The End

I suppose you are wondering why I haven't posted a blog is over a month. My apologies. However, for a while now I have come to realize that I've lapsed into a sort of "Stage 2", highly critical mentality: suddenly a lot of things just seem "wrong". I recognize this delayed culture shock (from my experience living in Russia) as being a result of staying in Japan for too long an uninterrupted period of time. Quite simply, I need a break.

However, rather than spend time and money giving myself that break, I decided that the time has come to go home. Permanently. I officially declined re-contracting for another year and will be returning home at the end of July 2011.

It's not as rash as it sounds. I've thought about this for months. Technically, I've thought about it since even the moment I first arrived, always testing, asking myself "Am I still OK?" It's not as though the answer to that question has suddenly switch to "No!" It's more of a slow sighing "... yeah, I'm OK..." like a reluctant seven year old that doesn't want to talk about a fight on the playground.

Definitely it's been a wonderful experience that I would highly recommend to anyone who has time and even the smallest inclination. I thought it was particularly wonderful for me because, like many JETs, I got into it immediately following graduation, with no job prospects, significant other, or property (beside a car that my father happily babysits) to tie me down. Real interest in Japan has, of course, also been crucial; without my searing love for Jrock music, my time here would never have been so colorful.

Still, anymore than 2 years and I find myself wondering how exactly I'm going to explain this on my already multifarious resume. Just generally, I feel very nervous and eager to hurry up and move on to the next, more permanent, stage of my life. I have some idea of what I want to do, and I'd like to get started on doing it.

Cheers,

better already Baer