Work and Halloween

I had a week of observation at work, where I observed the departing teacher's classes and also a few of the head teacher's classes, and now this week I'm teaching my full schedule.  I got my internet just a couple days ago, and I'm glad to have it!  Apparently I got everything super fast, almost none of the others in my training group have internet or even phones yet.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised though, the only reason I got mine so fast is because I didn't wait for any of the Japanese staff to come with me.  Normally someone will accompany you to get your bank account and also to get your cell phone, but the school is super busy so I told my manager I could do it by myself.  I really wanted that bank account so that I could get a phone!!  Once I got my phone, internet wasn't such a big deal since I could access it through the phone, but I actually managed to get internet pretty fast too.  My apartment is already set up for fiber-optic internet and the landlord has a deal with the provider, so I didn't need to go shopping around for it.

I went out for Halloween with another girl from my training group.  It was pretty fun!  We dressed up as gyaru (it's a Shibuya fashion subculture) and went to dinner, to karaoke, and out clubbing.  There were lots of people dressed up in Shibuya so it was a good atmosphere.  When we took purikura though, the place was packed!  There were so many girls wanting to take photos in their Halloween costumes.

Me and Jacqueline, after getting ready in a department store restroom!

We took purikura photos with this group of Japanese guys that we met while walking around Shibuya

Training is over

Training is over, and I'll be heading to my school on Monday!  For now I've got the weekend free before starting up work proper.  Went out last night with a bunch of my fellow trainees to all night karaoke here in Omiya, and am now recovering before heading into Tokyo this evening.  This has been a really thorough and fun training!  They are really clear about expectations and the workload, and there's been a ton of practice in preparing lesson plans and actually teaching.  We got to teach mini lessons to actual Japanese students as well, which was awesome.  I'm looking forward to meeting everyone at my school;  apparently the other native English teacher is really cool, so I'm hoping he'll be up for going out and about in Shimokita after work.  A lot of the other trainees here are going to be working in the Tokyo area, so we should be able to still hang out.  A few of the guys are going up north, so I'm definitely thinking that a winter vacation up in Niigata or Yamagata might be in order.

Me and a few of the other trainees at the seminar house

In Omiya

At the training center in Omiya!  I got my schedule for when I get to my branch school, but I still don't know where my apartment is because I'm getting a new one, not the one that the teacher I'm replacing is in now.  Crossing my fingers that it's a bit closer than the 30 min the old teacher's apt was from the school!
Took a walk down to Omiya station with some of the other trainees, it's a pretty far walk but there's a bunch of stuff by the station, lots of karaoke and restaurants and even a couple department stores.
I was doing pretty well this afternoon, but the jet lag is definitely hitting right about now.  I've got some stuff to do beforehand but it's gonna be another early night tonight I think!

In LA

Hanging out at my hotel in LA, about to take a nap I think.  My flights from Jax to here went quite smoothly, no delays or anything!  It's so much better to have a suitcase with four wheels, I can push it around instead of having to drag it behind me and the difference is amazing.  When I have some spare cash I think I'll go ahead and get a small one with four wheels as well, it's really worth it to upgrade.
I'm going to have to leave super early tomorrow morning to catch the airport shuttle and make my flight to Japan!  Hopefully the neck pillow will make sleeping on the plane easier.  I'm so tired already from getting up at seven this morning in order to finish packing and make my flight here, I'm going to be dead on my feet if I can't get any sleep on the plane!  Then training starts the very next day... wish me luck!

Wait, it came!

Okaaaay so the COE actually arrived today!  I had totally written it off as a lost cause and was all set to switch everything over to leave on the 31st instead, but now all of a sudden the 10th might be back on.  I rushed over to the post office after getting all my documents together and overnighted it all to Miami, complete with overnight return envelope.  Cost a ton, so they better come through and get it to me in time!!  I'm going to call the embassy on Monday and explain my situation and hope they can expedite the visa process for me.  I'll also have to call my recruiter and tell him that the COE arrived after all, because things were already in motion for me to switch everything over to the 31st.  Everyone wish me luck!!

Delays

Well, it looks like I'll be in the States for an extra month : (  My COE was lost by the post office!  Why do I always have such trouble with the mail?  Anyway at this point it's looking basically impossible to make it to the Oct. 11 training, so I'm going to have to change my flights and my contract and go for the November training instead.  It's a hassle, but at least I still have my position, and I'll still be able to go to Shimokitazawa.  Japanese immigration have issued me a second COE, so I just need to wait for that one to get here (and hope that there are no problems with it this time!) then send it on down to Miami.  I guess a plus side to all this is that I won't have to rush around trying to beat a really close deadline anymore, and I'll be able to keep working for another couple weeks and get a couple extra paychecks.  I'm sad that I won't be able to meet up with my friend from the interview at training, though.

COE issued! One last step to go

My certificate of eligibility was finally issued from Japan, so now I just have to wait for it to get here so I can send it off to the Japanese consulate in Miami and get my visa.  Can't wait for all this initial paperwork to be over with!  At least I'm able to mail it to Miami instead of having to go there in person, like I had to for my French visa.

Less than a month to go, and I still have stuff I need to get, too.  Gotta pick up a nice, versatile suit jacket for work (suit jacket is required!), and I still need a new carryon suitcase to replace my old one that was broken on the flight from New York to Jacksonville.  I would like a new big suitcase too if at all possible, one with four rolling wheels so it would be easier to carry.  I should also probably pick up either a backpack or a large duffel for short trips while I'm in Japan.  Now I'm regretting not getting a giant Longchamp travel bag when they were on sale in Paris!

I'm really glad for my Jessica McClintock job, haha.  I'm getting good hours so my last couple paychecks have been decent.  With homecoming season starting to be in full swing, maybe I can start making some commission too... lately sales have been too low for any commission but they have been picking up.  I'm still gonna be short the amount the company wants everyone to bring to Japan with them (since I won't get a full paycheck there until a couple months in), but hopefully I'll be able to manage with whatever I can scrape up.  It's not like I'm a stranger to living frugally, so it should be fine.