Retail Detail ~ Food, "Fun" and Final Impressions...

So today marks yet another ‘end of an era’ as I worked my – hopefully – final day in the food retail industry. I’ve had quite something of a rollercoaster in the last eight months. I’ve seen people come and people go. I’ve ascended through some ranks – albeit unofficially. I’ve made friends. I’ve made coffee. But above all, I’ve made memories.

Earlier in the year, I pretty much ripped a hole into my situation. I was miserable. I didn’t like my circumstances. I didn’t care for a couple of my colleagues. I felt the entire shop was run like a military operation and I really couldn’t be myself. Despite this, however, I needed the job as I needed the income. And I will admit it’s been nice having a full month’s pay all over again as I was actually able to do things, pay bills, buy things and have money left over by the next pay day. But pay aside, I feel like I should reassess my job, as while some things stayed the same, a lot of things changed over time.

If you recall, I stated that in any job, two things are important to me. The first one concerned my team. I stated that they must be awesome and I think anyone would agree. Getting on with your teammates makes things run a lot more smoothly.

Now I don’t like to make waves. In the past, I’ve often been quiet when I’m upset or annoyed with someone, but as I became more familiar with my role and my colleagues, I think I learnt to be a bit more honest with my feelings. It was very rare but when I had issues with other members of staff, I learnt to take the opportunity to talk out my issues and even though this was quite uncomfortable at times, I realised that it really did take a weight off my shoulders. Making peace is the way forward and I feel like I’ve grown up a bit during this time.

The second thing I mentioned was that management must be tolerable. Now I went through two new managers, plus an extra addition, and I must say that this got a much better over time. I don’t know if it was down to my growing experience, level of confidence or just general trust placed in me, but I felt like the military hold receded and my shop became a much more enjoyable place to work. I wasn’t restricted anymore. I was given more responsibility and through this I was able to let more of my personality shine through. My managers were still my managers but I could also talk to them on a more personable level. This made working there a lot easier.

I also mentioned the customers.

Now this pretty much stayed the same. I had customers that would come in for a quick chat with their coffee and I had customers that I really didn’t give a toss about. I had some particular difficult and anal individuals who felt that their role as an “educated professional” meant that they were entitled to some form of sovereign treatment. I had customers make awkward and sometimes even ridiculous demands. I’ve had customers bold-facedly ask for freebies. Heck, there were roughly the same amount of customer complaints as there were compliments. But at the same time, I’ve had customers put a smile on my face. I’ve had customers that would talk to me and ask after my well-being without me initiating the conversation first. I’ve had customers express extreme gratitude for something I’ve done for them and I’ve had customers compliment me on my ability to cope during rush hour – and boy, were those some intense rushes. A customer even bought me a gift to commemorate my departure and it wasn’t until I started telling people that I was leaving that I realised just how much some of these people actually liked me. I had always been under the impression that they just didn’t give a damn. How wrong I was.

I actually ended up going down the barista route again so in contrast to my earlier remark, I guess they did want me to be a barista, or at least some people, more than others, were prepared to put it into motion. I still don’t drink coffee mind you. (Matcha Latte for the win!) I certainly got a lot faster. I maintained some of those bad habits however, but I still make a good cup of coffee. Mocha, anyone?

I saw a uniform update. I ate some good food. I met some good people and made some great friends.

Retail was never where I wanted to end up. Granted, I’m still of the impression that considering the amount of people to join and leave my company, it can’t be where most people see themselves either. But I still think that as a ground employee, it’s a good place to start. And it's a good place to work too (although it really is the luck of the draw). It was an adventure. I had good days and bad days. I had easier days and hard days. 

Do I regret not taking that other job? 

No, not really.

After all, I gained some more life experience but now it’s time to move on to the next chapter.

The London Files ~ The Will Miss List

The general question / assumption that I get from people as I draw closer to Japan is that I must be excited. But for the longest time, I felt the most ominous sense of calm and neutrality that would make anyone question whether I genuinely want to go to Japan. And believe me, I do. I’ve been wanting to go for many years and to finally have a shot at both going there and starting on a potential career path is simply awesome. In fact, exactly one month from today, I will be getting on that plane but the excitement still hasn’t fully set it yet. And further still, there will be a lot of things that won’t be easily accessible to me and a lot of things that I will have to get used to – whether I find them easy to adjust to or not. And of course, sometimes there will be those moments when I’m sitting alone and that sense of aloneness will make me consider what I’ve actually left behind.

Conveniences

The fact that I was born in London and that I grew up here means that I am very much aware of how to get by. Simple things such as buying something at the supermarket, travelling to another part of the UK or sending mail via the post office are extremely easy for me to do but doing such things in Japan where I’m not fully aware of the practises, nor do I have a common language, are going to seem ten times harder for me. Other typical things such as navigating my way around or ordering take away over the phone are going to be extremely trying and probably frustrating as well. It was only by chance, when I was drinking a bottle of Lucozade while queuing up to pay for it with a Japanese friend of mine, that I found out that opening any item of food or drink before actually paying for it in Japan would get me in serious trouble, whereas in the UK, as long as one has the intention to pay for it, this isn’t the case. I’m going to have to adapt to a completely new set of rules and methods for doing things. My little conveniences will be next to no more.

Home

In London, I live in a pretty good place. I have a large park about two minutes from my front door and this place is great for those keen on exercise as well as the odd festival or fun fair. Five minutes from my house, I have shops and take away establishments for my every day (or once in a while essentials). There is a bus stop not a minute away and I have easy access to both the underground and the overhead trains. If I travel into Central London for a night out on the town, I find it incredibly easy to get home at four o clock in the morning. In fact, I can travel just about anywhere from my location and Google Maps has been so good to me. As I’m still not aware of where I will be living for the next year or so, I have no idea whether my living space will be as good as the house I grew up in. I will certainly miss it and all the benefits that come with it.

Food

Everybody has a favourite food and while I’ve gone through my share of weaknesses (which might still actually be weaknesses) e.g. chocolate, there are quite a few things that I know that the Japanese simply won’t have. In fact, I’m going to have to find new goodies when I’m over there and say goodbye to all my luxuries. For example, I’m actually a great lover of cheese – especially when melted – but I know that it’s very difficult to find in Japan so I’m pretty much getting my cheese fix in the next month so that I can prepare myself to give it up. Other goodies like Ribena – my childhood fixation – and Crunchy Nut Cornflakes – which are truly truly addictive – will have to go on the scrap heap, because I doubt I’ll come across them in Japan and as with other food that I’m used to, I’m sure it’s not gonna taste exactly like home (unless it’s imported that is). This is not that big of a deal however - it’s not like I’m saying goodbye to food in general - but I don’t doubt that I won’t miss a great steaming heap of Mexican chicken in a brioche bun once in a while.

Blending In

As I’ve mentioned previously, London is a multi-cultural hot pot. There isn’t a race or culture or type of person that doesn’t exist here and even if they don’t, if they were to enter into the UK ad introduce their culture to the city, I doubt people would bat an eyelid much as it’s all been done before. I’m a third generation West Indian. Both my parents were born in the UK while my grandparents immigrated here in the sixties. I’m no one special. People don’t pay me any mind, but in Japan, I’m going to stand out ridiculously. I’m a woman and by British standards, I’m average but by Japanese standards, I’m huge. I’m also black and we make up around 5% of the population in the UK but have had enough presence to warrant a sense of normality. In Japan, the amount of black people or non-Japanese is very small meaning that I won’t be able to blend in at all. I’ll be a constant abnormal presence in Japan and I know I’ll be stared at to the point of irritation. I’ll miss not be able to fade into the background.

Essentials

In the same way that all my favourite foods will be left behind, so will all the products I’m accustomed to using. As a woman, I have my regime. I’m not overly feminine but I’m aware of what works for me and I like to stick to what I know. It’s therefore unfortunate for me that Japan doesn’t have any of the products that I use or that are necessities to me. I’ve heard a rumour that Japanese deodorant is weaker than the western variants and that a lot of Japanese toothpastes don’t contain fluoride (please feel free to confirm or dispute this as I’m not in the know). The fact that I won’t be able to access such products with ease any more did have me concerned for a while until I found a website from the UK that does actually deliver every single one of my items overseas. Naturally however, this will probably cost a fortune and so while I hope I’ll be able to find some products in Japan that might agree with me, I’m still leaning towards what I already know.

English

It’s no secret that the Japanese are on the English flex in a similar fashion to most non-English speaking countries around the world. I have heard that if a Japanese person can speak English (and if they’re confident enough), they will use the opportunity to converse with English natives which is pretty useful for us foreigners. However, just because there are some that can speak English, it doesn’t mean that this is the case for everyone or everywhere. The news will be in Japanese, newspapers will be in Japanese, signs will be in Japanese…etc, because low and behold, I will be living in Japan. This means that I’m not going to be understood all the time and that even speaking to Japanese people who can speak English will be, on occasion, fraught with difficulties. And while I know that I shouldn’t expect English speaking to be an everyday occurrence and nor should I simply give up in my conquest to learn Japanese, there will be times when I’ll simply desire to switch off my brain and have a typical conversation in English with no problems or misunderstandings whatsoever.

Friends

I’m not the kind of person that seeks to have many friends. In fact, I’ve brushed shoulders with a lot of people in my life but there are very few that I consider my friend and fewer people still who I trust with myself. In all honesty, as bad as it might be to say, I find it incredibly easy to cut people off if I feel like there’d be no benefit to keeping in contact with them. Additionally, however, I can often go long periods of time without contact with others – even my closest friends – but despite this I still value their friendship. I have odd relationships with people and choose what I share with people and what I don’t share with others but I will miss the relationships I’ve struck up with them. I will miss going out to dance the night away or rolling on the floor laughing until my sides split. I will miss sharing a meal at TGI Fridays or having a diplomatic conversation with those of my friends who are likeminded. And even though I know that some of my friendships will transcend time, I will miss the measured proximity I’ll have had with them when I’m halfway across the world

Family

I’ve talked about my family on my blog before and how I don’t generally feel that close to them and while in some cases, this does still stand, I think it’s only recently that I’ve realised that despite our differences, I’m going to miss my family most of all. I’ve stated up to this point that I haven’t actually felt any other emotion about my moving abroad besides neutrality, but I was actually met with a  bout of sadness not too long ago and it didn’t actually hit me until my mother’s birthday party. All my family were around me. When I unveiled my flight date, there was a still sense of (what I now believe might have been) sadness from them that I initially mistook for coldness but then as everybody began to enjoy themselves and I started mingling, I realised that I was getting homesick and I hadn’t actually left my living room. As a gift to my mother, I got a professional photo of us done together and even looking at it hanging up on the wall makes me relive those feelings even more. But fortunate, I’ve been told by others who have upped and left that this is normal so I don’t feel completely bad for it. But I will miss them because despite our lack of togetherness and the occasions when they’ve driven me insane, because they’ve always been there for me. And even though I won’t be able to physically reach out and touch them, they will continue to be there for me still.

~

So yes, I have slandered London and there are quite a few things that are ugly about this place, but it’s my city and it’s in this city that I’ve lived my life up until this moment. And even though I know it’s not forever, I’ve never taken quite as big a step as I will be taking next month. So I will miss it terribly. But I’ll definitely be back some day. And hopefully with a string of adventures, teaching experience and life experience under my belt.

The London Files ~ The 'Won’t Miss' List

Partially inspired by the 1000 Things About Japan blog that I read from time to time and also, inspired by the sheer scale of idiocy and other grievances that I’ve come across during my twenty-five and a half years of living existence, I’ve decided to compile of list of things I won’t miss about my humble and yet infamous city of London, England. There will be a Will Miss List too, but today I feel like slandering my city. Many people the world over desire to come here and I still believe that I am truly blessed to have been born here, but it’s not physically possible for me to love every waking moment of my time here in the UK and so as I embark on my journey across the world, I give you – the unsuspecting internet surfer or Brown Jem loyalist, a peak into the downs and the lows of London town.

Transport

I’ve probably mentioned before, but according to sources, Japanese transport is one of the most punctual in the world. In the UK – particularly in London – it isn’t uncommon for trains to be late or signals to fail; neither is it uncommon for people to fling themselves in the paths of speeding trains for that quick and easy death. But while my heart goes out to those people who desired nothing more than to eradicate their existence, I still need to get to work on time. I despise getting on a packed bus during particularly bad weather, having to rub shoulders with people in thick, damp heat, while the bus creeps along the road because the congestion charge just isn’t cutting it. I hate having to pile drive myself onto a train just because people don’t want to move into that open space directly beside them. I hate rising fares for exactly the same service as last year. I like having an oyster though – it’s quite convenient – but I will not miss public transport in London.

Outdoor Smoking

Now, anyone who knows me will know that I despise cigarettes with a passion. I had a really rough experience with cigarettes as a child and ever since, I have purposely gone out of my way to avoid the puff…and the puff ponies themselves. According to a few people I’ve been speaking to, however, outdoor smoking isn’t common in Japan – albeit sometimes there are areas designated for this. Ever since the UK imposed its smoking ban back in 2007, people are no longer allowed to smoke inside public establishments however; they must now smoke outside. And this is great. It means that when I leave a club or a restaurant, my clothes don’t smell like ash. But it doesn’t mean that I don’t have to deal with people blowing their smoke in my face while I wait at the bus stop or try to evacuate a smoke stream if I happen to be walking in the path of a chimney. I literally have to get in front of them to avoid the ash; it’s like a bloody game – only the game is with my life as I’d rather prolong it for as long as possible thank you very much. The only downside is that in contrast, in Japan, they’re encouraged to smoke indoors so while I’ll be able to breathe easy on the streets, I’ll still have to deal with it inside in Japan.

Cleanliness

Anyone who’s been to London or has lived in London will know that no matter how many road sweepers and dustbin men we employ, London’s level of cleanliness sucks. A Japanese friend of mine couldn’t believe the amount of chewing gum stuck to the streets outside a fancy establishment such as Harrods, but people generally don’t care and fling their rubbish here, there and everywhere.  Even I’ve been guilty of it in the past but I try to locate a bin these days. There’s actually a fine for persistent littering, fly tipping and the like but people don’t pay it any mind and I think this is because it’s difficult to police. Someone I know who went to Japan remarked about how clean it was and that had it not looked out of the ordinary, she would have walked the street bare foot. It’ll be nice to walk down the street and not have to worry about what I’m stepping in for once.

The Weather

While this year’s summer was nice, it kicked off late again and it finished just as abruptly. I couldn’t believe how quickly the temperature just dropped. One moment, we were in our shorts and tees and the next we were reaching for our raincoats and umbrellas. I heard that in Japan the seasons are bit more well-defined whereas in London, we often get mass bouts of bad weather; it snows late January instead of December and the “rainy seasons” cross into June sometimes. I will not miss the crappy, unpredictable and random habits of British weather in the slightest.

British Drinking Culture

If there’s one thing the British are famous for, it’s their outlandish drinking habits. In Europe, the bars and nightclubs open their gates for the sole purpose of welcoming the British who spend copious amounts of their vacation time inside a bottle of Vodka, or Hoffmeister, or Mojito…or just about anything they can get their hands on. Every Thursday (that’s right, Friday is still a working day mind you), Friday night, Saturday night, Football Match Sunday and Bank Holiday weekend, you can expect to find a bunch of British people drinking the night away in their local boozer. They’ll get drunk, lose themselves, get lost,  get leary, get flirty, make themselves sick and then wake up without any memory of the subsequent evening before deeming it a ‘cracking night out’. I dislike being around drunk people as is because there’s no reasoning with them so I won’t miss the British drinking culture at all.

Reality TV

In the early 2000s, England decided to ditch the dramas and replace them with extensive coverage of reality TV. Gone went the really gritty series’ like At Home With The Braithwaites, Catherine’s Cookson’s The Girl, Bad Girls (before it got silly)…etc and on came Big Brother, Popstars, X-Factor and 10 Years Younger. Now I watch some reality television. Channel 4’s Dispatches is pretty good, The Apprentice gets you thinking, and I even enjoyed Wife Swap, but our television is full of these things now. And if it’s not reality television, it’s celebrity television from Strictly Come Dancing to I’m A Celebrity! Get Me Out of Here. I miss a good old fashion drama that has you hooked until the next episode. I don’t want to have to phone in to evict someone. I already pay TV License; why should I pay more? I have no idea what Japanese television will have in store for me but I probably won’t understand a lick of it to begin with anyway. So yes, I won’t miss reality television at all.

The People

I believe that it’s been said by countless people that Londoners are not the most friendly of people and I’m about to confirm that this may well be a fact. A lot of expats or foreigners will say this as well but what they fail to realise is that nowadays, London isn’t just made up of British people but of all types of people from all walks of life. So what we have here in London is a giant culture clash with many people attempting to live their lives by their own cultural standards. But I’m not blaming the foreigners, because while I know that they’re not perfect either, it’s a known fact that London lost its community spirit over fifty years ago. People are rude. (Kids are worse). They will nudge you, step on you, push in front of you in a queue, take up one and a half seats when sitting on the bus, disregard rules, road rage, yell at each other, and that’s not the half of it. I’ve heard that people in Tokyo are equally as cold – although perhaps not as abrasively rude – but I know I won’t be anywhere near Tokyo when I move to Japan. All I know is, I certainly won’t miss the little brat that keeps kicking his ball at my kitchen window and nor will the London mentality either.

~

So this is all I could think of that stood out in particular because no place is perfect and everywhere has it’s pros and cons. I think that with most places, you have to take the good with the bad and even though the bad is infuriating, we simply have to make do.

I, fortunately, won’t have to make do for much longer, but I do know that Japan will probably come with its very own negatives as well and I look forward to updating you on what I find.

The Japan Files ~ When Concerns Come Creeping In

It’s exciting, isn’t it? To be moving to another country to live and work for a minimum of one year. The idea of experiencing a completely different world, of trying to integrate into a new culture, and having to adopt a completely different lifestyle in addition to new rules and conduct sounds like a giant adventure. And in my family, this is quite a big deal because I know for certain – that on my mum’s side anyway – no one in my family has ever attempted to do something quite so radical. And with such a big deal comes a huge amount of thought and preparation. In fact, there is so much information out there that it’s a little bit difficult for me to narrow everything down. In fact, my brain is doing some serious overtime right now trying to make sense of what I need to do before I move, who I need to speak to, how I intend to get myself out there and above all how I intend to survive. But as the cogs in my head keep turning, there is a part of me that’s raising alarm bells. Because in fact, the first emotion I got after that lengthy period of “this doesn’t quite feel so real yet” was nervousness. Because the control freak in me is currently yelling a thousand obscenities because she can’t relax. She has a million and one worries about her journey to Japan and what won’t, might and probably will be in store for her so allow me to offload:

Language Barrier

I’m so used to be surrounded by foreign language speakers in the UK but I’ve never been that foreign language speaker myself and with the limited Japanese that I have, I’m royally screwed if I don’t pick up some of the lingo sharpish. I’m aware that in the cities, there are people who are keen to use their English but I’m not going to rely on that. I intend to come to Japan and as a gaikokujin living in Japan, it is only right that I learn some Japanese.

What I’ve noticed amongst my foreign language friends and colleagues is that at times they can become frustrated at not being able to communicate as they’d like. And even though I try to reassure them, I realise that their issues with their inability to communicate are quickly going to become mine. But rather than smile about my apparent lack of Japanese language ability, I foresee myself kicking myself in the shin at not being able to grasp the language fast enough and therefore, not being able to perform every day activities, such as grocery shopping, to a satisfactory standard.

Health Trauma

It’s inevitable. Every year at some point, I get sick. It’s usually in the form of a cold and in more rare cases, a migraine or upset stomach. So I’m gonna need to go to the chemist or see a doctor but how do you explain to someone what’s wrong with you and what you need when you don’t have a common language between you? I’ve heard that in some hospitals, some doctors are bilingual which is great but I can’t expect this really. I’m gonna need to pick up some medical-related words fast.

Money Matters

For some strange reason, my mind’s on my money. I mean I have the money I need; the problem is getting it over there. The easiest way is to bring cash but walking around with thousands of pounds just doesn’t seem plausible to me. I don’t even like walking around with £100. I might carry £30 if I’m going out for the evening or £200 if I’m undergoing some serious retail therapy but this is only because I know the money is going to disappear quite quickly. On average however, I never carry more than £10 a pop in general and I don’t usually withdraw more unless I run out. So yes, basically, I dislike carrying big money and what’s ironic is that I am well aware that Japan is a huge cash populace. Cards aren’t accepted as often as they are here in the UK so I’m going to have the shake this comfort fast.

In terms of the initial overhaul however, I could go down the route of Traveller’s Checks but I realise I know very little about them and am aware that they’re only accepted at banks or at the post office. I could bring my card but I don’t fancy being taxed through the roof for each transaction. Any other option just doesn’t seem attractive to me so I’m going to have to ponder on this one further

Social Damnation

I can be a rather antisocial person at times. I don’t always desire to go out and spend time with people. Sometimes I like being in the comfort of my own home and I often appreciate a lazy day in. But despite this, I’m not a complete recluse. I do crave social interactions and that leads me to my next concern with regards to making friends and attempting to establish a social life. What if I end up on my own a little too much? What if I find it difficult to throw myself even more so out of my comfort zone and what if via doing this, others find me unapproachable? It’s like a double-edged sword really.

Job Strain

In all the jobs I’ve worked in, there have been good times and bad times. Fundamentally, however, I have worked jobs that I’ve loved more than I’ve hated and vice versa. But the fact still stands. A job’s a job and no day will ever truly be the same. But my fear is what if I hate it? I like kids and when I was a kid myself, I often played with the younger children because I found them much more amusing than my classmates. But now I’m older and my experience with children has dwindled. I have no kids of my own and I’m not as maternal as I probably should be. I don’t want to do a bad job however. I wanna become great at it but the issue still stands. What if it becomes a little too much for me?

House Troubles

It’s no secret that Japanese homes are small. The counters are lower, the fridges are tiny and everything’s compact – or at least it will be when I move into my studio apartment. I don’t doubt I’ll be in some sort of apartment complex but I’m a tall woman by Japanese standards and also, a little heavy-handed (and footed too). My first concern is that I’ll break something. I’m not usually so clumsy but I’m much more used to wider spaces. My second concern is my neighbours. I had problems with my neighbours here in the UK who kept playing their music at ridiculous hours mid-week. What if I get horrible neighbours, or better yet, what if my neighbours don’t like me? My last concern in this category is the refuse system. Apparently, Japan have rather strict laws on separating rubbish whereas in the UK, recycling and the like is optional. Certainly, it’s better for the environment but most of us are a lazy people and we gather up all our waste into a black bag, chuck it in the council provided bins outside and wait for the bin men to collect them every week. What if I just can’t grasp it?

Japan Anxieties

Of the people I’ve come into contact with and of some of the blogs I’ve read, most people have talked about Japan favourably but with every situation in life, nothing is truly perfect. Some people have had their reservations while others have flat out hated their experiences but what both these types of people have in common is one denominator: culture shock. I aware of the four stages of culture shock and I’m also, aware that I’m guaranteed to experience it, but what concerns me is that I might end up staying in the Negotiation Stage whereby the frustrations of living in Japan become really apparent to the point that I just can’t hack it. I’m aware of some of the differences already (has anyone heard of the giant crackdown on dancing in nightclubs?) so in a sense, I expect them but I’m sure there are some customs and practises that I don’t know about or mightn’t become accustomed to.

~

I’m sure I have more worries (for example, shipping things over to myself and/or back home to the UK) but the above are my main areas for the moment. For some of them, I’m steadily getting my head around how I’m going to have to do things but I fully intend to revist this entry some time next year as an update to how I managed to conquer them or become conquered by them.

Here’s hoping for the former.

                                                                                                                                          

Japan Prep ~ When the Teacher Becomes the Student

So I’m still waiting in the land of limbo. I have no confirmed date for Japan and I won’t get a location until much later so my ability to start really preparing for the move has been delayed.

Irrespective, however, I have managed to find something that will aid in my transition into Japan so as soon as I was able, I booked myself into a ten week Japanese beginner course with United Internation College (UIC).

I had my first lesson this evening and found myself amongst six other likeminded people all shy and British but with one common desire. And as the lesson progressed, I couldn’t help but notice two things.

      a) I knew quite a bit already

Everything that we learned today was stuff I knew already and I’m pretty damn sure that my general pronunciation was pretty accurate. In fact, I was so self aware of how much I knew that whenever I was called upon to speak, my voice got lower and lower until a fellow student had to ask me to speak up. I guess I didn’t want to stand out or seem arrogant, but I knew it all already. Fundamentally, today’s lesson was revision for me.

What was useful, however, was the hiragana worksheet the teacher gave us towards the end of the lesson. I recall learning hiragana towards the end of last year and after I stopped learning Japanese in my pursuit to find work in the very same country, I knew that I’d forgotten some of the characters so re-learning them is going to be pretty damn helpful.

      b) Our teacher was either really nervous or really incompetent

I kept thinking to myself that I’d shelled out the better part of £200 for this course. I hadn’t really read up on it but not only was it within my price range but it was also the only course available that ran during the time period that I needed it for. (The only other course on offer within the same price range started in October and I was thinking that by then, it might be too late).

I’ve done a language course in the past with Cactus (this course was Spanish) and their teaching method involved full immersion meaning that very little English – if any at all – was used in the classroom. During my CertTESOL course, I experienced this as well and I have to say that I think this method is awesome. (In truth, I think they should introduce it into the British curriculum really. Everyone else the world over can speak English but the English can’t seem to speak sod all; it’s embarrassing). All you hear is the language you’re learning and you have to really tune in to gain understanding and find your way around it. And when you do find your way around it, it’s rewarding and by remembering that achievement, I believe you retain what you’ve learnt more so, but that’s a little psychological input for another time.

Anyway, for some strange reason, I expected that I’d be walking into a mini-Japanese classroom but in actuality, our teacher – while Japanese – spent half the lesson speaking in English. And maybe this was useful for the complete beginners in the room – one of whom couldn’t get his tongue around certain things (poor guy went bright red as he was usually called to say something first) – but I wanted that full immersion. I wanted to get a bit lost and try to find my way home. I wanted a big fat slice of Japan in my hand.

In addition, I noticed that our teacher had to continually refer to her notes. The lesson wasn’t delivered smoothly and there were times when there were silences whereby we were left idol.

I guess I can’t help but evaluate the lesson as a fellow teacher about to enter the field. I recall during my CertTESOL course when we were asked to evaluate other teachers in addition to ourselves and also, when our trainers would give us feedback after we taught a lesson. One of the things we learnt was that there were to be no silences. We were encouraged to get the students talking, whether it be to the teacher or to one another. So I look to those silences during the lesson today where our teacher was shuffling with handouts and I think to myself that these were school-boy (or in her case, “school-girl”) errors.

In a sense however, I’m probably being a little too critical of her because she seems to be quite a nice lady but maybe, just like me, she’s new to the field. Maybe standing in front of a classroom full of people got the best of her. Maybe that’s why she dropped some of the handouts behind her desk. (And believe me, I know how that feels. My second lesson during my TESOL course was a complete and utter disaster and I didn't just drop sheets of paper either). Or maybe she’s just really Japanese and quite shy. And as for her teaching methods – TEFL Lab had some of its own methods – maybe UIC has its own as well.

So, today was lesson one and even though I wonder whether it was money well-spent, I’ve still got nine more lessons to go so I’ll pass judgement upon completion. I Just hope I’m going to be able to learn how to string together more sentences that will help me during my time in Japan.

The Japan Files ~ To Do List

So I already know that I’m going to Japan even though no date has been confirmed yet but in crossing into a new culture, there are definitely some things that I want to do while I’m there because who knows? I may not even like it. In fact, I may even be hit a little too hard with culture shock  so that all I'll want to do is come home…

…

…

…

Nah.

Knowing myself, however, the chances of that being the case might be pretty slim. I can’t wait to stick my fingers in this culture that I’ve read and heard so much about so this will act as my Bucket List, plus or minus a few things that might crop up in the future…

~

Now if that isn't a Bullet Train...

Ride the Shinkanzen

Japanese trains are known for being one of the most punctual and efficient in the world. But this extends to Japanese people who consider it incredibly rude if you’re late. In actuality, people are often early as oppose to just 'on time' and I guess it indicates a show of respect. That said, the trains that run along this sophisticated construction are known as some of the fastest trains in the world. Known for their speed, comfort and safety (and also, for the expense), I’ve got to get on one of these at least once (or twice), especially considering that I’m going to want to jump ship and visit other cities and prefectures.

Locate a Love Hotel

These establishments were born in Japan during the Edo period and are nowadays primarily of use to couples who are seeking a bit of “alone time”. In Japan, it isn’t uncommon for people to stay at home with their parents after university whereas in the west, we are encouraged to find a place of our own. More often than not, people don’t want to bring their romantic interests into their parents’ house so they head to these little boutique-style destinations for a little privacy. I’ve heard they’re hard to find because of their discreet nature but I’m sure I’ll come across one at some point.

Go to a theme park

Tokyo Disneyland. Universal Studios. Nagashima Resort. I love me a good theme park. Rollercoasters are win and the faster and taller the rollercoaster, the better. I feel like a kid again whenever I enter these establishments and they’re general good for a day out with friends. So in the interest of being truly ‘genki’ for a day, I think I’ll have to find my way to one of these

Visit an Onsen

The ‘hot spring’ (or public bath) is something I’d love to try, especially one that’s outdoors. It’s general used as a means of relaxing as well as its appeal to tourists (like myself…sorta) but a lot of them have strict ‘no tattoos’ policies because in Japan, a tattoo is often associated with criminals. Considering that I have a tattoo smack bang in the centre of my back, this might be a problem. But I have read that some foreigners have managed to enter into onsen irrespective. Maybe people are more forgiving of foreigners with tattoos? Hopefully…

Eat Japanese food...in Japan

It’s one thing to eat Japanese food in the UK, but I’m pretty certain that eating Japanese food in Japan will be a completely new experience altogether. And there’s a lot I want to try as well. Okonomiyaki, ramen, soba, tenppanyaki, dango, sushi, oyakodon and stuff I haven’t even heard of yet. I’ll give most of it a go.

Visit a Temple or Shrine

I don’t know too much about these establishments but I do know that they are often the embodiment of religion or ritual and that they’re to be respected. Perhaps similar to the equivalent of walking into a church or a mosque. Therefore, as a crucial part of Japanese culture, I would like to visit one and of course, offer up a prayer. A lot are often still steeped in history meaning that they’re quite stunning to behold. Shame about the no photography rules though.

Going hard - Japan Style

Paint the town red

I haven’t been out properly in London for quite some time but I’ll have never been out and experienced the night life in Japan either. So I intend to find a club out there somewhere and shake a leg. I’m not much of a drinker so I don’t know how that will bode well with other people. I’ve heard that Japan is a lot like England in that sense ~ a big drinking country. But more often than not, if I don’t want any more to drink than I won’t have any more to drink. Dancing however? That’s another ball game. As long as the music is good, I can stay on the dance floor all night. So J-pop clubs and Hip Hop clubs, here I come.

Go to a Karaoke bar

Even though it’s uncertain, it is generally believed that karaoke was born in Japan and in fact it’s still a popular form of entertainment today. I think I’ve only done karaoke publicly once in the UK but in Japan, I’ve heard that you can rent a booth with friends and sing the night away. I fully intend to give my vocal chords a good work out at some point during my time in Japan.

Befriend a local

I have a couple of Japanese friends already and I’m currently in correspondence with some foreigners like (and unlike myself) who are currently working out there as well. But what’s an extra friend of two to help you get around a bit. I know this is going to be a bit difficult considering that I can’t speak a lick of conversational Japanese at the moment, but I think it would be cool to make friends with a local. I’m quite reserved in nature but not trying to make friends would be very stupid of me.

Visit Tokyo

Japan’s capital city. It’s only right that I visit this place. I already know that I won’t be living in it and that’s fine really.It’s known as potentially the most expensive place in Japan. Nonetheless, I’ve just got to go there. Roppongi. Harajuku. Akihabara. Tsukiji Market. The Ghibli Museum. These are just some of the places that others have told me to stop by and visit. So I’m definitely gonna get my Tokyo fix.

Locate a Host Club

As an extension of the above, host clubs are places where men and women go to laugh and drink the night away in the company of an attractive stranger. Sounds a bit suspect, doesn’t it but they’re quite popular. It is the job of “hosts” and “hostesses” to keep their patrons entertained by pouring drinks, flirting, lighting cigarettes…etc, and they’re paid dependant on sales generated. I have heard it said however that some of these places are Yakuza run so while I want to locate one, going inside one mightn’t be an option.

Learn some Japanese

I’ve always been of the mindset that if you’re going to live in another country than you should bloody well learn the language. And even though I know the odd word and phrase, I couldn’t have a conversation in Japanese to save my life. So I’ve got to make a conscious effort to get some Japanese under my belt. And when I’m out there, I’ve got no excuse really.

~

So yes, these are a but a few things I'd like to tick off during my time in Japan. Some of them are a sure thing; others may be a little bit harder. 

In a way though, as I look back at this list, I realise I'm looking at Japan from a tourists perspective so I'll say it again, it still doesn't feel like it's sunk in that I'm moving to Japan. I'm aware that I'm going to have to take my entire life here in London and convert it into some form of Japanese standard, but I guess all I can do is cross that bridge when I come to it.

The ESL Job Search Ends ~ And So It Begins...

Look out Japan! Here I come.

That’s right! The results are in. I am officially going to Japan en route with iTTTi Japan – Peppy Kids Club.

Mount Fuji 

That ten day wait I mentioned previously actually became seven and even though I haven’t an official start date as the iTTTi representative needs to confirm dates with Human Resources, one thing is certain, and that is that I will be on my way to the land of the rising sun.

It hasn’t sunk in yet but you can bet that my brain has already gone into overdrive. I’ve already made a long list of things that I’ll need to take care of between now and then but fundamentally, I think I’m going to use this weekend to chill out before going at it hard from Monday.

I don’t know if I mentioned it, but I have a serious control-freak issue.

Don’t worry. It’s not with reference to people, but with regards to how I deal with planning, preparation and the like. I’m not the kind of person who leaves things to the last minute so I fully expect that I’ll be good and ready to go at least a month or so in advance.

But we’ll see.

Sometimes things don’t always go according to plan after all.

It has been a long time coming. I think it was around late 2011 that I started pondering teaching English overseas. I had considered doing a weekend TEFL course but after speaking to my supervisor, she recommended that I try something a little bit more solid. I did my research in early 2012 and found the course in April/May of the same year. I read blogs. I read forums. I emailed people and upon completing my Trinity Certificate in September 2012, I decided that after I’d saved a substantial amount of money, I would begin my search.

I’m fortunate that I didn’t have to go through many interviews. And I’m also, fortunate that I managed to find work in the country that I desired to go to the most. So I would say to anyone pondering this journey to fight for it.

If you want to go abroad, whether to teach or otherwise, keep persevering. Do what you have to do to get there because you’ll feel a great sense of achievement once you know you’re on the way.

As for me. I’m about to start my own adventure.

Let the real journey of self-discovery begin...