Shimane, Japan
My name is Melissa and I am a 22 year old American living in rural Japan. I graduated with a degree in International Studies and Japanese Language and now work as an ALT (assistant language teacher) through the JET Program.
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Tuesday, August 31, 2010

I made it!

Just wanted to post that I made it and I am now at Seminar House 1. I meant to post before leaving but everything was just so hectic I didn't have the time. Proper posting wont start until next week because I have to get my internet and laptop registration done and get the two working at the same time lol

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Packing, home and 1 week to go...

Okay...so I noticed a lot of people updating their blogs with pre-departure information, feelings, events etc. and I have been meaning to start some of them myself so better late than never...

So yesterday my mom and I attempted to take a crack at packing and as you can see this obviously didn't go so well. I think I am only capable of doing things under the stress of last minute. I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that I am leaving in 1 week. It is so strange. Basically, I have been planning for this day for the past 4 years and it has always been "2 years away","1 year away", "6 months away" etc. and now it is hard to imagine in my head how short 1 week is. I wonder if anyone else is having this problem. Of course I am excited, nervous, and anxious, but I haven't been overly anal about planning every last detail out...which is pretty much the opposite of my personality. But, I have been planning for so long that I think I am just finally sick of planning...I am ready to go with the flow and just let the journey take me where ever it might go. So what if I forget my toothpaste, the world is not going to end. Everything is going to be okay!


Plus, I have been a little distracted this week because tomorrow I get to go home! Well sort of...you see my family just recently moved to a new state to live with my grandmother. 4 months ago we sold our home and 2 months ago we packed everything up and came to our new home or well my grandmother's home. I have been living in this new place all summer away from my University and friends. It was hard to let go of my childhood home, but this has been a blessing in disguise. This separation has gotten me over the homesickness hump and I am now used to not seeing my friends or home. However, it is difficult not being able to see them when I haven't even left the continental United States yet. But, tomorrow I get to see them!!! I get to go to Virginia Beach for 2 days! It is only 2 days, but it will be great! We are going to Busch Gardens tomorrow and then to the Beach in good ol' Va Beach Monday! It is essentially my goodbye party, but I am ready to celebrate!~ And get some closure with my friends and my home town.

Then come Tuesday morning it is all eyes on Japan! No more procrastinating...I hope! And that bag will become more organized and packed up tight! I might even study some Japanese this week, which I have been meaning to do all summer u_u but who am I kidding? I knew that wasn't going to happen! :P





Oh and P.S. we all got our speaking partners a few weeks ago! Mine is a girl named Sayumi! She is basically my Japanese twin! We have almost identical interests and we are both tall! Imagine that, a Japanese girl the same height as me! It was meant to be!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

I guess I am making progress!

Okay so with 22 days to go I think I am finally making progress! Most of the shopping is done. I have plenty of cloths, underwear, socks and toothpaste! I finally got my tech situation in order by updating my laptop with some new gadgets like the sleek and practically weightless Seagate FreeAgent go external hard drive! This is so much better than the piece of crap Toshiba one that broke on me :( And finally a web camera *jumps for joy* since my lenovo ThinkPad is like the only model sold by ODU that didn't come equipped with one already. Yay for talking on Skype! Oh and today my new baby came in the mail! The Kodak Zi8 HD camera so I can record my year in HD wow! :) Now I am able to get my YouTube channel started which I successfully uploaded a video on! Yes! Enjoy Lisa and me being complete idiots with the morphing feature on the new web camera!!



Until next time or when I actually give people the link to view this blog and be aware of its existence...haha

Oh and I am currently listening to Rie Fu's Prayers & Melodies ~ I am really loving her music lately..if anyone cares.

Kay bye