JETting off!

Well, I will be leaving for Japan in about 2 months. I am participating in the JET Programme. I don't know all the details yet myself as every JET experience is different depending largely on the location. Basically, I will be teaching English to Japanese students in multiple schools as an assistant.

Why, you might ask, did I decide to move halfway around the world to teach English? I'm not sure I can really answer that myself. I've known that I wanted to live abroad again after my experience in France. I thought that teaching English would give me that opportunity. I also thought that returning to France in perhaps a different region would be fun. Then the language bug bit me again and I decided it would be great to live in a new country with a different language. Then, I found that a friend was applying for this program, and so I followed suit. At first, I was just toying with the idea, but after much agonizing and contemplation, I decided that this would be a great opportunity for me.

Well, one really long application, an interview with three people, and several months of waiting later, I'm in and going. I was short-listed right off the bat and then had to wait another month to find out if I was realllllly going. Now I have a location but still no contract. (Did I mention that I was terribly impatient?) I'm hoping to hear from the contracting agency within the next couple of weeks. We will see. Until then, I must content myself with finding out more about my future home: Mitoyo City in Kagawa Prefecture on the island of Shikoku.