Where have I been?

Published on May 4 2016

Posted by: Keat

Segment: days

Hey all you Japanobloggers! I am sure that all of you have been wondering where I have been hiding for the last....month-ish. It feels like it has been forever for me! And that is because I have been busy setting up life here in Japan. First off, yes, I miss Kyle terribly. But that has not caused me to leave and go running home. And getting things ready in Japan has been kinda difficult, though the processes are very similar to what they would be in America.

So, here has been the schedule for what has been for me since I left Mito aster training was done. Training went awesome by the way! It was 3 days of intense training that covered pretty much everything you are going to need to be an Alternate Language Teacher (ALT) here in Japan. I will go over what it takes to be an ALT in a different video. So, I moved to my apartment on the 25th of March. It is a nice apartment, and soon there will be an apartment tour video coming soon. The major concern I have is that this place is only meant for one person to be living in it, so Kyle and I are having to find another place before he gets here in August with the fur babies. There is a small kitchen, a separate toilet room and shower room, a lofted bed with storage underneath, and a living room with a closet. The space is slowly coming together, so that makes it feel like more then just an empty box. But...it is not quite the same without my husband there. Or the fur babies. (In case you didn't know, Kyle is still in the states until August. - See his post here)

I started teaching on the 11th of April at the Junior High school in my town, and that is the only school that I teach at, until something else changes in the future. I really enjoy teaching there! Both the kids and the teachers are great to work with. My main job is to be the native English speaker so they can hear what English sounds like. I do not have to handle any of the lessons, though I have been asked by the 3rd year (9th grade) teacher to come up with a few worksheets for the year. My position is a T2 teacher, but that will be covered in the ALT video. I am hoping to join some of the clubs, like tennis and basketball, really soon. I just need to convince myself to do it.

The town that I live in is a great little town. Everything that I need is within biking distance, which is why I got a bike instead of a car. I also live within the required distance that I did not have to rent a car from the company that I work for. And that saves me a little bit of money. But, it is kinda hard when I want to go to the store or somewhere where I have to buy something, I either have to take the train, or have one of my friends with a car take me there. But, my bike is my main mode of transportation, next to my feet. So I am getting a good work out. I live in an area called Omigawa in Chiba. It is a little town that kinda reminds me of Waynesville, though it is flat instead of mountainy. I am actually surrounded by rice patties that are just now being planted. I pass some more rice patties on my way to school as I bike. I really lucked out in my apartment because I have another ALT in the same building as myself, and he has worked with the same company for a year previous. And he also worked with JET for 3 years, so this guy knows what he is doing. He helped me set up everything from my bank account, to my internet, to getting my bike, and my cellphone, and my DVD store card. Yes, the DVD rental business is still going strong here in Japan. But, I have to say that this other ALT has been a major help to making sure that I am on my feet and that I am good to go, which has gotten me a lot further then if I had to do it on my own. My Japanese is really rusty, because I have not used it in a really long time. So I know that without his help, I would be floundering so bad.

But, that is what has been going on with me since I last had internet! I am now all set up at the apartment, and now I just wait for Kyle to get here! Which is, like, only a few short months away!!! NEED TO FIND A NEW HOME!!!! Onwards and upwards everyone! And stay tuned for more stuff!!