Hey all!!!
It’s a very exciting time in the life of me! Why? I’m SO glad you asked! Finally, a captive audience!
As the world I am directly connected to via facebook and real life already knows, I received my placement call from Interac on Monday night (the 20th my time)!!!! Ahhhhhh!!!!!! It’s so completely unreal to me still, even the thought that I am actually moving to Japan for a year seems like a dream that could never really happen to me. Like it’s something you always think about and really want to do, but happens to someone else.
Anyways, the dream has gotten several steps more real this week as at 9:07PM (PST) my phone started ringing. As there was no area code and the number looked unfamiliar I let it go to voicemail (only the creepiest sales dudes call after 8!) only to see that they actually left a message. Curiouser and curiouser. So I listen in and… WHAT?!?! It’s the Tokyo office saying they would like to talk to me about a placement option! They said they’d email me asking for a good time to call and I email them back saying… now. Basically just call me back, like, five minutes ago! I was so nervous and so excited and so, just, almost scared I guess. This made the whole trip real in a brand new way and that sets off a whole host of conflicting crazy emotions. Soooo naturally I start to physically shake. I’m sitting with my cell on my lap shaking so hard my teeth are chattering so that others can hear. Sad but true.
When, Eureka! At 9:35PM, just 28 minutes (or a lifetime) later my phone rings again. Tokyo! I’m talking to someone in Tokyo! Silently freaking out inside like a crazy fan girl while he does all the talking and I gush my yes’s and thank you’s and sounds great’s. And then it’s over.
The place:
Hokota-shi.
Ibaraki-ken.
JAPAN.
Oh dear Lord. It happened.
They didn’t dump me on my face. They didn’t say “sorry, we changed our minds.” No. They gave me a placement and allowed me to Google like my life depended on it! I’m headed to a rural agricultural town on the eastern shore in the northern Kanto region. The melon and strawberry capital of Japan (yum!). Home to about 50,000 people and closer than I ever expected to be to Tokyo and other tourist destinations. Bam.
I had a dream. And it’s happening. Right now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r9Jn6khyIw
Hello there! My name is Bobby and I’ll be your head teacher out there in Hokota. I’ll probably meet you in Narita and be training you. Glad to see how excited you are about coming. Not sure what if you’re ES or JHS, but here is a word of advice. If you can, bring a couple different BIG books on Christmas or Halloween or any kind of cultural event you think is interesting. Don’t get a small picture book. Go BIG it seriously will help you out if you get them now instead of trying to get them here. Events are a good start also books like “Brown bear, brown bear what do you see” is great for teaching colors. If you have any questions or concerns email me. I’ll help out where I can. Again looking forward to meeting you!
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Hi! Thank you so much for all the good advice! I have a few big picture books left from school, I’ll have to check which ones I didn’t give away and see if they’re any good. I will be based in a Jr High and traveling to a few elementary schools. I really look forward to meeting and working with you! Thanks again!
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