Moving, New Job, Etc
Okay, I'm here at the new job.

Moving went relatively smoothly,　if somewhat last minute. I thought I'd be leaving Friday, and then found out on Wednesday that I need to be in by Thursday night. A bit of a sudden departure made for a few rushed good-byes. I guess on one hand the last month I've been doing nothing but saying good-bye. On the other hand, there are always a few people who guilt trip you because you didn't get that final good-bye in.

So... New area of the country, new school, new job, new employer, new town, etc. I'm somewhat hesitant to comment on what things are like here because first impressions are always a bit off, and I probably will end up revising myself a few days later anyway. So I'll hold off on that stuff for now.

As always, when moving from a place where you have lots of friends, to a place where you know no one, it can be a little depressing. I've been feeling slightly homesick; both for Oita prefecture and for my real home. But three years ago I came to Japan not knowing anyone and ended up making a lot of friendships, so I'm confident if I stick it out again the same thing will happen.

I sold my car to my successor before I came out here. I will be getting a company car to use sometime next week, but in the meantime I've been doing a lot of walking. I fancy myself as a bit of an avid pedestrian, but by the third straight day of walking my legs were really beginning to kill me.

The apartment is very nice and considerable bigger than my previous accommodation. It is however completely unfurnished, and in Japan unfurnished really means unfurnished. No washing machine, no refrigerator, no lights, no curtains (exhibition city here I come!!!)

I've been gradually trying to furnish the place. The first day I bought a fan and a stereo, which was nice to have the essentials taken care off. I did spend a rather rough night sleeping on the hard floor, and decided the second day to get a futon. The home supplies shop was only 40 minutes walk away. The walk there was okay, but the walk back with the futon and blankets and pillow was pretty tiring. I also apparently caught a lot of people's attention, as people I've been meeting recently have been saying, "Ah, was that you I saw walking down the street with the futon?"

Hard to say, but it doesn't look like I'm going to have regular internet access at the new job, which means I might not be updating this weblog quite as frequently as I used to. Also e-mail correspondence might also go down the tubes again. We'll see how it goes.

I'm able to write on this weblog now because I'm at an internet cafe in Nagoya city. We're at training in Nagoya city for Monday and Tuesday.

In a typical "Joel Swagman" move, I overslept this morning. The other teacher in the area was supposed to be outside my house at 6:50 this morning, and then we were going to race to make the 7:02 train. I remembered the 6:50 time, but somehow got it my head as a wake up time, not a departure time. So you can imagine, I'm just beginning to wake up, get a call from the other teacher saying that she's outside my apartment and where was I and we have to leave now if we are going to catch the train.

To my credit, I think I set a bit of a record for the fastest person getting dressed and out the door. I'm not sure everyone could do that as quickly as I did. However I wasn't able to prepare as thoroughly as I would have liked. I'm staying tonight in Nagoya city, but didn't bring change of clothes or many toiletries, etc.

Also I didn't shut the windows in my apartment. Which wouldn't be such a big deal except, wouldn't you know it, a typhoon is this Monday and Tuesday. Now to be fair, I did know about this typhoon ahead of time, but it wasn't foremost on my mind when I was running out of my apartment. I'm a little bit nervous as to what condition the apartment will be in when I return tomorrow, but I have my fingers crossed.