In Nagoya!

Finally! I've arrived and am currently chillin in Nagoya, Japan. It's cool as hell- there's a pretty damn awesome assortment of people here, including one of the dudes that I interviewed with. Excellent!

We're planning on hitting up the castle tomorrow, and spent most of today wandering through shops and resisting the temptation to buy video games. Is it a prerequisite to be a super nerd before you get to work in Japan? I'm half convinced. I also found out that one of the other chicks here (one of the few- seems like it's mostly men) is also working in Nakatsugawa. Lucky me, she's a cool kid. Could definitely have been much much much worse.

In unrelated news, I nearly saw some poor idiot fall in front of a train because he was beyond plastered. This, children, is what excessive drinking will do to you if you are not careful.

One Step Closer.

New computer! Sweet! Also, went to the consulate in NYC and got my official piece of paper that lets me stay in the country. Gotta say, the train ride home was very... eventful. That's what happens when you're in New York on St Patrick's Day :)

There was a drunk guy in a kilt playing the bagpipes and singing the filet o fish song on the train. It is locked in to my head. Also, it was pretty awesome. Even more awesome- other drunk people (with and without bagpipes) joining in.

Getting Ready

So! Major apologies to anyone reading this. I've never written a blog before (or really had any desire to write one) so I'm bound to make stupid mistakes.

Now that that's out of the way: I'm counting down the days til my departure from Philly. Only 8 more! My flight leaves Phila Intl Airport early on the 24th. After that, I'll be living in Nakatsugawa, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. It's a big switch- I'm going from being responsible for one family's children to teaching multiple elementary schools' worth. It still doesn't feel quite real. It's taken approximately a year to get to this point, and I still haven't quite wrapped my brain around the fact that I was hired and am nearly on my way.

I'm going to miss Philadelphia and the boys I've been taking care of very much- however, I know I'm going to be running around like crazy over there so hopefully I won't get crushingly homesick.