Eternal Sojourn

As stated in my last post, I am still an Alternate for the 2008 JET program. Meaning I could be upgraded at any time.
I am still not counting on it, but I would very much welcome it. I would probably have about a month to figure everything out here, sell all my crap including my truck, figure out what I want to keep, what I want to pack and send - anyway, that is if they call me up and say “Hey great news!”.

The 2009 JET application goes live next week. Up until last week I had pretty much sworn off applying again. I figured that I should just look for an IT job like my degree says I should have and just move on.

I don’t want to do that. To just settle for living in Tampa for the rest of my adult life. The final destination doesn’t have to be Japan, but that is where I want to go right now.

I was talking to a friend about it all and he was encouraging me to just go for it. Apply again but also saying that I should just dive into the deep end and move to Japan and figure it out.
I’ve been looking at teaching jobs with smaller places in Japan and most pay quite a bit less than JET, but I think I could live with that.

I could write a lot on how I’m feeling right now, but will just leave it at this:
I will apply again this year. I’ll nail the interview this time, even with a mock lesson if they ask for it again. I’ve done some stuff over the year that will hopefully improve my chances of getting in.
If I don’t get the interview, I’ll continue to look for another way of getting there.

http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JETProgram/application.html

Technorati Tags: Japan, JET application, applying, decisions, choices

I haven’t posted something in over four months, you’d figure I would if things went well with JET right?
Well I had my interview back in February, it seemed to have went really well. Well come April I got the results finally, and I was on the Alternate list. Meaning that it is possible that I can be upgraded to participate in the JET program from now until the 2nd week of December.

I’ve done some pondering on what to do next. I’ve put my life on hold for JET for a while now and i really can’t keep doing it. I actually put too many eggs in the JET basket as it is. I’ve put off on looking for a higher paying job. Put off on getting a different car, put off on it seems like a lot of things, but honestly I can’t keep doing it.

Since I didn’t get in right away, I need to go on as if I didn’t get in. If I do get upgraded, I’ll accept it without a doubt, but until then I need to live in the current situation.

JET Interview Email, originally uploaded by eternal.sojourn.

I was at work when I was on the I Think I’m Lost forums and noticed that the Embassy website had been updated with the Interviewee list.
I couldn’t concentrate at work at all and finally worked up the courage to look at the list.
I was on it! I got this email confirming it.

I haven’t been this excited/nervous in a long time.

My interview is February 20 down in Miami.