Let's Get Down to Brass Tacks

Pictured above is a map of the main Goto island Fukue with Matsuyama-cho circled in red. That is where I will be living and teaching!

Wahoo! After a brief stint of being stuck in Lodi, my welcome packet from my future employer in Goto arrived. It includes a guide of the islands as well as a notice of appointment/contract. At long last many of the questions that bounced around my brain these past few weeks are answered. The magnitude of my decision to teach in Japan and all the necessary preparations I must do beforehand is quickly dawning on me.

My accommodations include two small rooms, a TV, AC, washing machine, gas cooker, and a refrigerator; rent will apparently be 5,300 yen per month or about $50 USD. If this is truly the case and not an unfortunate typo, I will be ecstatic. It's about 8x less what I pay now!

According to the contract, I will be working at elementary and junior high schools plural so if I were to hazard a guess I assume I will teach multiple classes or grades possibly at more than one school. This will certainly keep the work interesting! I will also have to really hone my ability to remember names. That is an exciting but intimidating prospect.

The length of my appointment officially begins on July 25, 2016 and ends on July 24, 2017. However if my contracting organization is satisfied with my work and I am enjoying it, I could see myself teaching there for 2-3 years. Who knows what will happen? That is what makes this whole experience exciting. Most of my life has been a script: going to school, working, experiencing some freedom and joy on the weekends, and then back to the grind. I welcome uncertainty, confusion, and challenges. Uncertainty doesn't simply provide some spice to life; it enables opportunities for growth and transformation. I presently lack that right now but Japan will fill that hole. I must adjust to a new environment, culture, and language. In short I have the chance to forge a new life as Andúril was forged from the shards of Narsil.

Will I be the only foreigner on Goto? I doubt that but I'm sure I will be one of a handful. I learned that in Nagasaki Prefecture (of which Goto is a part) there are over 170 teachers from 15 countries. From my JET mentors I learned that fellow JETs are your family within your town or city's community. No doubt they will be a welcome reprieve from the difficulties of adjusting to and living in a foreign country as well as mentors for my new career.

Considering my current position as a college graduate, the pay is decent. I will earn more than what I earned last year at Snap Fitness and I will save on rent (still have to figure out how taxes work though). That being said this new job isn't about the money but about the people I will meet, the experiences I will have, and the changes that will result from living abroad. Though I will be an assistant teacher, I want to learn and serve my classes, school/s, and community.

I shouldn't work more than thirty five hours a week and will work from 8:30-4:30pm (with an hour break around 12pm). I can expect to have weekends off, which will allow me to explore Goto and venture out to neighboring cities like Nagasaki, Fukuoka, and Kumamoto.

Goto is famous for churches (which I will explore in my next post), ocean views, and sea food (I can't wait!). There are a number of local attractions and many islands to explore! The countdown continues!