2012 New Year's Resolutions

Not sure why this never made it up, but here were my 2012 New Year's Resolutions:


1) Study hard for and pass the Japanese Language Proficiency Test level 2 in July of 2012
2) Find a job of my liking that will commence at the end of my 2011-2012 JET contract

To my happy surprise, I accomplished both of these goals! Technically I didn't have a job until 2013 after all of my travels were done, but I think that the seeds had been planted in 2012, so I'll count it. Next up, I'll post my 2013 goals and see where we stand as of the end of September...


-L

Golden Week Holiday

I spent one of Japan's beloved holidays, Golden Week, in my house sick with a cold.  I was able to get out for one of the days however, and we drove down to Kawaguchiko, one of the five lakes on the north side near the base of the grand volcano and Japan's symbol, Mount Fuji.  Here are a few shots from the day.

We visited Itchiku Kubota Art Museum and Saiko Iyashino-Sato Nenba, a traditional craft village.  We had also planned to visit a common starting point for Fuji's climb, Sengen Shrine.  The Golden Week traffic caught up with us however, and instead of sitting on a 4-mile stretch for several hours, we decided to cut our day short and go home.

I can't believe that my time in Japan is coming to an end.  I want to focus on having fun, creating lasting memories, and packing to go home, but my mind is also preoccupied by the Japanese Language Proficiency Test that I will be taking on July 1st.  I have very little chance of actually passing this test, but I will take it none-the-less.  If nothing else, it will be good practice for the next one I plan to take in NY next year.

Spring is here! Eco-challenge for this week - try drying all of your clothes on hangers or on a line instead of using a drying machine.  They dry faster than you think, and you'll save some money too!