Today is the Day!!

August 24, 2006

Wow I actually did it. I’m currently in the air over the water on my way to Osaka, japan. This is crazy. The last few weeks have been nuts. Trying to get everything ready to go. Packing....saying goodbye...etc. All hard to do. Im not scared to goto a new place...just to leave behind my parents, Spunky, and a few select close friends. I am SOOO tired right now. I had about 3 hours of sleep last night. We are flying on a Boeing 777 there so we have little DVD players in the headrest to watch and plenty of crappy movies (i.e. American Dreamz, She’s the Man, etc. But at least they will make the time go by more quickly. I definitely have already acquired a nice Lil addition to my room. That would be the United blanket that the stewardess unwittingly gave to me. Anyone who comes to visit may be using it so don’t laugh Well, I can say that I AM excited to get there and eat a REAL Japanese meal. Im really hungry so maybe that why. Well I’m gonna try and catch a Lil nap here so Im rested when we land in Osaka. Our new supervisor, Terry -San is meeting us. He’s gonna have a sign with my name on it cuz I’m pretty sure he knows im a big deal Later







Ok so this is my second entry on this flight. So far so good. We have gone 4200 miles so far and are cruising at about 550 mph and are somewhere over the middle of the ocean. I have been up since 4 am and its now 8pm. We should be in Osaka in about 2 hours.. The 2 girls seem pretty cool so far. At least they are friendly. I just met some girl sitting next to me who is flying back to Okinawa where she lives. She told me its nice and that I will experience culture shock this year. (No shit) And she said I will get homesick after the initial few months. She lives on the army base too. They have a chilli’s and a macaroni grill for goodness sake But I told her I want to visit Okinawa for spring break as she mentioned they have the best snorkeling spots in the world. PS When fling to japan...get the Aisle Im sooo glad I did.

I’ve noticed some differences already: many people on this plane wearing face masks, all announcements have also been in Japanese, just to name a few. Also, my neighbor, Lil 10 yr old Ichiro has been trying to out muscle me for my armrest. Punk I showed him. Also a few quick movie reviews: The Sentinel with Michael douglas sucked. 16 Blocks with Bruce Willis was DESCENT, and I am now on RV with Robin Williams.. That all for now...getting excited for getting to the mainland

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Time for a change

I got an e-mail back from Mac this week with answers to many of my questions. Everything sounded pretty good. These just made me more excited to go. After a weekend filled with high school drama up here, I am ready for a change. Although I love Flagstaff and NAU...I am excited to try something new!

I have a friend!

My supervisor in Phoenix, Misty, contacted Mr today and sent me the names of the others from the Phoenix program who are already there. What are the odds that I knew one of them. Mac Mahoney was an RA at PV Main at ASU when I was. I remember he was a real intellectual (who liked to smoke pot) and question everything. I enjoyed working with him back then. HE already emailed me offering to answer any questions I had. I thought that was nice. I "cropped" some of the others on mischievous Some are in there 30s, married, divorced, etc. So as long as I know someone I am cool with it.

I still haven't emailed JET a no yet. I sign and go through the contract with Misty on Monday so I figure I will do it then. Anyways...it was just nice to see someone I know is already there!

Change of Plans....

So I had a change of plans...As some of you may very well knew, JET was my first choice. I had heard about the City of Phoenix Sister City Program, but honestly didn't think much of it. I decided to send in an application just for the hell of it in case JET said no. After they said yes I really forgot about it. I scheduled an interview but wasn't even sure I was going to go , as it was in Phoenix on a Sunday. So hungover from the Gamma Phi formal and very tired, I borrowed Renee's car (Thanks again for that) and headed to Phoenix.

I was a little late as it is ridiculous trying to find parking downtown, and the interview was for only 15 minutes, yet I somehow weaseled my way into their good graces as 2 days later she called me and told me I was accepted. After thinking about which one I would like better for a day, I felt that the fact that the Phoenix Program and being in a big city with other Americans would be a better fit for me. Watch I now get stuck with some SERIOUS weirdos from America for the whole year. http://www.phoenixsistercities.org/img/company/PSC/img/TeachAbroad06Info.pdf

So although I have yet to sign the contract(I will later next week), Himeji is my new destination. For all of you who have never heard of it...it is basically only known for the castle which is the most famous in Japan. It should be exciting, fun, scary...A real adventure. WE will see. I have a few months before I leave(September 1st) and much packing to do, but in the meantime it is time to party my ass off these last weeks of school!

I Got In!!

Since my interview in February I have been wondering when I would finally hear from Japan and whether I get the job or not. For the past several weeks, I have been checking my mailbox everyday. I don't just peek inside to find my letter...I look at all corners of the box, as well as, the tops in case it got stuck. I have even looked in the window of my neighboring boxes here at NAU to see if they got it by mistake. However, yesterday I checked my e-mail after class and I had an email stating "Important Jet Information." Iwas really nervous to open it as I had no idea what it was about. They said they weren't going to email the results. Anyhow, sure enough it was the results. I GOT IN!!! I was pretty excited. I guess now I know what I will be doing next year. Let the nervousness/excitement begin. I have a lot to do before I get on the plane. Better get going...

The JET Program

So being that I am soon graduating I had to start looking for jobs. I wanted to try something new, so being that I like to travel and thought it would be fun to try living in another country for a year, yet still get paid well, I decided to apply to the jet program. (Here's what it is)=http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/outline/outline.html)
Being that I have never lived anywhere farther away from Phoenix than Flagstaff, Japan will definitely be a major change! Most of my friends who know I may be going think I'm nuts but seriously....I can't imagine sitting in Phx right after I graduate. I'll be getting paid 3.6 million yen (wish that was U.S. dollars) and get a lot of time to travel when I'm not teaching. It sounds like a good job for someone who doesn't like to work! So I guess I will have to see what they say. The interview went well (At least I thought so).

One of the ladies was my former history teacher at ASU and taught the only class I decided to get in trouble in. Me and Chris Bishop decided to yell Japanese sayings when she turned the lights out one day (it was a Japanese movie we were about to watch). So after he yelled "Kanagawa" and I yelled "Kamigami, you old crack head". She immediately flipped the lights on and caught "Mr. Grimes". But luckily as I mentioned she was an old crack head and I don't think she remembered me in the interview. So I guess I will just wait and see as they won't let me know if I get it or not until early April. IF not, no sweat off my sack....I'll be living by the beach in Cali. But if I do one of you guys better come and visit me!