The Road to Monbetsu

Finally, thousands of miles and more than a week later, I've arrived at my new home in Monbetsu, Japan. No picture or description can ever truly communicate a place, but this is the view outside my window this morning:



But that's getting ahead of myself. When last I wrote I was in Shinjuku, in Tokyo. From there, the Hokkaido JETs flew out on Wednesday morning to Shin-Chitose airport, near Sapporo. Sapporo is the biggest city in Hokkaido, with a population of two million, it was here that I met my new boss and my predecessor. We stayed there for a night before heading out the next day for Monbetsu. Our hotel was the aptly-named "Swanky Hotel", which presents rooms that look like this:



Swanky indeed! We went out to a "Genghis Khan" restaurant, in which you grill strips of lamb over a fire at the countertop. The proprietor sticks a piece of fat on top of the grill to keep it greased up. Not knowing what this was, I was halfway through my second piece before she advised me not to eat it ("This is really chewy, whatever it is", I thought). We then hit the beer gardens, which is exactly what it sounds like.

The next day my supervisor and I got on a train for Asahikawa, where we changed over for a bus bound for Monbetsu. Although it took quite some time, this ride really allowed me to see some of the heart of Hokkaido, passing through gorgeous mountain roads and minuscule farming villages.



At this time, I finally felt I was getting somewhere - going deep through these isolated villages on the way to our eventual destination, my new home. We arrived in the afternoon, and I was given the harrowing experience of being introduced to the office right away upon arrival. I went to work the next morning, but this will have to be covered in my next update.

I'm in my apartment now, but not quite moved in yet; I've explored the town a bit, but not yet made it my home. It's only been two days, however, and I'm looking forward to the weeks and months ahead greatly. My new coworker, the middle school ALT, will arrive next week; I'm looking forward to meeting him, and having someone around going through the same process I am. This is the biggest adjustment from Tokyo Orientation; I'm no longer part of a huge and aimless herd of folks in the same situation as me. I'm on my own now, which is scary and exhilarating. Of course, I've been getting a lot of help, but I'm not longer just a face in the crowd. Now I'm home.

Secrets of Shinjuku

Quick update from the lobby of the swaying tower of the Keio Plaza Hotel, the swanky palace in which we've been put up for the last three nights. I've arrived here in Tokyo and had my head stuffed full of facts, ideas, and advice, and received a literal eight pounds (three kilos?) of paperwork, guidebooks, and forms. I've met a whirlwind of other JETs departing for all ends of our new country, and met an old friend for dinner and some drinks (nothing better to get the rusted gears of language turning again). Today I'll leave for the city of Sapporo in Hokkaido, where I will be meeting my new supervisor. From there it's a 7 hour bus ride to my new town, Monbetsu. I'm not sure if we'll do that today or tomorrow. Updates will follow when I can. As a side note, I'd like it to be known that the Japanese think that the upper right side of the keyboard, where ' usually goes, is a good place to put the + key. The @ sign, usually on shift+2, is over by enter and has it's own key; shift+2 is ". Oh, Japan, you have much to learn.

Leavin on a JET plane

Ahahaha did you catch that pun in the title? Did you like it? I hope so because if you ever join the JET program you will hear it at least three dozen more times. My suffering is your suffering.

I am writing from the Holiday Inn Express outside of O'Hare in Chicago, where we had orientation and dinner today. I met a whole bunch of people who's names I don't remember, and learned that things to be afraid of on JET include:

- Spiders
- Children
- Food
- Coworkers
- Hitting Children with Cars

Fun! Tonight I get to sit around wondering what to do with myself - it's storming out and I don't really want to go get drunk since I have a 14 hour plane ride tomorrow. In the morning we get up, cart our luggage to the airport, and get ready to travel forwards in time. Until then, thanks for reading! This is Tony, signing out of the US.