ALT Training: Tuberculosis Check-up

     Here is another detail I forgot to mention in the previous post - - ->

     In training we are required to get an x-ray to check for tuberculosis. Apparently in Japan there was a huge number of it during the pre-war era. And it died down after the war but came back up again.

Does anyone even know what that is?

     Maybe it's just me being part of a young generation that just gets a vaccine for it, 'cuz I've never heard of it until training. I even told my mom about it and she said that it was even rare when she was a kid.

     So yet another thing that Japan is behind on. Seriously, vaccines makes the world a better place. I even got a chicken-pox vaccine, so never got 'em.

     Regardless, I didn't have time to do it during training and had to do it on my own after training. One of the ladies in the office even asked me if I wanted to set up the meeting on my own or not. Well, my medical lingo is not up to par in Japanese, so of course they had to help. All I did was just show up, wait 30 minutes until they opened, and be totally lost in his super fast Japanese.

     It was the first time I saw such a dirty and run-down facility. I'm so used to American hospitals where everyone and everything is clean, no smoking, everything is new and up to date. Yet this place, didn't even clean their walls, part of the paint on the doors was coming off. And the room had no heating, and looked like a possible murder scenario. It was shocking. I have high cleaning standards even to my American counterparts, though I consider them normal, but this was just unacceptable for a doctors clinic.
     I don't care how little it may be, and how much in the bunnies it is. It's a medical institution and it needs to be clean for very obvious reasons. And no smoking.

     That last one is just common sense.

ALT: Jr. High School Substitutes, Schedules, and Training

Let's continue from the previous post where I talked about the example teachers that I've been paired up with. Before I mentioned some English teachers, all from the Sakahogi Jr. High School. Let's talk about the last one now.


     >>>EXAMPLE 3: <<<
     This guy just started after the winter break (after New Years).

     Did I tell you I didn't get christmas vacation?!?!?

     YEA!

     That was a load of bullshit.

     So this new guy whom I'm not even going to bother remembering his name, is yet another sub for the main teacher who's still sick at the moment. He's a juku teacher, and he even said himself that he's not enthusiastic about teaching English. In front of the students. In class. I'm like. . . . wao. YOUUUU have some serious issues there. After the last old man that was here, I'm not even going to bother caring about you in any way. My hope is just utterly gone.

     But because of his juku background (for those of you who don't know what juku is, it's an after-school program aimed at kids to guess. . . . study more. It's not because they're slow. It's because the main schools don't provide the necessary education), he does have a good flow of the class and doesn't need a paper to remind him what he has to do. He pays attention to the energy of the class, and does 'amusing' stories for the kids to keep them interested.
 
     And he uses his MacBook Pro (mini) to conduct his lessons via powerpoints, and overdoing it on the special effects. While he does do power-points, he's not really knowledgeable on how to do them.

     For example:

1. you never put more than 1 or 2 points in one slide.
2. don't over-do the special effects because it will waste time when you have to go back and forth between slides
3. use font that isn't too small. you want everyone to see it (especially if you want them to write down and copy that information)
4. don't write down your whole speech. aka, don't be reading from the screen/projector all the time. you want to be looking at your audience most of the time.
   
   if it's a quote, or in this case a passage from the book that you're not required to memorize, by all means read it. but because the school gives him a book, he should be looking from the book also.
5. have titles and sub-titles like "let's write notes" so the kids know when to start writing.
   
   in middle school, kids won't write anything down if you don't write it on the board. you have to tell them "write this down".
   
   *I'm not sure how it is in Japan, but this isn't a problem for 8th nor 9th graders in U.S. And it becomes second nature to write your own notes once you're in high school and a necessity in college/university.

     At least the guy makes handouts for the kids, although he forgot to do these the first two weeks of his subbing work. Another good point is that he knows how to order his lesson, hence why he doesn't need a written-out note. But at the same time he doesn't time his lessons very well. They're timed to be a little longer (something standard for a juku class).

     While he does have some good points, I generally don't like him mostly because he's still sloppy and not friendly at all. At least to me. He'll talk to the Japanese teachers, but he won't talk to me. The only time I actually talked to him was when he was explaining to me what he wanted me to do during his lesson. I realized this first conversation is a great way to know what level English they're at. And this guy could barely talk. He even switched to Japanese at one point.
But because of my experience with the previous old man, I decided for myself to give them a hard time for the first conversation. In other words, only talk in English to them because it IS their job of course.

     Outside of that, I've only heard him say thank you to me (in Japanese) maybe twice? or three times? He's like the anti-social juku teacher. So since that's what he wants, that's what I'll give him. I'll just give him the cold shoulder and not pay much attention to him. 

     It did bother me the first 2 days I was around him in the Jr. High, but not so much anymore. I guess in Japan, I just care about the things people here don't care about. And then I don't care or think it's unprofessional about the things they care about. But whatever.

     This guy is going to be here for the concluding 3 months. School year ends in March. For this location, my last day is on March 28th.

>>> Daily/Monthly Schedule <<<

     Another point I forgot to tell you was about my schedule. On certain mondays of the month, I go to the Sakahogi Kindergarten (坂祝幼稚園) and teach about 4 lessons: 2 for the older students and those are about 30 - 40 minutes long, and 2 for the younger students and those are 10 - 15 minutes long. I do the same for all ages, except do less activities for the younger kids simply because there's no time for it. It keeps my notes very organized and I don't have to double prepare.

     Maybe I'll go to the kindergarten about 2 or 3 times a month.

     Then after kindergarten (the days that I am there I eat lunch and then leave), I go to the elementary school in the same town. All the schools are in the same town. There are no lessons in elementary on the days when I have been in the kindergarten, so I just chill in my desk usually preparing for future lessons. I have to talk with the teachers about what I will do in the lessons, and I like this part because I don't have to waste time during class explaining it to them. Usually the second grade teachers are the most helpful (especially this one guy because he gives me advice on what may work better for certain details, and gives me advice afterwards. not very helpful with discipline during class, but helpful during our meetings and after class).

     Then I may have elementary on tuesdays also (sometimes even wednesdays). The rest of the days
 are dedicated to me standing in classes in the Jr. High. During my free time there, I usually study Japanese or organize my expenses, make calls to the company if I need to. Other times I'll visit the students classes (especially the art class just cuz I like art).

     I always eat lunch with the students except for one week in the month when I eat with the teachers or by myself (if it's in the elementary school), because they eat like rabbits and my stomach needs a break from hurting it all the time from trying to eat within the time limit they give me. About 30 minutes. The other 30 minutes are dedicated to recess if it's the elementary, or cleaning and other duties or hanging out if it's the jr. high. During this time I'm either in the teachers room doing something, or in the lunch ladies room eating the rest of my food (or snacks that I bring).

     I don't really like the school lunches here, and I realized that the rice was making me bloated. For me, if rice isn't mixed with something else, there really is no purpose in eating it. 

>> Diet <<

     My diet has changed 180 degrees, to the point where it gave me some serious problems in the beginning. Even now I don't eat the usual staples that I used to eat (rice, beans, meat) simply because they don't offer it, and I don't have the kitchen space nor the time. My body has gotten a lot weaker because I don't exercise also. By the time I found out a neat trail for running and jogging, it got too cold.

     And I used to almost always eat some sort of meat everyday, but because here's its basically non-existent, unless I go to an izakaya full of smokers that taint my beautiful meat, I don't have the opportunity to eat meat. So those pretty low iron levels that I used to have got even lower. I can tell because I feel weak and I get tired more easily, I'm more dizzy than usual and I have to move slowly so I don't get that thing where you get static TV vision,

     (when you stand up or sit down or bend down quickly, your eye vision kinda dissipates into this thing that looks like when old TVs went out and just had this static screen with a bunch of dots and looked kinda gray <---- call="" div="" i="" is="" nbsp="" static="" tv="" vision="" what="">

I have headaches (I almost never get headaches), I'm more short on breath and my recent periods since I've gotten here are heavy to the point where I just have no energy those days. I literally have to sit down or lay down, because I can't concentrate on anything. And more recently my hands and feet are colder than usual but that's because they don't know what central heating/cooling is.

     The first few days I was here, I was ok. It wasn't until I was in training that I really noticed it.

>>> Training <<<

     I had training in Kanayama or something like that. It's the stop before Nagoya station. It was an urban place. I would say kind of like Chicago but smaller in diameter. And I stayed in a small little hotel with my one suitcase and bag. My other suitcase was at the companys headquarters. From there I walked to a room that was being rented by the company to hold the training meetings. It was about a 10 minute walk. 

     I liked it. There were restaurants, bookstores, clothes stores, Starbucks, Krispy Kreme (to name a few), and bright lights. It's my type of place. Enough people to fill in a McDonalds and constantly be busy. I learned then that people stay in places like McDonalds or other fast-food places and cafes to study or work. But you always buy something. Even if it's just a drink.

     And I liked it so much that when I visited the area that I was to stay in, because I needed to register with the town hall and make my insurance card and bank account and try to get a cellphone, I was glad to go back to Nagoya and away from my location. I didn't think to much of it at the time because I was more focused in enjoying my time in Kanayama. (I hope I'm saying that right. . .)

     We did things like how to do warm-ups and generally the level of English you will need when you get into the class. We signed papers, and talked about how the expenses work. At that point that's

when I started getting stomach aches, and just puked everything that I had eaten that day. It was curry. The next day I had a super high fever, and puked again, even though I barely ate anything, and had to excuse myself from the company for the rest of the day and stay in bed. After that all I had was water and more water 'cuz I was too afraid to eat anything solid. I barely had anything in my body and I was still puking. 

     Some people called it stress. But I wasn't stressed at all. I was happy, and I felt prepared after taking my TEFL course. That shit was intense but well worth-it. I had many sleep-deprived nights and had to stay with a classmate because my house was way too far and it would have been impossible to have done all that work and ride the train 2 hours a day. So I wasn't stressed.

     Compared to DePaul and TEFL, this was the easiest 'training' I have ever been a part of.

     But let me say this.

     During training, it was so hectic. They planned out everything to the minute, but didn't leave room for errors. They planned it as if everything was going to be ok. But sometimes, like my case, I had no fucking idea what the hell was a CIS or IS or ICS number for my bank account so I couldn't make a bank account. Then the cellphone places wouldn't let me sign a contract because my visa is only a year long. And I couldn't sign up for the extra insurance because the lady at the town hall was too much of a bitch.

     My 'helper/assistant' kept prizing how she did well in high school, but she didn't have the skills to get these things done. She was better of staying in the retirement house where she worked. She truly let me down, and the company let me down from their poor planning. You need to make plans and leave space for time. Like getting lost in train stations, or when things don't go the way you plan. Because it gives everyone a headache, when you have to replan and you're still just fresh of the boat trying to figure out this new world you put yourself in.

     Don't get me wrong. They are nice. But during business, I don't care about being nice as much as getting things done. You can do it in a nice way as long as it gets done. And properly. Not rushing. 

     They did give me a book on teaching, and teaching theories. Aka, a simplified version of the TEFL course book I have but nonetheless more specific towards Japanese students and ALT's jobs. And they also provide this online training course thing, but I have just 3 months left and I still haven't done it.

     During this time, they'll also tell you more about your location and give you the textbooks you'll need as well as a map of your area. When you visit your location, they will show you how to drive to your schools. My location is a driving one, so they showed me that. Although it makes no difference

to me because I don't remember how to get somewhere from just being in the car once.

     I am sooooo directionally challenged. I need to start at the same starting point all the time. If you start somewhere else, I'm gonna be lost. So it made no difference to me because I couldn't take notes no landmarks, etc. So I basically just had to learn on my own once I was there using google maps on my phone, for about 3 to 4 weeks.

     Anyway, I did meet some cool peeps at training. Haven't kept in contact though. I don't keep in contact with people who don't make an effort.

     They are helpful in ways during training, but I think they just need to plan it with more time. Otherwise, it was important to see how I had to adjust my English during lessons.

     I ended up not using much of what they showed me simply because my location doesn't ask that of me. (Human recorder location) But I did take some notes down, so I can always look back at it.

Alright so that's all for now about training. Remember the whole lesson in this is,

STAY AWAY FROM THE CURRY!!

Jajajaja.

If you have any more questions, leave comments below and your question can be featured in the next post.

                         

ALT: My Teaching Location/Assignment

     Alrighty, soooooo,
last time I left you off was when I finished my little 5 day vacation in Saitama.

     And I apologize for the long ass awaited post. It hasn't been the most joyful experience for me and thus I lost the energy to do any of the creative outlets that I once previously had been doing. (Including this blog)

     But this will all end soon, as I will move to a new and different location altogether to get away from this middle of nowhere hell hole. But let me explain a little bit about my position, before I get ahead of myself.

     I've been working with Interac (a dispatch company for ALT's to be "dispatched" to public schools) in Gifu. I work in Sakahogi town but I live in Minokamo city. And I'm the only ALT for this whole vicinity. Meaning the next ALT next to me will be about 20 to 30 minutes away.

     It's a very VERY rural area (at least to my standards; I've been going to school in Chicago, so anything small to me feels like ''get me the hell out of here"), where everyone knows everyone.

There's tons of nikkeijin (second generation Japanese who previously lived in Brazil or in other areas; but mostly Brazil) and filipinos, so that makes me kind of happy. Until I realized how they are treated in schools here. *A topic for another discussion.*

     To give you another visual; I have to drive everywhere and the closest decent shopping mall is about 25 minutes away. The closest Saizeriya (a japanized Italian restaurant - smoking section included) is about 40 minutes away, in a totally different city. And the closest EON (shopping center), is 50 minutes away (not including traffic). And there is no Starbucks, nor any other main shops. Which makes my life hell, 'cuz I hate driving everywhere. I like things close to me (within walking distance).

     I don't expect anyone to know nor speak decent English 'cuz Japan is notorious for its low English test scores. And it's also proven by the few Japanese who do travel abroad, and their education system.

     Anyways, I work in the Sakahogi Kindergarten, Elementary School and Jr. High School. And this set will never change because the area just isn't big enough for an ALT to do just one level. It would be possible to do just Jr. High here, but then if there was an ALT for just Kindergarten and Elementary, then they wouldn't be able to work the minimum hours required by your instructors visa. (40 hours) So in this area, whoever becomes an ALT here will be in these 3 levels.

   >>>  A little history about this location <<<

     All the previous ALT's have only stayed here for 1 year. And the ALT before me didn't even finish his contract and only stayed for 6 months. I'm finishing my previous ALT's contract.

     If you are abroad, most likely you will not be able to pick your location quite detailedly, so be sure to ask whoever you are applying to how long the previous ALT's have stayed in that location. If they stay for a long time (1+ year, you can bet it's a good location and probably their personal needs changed). If they stay for just 1 year or less, then it is a matter of the schools not providing a welcoming and supportive environment.

     In my location, there was only once when an ALT stayed for 3 years and after that they got tired of him so the schools requested a new ALT, but that was long ago. And there was a previous ALT, whom actually had the responsibility of teaching the students but she skipped many chapters, and started from Chapter 6. She was from Hiroshima and she wanted to talk about Chapter 6 (which covers Hiroshima and the atomic bomb) as the first lesson. But the students hadn't even covered the previous lessons.

     That story kind of shocked me because from what I can tell, the previous ALT's and myself are
here as human recorders. We only teach the lower levels, which makes the job extremely easy. Easy job = easy money. I wonder if they changed their ways after her?

     And because my predecessor didn't finish his contract, I think the school or BOE requested the company to visit every month and see how the ALT is doing.

     In Japan, they talk about feelings and take great measures to keep peoples feelings well intact. Companies and people take care of your 'emotional well-being'. So this mentor surprise visits me every month, just to give me some feedback and basically talk.

     Personally, I don't think it's professional to talk about feelings in the workplace, unless someone made a mistake that encompasses a persons feelings such as the proper behaviour a person is suppose to conduct.  And I'm neither the person to talk about feelings anyway. Just don't piss me off or make me mad. Nobody likes a mad Puerto Rican woman.

   
     On another point about this location, the ALT is the main teacher for Kindergarten and grades 1

through 4 in Elementary. Then you are supposedly set up as a group teaching method for grades 5 and up, but don't expect to team teach with the JTE, because even though the contract specifies that, it is not what actually happens.

     The JTE is the main teacher and you are there to provide pronunciation. AKA be a human recorder. One of my teachers is fairly nice and has entrusted me with passing out papers (while she writes on the board), say the morning greetings (this is when you ask the students as a class 5 questions: how are you?, what day is it today?, what's the date?, how's the weather?, and what time is it now?), as well as the goodbye greetings, and directing the vocabulary drills.

     There was once when she let me plan out the whole class for grades 1 (7th graders), and I just did fun activities where they basically reviewed the grammar and vocab that they had already learned through games. And not just any game. I was determined to make them as output as possible. I'm tired of them not speaking in class. So this was my way to change that.
     We also read the book together, for the dialogue sections, and she always does the warm-up activities with me. She also sometimes asks me questions about things she is unsure about, or just to make me feel like my position is incorporated in the classroom during those days when it focuses mostly on grammar. She also lets me correct students answers with a red pen.

     And let me tell you. This teacher I just told you about is an exception. She is very proactive about teaching English and it's something she enjoys, as well as makes it fun. The other teachers I've been paired up with are not this friendly, and their interest in the subject is much less.

>>> Types of Teachers I've Been Paired Up With in JHS <<<

     >>Example 1:<< There is another main teacher at the JHS here in Sakahogi, but after the 3rd month of my contract, she started getting sick. All I know it's that it's something serious, where the school has to find substitute teachers to fill her spot for the mean time.

     She was pretty good. She emphasized a lot on grammar, and grammar input. She enjoys this. But she made it very clear to me that she doesn't need an ALT, nor does she know how to work with one. Even though my position in this school has be debunked to human recorder, she still used the CD-rom that comes with the book to have the students listen. This was at the beginning of my contract when I actually cared a lot about being an ALT.
     She only talked to me after class about petty and unrelated things, and that was ok. At least she was trying to be somewhat social. Though that didn't change the fact for me that I'm not close to her in any way. Nor do I respect her.
     She didn't ask anything of me. Not even the greetings before and after class, and it pained my ears to hear such a bad accent.

     >>Example 2:<< The teacher as example 1 (Fukunaga) got sick. I dunno why nor do I care. (Side Note: she was in charge of the 8th graders and one class for 9th grade.) So most of the 8th graders didn't study English for like 2 months or something. Meanwhile the school was looking for subs to fill in her spot. And at one point they did find one. He was here for 3 months.
     This was a guy who didn't know how to teach and has never taught. At least that's the impression he left on me since he was always writing notes on his lesson plan. Maybe he taught like 40 years ago or something. I dunno. But the guy was horrible.
     At one point I was talking to him and he gave me the hint that he's a tutor for foreign children. He said how their pronunciation is great, but they don't know the grammar. I was like. . . .

. . .
. . .
That is such a wrong statement. First of all, foreign kids excel above and beyond their japanese classmates in English. That's a fact. It's only when they come here very young, like 5th grade and under that they such just as bad as their japanese classmates. BECAUSE THE EDUCATION SYSTEM HERE SUCKS! They don't learn anything. So they are using what they know from their mother tongue to sound out English. So that's when I asked this old man how old was his student, and of course he said he was elementary age. No surprise there.

     Anyways, this guy really emphasized reading and reading and reading. Plus his background is being a tutor (a bit different from being a teacher), who just made his students do the actual work at home. In class he never used the board, never wrote anything down, and never explained WHY an answer was right or wrong. He didn't care about anything other than reading, so he made the kids repeat the reading sections over and over again. Same with the main key sentences that used the grammar in their study notebooks.

     Even I was so bored and dreaded his class. Many kids from the 9th grade class came up to me and told me, "he's no fun, he's boring and we don't like him".

     I truly felt sorry for the kids. They wouldn't pay attention in his classes also, and acted up. I don't blame them. The guy wasn't a teacher and didn't care about them. He ate lunches alone, and cared to much about proper behaviour like no hands in your pockets, standing straight like a robot, and ALWAYS paying attention.
     Story is---> he sucked. He also didn't know how to work with ALT's. So I was pretty much just standing around in class doing nothing.

~ * ~

      This is when I truly stopped caring about how much amount of work I actually had to do in this school. With the first teacher I cared. And once this guy came, (of course I still care now about their English) but I just don't care as much about my work load, because I know they're not going to give it to me. They don't require it from me nor need me, so they won't ask it of me.
     So I'm like. . . .

     ok.

     I know they don't need me. I'm just a human recorder, and I honestly don't have any work other than prepare lessons for kindergarten and elementary. At the same time, I won't get payed for extra/overtime work, so I'm not gonna do it.
     I'm fine not working for them. Gives me more time to do the things I want to do. Like apply for other jobs where I'm actually an important asset in peoples lives. I need that feeling of being busy, feeling important, and feeling satisfaction from the hard work I'm doing. Otherwise, I don't really have a purpose.
     A version of myself who's not busy MOST of the time? I just can't do it.

     Even in school I was always busy with something. Of course I've always valued my holidays, and resting time, and those days where you just chill at home in your p-jays and watch TV or do your hobby. But these two were balanced in a way I felt appropriate for myself.

     So why am I explaining this to you?

     Because this is really important for what is coming up next.

What happened after TEFL1

ポストした日：⑥-⑦日９月２０１４年

    Hello again, and it's been a while since I last wrote. Last time, I was still in U.S. and now I'm in Japan. Officially working in Sakahogi, Gifu Japan. Although I like in Minokamo (this is another city; about 20 minutes away). It's a fairly rural area so you have to drive everywhere. Luckily there are certain essential stores that are very close, for example the drug store (a.k.a. pharmacy), McDonalds (apparently it's very common here for people to go study at a fast food place or cafe, so you see a lot of students or working people sitting around studying or on their notebooks, etc.), Apita (this is a mall although I'm starting to realize that there are some things that I need to buy that just aren't available here), 100yen shops, Uniqlo (clothing store; very important for fashionable working clothes that you can also use outside of work if you want), and your supermarkets and some restaurants.

    For the moment, I just wanted to write to make sure I'm still alive. There are TONS of things I need to say that I feel is hard to find online most of the time if you are interested in Japan.

    For example, no one ever tells you that humidity is high here during the summer so all your papers are even more likely to get bent and not so easy to write on. And no matter how many times I use my little towelette to take of the sweat from my forehead, new sweat magically appears somehow. And the mosquitoes here are some furious combat trained mosquitoes that will bite you ANYWHERE!!!!

    I got bitten in the inside of my hand now TWICE.

    But before I jump into all the randomness, I want to rewind a little bit and explain the whole "what happened after the TEFL course" part and how I got to where I am now (of course not on my own; that would be impossible). So let's get to it. *^^*

< < < Presents > > >

    Yea. What was that whole present thing anyway right?

    Basically my BF had started smoking again, and I wanted to make clear that I don't like it. So if he didn't smoke for x amount of time, I would give him a present.

     Actually to this day I keep worrying cuz I'm not really sure if that was just a moment thing or if he's still smoking, so I keep asking him. It's something that I feel both of us don't wanna talk about but I don't want to keep on worrying about something and not knowing about it.

     So, ok. What happened other than that?

     I packed my 2 suitcases (and I still had things that I had to leave behind simply because of lack of space left in my suitcases), bought some last minute things and headed for the airport when the day came. It was quite interesting because I was excited to finally to a one-way trip again but at the same time I was going to miss my mom a lot. And of course my close friends.

< < < Flight and After > > >

     On my flight I learned that I could have more liquids if I ordered either a water bottle or beer or wine. So I ended up drinking one can of beer and two bottles of red wine. I had water too so I don't ruin my liver.

     I had talked briefly with this one woman from Malaysia who had her cat with her suitcases and had studied something Education as her PhD in the US (in Michigan). Who the hell goes to Michigan anyways? There's nothing there. Literally!

     Anyways, then I watched just 3 movies (Amazing Spider-Man 2, Captain America 2, and another superhero movie that I can't remember at the moment). Most of the time I was pretty bored and I did take some naps at the beginning of the flight so by hour 10 I was already in my "let's get there already" mode.

     Once I came here I spent 5 days in Saitama with my boyfriend and his family/friends, and for some reason the whole smoking thing came up again when I was talking to one of his close friends. At that point I just didn't wanna talk about it because I was getting really upset. Plus we were in an Izakaya where people smoke inside (yes. In Japan it's still like the 1930's of US where people smoke inside and don't really have the concept that even though there are parts that are non-smoking, all that smoke from the smoking section will still travel to the non-smoking sections).

     In other words, even though there is this issue, I really enjoyed my 5 days and was sad that it ended so quickly. I was surprised that he didn't cry or try to hug me once I was on the line for the shinkansen.

     I have written enough for now. Let's continue later with this part because there is still so much to say.

Preparations

ポストした日：１１日８月２０１４年

     I have officially finished and graduated from my TEFL course and am doing the final preparations for going over to Japan to start working. I had gotten a phone call from Interac yesterday about my placement position (it'll be in Gifu; a rural area in the middle of Japan; at least it's not super cold), and for the first time I feel a little mixed about it:

      I have so many friends I need to say bye (for the time being)
      I'm excited to see my special someone and give my presents to (which I will prepare the second one this week)
      I'm gonna miss my mom
      I'm gonna miss my mom's cooking
      I won't be able to shop easily for shoes (but everything else will have my kind of style)
      etc. . .

     I'll keep reading the emails they gave me regarding the position, and stay excited about what to prepare. I have my first present which I think is pretty cool, but I still need to prepare my second one a little bit more in detail.