Plans for Next Year
Last Thursday I was offered, and accepted, a job teaching English in Gifu prefecture. I'll be working in a Junior High school and Elementary school. On paper it sounds very similar to what I'm doing right now actually, but I'm sure a new location and new environment will bring its own unique challenges. I'll keep you updated on how everything goes.

Anyway, I just found out this Thursday actually that I had gotten the job. The plan previous to that was I was going to extend my visa a little, apply for the Peace Boat as a volunteer, and then go back home and just see how everything turned out. (Not much of a plan admittedly. I guess it's a good thing I landed this other job).

But even bad plans can be somewhat hard to rearrange at the last minute. Under the JET program, the return ticket home at the end of the contract is paid by the Board of Education. The BOE and I had previously been planning on buying a ticket on August 25th. I asked them if they had bought the ticket yet, and if it was too late to change plans.

Fortunately they hadn't bought the ticket. Now I had a decision to make. Training for the new job starts the last week of August. If I wanted to go home in between, the best thing to do would be to leave as soon as possible.

We had already scheduled a bunch of events on the assumption that I would be here longer. My farewell party was scheduled for August 3. I had told some of my students I would make it to the Bon Matsuri (festival for the dead) in Ajimu on August 7th. Of course a lot of this could be rearranged or cancelled if I went home earlier.

I had a hard time making up my mind. The BOE told me I could have one day to decide, but if they were going to buy plane tickets for the first week of August, they needed to know now.

I called home, e-mailed some friends, and checked with my new employer about what would work out best with the visa. In the end I just decided to stay in Japan through August. It was simpler all around. It works out better this way with the visa. It means I can make leisurely good-byes here as opposed to the rushed good-byes if I was leaving next week. It means I just have to make one move instead of two. And I wasn't too keen on making all my good-byes here, and then going home and having to say good-bye to everyone there again. One set of good-byes was enough. And there is also a girl-friend over here, which was another factor as well.

So I'm not coming back this August, like I thought I might. Sorry to everyone who was looking forward to meeting up. I think I'll be back probably around Christmas, or possibly (if I can swing it) for a friend's wedding in October. Again, I'll keep you updated.