On Wednesday, all the new JETs (and a few of the old ones) took a day trip to climb Tateyama (立山), one of Japan’s 3 tallest peaks, which is located just a couple hours from my town. It was, unfortunately, a bit cloudy that day, but it was nonetheless beautiful. Here’s a few pictures from the trip. The peak of Tateyama is at just over 3,000 meters. Roughly 15 of the JETs made it that far. Me, I made it to about 2,300 meters before I started to feel dizzy and lightheaded, so I stopped there and went back down (along with about 8 others, so at least I wasn’t the only wimp that quit halfway).
Me and my supervisor, Tsuyoshi, at the hundred-yen (dollar) store, on my first day in Kurobe. I’m ready for anything. He’s terrified.
Last night, I cooked for the very first time in my new home in Japan! It was also the first time I’ve cooked (aside from frozen dinners) in over a year. I made way too many pot stickers, though.
First post in Japan! (decidedly)
Sitting in my room at the Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo!!
American Airlines has really stepped up their game. They had some great indie movies on the flight here like Sunshine Cleaning, and The Great Buck Howard, as well as I Love You Man and Monsters vs. Aliens. Plus some 30 Rock and How I Met Your Mother. It all made the flight go quite quickly and comfortably for me.
I did, however, hardly sleep on the plane, so I’m exhausted, but I’m meeting some old friends tonight so I’ll head out early so I can come back and go to bed early.
Best wishes to everyone and thank you all for the good wishes I’ve received. It means a lot, I promise.
Last post in the United States (probably)
I’m leaving for the airport in a matter of minutes now for my flight to Japan. It’s been a pretty crazy week, packing up my whole life’s worth of stuff to put either in a suitcase or in storage, but somehow I managed to get everything done and here I am!
I’m SO excited for this year, but I’m SO dreading the flight. I hate flying. I really want this next part to be over with and for me to just BE in Japan already, but le sigh, it cannot be done. At least we get free beer and wine on the flight. :)
I’m flying into Tokyo with all of my fellow JET Program participants, where we will have two LONG days of orientation, receive LOTS of teaching materials, and then be sent on our way to our individual cities, towns, etc.
I don’t know what my internet access situation will be like for the next few days/week, so I may not be able to post again for a while, but once I get settled in, expect very regular updates.
Ciao for now!
Home to one of the 100 best fragrances in Japan.
I have officially received my placement for the JET Program!!!
**DRUMROLL**
I will be in Toyama Prefecture (富山県), in the city of Kurobe (黒部市)!!!
I don’t know much about it, but it’s basically in the middle of the coast of Honshu (the main island) on the Sea of Japan side (the side facing China), it’s a town of about 42,000 people, and it looks beautiful. It is also home to the Kurobe Gorge which, according to the City of Kurobe’s tourism website, was recognized in 2001 by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment as boasting one of the 100 best fragrances in Japan.
AND in a coincidence to end all coincidences, I am taking over the job of someone who is actually a friend of mine!!
My friend Susan, whom I met when we studied abroad together in Kyoto 3 years ago, hasn’t told me much yet, but she has been living in Kurobe for 2 years and she said she absolutely loves it to the point where she is having a hard time leaving. Sad for her, of course, but great for me!
Again, I’ll post more updates as I get them, so stay tuned!
“I know someone who did that!”
One of the interesting things I’m discovering about moving to Japan to teach English is that everybody knows someone who has “done that.” Although usually they don’t actually know the person, so much as they just know of the person, and usually by “done that,” they actually mean “done something vaguely similar to that.” Even so, it’s always the first thing that people want to tell me when they find out what I’m going to be doing.
Sample dialog that actually happened this morning:
E: So what is this job that you’re leaving to do?
Me: Well, I’m going to be teaching English in a public school in Japan.
E: Oh, no way! My sister-in-law’s cousin married a guy who did that! I heard he had a great time.
Me: Really? Did he go through the JET Program, too?
E: No, I don’t think he did.
Me: Oh, that’s cool, though. Do you know where in Japan he was?
E: Actually, he went to Spain to teach.
Me: English?
E: Yeah. Well, English Literature.
Me: …
E: I’m sure you’re gonna have the time of your life.
Me: Yeah, I’m really excited.
Soon I’ll be one of those people that my friends and family say they know when other people tell them they’re going to Africa to teach science.
About Me
My name is Lawrence Denes.After spending 5 years studying Japanese language, culture, literature, and history in St. Louis and Kyoto, I now live in Japan, in a town that most Japanese people have never even heard of, lost amid the rice fields and vending machines.
Please feel free to ask me anything, or send me an email.
