So for the past month or so, I've been living in a hostel in Shanghai. Reason being, I entered a TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) course so I'd have a better chance of getting into JET; for those of you who don't know what that is, it's a program run by the Japanese embassy, where they recruit young individuals with a bachelor's degree to become English teaching assistants in local Japanese schools.
I've wanted to do this ever since I heard about it in my first year of uni, where a TA for one of my many economics classes came in to talk about becoming a certified accountant. Since I was a hospitality management major and sucked at numbers, I tuned her out after the first sentence or so. I was just day dreaming when i heard "taught English in Japan". I jolted out of my daydream ( which consisted of kai and rei and some rather raunchy action) and started listening intently.
She didn't go into the details of it, and returned to ttalking about what opportunities becoming certified gave her. But luckily for me, she told students to go talk to her at the end of class if we had any questions about anything. I couldn't concentrate for the rest of class and was jittery with anxiousness until the professor dismissed class. I immediately bolted out of my chair and ran dow the stairs to the podium before the TA even got there.
And that, was the beginning of my little adventure.
I applied to JET in my last year of uni, it was a long process which involved lots of paper work, the most difficult essay I've ever had to write, and mind numbing scary interview. After months of waiting, I finally got the letter. The letter which would decide whether I'd have to return to Hong Kong and get a crappy job, or if I'd be going to Japan for an adventure of my life time.
The results were...well, let's just say it brought up a whole array of conflicting emotions. I was put on the waiting list. So I had two choices, either wait 6 months and see if anyone gave up their spot, or give up for now and go back to Hong Kong first. (To clarify, I'm Canadian and I studied uni in Ontario)
Instead of having to make that choice, the choice was made for me. The 2011 tsunami that hit Japan meant that my parents became completely against my going there at all -they were not really into the idea in the first place - so even though spots were pretty much guaranteed to open up, at this point, I had to give up on the idea completely.
And so, I returned to Hong Kong, during which I switched jobs 6times in the time span of about a year, all if which were menial and completely pointless (house keeping, call center, book shop); had two online relationships, both of which ended in tears and heartache; got into countless arguments with my parents about my career path.
But it wasn't all bad, about half a year after I returned to Hong Kong, I somehow managed to get 2 1/2 weeks off of work (I thank my dear friend and manager for that, he went out of his way to make sure I got the leave), blew every last penny i had, argued endlessly with my mum, and went on a trip with one of my best friends. A trip to Japan. It was the best trip of my life so far. I've been to Japan many times before and have loved it every single time, but this trip was special.
We planned this trip because my friend intended on going to Japan anyway, I somehow managed to convince her to drop by Hong Kong while she was at it, and then joined her on her little adventure to Japan. It was mostly because I decided that i had to get away from home. The constant strain between my parents and I, the menial job I had, the bad relationship I was in (in which the other party disappeared for months on end, long story) was making me bitter, bitchy and I was starting to lose sight of myself. This trip renewed my bright outlook in life and gave my morale a huge boost.
We met people, talked to them, saw things, experienced things. I broke it off with the person who kept disappearing, did things that were "out of the box" as my friend put it, and LIVED.
By the end of the trip, I realized something important. No matter how difficult things might seem at the moment, you should never ever lose sight of yourself, you have to keep reminding yourself that, no matter what you're doing at the moment, no matter how much of a dead end it may seem like, it will eventually lead you where you want to be if you put in enough effort. More importantly, you need to know, not only believe, but KNOW that that certain thing you really want in your life, you're going to get it. Because that's the only way that it will happen.
And so, I knew. I went back got back to Hong Kong after a tearful train ride and plane trip, did some more sight seeing before seeing my friend off back to the land of maple leaves, and went back to my menial job at the book store, and continued on with my day to day life, with one small difference. I now knew exactly where I was going. I stayed at the job for as long as I could to help out during the peak season as a token of my gratitude for everything my manager had done for me, saved up all that I could, handed in my resignation letter at the end of july, and left by the end of August.
Which brings us back to the recent past, in which I studied, played, and loved ( I love you, so much!) and continue to love, saw, did everything I could manage in the one month I was in Shanghai. And now I am tefl certified and back at home base.
The JET applications will be open soon, so right now, I'm preparing for it, started thinking about what to write on my second essay, who to get my references from, fill in form after form of stuff, looking for jobs that will help my chances of getting in and to get money to go back to Canada for the interview...
It's not going to be easy, it'll be lots of hard work, and I will get frustrated, and cry and moan and bitch.
But now I know. I know I will get in, there's no if and or buts about this. I've never been more sure about where my life is going than I am now.
So thank you, Hong Kong, thank you Shanghai, thank you parent for arguing and looking out for me so even though we don't agree on what I want, I know I want it. Thank you friends who have supported me, and thank you... you know who are you are baby, you supported me from the time we met 2 years ago and never stopped, even though i really do hate you sometimes, I really just love you... just, thank you <3
And with that, I will end my extremely long ramblings of the day o_o <3
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