress I've dealt with up to this point. (Including the fact that I have to get my visa processed in one day, and hope I get it otherwise who knows what I'll do.)

(Last time was awesome)

My family really helped me out a ton with raising money for my first few months in Japan. My grandmother even gave me Yen so I don't have to scramble for an ATM in Narita (awesome). I set a goal to raise $2000 in the beginning of the Summer. I wanted to get a job over the Summer to raise some money but it didn't work out (Stupid Target). Luckily I have an amazing family that helped me out big time. They helped me raise over $2200. This is so generous considering I recently received graduation money from all of them. I'd pay them back but I know more than likely they won't want money they will only want me to enjoy myself in Japan. I want to make a big list of everyone who contributed and get them something really nice from Japan. The only problem is deciding what to get for everyone, but I have plenty of time to figure it out.

I plan on posting a ton (if not on this blog another one) once I get to Japan so everyone back home can see how my life is while I'm there. I've started packing and I'm asking my American friends to tell me what they missed when they we're in Japan. This way I'll have ideas to tell my family because they all want to send me stuff. I'm also asking them to send me the name of songs they like so I'll have music to listen to while in Japan.



Overall I've had a pretty good Summer. It was good to live with my family again, even though the new house is so far from all of my friends. It's weird because its almost like I'm going back to school since every year over the past four years I've moved back into school about this time of the year.

Hanging out with my Brothers was alot of fun, they're both crazy characters and are a blast even though at times they got on my nerves (as brothers do). Seeing them grow up and being a part of their life is very important to me. I hope both of them turn out to be good men, and I hope I'll have an active part in that. I was also very happy to get to see and hang out with alot of my close friends before I leave. I didn't get to see everyone I wanted to, but I will see them when I get back and maybe if I'm lucky they will visit me while I'm in Japan.

I'm going to miss my brother's laughter.

I've got tons to pack. My friends and family will be missed dearly.

As Summer comes to an end my life in Japan waits in the distance.... (almost sounds like engrish)
*Edit*
Just finished packing and I got everything under 50 lbs. so I'm almost READY!
I wonder who reads this without me saying check out my blog? I like comments! (Make one)

Another Edit*

I went to the Japanese consulate today, and luckily, very, very luckily, I got my Visa processed in one day. Now I'm set to go, I have to wake up early and go to the airport. GOODBYE AMERICA!

Housing!!!

I recently talked to Joytalk and I got to choose my housing situation. I had the option of an older house with an additional half room and it was 5000 yen less a month or a newer house with newer furniture and other add-ons. This was a quick decision for me, I choose the newer house. Below is a picture of the layout and the main room.

Although it looks small everything in Japan is small. The housing looks really nice. It is a newer building and everything is furnished. I will also get free appliances and internet/basic cable is provided. The kitchen is tiny but I'm not going to be in there that often. I think I will get an extra futon for when people visit, and I'll set up my laptop on the desk I have. My bed is also in a raised position with storage underneath and 2 stairs leading up to it. I won't be throwing many house parties, but no one really does in Japan (no room).

10 Days

I must of run out of interesting things to blog about, so I guess I'll talk a bit about how I feel about Japan. With each passing day my eagerness grows. My restlessness has become overwhelming.

10 Days from now I'll be on a plane, in the air, and on my way to Japan. Along with this fact come many emotions -- excitement, curiosity, even a little fear. I'm excited because I know it's going to be alot of fun to live in Japan again, even though it won't be like last time with Thirsty everynights and catch last train madness, or stay up all night at some club then almost fall asleep on first train (Which was hella fun even if it was in Arty Farty hahaha). Something else that will be exciting and even rewarding is working with kids. Although I never put serious thought into working with kids I think that I somehow do really well with them and I will really enjoy it.

My curiosity stems from just how many paths the trip has to take in that my experience can be so different, I suppose depending on what I do, and who I talk to/hang out with. In this case there is no usual route. I found out there are 3 other ALT's in my city from Joytalk. Theres two guys from New Zealand and one girl from Canada. The thing is the majority of my interaction, at least during the week will be with my coworkers and not with other ALT's, especially since we're all going to be a different schools. So I'm very curious to see what my social life will be like, if I decide to try and hang out with foreigners or Japanese, but hopefully it will be a good mix. I'm also very curious as to how much my Japanese will improve. One of my goals for the trip is to come back and be able to watch a movie or read a magazine in Japanese and fully understand it. If that's possible I have no idea, but there's a chance that when I get back I might consider Grad school and take Japanese. There's so much to wonder about, but when it comes down to it, you just have to wait and experience it, so I've tried to limit myself about thinking of the possibilities.

As for fear I believe that will go away once I get there. Some of my fears are living on my own for the first time. I've always had someone else living with me, be it family or a roommate. I guess it's not the best idea to start living on my own in a foreign country, but it will give me confidence that I can do it anywhere if I can do it there. I don't really like being alone that much, and I feel if my house can sustain it I'll try to have friends over alot of the time. Also it'll be the first time I'll be virtually friendless on my birthday (since its on the 22nd and I get there on the 15th), and familyless on Christmas. I don't really mind my birthday because I don't really make a big deal of it, and I'm sure by the time Christmas rolls around I'll have enough friends that I'll be fine, and there's even a chance if I make a really close friend that I can spend my Christmas with a Japanese family.

There's tons that Japan has for me to experience. The people there are amazingly nice and will go beyond what's necessary to help me at times. I believe that this trip will be similar to my last visit in that it will once again be a love hate relationship with Japan, the love obviously outweighing the hate. Only time will tell.

Omiyage おみやげ

O.K. So as most of you who actually read my blog probably know I'm moving to Japan in 2 weeks to teach English. It is custom there to give people gifts (Omiyage) when you are new to an area, or are returning from a trip. Since I'll be new to the area I want to bring some gifts. I recently took a trip to NYC and bought a bunch of great stuff to give to my boss, coworkers, friends neighbors ect. I plan on getting more but as of now here's what I have:


5 IHeartNY Shirts
An Authentic New York Yankees Hat
A IHeartNY Hand Bag
A Crystal New York Skyline


I want to get a few more things before I leave and I'll get them next trip I take to get my visa.