Should I Stay or Should I Go Now

"If I leave there will be trouble,
if I stay it could be double." .....how true.

I've been certain about staying for some time now. Which I find almost funny because when I came I really didn't even have the shadow of a thought of staying for a round two. The game plan was to spend a year, soak up some culture, see how I liked teaching, get refocused and move on.

The past six months have just been nothing short of awesome. To be completely honest, it was almost a no-brainer for this guy....the easiest decision I've made in the past five years. And its really comforting because I think that alone speaks volumes.

So why am I staying? You want to know?

1) Gyoza (pot stickers).....god bless the little buggers. They've become the equivalent to chicken wings back home. And its a safe bet they're a tad healthier.

2) The 2-3 students per class that smile every time I walk into their class room. It really is like breathing clean mountain air. It's Just Refreshing.

3) Lake Shinji. The famed 7th largest Lake of Japan (yes, we celebrate that here) is like the elephant in the room no one talks about. It seems to somehow mirror my mood (or vice versa?) on a daily basis.

4) The walk from my apartment to Shinji-eki (train station). This has provided me with countless "would you look at that!" sights and even though most of it runs right along route 9 I find it to be quite the relaxing stroll.

5) The current Shimane JET's. Seriously, dont think you could hand picked a more geographically diverse group of folks that I could get along with as I do these. We're all eccentric, we're all "nair-do-well's" with a hint of gypsy running through our veins. Besides the States we hail from Kenya, the UK, the South Pacific, Pakistan, Camerica, and Texas. We got crazy, we got far too intelligent and we also got some wild dancers......and I fit into all three categories if you give me enough wine (or shochu).

6) 1 hour every Monday morning with Kindergartners. See past blogs on this....literally makes the week for me....every time.

7) The perks.....I'm not gonna list 'em here but if you are curious enough you can find out how much each of us make and the benefits that come along with it. I dare you to find a first year teacher with only a bachelors degree that has it as good.

8) Mister Donut and KFC. When feeling a little home sick...just say Konichiwa!

9) Mt. Diason. Been there half a dozen times by now. Besides being in Missoula for two months I've never lived this close to the mountains....its a good feeling.

10) The support and love from my family back home.

11) My inability to read a majority of what I see has been a blessing in disguise. I'm not as likely to be distracted by advertisements, or logos or....everything, solely because I can't read it. I'm actually trying to null this by studying the Japanese. I'm guessing that being able to figure out a little bit more of what the hell is going on around me can only be another plus.

12) Keiko-sensei. This lady teaches me and the Maries' every Thursday night for and hour and a half. She has taken us out to dinner and bought me OTC medicine for a month long sickness I couldn't shake myself (without my asking). She's like another Cele.....someone who cares, and probably has no other reason than she just wants to.

13) Drum Festival. I missed the sign ups for it the last go around but I'll be damned if that
happens again.


13.5) Karaoke. There are some things that we are each meant to find....some one thing that we rock at.....for me it is Karaoke!

14) My apartment. The first place that has REALLY felt like home since I left Lubbock.

15) Oh yeah.....I've found that I really do enjoy teaching. Sure I'm only an Assistant, I have no formal training, only been at it for 6 months but I love it.....no exaggeration.

16) ....everything else that I can't think of right now....

17) ....and that which I have yet to discover....


Its been really interesting watching my friends go through the decision making process. For some of them it was just like flipping a switch on or off, for others you could say it was a bit more complicated. It seemed like the choice whether to stay or go in 6 moths also became a catalyst for other big decisions in their lives that either could have some, or no relation to leaving Japan.

To be honest, I'd love a momentary glimpse just to see what was in store. We all would, I'm sure. At the end of it all, Japan will be the longest I've lived in any one place since I was in high school. For me, that's a little bit of an anxious thought, but I'm having such a positive experience at the moment the anxiousness is totally quelled.

I'm a happy cat, a lucky guy and just all around stoked.

Who saw it coming?