Why I came to Japan and why I'm starting a blog now

How I ended up in Japan is random, but my dream in life was always to live abroad (and I was determined to make that happen). 2 months after graduating with my bachelor's, I had a 10 minute conversation with a stranger who mentioned teaching in Japan. I was always fascinated with Asia, so that day I went home, researched it, found the JET Program, and applied. It's a 7-month application process, so I spent most of my spare time of grad school (albeit, there wasn't much) daydreaming and researching Japan. In April 2010 I found out I was accepted, and in May I found out I was placed in Shizuoka.

The plan was to come to Japan and teach for one year. After my first year, I decided to recontract for another year... and then I decided to recontract again. I did not anticipate falling in love with Japan or that it would become my home, and both are making the thought of moving back home difficult. I know in my heart that teaching English and living in Japan are not what I want to do for my life, and I've decided to go home this August.


I waited until 2.5 years after moving to Japan to start blogging. This was not a good idea, because the little things that are different from America (like people wearing flu masks) don't stick out. My day-to-day life is quite mundane, but then I look back at who I was when I moved to Japan and so much has changed.

I am hoping to return to America to teach science for the next school year, and am currently winding up my life in Japan while searching for jobs back home. I figured this would be a good time to write about my Japanese experience as it is now, and write about the things I remember before they're forgotten.