1 year already!??

It still feels like just yesterday I was packing my bags, clinging on to my cat in hopes she would come with me, and flying from Heathrow airport on to what has been one of the best years of my life!

Aww sorry Yuffie!

April 2nd marked my one year anniversary in Japan and I guess now is as good a time as any to reflect.


If someone had said to me 24 months ago "Izzy, this time in 2 years you'll have left your waitressing job, packed your bags and flown nearly 6000 miles to work in Japan" I probably would have laughed. My life was very different back then.

Don't get me wrong, for years I'd considered pursuing the TEFL lifestyle but there was always something keeping me from doing it; too young, too poor, education, relationships, work, fear...

Fear was the biggest obstacle I think, even when all the other things had sorted themselves out. I'd secured a position in Japan, bought my plane ticket, packed my life into a suitcase and said my goodbyes. All the way up until I was stood in the airport checking in my baggage I always had that sense of fear deep in the pit of my stomach, Izzy what are you doing?? You'll be miles away from your friends and family! You don't speak Japanese. You'll get homesick. You won't even make it 6 months... 

I suppose what I'm trying to say is that the fear is normal.  After all, leaving everything you know behind to live in a foreign country IS scary! 

So I want to take this opportunity to say to anyone thinking of doing something similar...

Just go for it!

Ignore the people that tell you you're being crazy and foolish or don't have faith in you. Ignore that voice in the back of your mind that says you're not up to it, because you are!

When I landed in Japan one year ago I didn't know anybody here, and that was terrifying! But today I have friends here from all over the world and I've been to places I never NEVER thought I would go...

Hiroshima!

Kyoto!

Tokyo!

And even getting to see the breath taking Fuji-san!

bask in my glory!

Let's not forget the fantastic work experience. I've met and taught some great kids (yes and some not so great but that's children for you) and it really does grow on you being called 'Sensei'. 

Now thanks to my teaching experience here, I have been offered another exciting opportunity working with children back in the UK. 

Which means I have just over a month left in Japan.

Sorry Mr Deer...

I am going to miss this country a lot and all the people I have met here, but there are many exciting things happening in the future, and I will make sure to keep on blogging.

Until then, I will keep uploading more posts/ photos when I can. Moving out is going to be hectic, but do keep an eye out!

Izzy.