Konnichiwa mina-san,
So its been a few weeks and its time for another report. You would think that this time I wouldn't fill you with such drastic news as the previous post but for better or worse once again my life has taken an 180 turn. I had originally planned on moving back to the states after this. Possibly looking to resettle in some warm climate out west but now I will be moving to Europe. Yes, I will be getting a visa and hopefully finding a job teaching English there. At least that is the plan anyway. Dorinne and I figured out that it is almost impossible for her to get a visa to work in the US so we looked into Belgium and it is possible though not easy. We have wanted to live together for awhile now and it seems like the perfect opportunity..
As for other news i have talked to my BOE again and they have apologized for the way they handled the situation with me.
The turmoils of my relations with my boss have finally seen some closure as well. They are even considering offering me a re contract again. But once i heard their real reasons for not wanting me to stay I didn't think it is worth going through all the hassle of working for them for another year. Plus once I got my head around leaving and doing something I am passionate about I really cant be held down to a job which has no future to begin with. On Monday I was called and I met my super in my front yard for an improntu meeting. We went over the difficulties of balancing my life and job over the coming year and I decided to reject their offer to re-contract me. I have been considering everything going on in my life and it is more important to me to live with my girlfriend then keep this job. My boss had been trying to arrange housing for my girlfriend and I if I stayed another year and it was just to difficult. Instead of fighting them on this I just ended it. Plus having to deal with all this job stress has actually been a good thing in a way. I have spent a lot of time building my CV(which is on this blog if you look hard enough). I have also been applying to jobs like crazy and looking at grad school. It has been a productive time.
Dorinne and I have also been feverently figuring out the bureaucratic loop holes to get me a visa. Its been rather stressful but we have hope. Wish us the best.
Other than that I am looking forward to the coming of spring. The weather has shown hints of warming and I am starting to see the cherry blossoms everywhere. It is beautiful and the smell of the woods lingers in the air. It is almost like welcoming back an old friend. I hope you all are also witnessing this turning of the planet and its subtle changes...
Be sure to look at my flickr too. I will be adding some stuff.
To not get off to a negative depressing start I will begin by telling you the positive things in my life right now, and there are many. Instead of just laboriously writing all the details i will just give you a list...
-Talking to Dorinne
-Warmer days
-Hiking in the woods
-Discovering the cheapest grocery store(Leo's Super Family Center) and going there every week
-Biking to said grocery store and riding the train back with bike and all
-Hoffman's Pizza( literally the only contact I have with other foreigners during the week)
-BBC world service radio
-Democracy Now
-The Daily Show(these last three being the only media I watch/listen too)
-Re-writing my CV
-Getting help from other foreigners here
-Talking to old professors for recommendations
-Applying for jobs
-Cooking yummy food
-Reading whatever books I have on my tiny shelf
Without these daily joys my life would surely be miserable. I have been saving money too. Unfortunately that means i have no Tokyo adventures to tell. I did see some amazing live Jazz! I met this sax player at a discussion series i have been attending called 3D. A bunch of foreigners meet from all different backgrounds living around Tokyo and get to together to have Dinner, Discussion, and Dessert. There is an underlying connection though. Everyone is either invited by or is a Bah Hai'. I know very little about this religion so I can:t really elaborate. The meetings however aren:t religious so much as about issues every com temporary person in the world must tackle. The last one I went to was about what we eat and its affects on our lives. I enjoy living a simple life, though i haven:t really been doing this. I revel in the opportunity this experience lends me to really reflect on the world, our condition, and my role in it.
The turmoils of my relations with my boss have finally seen some closure as well. They are even considering offering me a re contract again. But once i heard their real reasons for not wanting me to stay I didn't think it is worth going through all the hassle of working for them for another year. Plus once I got my head around leaving and doing something I am passionate about I really cant be held down to a job which has no future to begin with. On Monday I was called and I met my super in my front yard for an improntu meeting. We went over the difficulties of balancing my life and job over the coming year and I decided to reject their offer to re-contract me. I have been considering everything going on in my life and it is more important to me to live with my girlfriend then keep this job. My boss had been trying to arrange housing for my girlfriend and I if I stayed another year and it was just to difficult. Instead of fighting them on this I just ended it. Plus having to deal with all this job stress has actually been a good thing in a way. I have spent a lot of time building my CV(which is on this blog if you look hard enough). I have also been applying to jobs like crazy and looking at grad school. It has been a productive time.
Dorinne and I have also been feverently figuring out the bureaucratic loop holes to get me a visa. Its been rather stressful but we have hope. Wish us the best.
Other than that I am looking forward to the coming of spring. The weather has shown hints of warming and I am starting to see the cherry blossoms everywhere. It is beautiful and the smell of the woods lingers in the air. It is almost like welcoming back an old friend. I hope you all are also witnessing this turning of the planet and its subtle changes...
Be sure to look at my flickr too. I will be adding some stuff.
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