When a window closes...

I GOT THE JOB!!!!

Ok, I just needed to really get that out there before continuing.  I've been uncontainable since I found out this morning that I passed the interviews and will be going to teach!

It took just over a week since my documents were sent to the Tokyo office for them to get back to me.  I received the offer of employment this morning by email.  So far everyone I stayed in contact with from the interview has also been accepted, and having seen everyones demo lessons I'm confident that the rest will hear back once their packets reach the main office.

Currently my start date is in mid March of 2014, however I am also on the alternate list.  If someone were to drop out, another station come up, etc, during the second semester from Oct-Feb then I will possibly be leaving then instead of March.  Regardless of when I leave, I am thrilled to have been accepted and am incredibly anxious to get started :)

It's funny how life works sometimes.  A year ago this was something I had never even considered, or really even known about.  I've spent all 21 years of my life planning that my life would be just like my parents, I would get married right out of college and start working toward my future family.  God closed that window for me.  But he opened the door to an entire country and new way of life!

As my mom said, if he didn't want me to be in Japan then he would set up road-blocks to let me know.  Yet everything has progressed smoothly.  I fell in love with the country during my visit, am having a remarkably easy time learning the language, and this job process has been very simple with no problems.  And to make it even better, the people that I know there and the ones I will be doing my training in Tokyo with are incredibly nice and wonderful!  Cannot wait for this group of midwestern gaijin to take on Tokyo together before we head to our assignments!!

However, now I have about 9 months to wait....so hopefully I'll be doing some more travelling and taking a real Japanese course to supplement my self-teaching! 

Still full of energy and excitement :) it's a day for celebration!!!