Orientation A comes to an end.

July 27, 2010

Hello there!

How are you all doing?

Tonight is our last night in the hotel.  We finished up the main orientation and are being shipped off to our individual prefectures tomorrow.  I’ll be going to breakfast around 7:30 AM, then getting on the bus to go to Yamanashi-ken by 8:40 or so.  It should take us about 2 hours to drive to Kofu, which is the “capital” of Yamanashi.  (There are about 11 of us JETs in Orientation A that are going to Yamanashi this year.  All of the 11 are ALTs, not CIRs.  I don’t know anything about the people in Orientation B, who are coming next week.)

After we get to Kofu, we’ll be picked up by our Board of Education representative or our individual supervisors.  I think that Mr. Amemiya from the B.O.E. of Isawa will be picking me up.  We’ll be going around to do all of the major paper work that I have to finish before I can do anything like get a cell phone, or buy a car.  I don’t think I plan on buying a car, but it is necessary to have a personal stamp, alien registration card, and other such documents before you can truly function in society (like get a bank account or get national health insurance).

Because I need to get all of these things before I can sign up for the internet or telephone service, it may be some time before I regularly check my e-mail.  Maybe a week or two?  Maybe more or maybe less?  I honestly have no idea, and as JET would say, “every situation is different.”  Tomorrow (Wednesday) I’ll be doing these sorts of errands.  Thursday is a free day for me to unpack and buy small things from the local stores.  Food, cookies supplies, soaps, etc.)  On Friday I believe I am expected to go into the Board of Education office to meet people, and start preparing myself for school classes.  I have a lot of ideas, and I’m looking forward to asking about implementing them.

This evening I was able to meet up with a few friends from Waseda too!  It was a lot of fun to meet up with them, and actually try speaking “young” Japanese again.  Megan (from my study abroad program) invited me to go meet up with them for dinner, and then I invited my hotel roommate Wendy to go along as well.  It was a blast, and I think we all gained a lot from it.  It’s nice that I’m living so close to Tokyo, because I feel as though I can come back from time to time to visit, shop, etc.

I’m sorry again if I’m MIA for the next few days, but don’t worry because I assure you nothing bad has happened to me.  The JET Program has been so amazing about helping us through the whole orientation that everything has gone very smoothly and efficiently.  Of course this is not only JET, but also the Japanese way.  I do appreciate it, even if sometimes decisions are slow in the making.  JET also has a great support suystem for current and past JETs.  There is an organization called AJET, The Association for Japan Exchange and Teaching, and currently they have a regional support representative position open.  It is rare for 1^st years to be in the position, but right now it is open and they are looking.  I am trying to inquire more about this right now, and I’ll let you know if anything comes of it.  I hope so, but if not I’ll do the best with what I can just as a JET, not as a JET/AJET.  I did join the association however, which is free and is a good support and reference group.

Well, seeing as how I’m going to have to get a lot done tomorrow and possibly meet some co-workers and employers, I’m going to go to bed so that I’m not too tired in the morning.

I’m thinking about all of you, and apologize that I cannot e-mail you each a personal e-mail.

The orientation went very well, and I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.  We’ll have another Prefectural orientation in our region in August, and I’ll meet some more JETs of Yamanashi at that time.

Love you.

Lana

P.S. 

Orientation A

Three views from our hotel room in Shinjuku.

Wendy and I shared this room.