39 Days Til Shuppatsu : 出発までは３９日間

イントロ

ちゃんとブログのイントロを書いた方がいいかな。名前はマイケル・ドーハーティ（２３歳）。２０１０年の７月にジェットプログラムで日本に行く予定。ということは、八つの日本の学校（小・中）で英語を教えることになった。この前は、７週間の留学プログラムに神奈川県川崎市に行った（この時以外はもう一回しか海外に行ったことがない）。最近日本語と言語学のダブルメージャーの学士を終了したが、日本語能力はまだものすごく足りない。もちろん滞在の期間はレベルアップしたい。具体的に、日本語能力試験の１級を取って帰ってきたい。ほぼ６年間日本語の勉強してるが、めっちゃ難しい。漢字や単語を調べないで意味を合わせて新聞さえちゃんと読めないし大変。でも最近ウィキペディアの記事を何も調べないで、漢字を８０パーセントぐらい読めるようになった。それにしても単語の意味全部わかるわけじゃないね。

わくわく

さて、ジェットに要求された書類をほとんど出したが、後は身元調査だけ。いや違法な活動なんか見つけられちゃうなんて悩んでない、ただ大使館に締め切りまでに出せるのかと心配してる。締め切りは７月２日でその時までに出さないといけない。今日FBIに電話して５月３日に届いたようだが、俺がもらうまで１２週間かかるみたい．．．ワシントンJETのググル・グループを読んでて、身元調査が間に合わなくても失格される可能性は低いって言われたけど、実はどうかなと悩んでる。とにかくできることないから、心配する意味ない。

先月、御陰様で長井市の前任者から連絡をもらった。仕事があるとしたら、色んな役に立つ住宅と長井市についての基本情報をもらった。今まで分かったことは、政府は俺の家賃にお金を出してる。そしてアパートは県中の最も大きいALTのアパートの一つ（ガスのストーブもあっていいね！）。それに車は消費は５００ドルぐらいのこととフォードエクスプロラーを運転することもわかった。長井は東京から４時間ぐらい離れたとこにある小さな街。人口は２万人ぐらい。写真をいくつか見てものすごく田舎っぽいのとこ。立った一つの希望は寂しくならないように友達がたくさんできるってこと。少なくとも一年間いるけど、好きだったら数年間後も滞在するかもしれない。友達と家族、素晴らしい彼女のレーチェルとの分かれは大変になるだろう。でもいい経験だったら、独立者になって面白い物語を持って帰ってくるだろう。

お休みなさい


Intro

I guess I need a proper introduction to my blog. My name is Michael Dougherty, I'm 23 years old and I am going to Japan in July 2010 (next month) with the JET Program. This means I'll be teaching English in 8 Japanese schools (elementary and middle). Previously, I have been to Japan for a 7-month study abroad program in Kawasaki, Kanagawa but that's about it (I've only been abroad one other time). I just completed a B.A. in Japanese Language and Literature with a double major in Linguistics at the University of Maryland, though my Japanese is so very far from fluent. Needless to say, I hope I can improve while I'm there. Specifically, I want to come back to the U.S. with level 1 Japanese Language Proficiency Test certification. I've been studying the language for about 6 years but it's been a challenge to say the least. I can't even read a newspaper properly without taking forever to look up the Japanese characters and vocabulary and slowly piecing together the meaning. Lately I've been noticing that I can read 70 to 80 percent of a given Japanese Wikipedia article without needing to look up meanings/readings of any characters, which is a plus, but it doesn't mean I understand what the words mean!

Pins and Needles


So I have sent in just about all my documents to the JET Office, the only one remaining, the dreaded FBI background check. No, I'm not worried that they'll find any past illegal dealings, just that I won't have everything in on time. The deadline is like July 2nd by which time I need to have sent the Japanese Embassy my ID record. I called today and they said they received it on May 3rd (so I was a little late getting it in, after hearing in early April) and it'll be 12 weeks before I get it in the mail... I have been keeping up with the DC JET Google group and have been reassured that it is unlikely I'll be disqualified for a late FBI record but there definitely is still the possibility in my mind at least. Anyways, there's really nothing I can do at this point so no need in worrying I spose.

I have been lucky enough to have been contacted by my predecessor in Nagai City, Yamagata Prefecture. Considering I have a job, he has given me tons of info about Nagai and my future living circumstances. What I can piece together at this point is that I'll be living rent free in one of the largest JET apartments in Yamagata (even have a coveted gas stove) and my expenses will be around 500 USD a month. There's apparently no one else that lives in the apartment so I pretty much have the building to myself. I'll be driving a 2000 Ford Explorer (hopefully with snow tires). Nagai is a small city about 4 hours north of Tokyo by car. The population is in the 20 thousands. I've seen some pictures and it looks pretty rural. I just hope I can make a lot of friends so I won't be too lonely. I'll be there for at least the next year and maybe a few more depending on how much I like life. It's going to be hard saying goodbye to my family and friends and my awesome girlfriend Rachel. But hopefully I'll be back with a lot of great stories to tell and return a more interesting, independent person overall.

Oyasumi nasai