About Me

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I'm a California girl who from 2007-2008 studied abroad in Tokyo at Toyo University. 2008-2010 completed my B.A. Degree in Japanese at the University of Hawaii @ Manoa. I was hired on May 6th 2011 to become an Assistant Language Teacher with Interac Co., Ltd. After the events of 3/11 I wanted to do something to help Japan. I decided to start early with Interac and be placed in one of the prefectures most affected by the earthquake/tsunami. <3

Saturday, August 6, 2011

ONE OK BUNNY vs the loneliness

So starts the new world of this blog! I wanted to come up with a way to title my blogs with some kind of uniform. So ONE OK BUNNY vs... what ever the topic would be ^^

Tomorrow will mark a month since I landed in Japan. Though I have only been in my apartment under two weeks I am still working on getting things set up.

What I want to talk about is what I'm sure most people coming over alone will deal with in someway. The situation is worse in my case then most because I tend to be shy in new situations and have had very little money this far. I don't see the situation changing much until my first paycheck at the end of September.

I'm talking about the whole starting somewhere new and meeting new people thing. In this situation every situation is different as every person is different. I am going through a strange phase of being so lonely and going out of my mind sitting in my apartment as well as at the same time just wanting to be a hermit and not do anything or see anyone.

The ALTs I met in Hitachi are amazing and it might because I came right before break that I find myself with a lot of time on my hands. The ALTs I'm sure are also busy because they are on holiday. That coupled with no money means not seeing anyone really.


I got invited out a few times by the girl I came up with from Tokyo because the ALTs invited her out. It was left with a "I'll let you know" from her then nothing came of it. She had done that a few times so I just rolled with it.

I think this phase will go better for those in the fall intake because they start work shortly after arriving and I will have to wait a few more weeks before my first day of class.

I did meet one ALT that lives about 2km from me that I seemed to hit it off with. She told me when she came about a month before me she knew no one until the day we met in training. I couldn't believe it! When I arrived the company was all about me meeting the other ALTs so I wouldn't be lonely.

Today the one ALT so far I've started to get to know told me she wants to go home and break contract. Now this is her business but I wanted to bring it up because she is for sure not one who would crack in a new country; she's been there done that and is well traveled. There are worries about family at home that could turn into an emergency which anyone would want to be home for. Even though every job tells you leave personal problems outside of the work place it's almost impossible to do! Sometimes life points you in a direction that you need to head and that maybe why she wants to go home. on a more personal note one summer I had to drop out of summer classes and go home because everything worked against me and I couldn't afford it. It turned out my mom passed away that summer so I had just short of 2 months with her before it happen suddenly.

I'm sorry about being random in my thoughts and just kind of rambling. Emotions do that ^^

So as bummed as I am about the one friend I'm making leaving soon I totally support her and hope the best for her in the future. I just wanted to point out that I don't think there is a guarantee that you might not get depressed here no matter what you've done in the past or what type of person you are. I look back at my time studying abroad and see I spiraled into a depression and I thought it had to do with having no money to do anything. After today I wonder if there was more to it. I am being fully aware of all that keeping it in mind and trying to stay sane now ^^



And on an unrelated note! My money issues are sure to continue... why? because I had to buy a new computer with my loan... yeah my other broke. Though a friend pointed out that the difference in power would kill the computer at some point. So I got a new laptop yesterday and with that my issues with money continue! ^^

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