Tuesday, June 16, 2009
♥ Yaizu-Shi and the Life Ahead
How do I keep getting so damn lucky?!
Here is all the information I know thus far, which is quite a great deal.
The Prefecture
Shizuoka-ken! Home of Mt. Fuji!
I'm actually quite excited! Chubu was my #3 choice, so I'm really happy that I actually got something I asked for! Shizuoka, aka "Izu" or "Shiz" (my personal favorite) seems to be a fantastic placement and everyone is saying fabulous things about it. XD apparently all the Izu JETs get together in August to climb Mt. Fuji... aaahhhh, I'm going to do it and try it, but there is a saying "You have to climb it once, but only a fool climbs it twice."
Also seems Shiz JETs are known for being partiers XD, haha, ah well, that could be fun.
Now let's just hope that earthquake doesn't hit.
Oh, you didn't know? The Tokai Earthquake happens every 100-150 years and compeltely decimates Shizuoka and the sorrounding area. The power of this earthquake can cause the otherwise sleepy mt. Fuji to erupt, which could cause a tsunami. Know the fun part? The last quake was in 1854... least it say it's overdue, haha. Yessss. I figure if it does happen, at least I'll go out in style.
The City
YAIZU-SHI!!!! It's right by the Suruga Bay and is a fishing city known for their super awesome sushi! It is only 15 minutes by train from the capital city of Shizuoka-shi as well. I got my wish to be in a city (even if it is small), and I'm on the water so that is also completely fantastic. Here's an English website I found... must learn Japanese...
http://www.city.yaizu.shizuoka.jp/english/
The School
I am teaching at Yaizu Chou High School which is the second best high school in Shizuoka, so I'm gonna get smart kids XD! My pred says I will have a lot of free time since oral lessons are only for the ichi-nensei (first year high school) classes, but that's okay. She says the English department is fantastic and that I will have opportunities to eat lunch with the kids and help with clubs and stuff, so exciting!
A few of the English teachers want to get in touch with me, so sometime this week or next week my pred will be emailing me their letters. I'm so excited that they're excited to talk to me and learn about me. I know that I am going to have a fabulous time there and I'm truly very thankful forthis oppurtunity I've been given.
I'm really excited since it seems the students there speak very good English, so I won't have to worry about communication that much since... I can only order drinks in Japanese thus far. O sake wo kudasai? Arigatou gozaimasu. Granted, very useful, but not with children.
I found their website!
http://www.shizuoka-c.ed.jp/yaizuchuo-h/
The Apartment
I've gotten some pictures of it and it is quite adorbale and quite Japanese, haha. I get a nice bright red bicycle from the school, complete with basket, so that is quite nice. The apartment is old, but not ridiculously old... I at least don't have to crank for my hot water, all that is electronic. I'm quickly learning the Japanese do everything possible electronically, I'm quite curious about this... I want to play.
Anywho, I live in a teacher's complex, though the other teachers there teach in Fujieda, the next city over. As my pred put it, this is good in case I'm a bit rowdy or whatnot, it won't get back to the office. Haha. Anyways, here is some more information for the curious...
Here is the adorable blurb my pred wrote about it; "Nestled in the heart of Nishi-Yaizu, this centrally located two-bedroom apartment sits only a two-minute walk to the nearest train station and is within close walking distance to work, supermarkets, and other stores-- you'll be the envy of every ALT in the area! With magnificent urban views (aka other apartment buildings), the apartment features two bedrooms upstairs and a practical kitchen, living area, bathroom, and toilet downstairs. The apartment comes fully-furnished with arrangements for the purchase of furnishings to be negotiated with the current tenant."
Fuck. yeah.
She's selling me the apartment for around ¥45,000 which is quite fair. It has a couch, and actual BED, four futons, tons of amaneities... she bought it from her pred for nearly double that, so she's giving me a great deal. This way I don't have to deal with buying stuff when I first get there. She's also made it nicer, since boys lived there before and well... sorry boys... you're smelly and messy. I'm pretty sure I'm going to take her up on it. Everything seems in great condition and we've talked a lot so I do trust her, which is always good, some people have terrible predecessors. Once again, I got truly lucky and I canot be thankful enough for that.
And to top this all off, my rent for the month? $183!!!! I live in the city and that is all I pay !!! I am only five minutes by bike from my school or an eight minute walk, and I'm two minutes from the train station, fifteen from the Shinkansen. Fucking awesome. There's another ALT in Yaizu, so that is pretty cool too, he's actually quite sweet and we shall hve fun together I imagine. There's two ALTs in Fujieda that are a couple as well as a few private company teachers around Yaizu and Fujieda (not to mention Shizuoka-shi is right there), so least to say I will have a great support group once I get there.
Least to say I am so stoke... I'm so stoked I'm using the word stoked.
4:13 AM
Please comment! ♥