Rad Rambles
Sigh. I'm supposed to be hearing back from the JET Program soon. Two weeks ago, Matt at the consulate said he hoped to be able to offer positions to most of us on the waiting list within a week or so. Last week, I called him up and he said there were still "a few people" ahead of me, but new openings were still coming in.
For those of you who don't know, I'm an "alternate" for the JET Program. That means I'm on the waiting list -- if enough people turn down their placements or have to drop out for whatever reason, then I'll get a chance to replace one of them. I could potentially be offered a position as late as October, but those who aren't accepted in the first surge of openings have little chance of getting a position after that, because after the initial surge, the number of openings that come in is reduced to a trickle.
I'm a little worried that I'm not going to get in this year. For one thing, I think the waiting list isn't guaged by ability, but rather first-come-first-serve, depending on how quickly you got the "alternate" paperwork back to them (I'm really not sure, though, as I haven't asked yet). I didn't put it off tremendously, but it was a week or two before I managed to get it all in the mail, because the paperwork arrived in the mail while I was at Sakura Con, AND taxes were due that week.
The main reason I'm antsy is because this represents the one thing that I definitely know I'm specifically suited for at this point in my life. A bachelor's degree in International Studies with a minor in Japanese doesn't get you very far, folks, but it will get you into the JET program. After 1-3 years in Japan, that Japanese minor would become Japanese fluency, and suddenly new options would start popping up fast. This would be great, because I'm strongly considering a career in Japanese translation/interpretation of some sort, and that can't happen until I have "madd Nihongo skillz."
I'm at an age where I can't really just sit around thinking about what I want to do with my life anymore; I need to find a lead and follow it. So if JET doesn't happen this year, I don't want to sit around in Springfield, but I'm not sure where else to go. I might move out, possibly even move up to Portland...but that requires a job lead.
Theoretically, I could go back to grad school, but I'm really having second thoughts about becoming a teacher. Heck, I didn't blossom academically until I finally broke out of public schools, so should I REALLY be in a hurry to go back and work there? Most of middle school and a good deal of high school was hellish for me. I'm also hesitant about having to deal with other people's children, and worse yet, their parents. I'm afraid that I'd end up unhealthily despising some of them, as my view of Americans in general is not all that complimentary to begin with. But then, that's another reason I want to do JET: it's a window into the teaching world, without having to commit to a graduate program.
Well, enough rambling for now. If you've read all this, you should have better things to do!! ... *is one to talk*
For those of you who don't know, I'm an "alternate" for the JET Program. That means I'm on the waiting list -- if enough people turn down their placements or have to drop out for whatever reason, then I'll get a chance to replace one of them. I could potentially be offered a position as late as October, but those who aren't accepted in the first surge of openings have little chance of getting a position after that, because after the initial surge, the number of openings that come in is reduced to a trickle.
I'm a little worried that I'm not going to get in this year. For one thing, I think the waiting list isn't guaged by ability, but rather first-come-first-serve, depending on how quickly you got the "alternate" paperwork back to them (I'm really not sure, though, as I haven't asked yet). I didn't put it off tremendously, but it was a week or two before I managed to get it all in the mail, because the paperwork arrived in the mail while I was at Sakura Con, AND taxes were due that week.
The main reason I'm antsy is because this represents the one thing that I definitely know I'm specifically suited for at this point in my life. A bachelor's degree in International Studies with a minor in Japanese doesn't get you very far, folks, but it will get you into the JET program. After 1-3 years in Japan, that Japanese minor would become Japanese fluency, and suddenly new options would start popping up fast. This would be great, because I'm strongly considering a career in Japanese translation/interpretation of some sort, and that can't happen until I have "madd Nihongo skillz."
I'm at an age where I can't really just sit around thinking about what I want to do with my life anymore; I need to find a lead and follow it. So if JET doesn't happen this year, I don't want to sit around in Springfield, but I'm not sure where else to go. I might move out, possibly even move up to Portland...but that requires a job lead.
Theoretically, I could go back to grad school, but I'm really having second thoughts about becoming a teacher. Heck, I didn't blossom academically until I finally broke out of public schools, so should I REALLY be in a hurry to go back and work there? Most of middle school and a good deal of high school was hellish for me. I'm also hesitant about having to deal with other people's children, and worse yet, their parents. I'm afraid that I'd end up unhealthily despising some of them, as my view of Americans in general is not all that complimentary to begin with. But then, that's another reason I want to do JET: it's a window into the teaching world, without having to commit to a graduate program.
Well, enough rambling for now. If you've read all this, you should have better things to do!! ... *is one to talk*