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2018: a year in Japan

It hasn’t quite settled in that a new year has begun. Maybe that’s because I haven’t made a to do list for the year or any resolutions, but whatever, I’ll get to that soon. First, I’d like to look back at my 2018 because it was kind of a major year for me.

On March 5, 2018 I moved to Japan to start my job as a high school and night school teacher. To this day, I’m still in complete shock that I managed to wrangle such a good job with an amazing company. And close to Tokyo too! My Japanese friend Kaito, who I met in Canada the previous year, had told me about it and mentioned me to the company. When I finally did apply and do a skype interview, the interviewer was like “finally! I’ve been hearing so much about you!” We hit it off from there and, even though I didn’t exactly meet all the requirements (I had still hadn’t finished my onTesol, and my teaching experiences was not from in a school classroom) he thought I was an excellent fit for the job. 

January and February were a blur to me. I was so busy preparing to move. I was running around getting the proper papers for my visa. Speaking with people from the company about my training when I arrive, working extra hours at work so I’d have some extra cash coming in for the first 2 months I was in Japan (although I arrived in March, I wouldn’t start work until April, and wouldn’t get paid until May!)

In March I got set up in an amazing apartment and my Japanese friend lived just down the street, a one minute walk away! It really helped that I knew someone there, because I was initially so confused and ran into some problems. My luggage got lost on the way, and since I didn’t know my own address or have a working phone number yet, I gave them my friend’s info and he collected my things. My boss helped me apply for a bank card, drove me to shop for a microwave, and my coworkers gave me furniture and dishes and took me out for dinner and drinks or just to walk around the neighbourhood and give me some useful tips. 

Starting work was also so much fun! I had been so worried about going to the high school in April since everyone, including some Japanese people, told me the high school students are the worst. Aside from 2 classes, one that is apathetic to English and one that is super quiet, I found the students to be so much fun to teach, especially the first years! They are so excited to learn everything and always tell my assistants about how fun my classes are. It really made me happy to hear that they enjoyed my class!

Around the end of April, my Japanese friend and I had a falling out. In Canada we would spend almost every day together, hanging out, eating, teaching each other our language; but since coming back to Japan he suddenly had no time for me. He couldn’t take me to see places, he couldn’t help me set up things for daily life there, and when we did spend time together he’d be on his computer - I’m not joking, he even brought it to the restaurant say diagonal from me and didn’t talk to me once. It was in May that finally I accepted that I was in a one-sided friendship.  He’d invited me for a drive with his friends to a beach that was hours away, and when we got there, him and his friends left me and my friend waiting at a convenience store for 3 hours while they went off to another beach, an hour walk away. This person who I thought was a good friend was only nice to me in Canada probably because they needed my help - I drove him to work sometimes, helped him apply for a difficult job and prepare for the job tests, taught him English, and showed him around. But now that I needed that from him in Japan, he had no time for me. I decided that, as hard as it was going to be, it was time I distance myself from this friendship. He went from being someone I’d considered one of my best friends to someone who the thought of hanging out with brought a feeling of dread. 

I decided then and there I needed to make new friends. And wouldn’t you know it, I met the most amazing 3 people after that!

I met Fumi on hellotalk and later invited him to a language exchange picnic I found through meetup.com. There we met Mel who was from California the the 3 of us hit it off. After the event I slept over at his place and met his wife Ai, who was just as crazy and funny as he was. A week after this me and Fumi decided to throw a takoyaki party and we invited Mel and some other friends. The 4 of us have become inseparable since then. Me and Mel sleep over at Fumi and Ai’s house almost every weekend and go on crazy adventures through Tokyo, road trips to Osaka and Shizuoka to bother his friends and family, and experiment with Japanese cooking. When my brother and his girlfriend came to Japan in the summer, my friends took them to so many interesting places and were so kind to them. I always judge people by how they treat my family and friends, and the fact that they quickly became friends with my brother and his girlfriend made me so happy.

I believe that people come into your life for a reason. Some are meant to stay till the end, while others, like Kaito, are meant to just pass through. I’m not the kind to hold grudges and I will always be grateful for how he helped me in Canada and encouraged me to get a job in Japan - without him I would definitely not have moved to Japan last year, that’s a fact - but I no longer need this person in my life, and I’m sure he doesn’t need me. 

I think the summer break was the highlight of my time in Japan. I had 2 months off work, spent so much time meeting new people, going to festivals, sleeping over at Fumi and Ai’s place, and had my brother come to Japan. Nothing could bring me down!

Except when it all went away....

After my brother left Japan, I started back work. Someone had quit and for some reason they didn’t replace him, so I was covering some of his shifts. This added work and the lack of family around left me feeling drained in September and October. For the first time in all my travels, I felt homesick. I wanted to be able to share my jokes with someone, watch movies with, hang out with on a regular basis. For a while I was actually counting down till my year in Japan would be up. I just wanted to go home and get back to my “normal” or “real” life. I hated myself for thinking that way, so I decided I was going to make it right. I was going to find a way to fulfil this need. I messaged my family and told them I was thinking of coming home for a few weeks and they were more than thrilled! I was originally going to go in March 2019 but instead I came during the Christmas holidays! I’m actually writing this on my second to last day here in Canada. 

The other thing I decided to do was to start dating. I was absolutely terrified! I’d never done online dating in Canada let alone another country with a language I only knew the basics of! this was going to be a challenge. But again, I got very lucky, and have met 2 amazing people. They didn’t last very long because of the language barrier and distance but I think I’m starting to gain my confidence in going on dates and what I’m looking for. Those 2 months of dating in November and December were all I needed, but if I try again in the future, I’m only going to start conversations with people who can also speak English since that was most important to me. 

Coming to Canada for the holidays turned out to be exactly what I needed and I can’t wait to go back to Japan and see my friends! My students have 2 more months of school  - only 8 classes, so I’m nearing the end. But, luckily I’ll be staying another year in Japan! I can’t wait to see more of the country, try new things and meet new people! 

I’ll be putting together my to-do list for 2019 soon!

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Canadian Travel Hacking – Free Roundtrip Anywhere in North America

Recently I decided to look into getting an Aeroplan card to help fund my travels, and I came across this awesome deal that got me 30,000 bonus miles this morning!

This is probably the best travel rewards card deal I’ve seen floating around, and I’ve now shared it with both my travel buddies so we can all get free flights! Now, while it’s promoted as getting you a free roundtrip to anywhere in North America, I plan on using my bonus miles to cover my one-way from Toronto to Paris (30, 000 miles), leaving me to pay for my flight to Amsterdam and back to Toronto with a multi-city Paris-Amsterdam-Toronto ticket, which is $480. I’m paying about $500 for a trip to Paris and Amsterdam! I’m over the moon right now guys!!) Ok ok, back to the deal -

Until July 14th, 2014 American Express is having a friends and family promotion offering everyone 30,000 Aeroplan miles when you sign up for the American Express AeroplanPlus Gold Card HERE. The annual fee of $120 is waived for the first year, so there’s no added cost (always good, since I hate these fees – I’m thinking I’ll keep the card for maybe 2 years and then cancel).

Some awesome things to note about this card:

You only need 15,000 miles for a short trip within North America (so you’re getting 2) or 25,000 for a long trip. You can check out this Flight Rewards Chart to find out how many miles you need for other types of flights. (like a one-way to Paris…juuuust sayin)

AMEX is a charge card, not a credit card, so it doesn’t affect your credit score as much (I’m still learning about credit scores so hopefully one day I can go into detail on this and better explain). The difference however is that with a charge card you have to pay off the balance each month in full.

This card has an amazing referral program. When you sign-up you can create a referral link of your own to send to friends, family, or post on facebook. For each person you refer you’ll get an bonus 10,000 miles! I’ve used my referral link in this post and also gave it to my travel buddies to use rather than sending them directly to the American Express website because it is only through a referral link that you can get the 30,000 bonus miles to start with. If you sign-up directly from the website the offer is for only 20,000 miles. So use the link and always send your referral link when getting your friends to sign up – everyone gets a better deal!

So sign up, wait for your AMEX and Aeroplan card to arrive, make you’re referral link (in your AMEX account under the Rewards tab), send it to everyone and their grandma, and soon all our trips will be free!!! Mwuahahah!! >:D (I must have been an evil genius in my past life)

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photo cred

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My Mad Fat Diary s2 - coming soon … just not as soon as you thought. [based]

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Every time I see these two I can't help but notice how much Jesse looks like a puppy and Emma looks like a cat...

So basically, Andrew Garfield acquired pets in the form of a best friend and girlfriend.

In other news, I can no longer get on with my life -

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Perfect.

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Started watching My Mad Fat Diary and omg I’m in love with the music! I already downloaded the soundtrack and I’m not even finished watching!

Hope they feature this awesome song next season :)

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rae + finn | give me love

  I've been hearing about this show for awhile now. This video made me finally decide to watch!

  Ugh! Tell me these two end up together!! Lie to me if you have to!

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HB to Bill Hader by ~seikuya

Happy Birthday Mountain Face :)

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I have no words - I'm just dying on the floor from laughing! omfg that face!!

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So I guess I’m dressing like Mugen this summer :D I haven’t watched anime in years, but my god does this make me wanna break out the ol’ anime external hardrive!

Mugen

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Let me guide you to the gallows...

I have no patience when it comes to making backgrounds..maybe one day I`ll finish this (that`s a lie)...anywho, you can download it HERE :)

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Ouch I have lost myself again Lost myself and I am nowhere to be found, Yeah I think that I might break lost myself again and I feel unsafe

Be my friend Hold me, wrap me up Unfold me I am small and needy Warm me up And breathe me

Can I have a Will Graham fanvid with this song now, please?? It’s so perfect and sad and fitting.

ughh Will….can I just give you a comfort blanket already!?

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I really want these photos to hang on my wall - hauntingly beautiful

Photography by Kyle Thompson | Flickr | Tumblr | Follow | Follow | Follow

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After 3 months without photoshop I finally have my beloved program returned to me!

Going to colour in this Hannibal sketch first because it has been the source of great pain and anguish for me these past few weeks...just sitting on my table...unfinished...GRR! Anyways..hope to have the finished one up soon :)