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My first day in Japan - a summary

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Pre-departure orientation

So hot and stuffy. At least they could have turned the AC on in that big lecture hall we had to stay in for like 837 hours. I don’t know if they did it on purpose to get us used to the AC-less Japan school life... bUT IT WAS SO HOT //ends rant

I’VE MET SOME REALLY AWESOME PEOPLE/ CAN YOU BELIEVEEEE, everyone was so nice there bless. We have such a cute Saitama group with the most awesome people. It already feels like family. I’m so glad~~

I’ve also met people going to Yamagata, Okinawa, and Tokyo. Literally amazing people.I’m SO excited to meet everyone again at Tokyo orientation!

That ambassador’s reception at the Japanese embassy in London must have been the most grand thing I have attended in my 23 years of living. The ambassador was so great. He made lots of anime puns in his speech, it was hilarious. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever had to do so much socializing in my life. It actually felt great :’D

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Apartment stuff

So! After having my supervisor call up the real estate agents, it will now be possible to take over my predecessor’s 2DK apartment. It won’t come easy though. Lease re-contract in her name, changing name of contractor to my name once I get there, getting a guarantor, first month rent... all in all my apartment setup cost will amount to approximately 240,000 yen (Approx. $2000). My rent for this place will be 59,000 yen. Monthly maintenance cost is 3,000 yen and my utility bills will be around 15,000 yen. God knows how much I need to spend on my internet and phone contracts. .... Lets not forget grocery shopping and furniture that I need to buy from my predecessor.

My monthly house keeping will easily surpass 100,000 yen ($800). I will live in Kasukabe-shi, which is about 20 miles away from Tokyo. For a 2DK, this is considered pretty cheap. My friend is going to live 15 minutes away from Tokyo and has to pay a good 10,000 yen more than me for the cheapest 1K apartment.

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Kasukabe-shi

An email from one of the JTEs at my future main teaching school arrived today! (In my junk folder lol)

I will be working in Kasukabe city in an all girls’ high school! The school looks really neat, I’m very excited! I don’t know if I’ll be teaching at other schools yet. Still waiting for more info from my predecessor. Even though I have a predecessor, I won’t be able to inherit their apartment for some odd reason. The school suggested that they help me find a new one. I’ll probably ask for an apartment with no key money or deposit since I can’t afford that with my current money situation.

I have messaged my predecessor on FB, just waiting for a reply. I’m sure she’s extremely busy at the moment, so I need to be patient! Plus it’s exams week so it must be pretty hectic.

I finally know where I’ll be staying for the next year or so! No complaints here! Plus Kasukabe is the city shin chan was based on!

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Got this in the mail today!! General information for Saitama-ken JETs. Nothing about specific placement details. Apparently we should be contacted by our predecessors soon! So excited!

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After school bike rides.

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144-Year-Old Japanese Pink Wisteria Tree

Covering an area of over 2,000 square meters, this tree has been part of the Ashikaga Flower Park in Japan since 1870. Because of the nature of Wisteria trees spreading, it’s heavy branches are now supported by metal structures allowing tourists to get amazing photo opportunity below its canopy. (Source)

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i relate to every word out of this man’s mouth

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In Japan, Golden Week is a string of national holidays that results in a 5 day weekend for everyone not in a service industry. So lots of families and couples will go out, especially to tourist-y areas.

These pictures were taken at the Shibazakura in Chichibu of Saitama Prefecture. I found it fascinating not just how many people were all at this display of flowers, but how so many people were unabashedly taking selfies of them enjoying being there. In the end, all of the selfies look just the same, with just different faces cut and pasted in front of the flowers. What makes these people’s experiences different? Why do we feel the need to capture not just a picture of the destination, but proof that we ourselves were there?

Humans are strange creatures.

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Bamboo Grove in Higashi Matsuyama, Saitama, Japan | src |

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Sent in my medical form and accident insurance form today. I hope they receive it soon. I think that’s everything.... almost. I need to fill out a Yakkan Shoumei application form for my iron tablets. 

I’m pretty sure I’ll find iron tablets in Japan, It’s just that I don’t know if they are from the same brand I’m taking now. The ones I’m currently taking don’t give me any side effects so they’re holy to me. I need a good supply to take with me I guess.

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PLACED IN SAITAMA PREFECTURE!

FINALLY MY LETTER ARRIVED. I’M SO HAPPY. I guess that means I’ll be a high school teacher since its a prefectural placement  :’)

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Apparently they’ve sent out the UK placement notifications today. So they should arrive by tomorrow for some of us... as I’m quite far away from London, mine will probably arrive next week Tuesday since Monday is a bank holiday. Lets just hope it arrives tomorrow so I don’t have to go into hibernation for the next 3 days. 

I have my insurance paper all filled out. I will send it with my medical form once I receive my JET number along with my placement details.

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Everyone else is raving about their placement details while us UK shortlisters are sitting here trying not to cry and flip about not receiving any letters through the post.

Why are we the only ones not receiving email notifications _(:3

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Got an appointment next week for the Mantoux TB test. Thats the last thing I have left of the Health certificate paper. I should be able to send it in before the deadline in June. In other news: Its almost the middle of May! Still don't have a clue about my placement details. I literally wake up every morning and sit by the door to wait for the postman to arrive. Today he didn't stop by _(:3 it was so depressing... I really don't think I can take this anymore. I don't know what I'll do if I don't get something by the end of this week. I feel really envious of the US JETs as they receive emails about their status' and what not... here in the UK everything is done by post. Its so frustrating!!

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弓道, kyūdō, Japanese archery

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MAY IS FINALLY HERE

I know they said we'd receive our placement notifications from mid to late May... but a part of me is hoping they'd send them out a little earlier this year _(:3