Destination Japan

One of the main draws of participating in the JET Program is the opportunity to travel through Asia. I have quite the list of places to visit while I'm living in Japan (and an even longer list of places outside of Japan that I can knock out while abroad). My travel interests tend to lean toward the historical end of the spectrum, with a folksy twist on occasion. These first five locations are near and dear to my heart, having been on my 'to see' list for quite some time.

1. Yonaguni Monument, Yonaguni Island 


Yonaguni is an intriguing and mysterious location. Resting off the coast of Yonaguni Island, it consists of what some say are natural formations, and others say are man made structures. While this site can only be reached by scuba diving, it is not an easy undertaking. With strong currents and hammerhead sharks, it is suggested that beginning divers steer clear or hire a guide. The breathtaking underwater vistas, however, are well worth the price of a guide to many, though. The magnificent diving opportunities aren't the only reason to visit the remote island. Yonaguni Island is also well known for its cliffs, caves, and interesting rock formations. The island also happens to be the southern most point of Japan. For people who enjoy a good boozing, visiting Yonaguni provides the chance to try Hanazake, a type of Awamori only brewed on the Yonaguni. While this island's mysteries may be hotly debated for years to come, one thing remains certain - it is a unique sightseeing opportunity.


2. Aokigahara Forest, Honshu

Aokigahara is a forest located at the western base of Mount Fuji. Another name for the forest is the Sea of Trees, owing to the tall, densely growing giants who grow so close together in some places that they nearly block out the sun. The forests other nickname, of course, is Japan's Suicide Forest. Ominous, yes? Well, there's good reason. Roughly eighty people each year travel to Aokigahara to take their lives. Morbid, I know. However, there are other reasons to visit Aokigahara besides the chance to satisfy one's fascination for creepy locales, specifically the forest's natural beauty. There are caves, gorgeous forest paths, and even a waterfall. Of course, the fact that there might be dead bodies lying around deters some from visiting. And suicide isn't the only grisly aspect of the forest's history. Aokigahara was also a popular spot for the practice of ubasute, or basically the abandonment of the old and infirm in the wilderness to an eventual death by exposure. Yes, this forest has a creepy past, and if anywhere on Earth is haunted, it's probably here. You are well within your rights to think I'm crazy to want to visit, I won't hold it against you.

3. Tokyo Disney, Tokyo

Not much explanation needed here. I'm a California girl, born and raised, and a huge part of my childhood revolved around annual visits to Disneyland. Since I've grown up, I've also made it to Disney World, and hope to make it to every Disney park before I die. Yes, I know they are pretty much identical, but childhood dreams don't have to make sense.  After all, I still very much plan on being an astronaut firefighter cowgirl.


4. Nine Hells of Beppu, Beppu

Now, I'm still a little wary about the whole idea of skintimacy and Onsen culture. Will I try it? Of course. Am I super excited for a bunch of strangers to see my jiggly bits? Not so much. Given that disclaimer, though, I do love a good dip, and Beppu seems like a prime spot for some onsen hopping. With almost 2,800 hot springs (and we're talking hot springs, here!) there is no shortage of places to do a little self-boiling. It also has it's fair share of beautiful sights, my favorite being the "Sea Hell", as pictured on the left. Unfortunately, there's also a pool filled with nine crocodiles. As anyone who knows me can attest, I have no love for crocodiles, even the ones behind plexiglass and fences. Inevitably I end up imaging horrible situations where I accidentally fall over the fences, or through the glass and into the crocodile enclosures, and am then torn apart. So...might be skipping the crocodile hell. All the rest, though, sign me up!

5. Jigokudani Park, Nagano

You know how I just said that I love hot springs/hot tubs? Well, you know what else I love? Monkeys that love hot springs/hot tubs. Located in the Japanese Alps, specifically in Jigokudani (Hell's Valley), the park is home to a group of macaques that took over an onsen in 1963 and have been bathing in the warm water ever since. On top of the adorable spectacle that the macaques make, the area is also quite lovely, and boasts a nice little walk (about 30 minutes) through the forest to reach the onsen. The nearby town of Shibu has some visit worthy features as well, including a 700 year old street chock full of onsens, restaurants, and ryokan hotels. With gorgeous nature, a historical town, and monkeys acting like people, Jigokundani Park is a must see on my list.

Annnd, those are my current top five on a long, long list. I'll give a full report after the completion of each one, but for now, all I can do is research and plan.

The sum of my parts

Well, paperwork is all in, and now it's another round of the waiting game. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to pass the time until June. And most of the ways involve me gorging myself on all the food I'll miss while in Japan. Oh quesadillas, I'll miss you the most.


I suppose now is as good a time as any to say a little more about myself. I'm a twenty-four year old Californian currently living in Davis. I currently work with special education students in elementary school, though I just recently quit a job as an insurance claims adjuster (which was quite the lesson in masochism, but a different story altogether).

I'm not particularly into Japanese pop-culture, though I was when I was younger. That being said, I am a ginormous geek and make absolutely zero effort to hide that fact. I adore television, with my current go-to shows being Supernatural, Doctor Who, and 30 Rock. I'm also eagerly awaiting the next season of BBC's Sherlock.


As previously stated in my first post, I am a lover of food in all of its many, many forms. Also, literature. Unfortunately, I'll be leaving all of my books behind when I move. Fortunately, my Kindle should pick up the slack. I love team sports, though haven't been able to participate in any lately as it's rather hard to find a sports league that caters to people over 18 and under 40.


And, that's me in a nutshell. A very tiny nutshell, possibly a deformed walnut that never finished growing. Or something. Good grief, it is late. Time to end this here before I get even more ridiculous.

The process thus far

Paperwork, paperwork, paperwork.

I would say that I never thought moving to another country would be so difficult, but that's just a blatant lie. I think it's a notoriously bureaucratic process - especially when you'll be working for a foreign government while still retaining your citizenship.

So, here's what the process has looked like since results were sent out. About two days after we received notification of acceptance, an email came with the following documents:

• Certificate of Health
• Reply Form
• IRS Form 8802
  

The certificate of health requires an immigration physical and a TB test. This is the piece of the paperwork that is currently holding up my response, as I do not currently have health insurance and am trying to find a physician that will do the physical for under $150.00. Though, in the end, I'll pay what needs to be paid, because it's worth it.



Our JET coordinator has also set up a google group just for the San Francisco JETs, which has been tons of fun (and by fun, I mean 'inbox clogging'). Everyone has been introducing themselves, and it's nice to know I'll be going over having a vague idea of who some of my coworkers are.


The deadline for forms to be submitted is May 9th, and the next round of paperwork probably won't arrive until a few weeks after that (hopefully around the time we learn where we'll be placed). It looks like its going to be fairly turn key from here on out, and the real process will be packing and preparing to leave.


Man, I do not even want to think about my furniture.

Well, I'm in!

I decided a few months ago, that if I was lucky enough to make the cut for the JET Program, I would keep a blog of my experiences. A few days ago I got the good news - I am an official short list candidate for the JET Program.

Phew!

Now all that is left is the last, long wait until departure date. About 100 days, if my math is correct. It's a short amount of time for a lot of preparation. Not to mention fitting in as much Mexican food as I can possibly stomach before flying out. As I sit here and type, 100 days seems like an awfully long time, but (un)fortunately, I know that it will speed by whether I want it to, or not.

This blog is mainly to record my experiences in Japan and help my family keep up to date with my goings on while I'm abroad. There will be a fair share of food and travel talk in this blog, because, I plan to eat and cook my way through as much of Japan as possible. Hopefully this blog will also help to give prospective JETs and idea of what it is like to go through the application process and be a JET, the latter of which I still need to learn for myself.