I have actually been in Japan for 2 weeks...absolutely amazing...

I really cannot believe that I have been in Japan for two weeks...I feel like I have just arrived! It is probably due to the fact that I have been really busy with training...first in Okayama and then at my branch school in Fuji, Japan! I haven`t posted lately, because I have had sporadic internet since I have arrived...lack of internet cafes or far distances from me to them! Fuji`s nearest internet cafe is a 20-25 minute walk　from　my apartment. BUT enough of my complaining...Japan rocks! Internet and communication issues with the states are the only negative points, and it will be remedied in a month when I get my alien registration card. I need the actual card to get internet in my apartment and to get a cell phone so it is a month away at least...I hope it goes quickly! ;) Since I haven`t posted in a couple weeks...I am going to recap using multiple posts to cover everything...pictures will come later when I have time!

Only 10 Days till liftoff...literally

Howdy Visitors (and no I don't usually greet people like that but I couldn't help it...lol),

My name is Katherine, and it is a pleasure to meet you (sort of..since technically I am not meeting you exactly...you are just meeting me through a blog...or you probably already know me since you came to this page...oh well, as Rochelle, a friend, would say, "moving along")!  I am writing this blog for my family and friends who wish to keep up with my adventures and experiences in Japan for the next year!  These people are going to be what I will miss the most during my excursion to Fuji, Shizuoka, Japan.  Although I am excited about this experience, I am not looking forward to all of the things that I will miss while I am gone from the states...THIS MEANS THAT EVERYONE HAS TO KEEP ME INFORMED OR ELSE...just kidding...but I will try to keep up on the news by Facebook stalking everyone (I honestly never thought I would be glad about Facebook's changes over the years...sigh...lol)...please do be too creeped out by this; just think of it as Katherine being really interested in your life...haha (as the theme to Halloween or the Exorcist plays in the backgroud)!  Sorry...read the "About Me" thing...I really have a horrible sense of humor, and I am actually having a blast writing this post...which probably doesn't say much about what amuses me!

Oh and since this is my first post...I thought that I should post the very first Japanese song that I ever heard (thanks to one of my Japanese residents)...so take some time to chill by listening to some Japanese pop music...

"Sakura Drops" by Utada Hikaru

On a more personal note, I have an odd (quite weird, really) sense of humor (usually a bit corny most times), and if you haven’t already discovered, I am addicted to using parentheses and ellipses (except in formal writing or instruction...which this is not...yay...freedom!)  I am a recent graduate of a university in Alabama, and I think my state is a funny (but awesome) place to grow up.  I am long winded (warning…feel free to skim through posts in future), and quite frequently random even to the point of confusing myself...my profile name is my dinosaur name (an inside family joke that I just had to use...ask Allison if you have questions) and yes, everyone has one including you.  :)

A little bit about my situation...in ten days (Thursday, May 13th), I will be flying out of Nashville to Chicago then San Francisco and finally landing in Osaka, Japan on May 15th.  I have a long layover in Chicago...yay...I might get to see my aunt and uncle before I leave!  :)  Anyways, I will be heading to Japan to teach English to a wide array of children of various ages and some adults with the AEON Amity Corporation for a year.  I will be living in Fuji City (Fuji-shi) in the Shizuoka Prefecture (prefectures are like states) of Japan.

Here is a map of this location: 

Japan's Prefectures

Shizuoka's Cities

Fuji is a small city of 230,000 inhabitants.  It is located just south of Mount Fuji and is on a major train line, which makes it very convenient to travel to Tokyo and other nearby larger cities such as Yokohama.  I am really excited to be placed in this city and cannot wait to explore and meet new people.  I will be living in an apartment that is really convenient to the school...only a 5 minute walk!  My school will have another NET (Native English Teacher) like me, but he will also be split between another school and Fuji Amity (spending half of the week at Fuji and the other half at another school).  I have gotten to email both the NET that I am replacing and the other NET that I will be teaching with, and they have been great at answering all of my questions (I really bombarded them with questions...so I really appreciate their willingness to answer everything)!

I have also been chatting with another NET that I will be traveling and training with.  It has been nice to talk to someone who has very similar questions!  There will be a total of 13 people (counting me) at training.  Once we fly into Osaka, we will spend the next week training in Okayama!  I have been told it is very intense week of training so don't expect many updates if any at all...I also won't have internet readily available for me to update for the first couple weeks so I will probably rely mainly on Facebook since it is much easier to update.

I am really excited about my foray into Japan, and I cannot wait to share all of the cool things I learn, see, and experience!!!  Part of me is ready to be there already just because of all of the packing and stuff I have had to take care of before I leave...but a small part is dreading the trip to the airport with my family...that is going to be really rough!!!  I know that this is where I am suppose to be for the next year, so pray that I will make new friends quickly, not get lost too many times (or at least discover cool new places while I am lost), and be blessed with people willing to help out a transplanted Alabamian who is very far from home...tune in next time for more of Katherine's ramblings...

Take a quick break...enjoy this really random picture...of someone else's cat...

End Notes: What not to expect from this blog…

(1) Daily, Weekly, Monthly Updates...I have no idea when I will post something new...but I will try to be somewhat consistent in my usage of this blog...SORRY in advance for long periods of static!

(2) Me choosing writing over sleep...not going to happen...I love my sleep so I may choose to write only on my off days or something like that...lol...who truly knows?

(3) Conciseness...I am long-winded in my normal speech patterns and will probably be so in this blog too ('cause I can and wait...I think I already have...whoops!?!) so don't expect any miraculous changes in that...plus I don't have a set limit like I do on facebook with my status updates...haha...

THE END...Aren't you glad that it is over!  Oh...and I forgive you for skimming over the content instead of actually reading...those long, random, pointless paragraphs are quite frightening sometimes!  Smiles and have a blessed day! :)