Another year in Japan?!
For the past three days, I was in Tokyo for JET training or orientation again. Or rather should I say, RE-contracting orientation! That’s right people, I have renewed my contract for another year to stay in Japan and teach English in Ogawa! Actually, I already renewed my contract and signed my John Hancock back in February. Why did I finally decide to say something? I don’t really know but I guess I’m just coming to term with it now after my training. It hasn’t been exactly one year yet but already knowing I’ll be here another year is somewhat exciting and also daunting at the same time. I guess I always knew I was staying on for at least two years when I first arrived in Japan since things were going so well on my own and I was having a lot of fun but my parents didn’t realize that. They were expecting me home after one year and continue with my academic/career plans. When my parents visited back in November, I was already hinting how much I liked Japan and how my situation in Japan was actually pretty good for a foreigner living on my own. I didn’t tell them directly but I think they had a pretty good idea what my intentions were. Before my parents returned to the States, my mom said to me, she’ll come visit me again in July. I asked her why and she said, “To help you carry your luggage back to L.A. of course.” I thought that was funny and said, “We’ll see!” I guess another reason why I’m reluctant to go back right now is because my Japanese is improving a lot…so I think. Everyday is a Japanese lesson and everyday i’m learning new words and phrases. I have so much inspirations in my daily life motivating me to learn Japanese and become “pera pera” (fluent speaker). Okay the REAL motivation is actually communicating with the opposite sex and it’s going well so far! haha..
I believe life follows the theory of “equilibrium.” In Japan, as much as there are ups in my life, there are also plenty of downs. It all balances out I guess. However, so far it’s been a pretty smooth and stress-free ride through life, a huge contrast to my college days. Nevertheless being the paranoid and worrisome person that I am, I can’t help to think from time to time what my life will be like or what will I do once JET is over and I will have to return to L.A. to face reality. I keep telling my friends here that I’m living in a dream and the hard part of my life is yet to come! The adjunct of another year to my life soon doesn’t help either.
Tags: Travel
Tony