Hyogo~ing 2k17

However on the way down  I tripped,  just as I got off the cablecar and was approaching the bus that would take me back to Himeji. If it weren’t for my mum there I’m sure I would’ve fainted because I was barely aware of what was happening with cablecar staff rushing me to the bathroom to clean the blood of my leg. They kept telling me to go to the hospital but were also a bit hesitant since it was a Sunday. So my mum collected some first aid equipment from them and took me to the bus . After I returned to my senses I found I could walk a bit so we assumed I didn’t break anything - thus I didn’t need to go to the hospital. For a period of about 3-4 weeks I had trouble walking and running but it felt like it was healing

At my placement I am lucky to have a co-jet , a lot of schools don’t. Having a co-jet allowed for a smoother process of settling in. However a lot of schools don’t have more than 1 jet so I won’t get into detail about it.

My commute is long but bearable . My workplace takes about 50min-1hr to get to everyday, however it is also pretty close to the closest city (Himeji) so after work I usually can go to the city to eat & shop. Because of distance/time/how often I go to the city I opted to get a commuter pass because it does save money in the long run

My apartment is described as small but it is perfect size for someone like me. I have a 2DLK - so two rooms + living room + kitchen and bathroom. One room is used as a bedroom while the other room functions as a walk in closet. My kitchen is small but I make do I have a portable stove , a toaster oven , a halogen tabletop oven as well as ricecooker, normal toaster and kettle left by my predecessor. I have never used a toaster oven and halogen tabletop oven before but I will learn in time I think. My bath is very small but I prefer to shower anyway. 

I try to participate in as many AJET events as possible . It is easy to feel out of the loop and alone especially when you live far away from the main city (in my case Kobe) - events allow me to meet people again and keep up with the news/gossip etc

I have also joined the Hyogo AJET committee to help organise stuff /events . Currently trying to revamp the website. 

I’ve had some minor inconveniences: within the first three weeks I fell down pretty badly and couldn’t walk properly for a few weeks. I can walk fine now but my knee is still recovering and I still feel pain when walking sometimes. Also a few weeks ago I noticed one of my ‘go to’ shoes are falling apart. 

I haven’t traveled to as many places as I originally wanted but I’ll get there with time.

A lot of people around me are hopping into relationships and asking when I’ll get into one, personally relationships are my last priority here so it doesn’t really bother me - I prefer being alone which isn’t bad imo. 

I don’t feel my Japanese is improving that much but I also see it because I haven’t really decided to undertake any serious study here yet

One of the dilemmas that struck me at the time was references , at university I wasn’t really close to any of my teachers and even if I wanted to get close to a particular teacher it was difficult. 

Around October 2015 I learned about the Meiji Short Course through one of my International Relations classes. Then it hit me ‘If I am able to go on such a program, the professor in charge may be able to vouch for me’ . So in December when the short course applications were open I applied straight away - I wouldn’t know till March if I got accepted or not. 

The wait was long and I still had struggle finding a second reference. However during mid-semester I found that I was getting along with my International Marketing teacher and that he had a positive impression of me. I was also doing decent enough in the class consistently being in the top 10% in that semester. 

March came, and I was rejected from the Meiji program. I was a bit upset but my mum suggested I write back to them and ask to be put on the ‘waiting list’. I didn’t have much hopes since only 10 people were chosen. But alas, in April someone did drop out of the program and I was picked as a backup!  I was absolutely thrilled ! 

During the program (June-July) I asked the professor if he would be willing to be my reference for the program and he gladly obliged! 

Come September I decided to start on the application - the form was no problem, I enjoy filling out forms because after filling out my study abroad forms in 2015 any other form felt small in comparison.  Statement of purpose - no problem . I enjoy writing about my experiences/ how they affect me/how I will use skills learned  from my experiences  and since I volunteered at the Japan Foundation & other places consistently during the year I was able to back up my said skills.  

I hear volunteering adds great points to your application so if you can voulnteer anywhere at least a year beforehand you can get points!  Volunteering in places where you have to assist people , like teaching / working with kids or volunteering in Japan(ese) related groups is a great way to enhance your application. 

[note : I’ve been an active volunteer for many organisations since around 2012]   [note2: whilst i was a volunteer I was only rarely paid + I have never been formally employed somewhere] 

References - I had recieved my reference from  my short program professor but my International Marketing teacher wasn’t replying to my emails. At first I decided to wait a few weeks, however as time passed I got more anxious. I didn’t have a ‘backup reference’ other teachers who taught me in that semester -  I wasn’t close to, and one of my closer teachers I was really awkward with and couldn’t tell whether she hated me or not lol . About a week before the application was due my International Marketing finally replied (he was hiking in Japanese Mountains) and he said he was happy to be my reference. With 3 days to the closing date I express posted my application pack to the embassy. 

I was fairly confident in my application, whilst I didn’t have formal teaching qualifications I did have other experiences & skills that I felt would be something positive for the program. 

Come December, I decided to take the JLPT N4 test just to back up my skills and refresh the Japanese in my mind. The test was hella long and i was beyond tired by the time the listening stage came. 

Mid December the results came and I was accepted for an Interview in February!    January - my JLPT results came and I passed the N4! 

February - the interview time. I was really nervous , I had a good idea of what questions they’d ask me and I was ready to answer them when asked. I just hoped they wouldn’t ask me to sing or dance (as i read some people had to). Regardless I get nervous easily and end up speaking fast. During the interview all the questions they asked me were questions i knew the answer for. “Curveball questions” such as “how would I deal living alone” were easy for me because I had already experienced that when I was on exchange for 6 months @ KGU.  The Japanese part was ok for me too... I was nervous and couldn’t exactly properly answer all the questions but I tried my best even and would not say ‘skip’ to any question because one word answers are better than none.  I answered all questions(english&japanese) to the best of my nervousness. 

After the interview I couldn’t tell whether I had a good interview or not. A part of me felt i did really good- I made the interviewers laugh and I managed to answer all questions without hesitation. Another part of me felt my answers were lacking and that my ‘fast speaking’ would be a turn off for them.