3

"Watching big chunky men push slap shove and throw each other around - aka sumo wrestling - in the Ryogoku Kokugikan (aka the Sumo Hall) in Tokyo."

(I'm trying to write every (few) day(s) about something that I could only do/find/see/happen to me in Japan and nowhere else.)

2

"Bowing and saying 'negaishimaaaaasu' before every badminton game at our badminton circle"


*onegaishimasu - formally means 'please'. But depends on the situations. In this situation it would probably mean 'let's play'.


(I'm trying to write every (few) day(s) about something that I could only do/find/see/happen to me in Japan and nowhere else.)

This is it.

I circled my decision.

I signed my name on the dotted line.

I handed the paper in.

I'm counting down the days: 6 months and (roughly) 13 days until my contract runs out, until goodbyes are said for the last time, until I fly away from this place that's given me the time of my life.

I have indeed decided not to recontract on JET. Honestly though it wasn't that tough of a decision. I'm not saying life isn't great here. There is still lots to see, lots to do, lots to learn, and let's face it, lots to earn. But realistically, I know I'm not going to pursue a career of education, and I can't justify any more than 2 years to any future employers. I don't feel like my actual work here is bringing any satisfaction, and in turn I don't feel like I'm actually making that much of a contribution anymore and I don't think it's going to increase with another year here. It's sad but I'm already feeling like I'm kind of just letting things pass by without putting much effort, such as using old worksheets and recycling old games over and over again...partly because I'm running out of 'yaruki' (enthusiasm) and partly because I know that I'm not here for much longer.

Then spiritually, I don't feel like I'm really making a great deal of progress out here anymore. Compared to the beginning I am definitely stronger and more 'independent', but it's difficult to be committed to the church which means I don't really a church family that I can really be part of and be contributing to...(although that's 'cause of my own laziness and rubbishness).

But I know I'm going to miss it all so much. Although my next location won't be very far from Japan and I can probably come back (relatively) often, it won't be quite the same.

So from now on I'm going to try to write every (few) day(s) about something that I could only do/find/see/happen to me in Japan and nowhere else.

What I'll be missing:
Sitting under my kotatsu and eating satsumas whilst watching TV.

*kotatsu - is a low table with a heating element underneath and a duvet so you stick your legs under the table and it keeps you toasty <3

Victory scars

These are the places on my body that are in pain right now:

neck

shoulders

arms

wrist

knees

thighs

buttocks

and I have a bruise on my knee

It was not so fun falling down on the back of the head at the bottom of the slope where the snow was NOT soft. And then trying to walk/slide with one foot still strapped on the board which resulted in falling over and banging my knee on the board. As well as falling a zillion times all along the slope frontwards and backwards.

...but I'm quite happy I managed to do turns on my 2nd time snowboarding!! And the 1st being exactly a year ago..!

Overheard in the UK

I have the BBC Radio 2 to thank for this post. Over the lonely months here in the Japanese countryside I have been heavily relying on them to keep me up to date on culture, news and very often, British humour.

Here are just a few things that you will hear only from a British radio station:

Weather report:

"Rain, everywhere."

Traffic report:

"Grit lorries have become stuck in the snow."

"If you're moving at all, you're lucky."

"The runways are closed at Manchester Airport 'cause of snow. They still want you to go to the airport to check in though. It's all good if you can actually get to the airport."