Hello!

So, in efforts to promote wonderful Chiba, the prefecture is encouraging it's foreign residents to create blogs to talk about their experiences in Japan!

Since I highly doubt there is anyone who loves Chiba quite as much as I do and considering that I've done a rather awful job documenting my experiences of my first year as an ALT, I am happy to join in the effort!

So, first I'll tell you a little about me. I am an ALT (assistant language teacher) for the JET program, placed in southern Chiba and teaching at one middle school and one elementary school as well as teaching night classes (although these are cancelled at the moment since we cannot use the community center while Japan is trying to preserve power). I am also the southern Chiba representative for Chiba AJET, the Chiba chapter of a group which creates events for JET participants to get together and explore Japan's fun places.

I came to Japan last August (2010) and despite some homesickness I've loved (mostly) every minute of my experience here.

As far as my education, I have a B.A. in Japanese language and culture and hope to go back to graduate school for my teaching degree when I get back to the US. I studied at Chiba university my junior year of college and live in Inage. It was amazing!

So, the question most people ask me is, "Why do you like Japan so much?" I never know how to answer that question.  I always look at the progression of my interest instead. I started, as many do, with an interest in Japanese manga and anime (not a weeaboo ...) This eventually turned into a genuine interest in the Japanese language and for the first time I started studying my ass off just because I WANTED to learn, not for school or tests, but because it's something I wanted. I also became obsessed with Japanese music, very obsessed.

As time has gone on, I've lived/ gone to school/ worked in Japan and my obsession with all things Japanese has faded away and left a general appreciation for the good things here. I like that there is no litter anywhere, I like that people smile at me and thank me at McDonalds, I like that I can walk across the street at be the beach, I like that I can check my wallet in public without worrying I'll be mugged, I like that people work hard and that people don't brag about themselves, I like my crazy landlady, even when she throws bread at me so that giant birds will attack me. 

There are bad things in Japan too of course, there are bad things everywhere, but the good things tend to outweigh the bad in IMHOP and I think it's a great country for anyone wanting to study/ work/ live abroad for a bit.

For now that is all that I will write, but if anyone (family, new JETs, random internet predators) has any questions for me, please ask and I'll answer as best I can.