The countdown has begun!

Well, only 8 days left until I leave for Japan!  I'm both excited and nervous about what awaits me there.

While in Japan I'll be working as an assistant English teacher as part of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program.  I'll be arriving in Tokyo on the 28th (long after the other JET participants who arrived in early August).  The application process for the JET program was very rigorous; I first sent in my application in late November last year, then I was interviewed in Boston in February, and I was selected as an alternate candidate in April.  But due to some good luck I was selected to fill a position which became vacant unexpectedly (thus my late arrival).  I'll be working at a group of elementary and junior high schools in Miyagi prefecture in the north-east of Honshu (the largest island in the Japanese archipelago).  This is an area that was heavily affected by the March 2011 tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake.

I don't expect it will be easy (especially at first) but I know I'll try my best because it will be well worth it in the end!

So basically I plan to write about things that take place before I leave and while I'm there.  I'll include pictures and maybe even some video but since I'll be working in schools I won't be able to post photos of the kids I work with (you understand).  I'd like more people to learn about Japanese language and culture so I'll probably include posts about those topics as well (I'm working as a teacher after all)!  Anyway, my original reason for creating this blog is to document my travels and to make keeping in touch with my family easier (now I won't have to send virtually the same email to all my relatives, they can just read my blog!)

My final note for today is that I'll probably be using pseudonyms (fake names) for anyone I mention in this blog to protect their privacy, so don't worry you guys!