Japan/single living, here I come.

[Las Naranjas]

The video ref gave you a going away present, how kind!

[Kinoko]

Well, Im here in the tiny village of Osuka. Tokyo was an absolute blast but since coming here, Ive experienced proper depression for the first time. I never understood it but I get it now. It wouldn:t be anywhere NEAR as bad if I had my fiance here with me. The town is fine, it:s purely being away from him thats killing me. A whole year... seems like a waste of time to me now.

[Vince Twelve]

Welcome to Japan! 

Worry not, a year is nothing.  And you just got there... give it some time.  You'll do great and your new home will grow on you.  Your going to make a lot of new friends and as soon as school starts, time will start flying by.

And as for your fiance, the world is a small place now.  Free internet calls, video chat, little love notes on your keitai...  And he'll come and visit you at some point(s) surely.  You've got a lot to look forward to.  Don't waste all your time looking back.

As soon as you start thinking of Osuka as home rather than a one year diversion, the sooner you'll be wondering where all the time went.

Good luck!!!

[Kinoko]

Thanks Vince. Im feeling a little better just being on the net and talking to people (including one of my other friends who`s a new JET in Miyagi now. Were both pretty depressed so... its comforting).

Right now, everythings so hard and overwhelming. I know itll be a lot better once Im used to the way things work here, I can remember the teachers names, Im not bored out of my mind at shool and I have contact with people.

[auhsor]

I hope things are going better for you Kinoko. It can be tough being in a new place and especially a new country. You certainly are brave, especially without being with you fiance for so long. I wish you the best, it will get better soon.

[Nine Toes]

including one of my other friends who`s a new JET in Miyagi now.

Mr. Miyagi?

[Kinoko]

Well, Im much much better now. Those first few days were tough as hell but Im settling in now. I think my biggest boosters were getting on the net at school (still wont have it at home for weeks though), meeting people (non-Japanese people) over the weekend for a fireworks festival and spending 7000yen on a phone card and talking to my fiance for over an hour. Oh, Ive also found a good supermarket close to my apartment where I can actually get semi-decent, high calcium milk (most milk here tastes like crap, I have to say), fairly normal cheese, chicken breasts very cheap and frozen vege mix almost exactly like the one I used to eat at home.