About one month to go!

Allow me to enlighten you as to how this whole 'going to Japan' idea came about.  

Around the beginning of October 2008 my good friend Sarah Lewis (who I was roommates, quartet partners, stand partners, mischief finders, rebellious leaders, etc with) from college called me up one day and said "Hey MM, want to come teach English in Jay-pan with me?"  To which I replied "Of course, why wouldn't I?"  I had already been thinking of teaching English abroad and how I really wanted to learn an Asian language.  Which Asian language I wanted to learn, I had not settled on - however, Japanese had been the most pleasant to listen to and pick up on when I lived in France in Fall 2005.   This sounded like an extravagant idea.

We settled on the Japan Exchange and Teaching program - this appearing and turning out to be the best of the best.   This program goes through the Japanese Embassy - no sketchy independent programs telling you to find your own Visa in a trash can and mail 100 items to far off destinations to have your identity stolen thus putting you in witness protection.  No, this did not happen to us because we chose the correct program - or so far I believe - I just mailed my passport to the office, we'll find out July 31st.  So the JET program is the best.  They pay the most per month, they set you up in an apartment (although you have to pay rent - but when DON'T you have to pay rent?), you basically take someone's job, and their life - so all affairs are already in order by the time you get there, they pay for orientation (in DC and the sweet hotel in Tokyo for 3 nights), and the application process is hella long... which automatically makes them really awesome.  It's definitely the most competitive program to teach English in Japan.

Right away I began to fill out my application, however, I only had 2 hours before I had to be at work and I didn't realize I had to write a novel and a half as well as recollect what I was wearing on my 3rd birthday.   Just kidding... but it sure did take forever.  It was like trying to figure out your resume, all of the classes you've ever taken, each grade you got in each class, dissecting all teaching experience EVER plus some more.. if you care you should just try and fill it out in your free time - ridiculous - you won't have enough free time.  I think it was about 8 pages long.  Anyway,  I had to get 2 letters of recommendation to which I turned to my colleague and fellow choreographer/teacher from college Merry Davis. She's amazing and I've literally NEVER had anyone write such an amazing recommendation EVER.  I cried a little when she read it to me.  Then for my other I actually couldn't get any professors to write it in such short notice.. so I wrote my own, and had another teacher colleague sign it (like she had written it - although she did approve).  Did you know that is cool these days?  Yes,  I read it on Wikipedia so it must be true right?  hah.  No, I read it on several websites and asked some experts before doing it .. but needless to say it worked well.  I also had to write a 2 pg paper on why I wanted more Japanese people in my life :) It was a happy paper.

So, everything was due on Nov 24th to which we both made the deadline.  First is the paper screening - if you pass the paper screening then you are asked to come to the closest location and interview (Washington, D.C.).  Around the end of January, Sarah and I both got the e-mail that we were selected for the interview - which would be 2 following.  We went on a Caribbean cruise to Grand Cayman and Cozumel, then went for the interview (all tan of course).  We were both wearing shin length skirts and high heels ... in the snow - quite stylish - we should've gotten points for that.  

We stayed with some amazing people we had met on the cruise that lived in DC (quite convenient).

My interview totally freaked me out... I loved it - but it freaked me out.  Sarah and I got there about 2 hours early so we could sit in a small chair and shake and pee alot before we began our interviews.  I found this list of potential interview questions online from some random JET website.  If you were asked why the US bombed Japan what would you say?  If a male superior groped you what would you do?  Do you like sushi?  Who is the prime minister of Japan?  If you could bring one item to describe your home country, what would you bring?  

None of these were my questions.  Sarah and I had grilled each other on said potential questions on the drive to D.C.  Quite scary.

I walked in and realized right away that the Interviewer on the far left had the same last name as one of the Japanese girls helping with the interviews - yes quite observant I am.  haha.  I asked Mr. Smethurst if he was in face married to Ayako Smethurst to which he replied... why yes I am, but don't think I picked her up at the high school I was teaching.  Good start to an interview.  That guy was awesome.  There was a lady there with CLAIR (the organization that sets up all the Japan/America communications) along with a Japanese man who worked in the Science division of the Embassy (idk whatev).  They were all extremely nice at first but turned when they said:  "So I see you have absolutely NO training in the Japanese language and you have taken no steps to prepare yourself on the culture of Japan"  "I see you lived in France and can speak French... why don't you teach English there?"  "Why do you see yourself going to Japan?"  "What entices you about this country as opposed to Korea or China?"  

Don't worry my friends, Mary Margaret was prepared to answer these questions ON THE FLY. "I have no training in the Japanese language but learning Japanese is one of the primary reasons I would like to take this job.  I already know French hence is the reason I do not want to teach in France.  I want to give the children of Japan more worldly knowledge while enhancing my own language and culture skills."  "Honestly, the reason I do not want to teach in Korea or China - I like the way Japanese sounds.  When I was living in France I could tell the difference in the different languages just by hearing them and the pronunciation, Japanese was my favorite.  I liked the flow and how you could hear that each syllable was consistent."  

A couple of other answers I pulled out of no where but they sounded really great I think.

Sarah and I finished our interviews at the same time, met each other in the lobby of the embassy, screamed, told each other about what just happened, talked to a cool kid named Devin who was previously in the JET program, then scampered off to Happy Hour to partake in celebration for finishing our interviews feeling pretty good about them.

April 7th, the e-mails were sent out.  I was selected as an Alternate candidate and Sarah received a position.  This being said - was slightly disappointed seeing as they gave me a time span of April-December to be upgraded.  Hence, I began to plan my life as if I didn't get the job.  At the end of April (actually on the 26th - my bday) Sarah and I flew to Hawaii to visit some amazing friends of ours whom we worked with in Rock Hill at Ruby Tuesday.  Those kids rock my socks.  We met some new fun people too who live with them.  In Hawaii we learned to surf, snorkle (although Sarah didn't bc she doesn't like fish), climb very large mountains, jump off of 50 foot cliffs into a tiny hole (I broke my butt bone, my coccyx, doing this), body surf, not use sunscreen and be blistered for a week (I did this), not brush my hair for 3 days, find a cocktail server on a dance floor (weird), use more sunscreen, take really pretty pictures, and reminisce on the good ole times at the RT.    YAY for Shawn, Brad, Rachel, Richard, Jessie, Rob, Scott, and of course Allie (Shawn's dog).  

3 days before leaving Hawaii, Jason called to tell me that I had won the 3 month wine contest at Carrabba's for the highest wine sales and 2 days after I would be getting back from Hawaii, I would leave for Napa Valley on an all expenses paid 4 day vacation.   WHA!  As I said, I love my life.  So, I flew back across the country, this time with my two amazing work buddies Terri and Roberto to drink lots and lots of wine and live in some more bliss for a few days.  YAY for vacations.  

The week after I got home I started planning my move to Hawaii.  I would leave July 27th, stay with my friends for a month, then get an apartment with Jessie (Shawn's ex who was still living with them but trying to move out).  I had a plane ticket picked out and everything - which I was going to purchase that coming Friday.  

However,  on Wednesday I ignored a phone call from D.C. thinking the JET program was calling to ask me a question about my alternate status if I had started some FBI thing.  After rethinking the ignored call for about a minute and 26 seconds, I called back.. to which they said "We just had a position open up for you, would you like to take it?" "YESYESYESYESYESYES I'll take it"  "Are you sure, do you want to talk to your family first?"  "NO WAY!  THEY'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS PHONE CALL TOO!"  "Alright then, I will send you all of the information in an email right now, Congratulations!"  

And that's how it happened.  My life changed in a matter of 36.2 seconds.  

Since then I've been ecstatic about where my life is taking me.  I feel like I have a future now - not that I didn't before, but I'm about to embark on an incredible journey with lots of travel and new people and fun!  Sweet!

I found out June 2nd that I was placed in the Kagoshima prefecture (like a state) in a port 'city' named Shibushi on the southernmost island of Kyushu.  Its kinda on the southern tip of Japan:

http://www.maplandia.com/japan/kyushu/kagoshima/shibushi/

I went on a mad facebook hunt for the person who's position I could potentially take... slash... anyone from the JET program staying in Shibushi.. and through many contacts I met this girl named Al-lee who is from Canada and is extremely helpful.. she pointed me to Kate who would be leaving and would have a good idea who's position I would be taking.   Kate is awesome and I have been chatting with her for the past couple of weeks, then yesterday she tells me that I am her successor and will be taking her car/job/all of the above!  

The coolest thing though, is that Kate lives on the beach!  Yes, an apartment on the beach.  Can my life get any better?  Hah!  She just sent me this massive email with lots of info about my schools and everything.  I will be teaching at 9 schools:  elementary where I will be doing all of the lesson planning and teaching... and middle where I really will be assisting.  I will actually be living in a town called Ariake in Shibushi... cool stuff.

Here are all of the schools:  Isakida Junior High School, Ariake Junior High School, Uto Junior High School, Ariake Elementary School, Toriyama Elementary School, Harada Elementary School, Futsuhara Elementary School, Nogami Elementary School, Yamashige Elementary School.

Did you know they for real separate all of their recycling.  You have to pull labels off of stuff and separately file them.  I think I will have about 100 different bags.  I'm worried about that. 

My rent for my apartment is approx $400/month ... 37,000 yen... THANK GOD.  I have to buy Kate's car - don't know price for yet - and a surf board - of course.

There are some other random amenities which I need to purchase there - a cell phone, internet, friends... 

My life is amazing...