Leaving on a JET Plane

The morning of my departure was difficult. My parents, boyfriend, and I woke up at the ungodly hours in the morning to rendezvous with my fellow Miami JETs at Miami International Airport. I slowly walked around the house saying goodbye to small and eclectic band of pets. This was the first round of choking back tears as I hugged by 13-year-old cat and told my dog and other cat to behave.

Chin Chin, you aren't allowed to die!

Make good decisions!  

One piece of advise for anyone flying long distances is to dress comfortably. As women, we all have superficial tendencies to always look perfect. However, this is not one of those time. I donned sweatpants, and a sweatshirt that layered over a tank. I needed something flexible and something that wouldn't cut of any circulation to my legs. 

Trying not to cry with my family

We arrived at  MIA and met up with Mike, the JET coordinator, who had our passports. Once I received my passport, I examined my lovely Japanese visa and checked my bags. After that, my family and I walked to the the security point where we exchanged tearful goodbyes. This was the second time I had to choke back tears. Although I was extremely sad that I was leaving everyone I loved, I knew that if I started crying I would never stop. After passing the security, we waited to board the flight to Dallas, Texas. We all compared tickets to see if we sat next to one another but I was placed by myself. 

At the Dallas airport, Alexis and I ate some food and had some discussions with the fellow JET ladies. I bonded with my fellow Miami OkiJET over Korean music (Team T.O.P). We also met a fellow OkiJET from Nashville. Together, we boarded up the last flight to Tokyo, which was around 14 hours. Again, I was alone but OK since I wanted to sleep. However, I was placed one seat away from the isle and after drinking a liter of water, I felt that I would make frequent trips to the bathroom. I swore aloud as I placed my belongings into the seat. Around 3 hours into the flight, I needed to use the bathroom, but the person at the isle seat was completely knocked out. I shook him, but he was sleeping like the dead. Being tiny, I was able to stand up on my chair and step onto the armrest and over him. I received applause from a few spectators, but there was no way I was going to do this for the next 11 hours. Once the guy next to me woke up, I polity asked if I could switch seats. This was one of these moments when I wish I had looked more kempt, but he agreed and I was free to visit the restroom and stretch as often as I wanted. 

If you're a vegetarian or vegan, you can opt for meals that are suitable for your dietary needs.. However, get ready for disappointment because these meals taste like ass. I'm a pescatarian (I cook veggie though) and I received all vegan meals. I was secretly eyeing the milano cookies as I hate my random vegetable sandwich. I always say that I will just get the regular meals and pick out the meat, but then I forget. Shame on me.

The in-flight options were great! I remember watching Ironman 3 and Epic. I also watched all of the episodes of Big Bang Theory. With the in-flight movies and my knack of sleeping anywhere, the flight felt extremely quickly. Before I knew it, we were landing in Tokyo and it was official mcticial, I was on the other side of the planet.

Be Prepared!

I had my placement and as much I would love to say that I spent the four months until departure preparing for my time in Japan, I did not. Instead, I decided to laze around, shop, hang out with friends, watch all of my shows, and play an endless amount of video games.  I worked with my mother, who is a bookkeeper, to get my finances in order and she did the rest. Thank's mom!

One of the things that kept our minds at ease was that I had great communication with the Ginoza Board of Education. They worked with me to find an apartment and order my inkan (personal seal). They also booked a bed and breakfast until my apartment was ready, and they sent me a photo of the office staff. However, remember the JET motto: Every Situation is Different (ESSID). One of my friends just got one email, and it wasn't even sent to her. The email was sent to one of her professors. Either way, with the open communication and my mothers epic packing, I was ready to attend the Miami JET Orientation, which was scheduled the day before I left to Japan.

The Miami orientation was held at the Consul General official residence in a very posh location in Coral Gables, Miami.  At the orientation, they had a question and answer session for JET parents. My mother, being a loca, read the entire JET Information Handbook from cover to cover. Therefore, she did not feel compelled to go. If I can give anyone advise, have your parents read your information handbook. It's available via PDF on the Official JET website as well. After reading the handbook, and placing various post-its, she could quote the book verbatim. Go Mom!

Either way, the orientation continued with workshops on how to teach classes and a presentation on culture shock. The group was also divided between men and women so that we would ask any particular lady questions. Therefore, if you have any questions on gynos, blood testing, birth controls and Plan B, that would be the time to ask. Afterwards we had a reception (food and alcohol included) where I was able to catch up with my my FIU professors and met some of the other Miami JETs.

(Far Right) Posing like a boss 

The JET Program: Placement (Okinawa)

The semester finally came to an end, my thesis was approved, I graduated from FIU with my Master's in Asian Studies, and I attended commencement. 

Might as well play the part if we are made to look like wizards

It had been two months since I received the "You have been short-listed" email from the consulate and my patience was wearing thin. Everyday, I received countless questions about my placements:

Do you know where you're going?

What's your placement?

Do you know what grade you're teaching?

Do you know where you'll live?

Are you going to live close to Tokyo?

So, what part of Japan are you going to?
Do you know if they'll put your in an apartment or a house?

Do you know anything?

I know everyone was curious, but I couldn't help but feel a little annoyed when my response was constantly, "I don't know." In reality, I was anxious to know about my placement. I requested Kagoshima and Wakayama in my JET application, but I was worried that they might place me in Hokkaido or Aomori. It's not that I have anything against those places (I really don't) and I am sure they are beautiful but as a Miami girl, I have never experienced cold weather. I doubt I could survive it. Seriously, the coldest it gets is 60 degrees and that's for four days out of the year. Four days people!

It was another random day in June when I received a text from my friend telling me to check my email. I really need to start checking my email more often. She received an email concerning her placement. She was placed in Hyogo Prefecture, her number one choice. She was not given a city with that email, which meant that she would be a prefectural JET and would teacing high school. I refreshed my email, but I didn't see anything new. I figured the Miami JET coordinator was going down the list of names, and it might take a little while to reach me. I probably looked like a complete loca refreshing my email over and over, but whatever. 

My email finally refreshed, and there was the email. I was placed in Ginoza-son, Okinawa Prefecture (middle school and/or elementary)!

I can see the map filled with nuclear launch travel markings 

My initial thoughts were, "They send people there?" With the huge military presence in Okinawa, I couldn't imagine why they would send JETs to Okinawa. I was also a little upset because I wasn't placed in mainland Japan, which I have extensively traveled in my previous trips to Japan. It wasn't until later, and at the convincing of my boyfriend, that I realized that this was an amazing placement. 

As I previously mentioned, I hate the cold. Second, I would be placed in a part of Japan that most people do not visit. Third, Okinawa grows a lot of their own fruits and vegetables. So this is great if you are a vegetarian (4 years straight, woot!). Fourth, Okinawa is close to Southeast Asia and China, a great starting point for traveling and it's relatively cheap too. I have been all over Japan and it was time for me to expand internationally. Lastly, great beaches and water sports! I love the beach, and I had planned to get scuba certified in Miami last year but a hurricane ruined those plans. Therefore, what better place to get scuba certified and work on my Miami tan than in Japan! Oh, and Mr. frickin' Miyagi was from Okinawa. Ok, Mr. Miyagi isn't real. The character from the Karate Kid movies was Okinawan, hence his mastery of karate since it originated from Okinawa, but there is actually a Miyagi Jima (Miyagi Island) in Okinawa! Get ready for me Okinawa!

The JET Program: Official McTicial

The spring semester was coming to an end, and I put all of my focus into polishing my thesis. On another random Tuesday, I was sitting with my friend, who also applied for JET, outside of the FIU Greene Library. It was slightly after 5 p.m. and she was telling me her latest boy-toy horror story [it was a goodie]. I casually mentioned that we should be hearing from the Miami Consulate soon and seeing that it was Tuesday, the same day we got our interview email,, I refreshed the email on my phone. That is when I was textually slapped in the face by the email. The only words I said were, "Oh my God," as I quickly skimmed through the email and read that I had been short listed. My friend freaked and quickly went to refresh her email. It was a moment of tremendous patience because either I was going to have to comfort her or we were going to celebrate together. The email finally appeared and she was also short listed. We both screamed and began to hug jump. Yes, simultaneously hug and jump.

It's official McTicial! I am going to live in Japanland!

With this news, I celebrated with my closest friends! 

Party face and the hangover rabbit food

The Bad News Continues

In the wake of my friend, Omar's, death, my boss decided to dropped the ultimate bomb - I was being let go. My boss called me into his office and informed me that the budget wouldn’t support employment for me and one of my coworkers during the summer. I was a T.A. but during the summer I switched to part-time work until the new semester. He asked me if I had any other options and I told him that I didn't and that I still hadn't heard back from  the JET Program. My boss felt pretty terrible and left me alone for the rest of the day. After the meeting, I stepped into the stairwell and cried.

If losing your best friend to a drunk driver and losing your job weren’t bad enough, I also under performed during my thesis defense. As you can image, I was overwhelmed with terrible news and I did not complete the changes needed for my thesis defense. My thesis committee was kind, but I could tell that they were disappointed. During the deliberation, I struggled to hold back tears. I passed the defense, but I make immediate corrections and finish finalizing with them. However, they still congratulated me. One of my members even said, “Smile Gabie! This is a good thing. You’ve done great work! You just have to polish.” 

Afterward, I marched into the bathroom, right to the handicap stall, and Kim Kardashian cried. I preemptively prepared with my makeup bag in hand to reign in the mess. 

That's right! I choose grad school