I got an email a while back about Sister Cities. It wasn't my first goal, as JET had always been, but I thought given the fact that I was going up against two other people that I could get it. It was kind of my security blanket so to say. So I told myself if I was accepted by Sister Cities that I would go ahead and accept it. Because it's not that it's a bad program or anything, in fact, the more I thought about it, the better it was. So I think subconsciously I was starting to want Sister Cities more. I knew where Hitachi was, it's about an hour and a half north of Tokyo, and 5 minutes from the BEACH. I love the beach. The beach is a place that is so serene and beautiful and I just like sitting out there and getting my thoughts together. ANYWAY, going a little off topic there. The only problem with Sister Cities was that they were looking for someone to take the job by April 1st. I, of course, couldn't do that as I don't graduate until May.
The email basically said that they gave it to this other dude, mainly because he could be there on April 1st. I don't even know how to explain how bad I felt. I just started crying. Like, I was sobbing so badly I couldn't catch my breath. I called my mom and was just depressed and obnoxiously sad. I kind of felt that my security blanket was gone and I'd have to wait until April to hear from JET (which I don't think I did as well on the interview) and I was just...devastated.
It was then that I realized (finally) just how much I've wanted this. I mean to say it for so long is something, but to actually have the opportunity taken away from you, if you're okay after that, you didn't really want it. I did, and I do. I cried my heart out, I was just so devastated and upset over that email.
The next day, after I had cried my eyes and poured my heart out to everyone that I trusted (which was basically my mom--I didn't really talk with anyone else because I didn't want them to know that I had failed at something that I've worked years for), I got another email.
Apparently this guy
declined the position and the people of the school board wanted me as his alternate. They had really needed someone to come in April, but they pushed my starting date to May 20th, so I'd have enough time to graduate and get over there.
I took a day to kind of...absorb this information until I finally accepted it. I really can't describe how excited I am. I almost started crying again when I found out I got it. It's a really crazy experience, and so far it doesn't seem real.
I've already booked my flight and everything to Tokyo where they're supposed to pick me up, because Air Canada apparently had a deal going on or something. IDK, I'm just glad I was able to get it.
Here's a list of answers for your questions that I'm sure you have
I'll be in Hitachi, which is in the Ibaraki Prefecture in Japan. (see map here)
It's a fair size city, it's not Osaka and it isn't in the middle of nowhere either.
I work Monday-Friday, from about 8:30am-3:30pm. So, it's like going to school, but I'm not required to write essays! Yay!
I don't know what age group I'll be teaching, but it can be elementary, middle, or high schoolers.
I'll have my own apartment, which is beside Brian (a teacher from Birmingham) and underneath Jean (the Sister Cities teacher from New Zealand). So I'll have two English speaking people in my own complex, one of which is from where I live. Definitely a comfortable place to start out my life in Japan.
I get paid about 320,000 yen a month (about $3200), but will be paid less if I don't show up to work of course. (because the yen is so close to the dollar, I just put the decimal in two places from the right and that's what it's close to in USD)
I have to pay for my own health insurance, taxes, room/board, from my paychecks.
Brian says he'll help me get internet when I get over there.
I'm guessing he'll also help me get a cellphone.
As far as I know, no pets are allowed (*sad face*).
I asked the old Sister Cities participant if she had enough money to really enjoy herself whilst paying for everything and she said she had enough money to buy herself a motorcycle...so I'm going to say yes (especially since I don't plan on buying a motorcycle).
I'm still trying to get my SKYPE subscription and everything figured out. I don't know what plan to buy (since I'm only calling landlines in the U.S. from my computer in Japan) or if my online number should be an American number or a Japanese number. If you know, care to help me out?
My flight cost me $555 with taxes and travel insurance and everything. I fly from Atlanta to Toronto, then I get on a plan from there to Narita airport in Tokyo, where they should greet me and pick me up.
The best way to contact me is still by email (nithpantiel@gmail.com).
I leave on May 13th at 6am from Atlanta and should arrive in Tokyo at about 3pm on May 14th.
I'm not planning on bringing a bunch of stuff with me. If I need anything specific I'll buy it while I'm there, or I'll have my mom ship it to me.
My Japanese sucks. I have to get back to studying, fo shiz. I'll probably be studying every day while I'm there. I just wish I had more time right now to do it.
I'm planning on buying a huge DVD slip case and bringing a lot of my movies with me. I'll just watch them on my computer instead of buying an American DVD player just to watch them.
If you have any other questions just ask away!
If you want to contact me, here's some info:
Skype: jill.albright (pretty easy eh?)
MSN: nithpantiel@gmail.com
Facebook: Jillian Albright (add me if you haven't yet)
I'll update with my address if you want to send me a postcard or something when I actually get over there. Snail mail will take FOREVER though, you must remember.
[/epic news]
