I'm a-going to Japan!

[matt]

I'd love to visit Tokyo.

Actually, it's one of my life's goals...

[edmundito]

That's pretty cool, Kinoko! I'd like to go Japan someday myself... or Europe, or anywhere outside the Americas.

One of my friends got to go to japan last (northen hemisphere) summer to represent this city, and she was chosen because she has never been on a plane and she hadn't go too far away from this state! She's from a remote small town,  you see, and they don't get out that much there. So, what better way to introduce her to the world than to put her on a plane to fly a billion hours to a suburb in Tokyo?

[Kinoko]

I may be mere minutes away from finding out where I'm being placed. I don't know what to do with myself so I ifgured I'd post here again. Waiting for the call...

Oh... Vince? Lots of people have found out already and I know one Brisbane girl is going to Okinawa ^_^ Some guy called 'RuffnReadyOzStyle' says you're a nice guy.

EDIT: I'M GOING TO SHIZUOKA-KEN!!!

*ahem* I'm so excited >_< Shizuoka was one of my preferences, I can't believe I got it. I'm near ALL my preferences, apparently I'm in a "main city" (maybe Shizuoka itself) and I'm near Tokyo... holy crap. I'm jumping around all over the place.

[Andail]

hehe, I don't know what all that means, but I'm happy that you're so excited

I'd like to go to Japan some day too. Send us some photos once you're there, will'ya?

[Kinoko]

No problem :]

I was just bouncing everywhere this afternoon. I found out where JET is placing me in Japan and it's probably the absolute best thing I could have hoped for. Not only that, but 2 of my friends are placed in the prefecture right next door to me, and another is only maybe an hour away... all of us got the places we requested or at least right next to them.

It was just all too good.

[Vince Twelve]

Ahh, congrats, Kinoko!  I just sent you a PM congratulating you when I saw your post on a JET program website message board.  I hadn't seen this thread yet!

Congrats!  Now you just have to struggle through the two-plus months before you board that plane bound for Tokyo.  Happy packing!

[Kinoko]

I don't think I'll be struggling. I'm excited right now, but I have quite a lot to miss once I leave so I'm concentrating on trying to get the most out of it all now. I also have a lot of preparation too... such as, earning some money. I have $0.00 right now and no job.

EDIT: And in case anyone cares. I'm actually going to the city of Shizuoka.

[Kinoko]

Just in case anyone was interested (I know Vince will care!), I just found out today I'll be in a town called Kakegawa in Shizuoka ^_^ Pop. of about 100,000 and it sounds faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaantastic.

[Totoro]

Shizuoka must be really cool, I never visited there though. When I stayed in Tokyo I could see Mount Fuji from my window, but you will be a neighbour to it and have lots of hot springs and all that, envious!
And they have a Translation Competition in Shizuoka every year, you should join it once you brush up your Japanese there!!

[Vince Twelve]

'Bout time you heard from your Contracting Organization.  I leave in two weeks for a trip through Shizuoka, Kyoto, and Osaka.  Mostly visiting family, but Kyoto's all about fun!  If I have a chance to pop by Kakegawa, I'll warn 'em all that you're coming (all 100,000 of them).

Sounds like you're in for a good time.  Personally I like my little town of 12,000.  Do you know how many schools you'll be visiting?  Elementary, Junior High, Highschool?  Are you a municipal or ken ALT?

Congratulations again!!!

[Kinoko]

I'm prefectural and I have -one- school, that's it. I'll most likely be teaching all three years at senior high school (so no little kids :\ Oh well, but at least I can communicate a bit more with the older ones) AND I'll be heading an adult class at the town hall, with about 10 people who are apparently really excited about me and always asking when I'm coming (awwww). I can't wait to meet them.

My apartment is in a block of other teachers (not ALTs, Japanese maths/social studies teachers some of which are also new to the school) and it's 2 storey. Kitchen, bathroom and a 6 tatami rookm downstairs, and 2 x 8 tatami rooms upstairs. My school doesn't provide anything though, and although I haven't received a list of stuff and prices from my pred, I get the feeling she's gonna charge a lot because she told me she paid US$1,400 to her pred. Well, she's REALLY nice but there's no way I'm paying that much if she asks, so I'm afraid I'm gonna be refusing quite a lot and bargaining like mad ^_^ Hopefully she takes it well.

My town just recently merged (don't ALL Japanese towns have a merger every year?? Seems like it) with Osuka-cho, which I think is technically where I live but I haven't found a decent enough map to find my street yet. Apparently I'm 6 blocks from my school, and 10 minutes from the ocean (which is the thing I wanted more than anything. I specifically made all my placements on the coast in the hopes I'd be close to the ocean, I never thought THIS close though!).

I haven't heard from my CO yet, just my pred, but it won't be long. They all only got my info yesterday (same as all the prefectural schools). Apparently all my teachers are incredibly nice people and my JTEs english is great - which is great. Apparently everyone's excited about me, so that's a big relief. I was preying I wasn't following a shitty ALT who made them all bitter.

Oh, plus she tells me she's only had 2 visits from the evil NHK man and the "wakarimasen, wakarimasen" trick worked both times YAY! I never, ever planned on paying and it was only a matter of whether that worked, or whether I'd have to be outright rude (which I'm always happy to do)

[Vince Twelve]

Sounds great Kinoko!  I'm very excited for you!

I'd now like to share some interesting parallels between our situations that jumped out at me.

My town just recently merged (don't ALL Japanese towns have a merger every year?? Seems like it)

Yes!  Mine is merging next year, in fact.  We're going to become the second biggest city in Okinawa .

Apparently I'm 6 blocks from my school, and 10 minutes from the ocean.

I'm (less than) 6 blocks from the ocean and 10 minutes from the school!

I was preying I wasn't following a shitty ALT who made them all bitter.

I did follow a shitty ALT who made them all bitter!

You're place sounds awesome and big!  I'm jealous.  My apartment is way too tiny, especially with a little Twelve on the way.  But the view makes it all worth it every morning when the sun rises over the ocean, illuminating the mountains across the bay...

Sounds like you've got a great placement.  I hope you can get a bunch of stuff on the cheap from your pred.  Good luck!

[Kinoko]

I'm hoping I can see Fuji from where I am My friend who's going to Fujiyoshida (pretty small town RIGHT at the base of Fuji) in Yamanashi has an unbelievable view of it from his window.

This is his backyard:

[Vince Twelve]

Dayum, that's a hell of a view.

... but what's all that white stuff?

[Gilbert]

Snow, obviously. Afterall that's Fijiyama, what else did you expect?

[Kinoko]

I think he's referring to the fact that he lives riiiiiiight down the bottom of Japan where they never see the stuff ^_^

[Vince Twelve]

   When I show pictures from home that have snow, all my students "OOoooh" and "AAAaaahh."  Some of them have never seen snow in their lives.

...spoiled sub-tropical island brats... 

[Kinoko]

Hey Vince, do you think 15,000 yen is reasonable for a 5-7 year old fridge and stove? I haven't got pictures yet but ... seems kind of old.