#what I'm paid is SO little compared to the difficulty and importance of the work i do

[femvaylin]

My coworkers are. Nice. and my actual duties at work are tolerable. But my job fucking SUCKS for reasons I can't explain and I think I'm gonna try to find a new job...

[insanitysscribblings]

I've always been interested in working in Japan through the JET program but I'm interested in hearing your experience with working in Japan and the reasons you work there.

STORY TIME!

I’ve always been interested in Japanese culture. The first time I watched Sailor Moon, I was completely enthralled. When I found out it was a type of animation from this little island across the world, I was hooked. It’s always been one of my childhood dreams to come here, whether to live here or for a visit, it didn’t matter. One way or another, I wanted to set foot upon Japanese soil, even if it was just to cross something off my bucket list.

So I found out, very early on in my college career (through a Skype call with a friend of my Japanese professor during class freshman year), that teaching English in Japan was a thing that I could do without being fluent in Japanese/a certified teacher. And since I always knew I wanted to be an author, but wasn’t enthused about the thought of slaving away at some job I wasn’t passionate about until I finished a book, once I figured out this was A Thing?

“HELL YEAH SIGN ME THE FUCK UP”

I had to wait until my senior year to apply, naturally. XP My first choice was the JET program, because it was the most well-known, and I read nothing but good things about it. I sent in my application, and checked my e-mail OBSESSIVELY, waiting for a response.

I didn’t even clear the first cut. OTL

Took time to be sad about it. My friends were very sympathetic (they even bought me chocolate to help cheer me up that night, ha ha~) Once I was done being sad, I picked myself back up and threw myself back into the search. If the JET program didn’t want to hire me, then it was their loss. But now I was Determined: I was GETTING to Japan one way or another, and this one rejection wasn’t about to stop me.

And then, after signing up for several sites which granted jobs to gaikokujin and OBSESSIVE searching, I found my company: Interac. I read up on it, did my research. They didn’t pay as well as JET supposedly does, but still, it was a teaching job in Japan. Repeated the process: sent in my application and waited, on pins and needles now, because I was going to be graduating soon and if I didn’t have a plan, I felt like I’d be screwed.

I heard back VERY quickly from Interac. We did the phone interview, I presented myself as professionally as I could, and then we were done.

Very soon after THAT, I received an e-mail for a SECOND INTERVIEW!!!!

The only difficulty was that the interview was being held in D.C., which is near where my folks live….but it was a week before my graduation from my college in North Carolina. ^^; THAT was an interesting weekend: I had to fly back to Maryland early on Friday, prepare for the interview AND do a mock lesson that night, drive to D.C. Saturday and do said interview/mock lesson, and then fly back to North Carolina on Sunday to graduate a week later. Whew!

But yeah, that happened, I graduated and got my degree in English Writing, then went back home to CHILL for a bit as I waited for a response.

We had gone to Texas to watch my brother’s ceremony for completing his basic training (we’re a military family, hahaha~) when I got the e-mail. Now, we were there for my brother, so I didn’t wanna kick up a fuss, but my dad saw me grinning like an idiot and asked what was up. I passed him my phone and let him read the e-mail, bouncing in my seat. Naturally, my mom and grandma had to know what was up too, so, as quietly as I could (I get loud when I’m excited), I said, “I got the job…!”

Queue mini-celebration before the ceremony started, but needless to say, I was deliriously excited~

Once we returned to Maryland, I threw myself into the next step: paperwork, paperwork, PAPERWORK. Luckily for me, Interac works to take care of most of the big stuff: securing an apartment, picking the schools you work in, stuff like that. But before I could get there, I had to apply for a working visa first. That required photos being taken and several trips to D.C., but I got it did. There was a bunch of other stuff involved too, if I recall correctly, but the visa was the one big thing I remember.

Next, I had to find a job in order to pay for my plane ticket/have start-up money as soon as I headed over there, because I wouldn’t be paid until about two months in (this could be different for JET; I never found out, so I’m just sticking to telling you my experiences, ha ha~). I remember they gave me two options: to start training in August so I would be prepared for September, or to come in March to be prepared for April, when the school year officially started. It was June when these options were presented to me, and since I didn’t have anywhere NEAR the funds I needed, I chose the latter and took a cashier job to build up my funds/pay student loans.

My company worked with me throughout the months, updating me on things like what I would need to bring and where exactly in Japan I would be placed. They made sure to check that I would be comfortable in my placement and if I had any questions while working through the processing of the paperwork I had to send them, so I never felt like I was at a standstill with them, which was nice~

And then, at long, LONG last…it was time for me to go. I booked my plane ticket a month in advance, my grandmother (who was heartbroken that I was leaving) was gracious enough to throw me a going-away party, and my family saw me off at the airport. I was anxious that the sudden SNOW IN APRIL would delay my flight, but things went off without a hitch. (Flight delay due to snow happened to me just this past winter, though; that super sucked. Oh, important advice: MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHO’S OPERATING THE FLIGHT. It might say one airline, but it could really be operated by another airline altogether. Which reminds me: DON’T FLY UNITED. WORST AIRLINE TO FLY OVERSEAS ON.)

And then…I was here.

Been here for a while; going into my third year with my elementary school, and the four kindergartens I teach at. Some days are harder than others, but the kids are really cute, and I’ve found that if I try my best, they’re usually willing to reciprocate. And it makes my heart swell when they get excited to eat lunch with me, even if they ask some inappropriate questions (the amount of times I’ve been asked if I’m married/have a boyfriend…)

What I want to say, though, before I get further lost in my rambling, is that everyone’s experience is different. Some people love it here; some people leave half-way through their contract because they can’t stand it. It all depends on how well you can adapt. The language barrier sucks sometimes, and you feel “other” sometimes when the Japanese folk stare…but overall, I find it a pleasant place to live. My coworkers are nice, my town is small and convenient, and I found that it very quickly became home for me. I don’t know what everyone thinks when they picture Japan, but to me, it’s just where I live. The people just happen to speak Japanese here. :P

If you’re seriously considering living here, the truth is that, in some ways, you will be inconvenienced, compared to what you’re probably used to. The people at the convenience store ask you a question you can’t understand, the NHK man comes knocking at your door demanding payment for a service you don’t use, TALKING CARS AT 11 PM. But there’s a lot of good about it, too, so much that it would make this answer waaaaaaay longer than it already is.

But I think the most important question, Nonny, is this: how bad do you want it?

[raisingsupergirl]

Why I'm Not Overweight (And 6 Ways to Get You Un-Overweight, Too!)

Obesity was once seen as a sign of wealth and respect. Now it's considered a pandemic. Humanity is killing itself one cheeseburger at a time. And here I am, 31 years old and in the best shape of my life. The picture of health. An inspiration to all. And lucky for you, I'm about to reveal the secrets to my success. So get out your notepad and focus in. You're life is about to be changed forever.

1) Education: Knowledge is power. And realizing this as soon as possible is integral to beginning your journey toward health. At an early age, I took this truth to heart and began a few simple steps to assure my health well into old age. First, I received my bachelor's degree in health science, and then I tacked on a master's in physical therapy just to be sure I had the tools to make all the right decisions. And one of those right decisions was marrying a health nut with a degree in nutrition and fitness. Thanks to her, I'm always aware that my heaping plates of steak and potatoes are bad for my health (though to be honest, her constant obsession over what she calls "scientific facts" of health and wellness can be exasperating at times).

2) Diet: Up until about a year ago, I worked tirelessly to maintain my god-like metabolism. I ate as much as I could, as often as I could. Even when I wasn't hungry, I would fill my boredom with snacking. Hot fries, cheese dip, pork rinds. I ravaged the top of the food pyramid relentlessly. And then when I turned thirty and could no longer fit into my dress pants, I promptly re-evaluated my approach. No, I did not cut out these super foods that had become staples of my diet. Instead, I merely cut back on the quantity. I only ate fried chicken wings once a week. I stopped at one bag of chips per sitting. And I switched to Greek yogurt dips instead of sour cream. And boom, those extra pounds melted away like the butter that pumped through my veins.

3) Exercise: I've adhered to a strict exercise regimen since I was a teenager. In high school, I worked out three hours a day every day during football and track seasons. Sure, there was always a solid three months between them that I would go into a gluttonous hibernation, but rest days are important to recovery. In college, I was a regular in the rec center, tearing up the racquetball courts and the beach chairs at the tuition-paid pool. Since then, I've maintained this disciplined lifestyle by working out every. Single. Week. At least once a week at lunch for almost half an hour, and sometimes two or three times a week. Impressive, I know. But if you set your mind to it, you can accomplish these feats just like me.

4) Supplements: The human body is an amazing organism. At least, mine is. It's ability to respond positively to my rigorous diet and exercise routine is awe-inspiring. But as I get older, it needs a little help maintaining peak performance. That's why I always smoke my tobacco pipe once a week and sample the finest whiskeys any chance I get. There's no substitute for utilizing all the organic resources that nature provides us, but always take everything in moderation. Believe it or not, abuse and overuse of the above super-supplements is not only irresponsible, it’s just plain dumb.

5) Genetics: A rarely emphasized facet of health is carefully selected genetics. But to ignore a strong foundation is a sure path to failure. So if you're really serious about your wellbeing, never forget to select a mother and a father with optimum DNA capable of granting you the body type you desire. Trust me. I'm living proof. And the proof is in the pudding. And I love pudding.

6) Culture: Last, but certainly not least, be sure to select a country of origin, as well as a race, a salary, and a belief system that emphasizes a healthy lifestyle. In small town America, there are no shortage of fad diets, organic foods, and trendy gyms to choose from, and as long as you have tens of dollars in disposable income like me, you'll have no problem consuming them all!

And that's it. No tricks. No gimmicks. Just a fail-proof outline of how to live your life. If there are one or two aspects of this list that you're finding difficulty adhering to, don't worry! Just double up on another area, and you're sure to be met with the same success. And when you do inevitably wake up one day with the body of your dreams, be sure to compare it to everyone around you. If you see someone who's obese, judge them for it! Because remember, you used to be overweight just like them. So if you can make the changes so easily, they can too!

One last note: If this all just seems too much for you, if you're infuriated by my smugness, you're not alone. The world is full of people who just can't understand how easy it is to stay "in shape." Luckily, there are a select few out there who truly get the struggle and have found ways to overcome it despite the odds stacked against them. No me, obviously. I'm too awesome for all that. But if you look hard enough, I'm sure yIou can find someone (like my amazing wife) willing to actually take your struggles seriously. To consider your genetic, social, and medical barriers and find ways to help you meet your health goals, NOT the ones defined by People Magazine. Because, after all, it should be an obvious fact that everyone is created differently and no one should strive to be something they're not.

But remember, the easiest way to maintain the outward appearance of health is to follow the six easy steps I've outlined above. If you want to do it the hard way and accept whatever your unique healthy lifestyle can be, that's your loss. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to bust out my weekly exercise routine because my pizza rolls are going to be done in about 20 minutes.