In other news, Fedex delivered my Certificate of Eligibility today. It’s a little A5 sized piece of card with my mugshot on. I need to take it to the Japanese embassy in London with lots of other little things in order to get my working visa. I’ll be on a one year Instructor visa, but I’m obviously looking to extend that if I once again enjoy living in Japan. This is what it looks like 
So, once I get that all important departure date from Interac, I can go down to the embassy. I have to admit I’m starting to get nervous about the big move now. When I went to Japan before, I was under the wing of Keio University, would be living in a big city, in an international dorm full of other students I’d been chatting to on facebook before. Oh, and with a huge scholarship and a student loan from the UK!
Now, I’m all on my own. There will be 3 foreigners in my tiny hometown of Agano, and we’ll all be working different schools. It’s my own responsibility to sort out my wages, including paying off overdrafts and my student loan back in the UK. I lost my best friend in Japan very suddenly two weeks ago, so I’m without my senpai’s love and advice. There are also more people back here in the UK for me to miss this time around.
You’re all welcome in Japan guys. Come visit, see my house surrounded by rice fields. Then we’ll go to Tokyo for nomihoudai karaoke.
Finally, today is the funeral of my friend most of you knew, but if not, you do now. I’m absolutely gutted and very frustrated to not be American today. Or at least in Michigan. This isn’t goodbye, Rodger Swan. I’ll see you next time.
x
