So, the unthinkable has happened. We are staying in Gifu for a second year. Actually, I will admit, staying a second year was only unthinkable to me while I was on the airplane to Japan and for about the first six weeks living in Gifu. Ever since that initial adjustment period was over, I have been pretty convinced that a second year was the right choice for us. Even though it seems like the right choice, it doesn’t mean that it was easy. I still have very mixed feelings about staying here another 18 months, and I still second guess the decision we made. Even with the second guessing, the paperwork has been signed and all there is to do is ride out the next 18 months and see what else Japan has to offer us.
Anyways, for those of you that are even mildly interested in some of the factors that I considered while making this decision, feel free to read on.
Reasons to Stay.
I love my job. This is probably the most important reason why I want to stay. I love what I am doing here. It is fun, challenging, and interesting. I am excited about starting a new school year in April and being able to see it through. It will be good to be able to start with a new group of students, set the tone and see what we can do in an entire year together.
Very little stress. Aaron and I have both been amazed at how little stress we have here. Life is good and easy. We have both been able to have more leisure time than we had before and we have been able to pursue some of the things that had been sidelined long ago. Another year like this and we may never be able to return to our previous selves. Perhaps that would be a good thing.
We are both pretty happy and content. This goes with the previous one. We are happy and settled and enjoying our life here, why leave when that is the case?
Japan is fun. This country has done so much to entertain and amuse us throughout the past six months. It seems like there is always a surprise in store. I look forward to another 18 months of surprises.
Learn more language. Our language skills are both growing with each day that we stay here. Even though I am not terribly motivated to study Japanese, I have been amazed at how much I have picked up just by being here. I hope that I can learn even more in the next 18 months.
I don’t want to pack up my stuff again. It really does seem like we just got here. We are just getting settled into our apartment and figuring everything out. Truth is, I cannot imagine starting to pack in another five months.
I want to travel more. Being on this side of the world means that we can do a little more exploring of Japan and other countries in the area. If we stay another year we will get more opportunities to travel around, and I am really looking forward to that.
Cool people are staying with us. We’ve made some really good friends since coming here. Sure, some of them are leaving in July which is definitley sad. But a lot of them are staying and I am really excited about building those friendships in the coming year.
Reasons to Leave.
Family (duh). This is a pretty straightforward one. I miss them. I want to see them. But they are so far away. We have worked hard at staying in touch and will continue doing the same for the next year, so hopefully it won’t be too bad. Also, we are planning to come back to the states sometime in 2008, so we will get to see everyone at least once this year. Oh yeah, we are always accepting visitors!
Friends (duh). See above.
I’m getting old. Now, this one may seem a little ridiculous, but it is true. I am now staying in Japan until August of 2009. When I leave here I will be 29 years old. Yes, it makes me feel old. It makes me feel like I should be more settled and stable and doing all those things that “adults” usually do – like buying a house, having kids, saving lots of money for retirement. I don’t feel like an adult right now, I feel like a kid that is just playing around and wasting time.
Life continues without us. It is hard to be here missing all those moments that we would have been a part of back home. I knew that life wasn’t going to stop once we left, but I have also been shocked at how much it goes on without us. When we come back in 18 months we will have at least two more nieces/nephews than we had when we left. (and it could very well be more than that) I am missing the baptism of my very first goddaughter in March. These are the sorts of things that are really tough to miss. All of the little highlights and struggles of life and we are not able to be there for them. It can be really tough.
So, despite all the cons, we have decided to stay. I am really excited that the decision has been made and I don’t have to think about it anymore. I know that it will go really quickly, after all the past six months have FLOWN by. I only hope that the next 18 months are as rewarding and fulfilling as the first six have been. If they are, I will know that we have made the absolute best decision possible!
Posted in School Life, Teaching |
Danielle, I love your lists! You’re my kinda gal! 🙂
I am a list maker. That’s for sure. Fortunately though, my habit (ummm compulsion) seems to be getting itself under control! At least, I think it is.
Congrats on your decision! It’s good that you no longer have this hanging over your head and can let loose and enjoy the rest of your time there!
As for being an adult, try being 35 and still not able to afford a house in today’s real estate market, feel like you’re too young to have children (though your friends have complained about being just too old at 32 to have another kid, and you know that when you do end up getting pregnant, you’ll be one of those “older pregnancies”), have to listen to friends say, “Oh, thank goodness I’m getting married before I’m 30,” when marriage for you doesn’t come until age 32, and after 11 years of a job that wasn’t your calling, finally trying to do what you want to do with your life. Although it’s hard to think of it that way (and believe me, I’ve worried about being an “adult” for a good 7-8 years), try to not think about it and enjoy the moment. Not everyone’s life follows the conventional path that we experienced growing up, and although that’s tough to rectify in your mind, just know that there’s plenty of time for kids and a mortgage.
I’m going to be 40 and I’m still not grown up.
Congratulations on your decision to stay.
Regarding list compulsion. See reasons two and three for staying. I miss you terribly. I do want to meet my future Grandchildren, but I am happy that you are where you feel you ought to be right now, that will help shape what my future grandchildren will be like. You will have so much more to teach and show them. And…………you are NOT old.
I’m so happy for you….Next spring break, sam and I will be coming up there, and thats final!
Being an adult means living your life the way you want to, not how you are expected to. Enjoy it while you can, before you get tied down to a mortgage and children. Besides, who says you can’t take the children with you?
Hey Sister!
I will definitley hold you to that promise. We would love to have you and Sam out for a visit. That would be fantastic!!
Thanks Marc.
It is good to know that there are other adults out there that still don’t feel like grown-ups. I guess I keep wondering when/if I will ever actually be a grown-up, but maybe, for some lucky people, it never does.
Maybe Peter Pan was right . . .
Mom,
Would meeting them via video chat count????
Just kidding.
All you “adults” have some really good advice out there. Thanks a lot Bonnie for your contribution.
I guess, as with all decisions in life, I still struggle when I have to actually make the decision. I worry that even though we have weighed our options, that maybe we have forgotten something and have ended up making the wrong choice. Irration, probably. But it worries me anyways. I am really good at worrying. 🙂
As for taking the kid(s) along, I am all for continuing our adventures with whoever chooses to join us in the future. I always want to keep life interesting, that’s for sure.