After a long day taking on Kyoto, today we would have a slightly more relaxed day, seeing Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Himeji Castle. I was looking forward to seeing Himeji Castle, but a little more trepidatious about going to Hiroshima.

The second day of our golden week trip was going to be a doozy, it was time to take on Kyoto. The city I had spent 3 days exploring, I was now going to tackle in just one day alongside my family.

The first day of our family trip was planned to be spent at Nara, a more relaxed day since everyone would probably still be tired from the long trip to Japan

Golden Week is a collection of 4 holidays in Japan, and while it’s one of Japan’s busiest seasons, I also thought it would be a good time for my family to visit Japan.

Maybe a little scatterbrained, or maybe just being my usual forgetful self, I forgot to bring my laptop into my apartment.

As the two schools I teach at gear up for midterms, I once again find myself with extra time on my hands. The term just started in April, so it feels too soon, but I guess if it ends in July it technically is about the middle of the term.

The world is a complicated place. People are complicated. Relationships are complicated. Life is complicated. Yet at the same time, it’s also so very simple.

While the process of getting my license may have sucked, I did find some bright spots. Turns out Japanese rest stops on the highway are head and shoulders above the ones back home. I also got to celebrate getting my license by finally going to Hitachi Seaside Park!

I’ve been driving in Japan pretty much since I arrived here using an international driver’s license. However, with my birthday coming up soon, my Canadian driver’s license is set to expire.

It’s a weird thing once you achieve a dream you’ve had for a long time. You’re proud of your accomplishment, you revel in your completion of whatever it is you set out to do, and then you start to wonder. Okay, now what?

The weather is slowly getting warmer, the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and the new school year has started in earnest. April 9th was the first day of the new school year, while it would still be a bit before I started teaching classes again, I was excited to get back into the swing of things.

I feel like I’ve been a little more dour in my most recent blog posts. I won’t fault myself too much for that, the end of the school year brought about more changes than I had really expected.

While I’m sure I’ve said it before, I started blogging as a way to fill all the extra downtime I have at work. While blogging has certainly helped, it works best in conjunction with actual work, like teaching classes or preparing lessons.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about the JET Programme, it’s that staying flexible is the best thing you can do. About 10 days before the end of the school year here in Japan, my schedule for the new school year was sent out.

A classic Shakespeare quote, that like most of his work, now borders on cliched due its overuse. I think it’s a beautiful line, even if I never really took to the sentiment.

When I first found out my placement location would be Ibaraki I started getting excited, having a tangible location I could dream about living in. On the other hand, I found out I would also have to buy a car, something I rather dreaded. Driving anywhere new brings about a certain amount of anxiety, learning on the opposite side of the road though? Terrifying.

The school year here in Japan ends at the end of March, which means it was time for the 3rd year students to say goodbye to their time in high school. Being a teacher attending a graduation for the first time really made me pause and reflect on my own experience graduating.

I’ve talked about the food here in Japan a few times in passing, but it’s time to finally dig in. I’ve settled into a few go-to spots, and there’s still plenty of Japanese foods I’ve yet to try, but I can declare with certainty, Japanese food is damn tasty.

Like any culture, Japan has its share of social norms. Rules or practices that everyone is expected to know, or quickly learn, and follow. Theoretically, these guidelines are meant to form a common understanding of how one is supposed to behave.

It’s been 4 months since I left Canada. This is easily the longest I’ve been away from home, the previous record being maybe just 14 days. Between the snow making me nostalgic for home, and settling into a bit of a routine here in Japan, I miss home.