Maizuru, Kyoto, Japan
Looks kind of like Gakke no Ue no Ponyo (ENG. PONYO)
http://www.sumitomo.gr.jp/english/discoveries/town/maizuru01.html
So far so good. The term is catching up with me and I've been tired this week, but ballet last night seemed to pull me out of it. When I get tired I am so tempted to not work out or move at all... but it really helps. So moral of the story, when you're feeling tired just give some light exercise a whirl (ballet isn't that light ; ) So I guess i'm pretty strong these days)...
There is definitely something to say about changing up your brain-waves. I feel like I use the same part of my brain all day at school and blowing off steam through activity is just what I need.
I will be going to JAPAN for the first time since 2007 very soon. I've got some interviews there and am excited that most of them are in AICHI where a lot of my friends are located. (Although, not all of them are there, there are a lot in HIROSHIMA and of course most exchange students I meet at uni are from KANTO-Tokyo) Depending on what happens at the companies, I am very interested in interviewing for a job in MAIZURU, Japan. Besides having an awesome name, it is a small port town with a lot of beaches. I bet they get a lot of stuff coming in from Korea (or maybe it is more of a symbolic military-type port, I'm not sure.)
There is someone on Youtube who is documenting culture through driving around his town (MAIZURU) and along the TANBA highway. He usually sets these adventures to great music. I will go home and find the movie I bookmarked. Anyway it's fun to youtube all the cities where there are jobs.
It might be best to start out in Aichi where I know some people, but I'm totally up for living away from it all in a small town. Watching the youtube videos I've totally fallen in love with Maizuru and even if I don't get the job, it will certainly be a pleasure to travel there.
One of the companies is an ALT company, based largely out of Nagoya (Aichi) which is a great plus, but they have jobs all over the place in locations that I know. I would love to be an ALT... as my inkling is that its more of an immersing type experience in Japanese culture. You're not only an English teacher but become part of a school. I know a lot depends on the school and how many schools you're working at.
I'd be happy anywhere, I hope at least one of these interviews will result in a job... and wouldn't that be great if I got my pick! I know the market isn't what it used to be but I know I'm qualified and I've been wanting this forever... so it's just a matter of making things reality.
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BIG RANT (ignore if you're so inclined)
One thing standing in my way is the Academic Requirements Committee. I had to apply to have a sociology class I took for honors college to be counted as non-history "social science" credit. The committee refused it, stating that they wouldn't be disturbing my plans too much to detain me here to take a class. Oh my, all I can say bureaucracy in this shade is not my favorite. It has been stressing me, but that is another thing that ballet helped me take off my mind.
My writing credit has already been taken care of.
The Committee will reconvene since the writing credit waiver has only just processed.
It just makes your soul hurt to be in such a situation. How to get through human emotion and need in such a detached, bureaucratic situation.
We will see. Must keep my thoughts positive and visualize what I want to happen.
But it's left me feeling heartbroken and strung out this week.
I'll keep you posted. It's a life lesson, but I'm not going down without fighting this. I legitimately took a sociology class when I was in the honors college. Honors college didn't work out, but I still paid (honors college fees, by the way) and did my time. It's not like I'm evading a requirement... I just fulfilled it by the means that had been described to me at the time.
Universities... are... difficult to deal with. But I think things might work out. My degree audit was updated today to show that I completed my writing credit.
I explained my entire situation... I don't understand how anyone can deny someone's pleas. Gosh it's like being on trial. They bring up everything and have grilled me. Sprinkle me with salt and eat me whole. Anything is better than seeing my dreams which are so close now being taken away now because they will not see my sociology class (400 level with a thesis paper, I might add, which WAS honors college gen ed), as EQUIVALENT to 200 level intro survey classes. How is that inequivalent? Doesn't that EXCEED? It's honors because they force you to go ABOVE and BEYOND... so why is the beyond being punished?
Where is the logic in the world? Where is it? I don't see it. But I have seen the face of pure evil. Sometimes I forget it exists, but then there are things like this to show you that it is truly out there. Watch your back. Dot your i's and cross your t's.
Phew that was quite a vent. But I am hoping in my heart of hearts, since they are meeting again, and they said that "having the writing requirement not met" "tipped the balance" (even though I explained that it was already approved... but JUST NOW processed today after I e-mailed various people all around the university) so they will meet again now that it is processed.
Someone save us all.
No, I cannot "just take an online poli-sci class" (Why? Isn't that like going backward since I have already done all this honors work in sociology?) because then I wont' get my visa and I won't be able to work.
Sheesh.
End rant. Sorry for that. I will try to post little tidbits about various cities in Japan that interest me. POSITIVE stuff.
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This weekend I'm writing a paper about Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore. It's turning into a comparison to Norwegian Wood... which is fitting since we are covering it in class. So similarities, differences, things that become themes for Haruki Murakami.
It will be posted in Japanese. Since I have to write it in Japanese. The fun part will be making the powerpoint/presentation on it.
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