Leaving home was harder than I thought it would be but easier than I felt it should be. Its a hard thing to describe the leaving is so easy but all the ties and connections to people, places, and things are so hard to cut.
While it is not August 1st. as I write this I am remembering the details of those days and writing them down for others who are interested and wanting to read.
I left home early in the morning. Saying goodbye to my kittens Monkey and Cerulean before heading out to have my last breakfast for awhile with my grandfather. We ate and oddly enough I can't remember precisely where I ate or what I had. I think it was at a Bob Evans but it could as easily been at a 'Canadian Restaurant' we went to from time to time.
While I knew I would not be boarding the plane today I knew it would be the last time I saw my home and the area for a long time. After my pre-departure orientation I would be heading to the Detroit Metro Airport where my hotel was. And tomorrow I would be flying out.
I had my final Japanese lesson today. The last bit of practice before I would be thrust into Japan. I did not pick up much from it but it went over some of the basics and ingrained them into my head a bit better. Just being with other JETs who were as anxious as me was worth it. While I was learning Japanese my mother (my ride for the day) was out and about, taking a look at the stores around Oakland University and seeing what she could find as far as places to eat. A suprise was in store for me as the JET coordinator for my consulate asked if I would give a speach to the other departing JETs! I am not the best speaker and have never felt comfortable doing it but since I respected him (and all the other JETs had fled the room) I accepted. After the Japanese lesson we went and she bought me some sunglasses from a place called See and then we went off to eat at Olga's Kitchen, a place with had some excellent gyros.
There was still some time before the pre-departure orientation but we decided to head down there anyway. My mom had headed down there to find the place while I was in my Japanese lesson and it was a good thing since she had gotten lost on her trial run! But thankfully she learned from it and we got there with quite a bit time to spare. One of the first to arrive we simply sat in the parking lot of a church for awhile and watched as other JETs arrived early as well. After we had a large enough group we decided to start the walk from the parking lot to the residence of the Consule General.
It was a very very nice house and definitely had a sense of security about it with the gate and video cameras. As we entered we came upon a table with name tags and packets. As well as our passports with their new 3-year Japanese Visas. Getting them we moved to our seats. Knowing I would have to make a speech at one point or another I chose a chair closer to the front.
The atmosphere was relaxed as we talked to the other JETs around us seeing where each was from and trying to find others who were going to the same places. We started off with introductions each JET standing up giving some information about themselves and then sitting down. Each JET was also to say their biggest fear and what they were most looking forward to. My biggest fear at the moment was public speaking, and what I was looking forward to most in apan was meeting the teachers, students, and community where I would live in teach... and becoming a part of them.
A bit more generic info that most of us already knew but probably needed hammered into our skulls a bit more followed the introductions (which for around 60 people took some time). There was a talk about culture shock and then there was a reception where we had a break to eat, drink, and socialize. The sushi that had been warming on the tables for the past few hours didn't really hold that much interest for me so I instead went with a simple drink. One of the speakers had lived in Shiga for awhile and I talked with him for quite a bit. I also found the other person (remembering him from the introductions) who was also going to Shiga. Considering that Michigan has a sister-state relationship with Shiga I was suprised to find out that we were the only two of our group heading there.
The group slowly broke up and we headed off back to the church parking lot (closest public parking to the 'event') where my mother was waiting (but had not been the entire time). I was tired but a burning anticipation was inside m. For I knew that... it was happening. That I was really going. That this time tomorrow I would be mid-flight on the airplane.
It took about an hour to get through the suprisingly light Detroit traffic. We got to the hotel which was actually connected right to the airplane terminal I would be taking off from. I got my bags and said goodbye to Jackie (my mother's orange car) and we went to our room. I went through everything double checking what I had and laid out every bit I would need for the next day. We found that we could go to the airplane terminal since we were staying at that hotel. It took a bit to get the security pass and then to go through security (which was even more exciting since my mother has metal replacement knees). It gave me an idea what it would be like the next day and since I was not in a hurry took it with some interest.
We ate at a mid-eastern restaurant in the terminal and then headed back to our room to sleep. Tomorrow... I would be leaving the country for my new job in Japan.
While it is not August 1st. as I write this I am remembering the details of those days and writing them down for others who are interested and wanting to read.
I left home early in the morning. Saying goodbye to my kittens Monkey and Cerulean before heading out to have my last breakfast for awhile with my grandfather. We ate and oddly enough I can't remember precisely where I ate or what I had. I think it was at a Bob Evans but it could as easily been at a 'Canadian Restaurant' we went to from time to time.
While I knew I would not be boarding the plane today I knew it would be the last time I saw my home and the area for a long time. After my pre-departure orientation I would be heading to the Detroit Metro Airport where my hotel was. And tomorrow I would be flying out.
I had my final Japanese lesson today. The last bit of practice before I would be thrust into Japan. I did not pick up much from it but it went over some of the basics and ingrained them into my head a bit better. Just being with other JETs who were as anxious as me was worth it. While I was learning Japanese my mother (my ride for the day) was out and about, taking a look at the stores around Oakland University and seeing what she could find as far as places to eat. A suprise was in store for me as the JET coordinator for my consulate asked if I would give a speach to the other departing JETs! I am not the best speaker and have never felt comfortable doing it but since I respected him (and all the other JETs had fled the room) I accepted. After the Japanese lesson we went and she bought me some sunglasses from a place called See and then we went off to eat at Olga's Kitchen, a place with had some excellent gyros.
There was still some time before the pre-departure orientation but we decided to head down there anyway. My mom had headed down there to find the place while I was in my Japanese lesson and it was a good thing since she had gotten lost on her trial run! But thankfully she learned from it and we got there with quite a bit time to spare. One of the first to arrive we simply sat in the parking lot of a church for awhile and watched as other JETs arrived early as well. After we had a large enough group we decided to start the walk from the parking lot to the residence of the Consule General.
It was a very very nice house and definitely had a sense of security about it with the gate and video cameras. As we entered we came upon a table with name tags and packets. As well as our passports with their new 3-year Japanese Visas. Getting them we moved to our seats. Knowing I would have to make a speech at one point or another I chose a chair closer to the front.
The atmosphere was relaxed as we talked to the other JETs around us seeing where each was from and trying to find others who were going to the same places. We started off with introductions each JET standing up giving some information about themselves and then sitting down. Each JET was also to say their biggest fear and what they were most looking forward to. My biggest fear at the moment was public speaking, and what I was looking forward to most in apan was meeting the teachers, students, and community where I would live in teach... and becoming a part of them.
A bit more generic info that most of us already knew but probably needed hammered into our skulls a bit more followed the introductions (which for around 60 people took some time). There was a talk about culture shock and then there was a reception where we had a break to eat, drink, and socialize. The sushi that had been warming on the tables for the past few hours didn't really hold that much interest for me so I instead went with a simple drink. One of the speakers had lived in Shiga for awhile and I talked with him for quite a bit. I also found the other person (remembering him from the introductions) who was also going to Shiga. Considering that Michigan has a sister-state relationship with Shiga I was suprised to find out that we were the only two of our group heading there.
The group slowly broke up and we headed off back to the church parking lot (closest public parking to the 'event') where my mother was waiting (but had not been the entire time). I was tired but a burning anticipation was inside m. For I knew that... it was happening. That I was really going. That this time tomorrow I would be mid-flight on the airplane.
It took about an hour to get through the suprisingly light Detroit traffic. We got to the hotel which was actually connected right to the airplane terminal I would be taking off from. I got my bags and said goodbye to Jackie (my mother's orange car) and we went to our room. I went through everything double checking what I had and laid out every bit I would need for the next day. We found that we could go to the airplane terminal since we were staying at that hotel. It took a bit to get the security pass and then to go through security (which was even more exciting since my mother has metal replacement knees). It gave me an idea what it would be like the next day and since I was not in a hurry took it with some interest.
We ate at a mid-eastern restaurant in the terminal and then headed back to our room to sleep. Tomorrow... I would be leaving the country for my new job in Japan.
