Icciv's notes in Japan

Happy New Year

It took far longer than I expected to write anything here. The run up to Christmas is always exceptionally busy and only now have I had the time to update you on recent events. I spent this Christmas in Thailand volunteering at an orphanage near the border of Myanmar. It was an incredible trip that I will write more about in a seperate post. I also hope to write up my trip to Korea and Taiwan soon too.

I returned to Kamigoto for New Year, and while the clock hit twelve I was inside a temple listening to the ceremony. It was a peaceful and reflective way to see in the New Year, and I welcomed a different way to celebrate. 2007 is going to be an interesting year for many reasons, but mostly because it will bring about lots of change. I have a great many decisions to make at the moment.

In December I applied to transfer from Kamigoto to Nagasaki city for my third year. It's very difficult to transfer for Junior High School ALT's, and it would be unlikely my application would be sucessful. There are a few things on my side, and if I happen to be lucky I may well get my wish. If things don't work out though I have to consider my other options. By February I have to decide whether to leave the JET program or remain in Kamigoto. I love the island very much, but with Carrie, Melissa and Genki all leaving this year, I'm not sure how I feel about staying. Furthermore, I feel I've done all I can here...it's time for something fresh.

Thats not to say I'm not nervous. I'm scared of the potential change, life in an unfamiliar city where reaching into the community is harder. Living in a Japan where most of the foreign friends I have will be leaving, and the Japanese friends I have will be a boat ride away. I'm also nervous about the new people coming to Goto and knowing I'll still be close. I'm scared about things with Genki and how everything will all work out.

It's likely that I only have 6 and a half months left on Kamigoto. I want more than anything to make the most of them and not let them slide through my fingers as I worry about what the future will hold. I know I adjust well to change, and that when the time comes everything always works out fine. It's just the run up to things that makes me nervous.

For now, I have to organise myself for this year. I haven't started the New Year well in terms of personal organisation. My house is messy (the air con broke so I'm sleeping downstairs, the cold makes it harder to clean)and I still have Christmas presents to send. Once I get some of these things done, then maybe I can think about the next step.

posted by Icciv @ 1:01 pm