( I found this in my draft folder and realized it’s looong been overdue. I am almost 9 years here in Japan already. Reading this took me to memory lane so before this “evaporates” or sleep again in the draft folder, let me share it to you. It is incomplete and unedited yet, but, oh well.)

2013 When I met Munakata, I met him

In March 2013, I had to move to Munakata where my new university was located. It was the university I had to do my major study and field research. I moved into a private apartment. Bigger and neater than the one I had before. I did not have to share the kitchen, I had my small one in my room.  But the university was smaller and the place, Munakata City, even they call it a city, is way much smaller and inaka (rural) than Fukuoka City. My teachers in the previous university warned me and my friend (who was under the same program as I was and went to the same universities) that our new university is surrounded by mountains and trees. They were partly wrong though, the university was not “surrounded” by mountains. It was at the foot of the mountain! We had to walk uphill towards the university gate and another uphill to reach the main building and stairs and stairs to reach our classrooms.

Although I had to admit, the place was beautiful. Very calm and serene. No tall buildings. No busy people walking around every corner. It was very green with the surrounding ricefields. The view of the sunset that reflects on the river was stunning.  And the mountain where our school sits by the foot of it is a refreshing view all day. I loved to go cycling in the afternoon. I have enjoyed sakura viewing by tsurikawa (name of the river) in spring. I was annoyed by the loud cries of cicadas in summer. In autumn, the university trees changed colors and it was beautiful. I loved watching the red spider lilies lined up the edges of the ricefields. And came winter, although it does not really snow that much in Fukuoka area, the view of the mountain covered with fogs and sometimes snow was incredible.

This was the place I was trained to living on my own. To survive. I had a very funny experience with my friend. On our first night in Munakata we went to buy futons (beddings) for our new apartment. They were huge they would not fit on our bicycle baskets. We could not have it delivered that night since it was already closing time. No taxi around and we were helpless. We ended up carrying the futon from the store up all the way to our apartment by using the store`s pushcart in the late of the night.  That was more than a kilometer walk. I was mistaken to think that I could use in Munakata the excess garbage bags I had from Fukuoka. Each city in Japan has different garbage bags. I had to purchase again. I learned to carry things only men should carry and learned to assemble furniture (like that bookshelf for my new apartment and the bicycle I ordered online). I learned to order things online in a foreign language. I learned to take care of myself when I got sick and nobody was around to take care of me. I also learned that Japan is not what I thought after all. I trusted so much and got so overconfident that nobody would steal in Japan until my bicycle was stolen. Oh well. Lesson learned. Lock your bicycles when not in use.

This was also the place I was really exposed to traditional Japan. The elderlies in the neighborhood were very nice to us foreign students. They took us to many Japanese events and places. They took us to an island to celebrate tanabata (star festival) and took us to a neighbor`s house to do nagashi somen (flowing noodles in bamboo). We did blue-berry picking, joined community events and a lot more. The university as well took care of us. My American professor was very nice to me. He was the first author I met in person. He indirectly encourage me to write. I learned many things from him. He took me to Kobe to join JALT (Japanese Association of Language Teachers). The university staff also let us join a very traditional event where we wore kimono and joined the community parade for a traditional wedding, the Japanese teachers took us to the city to watch kabuki, and took us to a junior high school to join an open class. And this was the junior high I met my now, husband. During that meeting, we were just strangers. We were introduced by circumstances. We were brought by fate together to meet in a school with other foreigners in a foreign land. That was the start of how we’re being acquainted with each other.

2014 Say Hello to Tosu, first year as ALT

The first three months of 2014 were the last months of me being a student. I did my field research and finished my Teacher-training scholarship. My professor reviewed and signed my thesis. I was counting the days before leaving Japan. It felt unreal that after a year and a half I would have to leave the place I learned to love. I wanted to stay longer. There was also a part of me so looking forward to being back in my home country again after a long time. I would be reunited with my family and friends, meet former students and co-teachers, eat Philippine food I had been craving for so long. My sister who lives in Japan wanted me to stay and work in Japan but there were no job offers. The only one I went to have an interview with, I did not like the offer. The salary was low and it was in Miyazaki. Very far away and super inaka. But days before our closing ceremony at school and I was scheduled to leave Japan, I got a job offer as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) in Tosu. I accepted it right away since Tosu is located just by my sister`s place. She was very happy. And of course, I was more than happy. I could stay longer in Japan. That was a Saturday when I got the call. Tuesday was our closing ceremony and my flight back to Ph was scheduled Thursday. The ALT training was from Monday to Friday but with some arrangements, the company let me skip some days during the training and just cope up when I get back.

I was back in the Philippines on the night of March 27th, 2014, Thursday and the next day Friday I was in my elementary school to render my resignation. I was on personal leave for a year and a half but that time, goodbye was forever. I was too consumed by my fascination with my life in Japan that I did not think twice about leaving my home country, leaving my co-teachers, my friends, my students, and my family as well. I could not even do everything I wanted to do in the Philippines during my stay. I only stayed there for roughly three days and was back to Japan by Monday, March 31st, 2014.

For me, it was an unforgettable come back. At that time, Cebu Pacific (low-cost flight) had no Manila-Fukuoka flight yet. My flight was Manila-Osaka and I booked another flight from Osaka to Fukuoka. My sister was hoping everything would be alright with the immigration knowing that my studies had already finished, they might refuse entry. But knowing that my visa was still good for two years (I had six months more to stay) I was confident I would be allowed to come back to Japan. And I was right. I had no problem with immigration. The problem was with my flight to Fukuoka. It was not until the next day (earliest flight) so I stayed at the airport (as poor as I was I could not afford a hotel and as scared as I was to get lost and miss my flight). I slept on the chairs in the waiting area with other waiting passengers and lined up the earliest time to make sure I was first in line. But when it was my turn, the airline refused my baggage because it was too big and overweight. I had to get out of the line and opened my luggage and tried to rearrange but to no avail. It was a little bit embarrassing knowing that there were many people around – passengers in line and airport staff. I could not care less. I had to do it. I had to line up again and settle to pay the extra weight but then again another problem exists. They don’t accept cash. Just credit cards which I did not have. My panic attack was on high. I thought I would miss my flight. If that would happen, I would be in a lot more trouble. I got my phone to call my sister but my phone was dead. Zero battery! I had to get out of the line again to find a power outlet and get a hold of my sister. She was my hero. I found one inside the toilet and contacted my sister and even though it was very embarrassing and not the best idea (but I thought it was at that time), I asked for her CC details. I could finally settle my baggage and my adrenalin was so high I ran to my boarding gate. I was so scared to be left by my plane I ran past all the passengers ahead of me until I got on the very first line only to find out I was still not late. I was so embarrassed with all those passengers I ran past. I looked like a freak.

When I got to Fukuoka, while inside the train to Munakata, the sight of the blooming sakura calmed my nerves. It was a beautiful welcome. I cried in silence. Everything happened so fast like lightning the past few days. I went back to the Philippines. Resigned from my job. I left again and came back to Japan.

With the help of my then friend turned boyfriend (now my husband), I moved my things out of my student apartment and kept it in his apartment for the meantime while I was in the Philippines. My company arranged a new apartment for me in Tosu, a fully-furnished apartment, and it was close to all my assigned schools. With the help of my sister and her Japanese husband, I moved all my things to my new home in Tosu.

My first year as an ALT was full of excitement, fun, and learning. I was so excited to be a teacher again. To be with children again. I had been a teacher my whole life and I didn`t know any other job I could do. I was again amazed by the Japanese way – how disciplined they were, how on-time they were in any given activities, how very dedicated and serious the teachers were. They work from dusk till dawn. Well, not all of them but most of them do overtime (and overwork). They go to school early and leave school (very) late. Almost everything was different. I was amazed by the school lunch system. We don`t have that. There was no recognition and every student was treated equally. In my country, we announce every grading who did their best – top one, two, three and so on. In March we award gold, silver and bronze medals to the top three students and ribbons to the best performers but not in Japan. Medals are for sports and they close the school year in peace and instead give instructions on how to spend vacation safely and wisely. I was surprised by how slow and simple I should speak English to be understood. Slow like nothing more than four words when giving instructions. “Sit down please.” “Stand up please.” “Write your name.” “Make a line.” “Open your books.” And you have to do these with accompanying gestures. It was frustrating but it couldn`t be helped. Shouganai as the Japanese would say. “We are Japanese. We are in Japan. Speak Japanese” as some anti-English students would say.

My love life was what they called LDR (Long Distance Relationship). My boyfriend lived in Munakata and I was in Tosu. The distance was about an hour and a half by train and about an hour by car. We met on weekends and technology made us keep our communication going. But it was not easy. There were times we wanted to stay together longer but we had to go back to our realities – to work. So the next year, I decided to work in a place closer to each other as much as possible or if not I would not be willing to work on that LDR thing – I was too old and done with that, I thought to myself. My sister wanted me to keep my post since my place was just a few minutes away from her but I knew I had to do something for myself. And so I did.

2015 Life-Changing Events

My last days in Tosu were a bit surprising to my schools and co-teachers. In the last school week of March, I got bad news from the Philippines. My dad was taken to the hospital and was in comatose. I couldn`t attend the closing ceremonies, which was also my last days in my elementary schools. I had to go back to the Philippines to see my father. It was at this time that I realized that not all who travel are happy and excited. Some have heavy hearts, sad and hoping. When I arrived in the Philippines, I went straight to the hospital. My mind was out I left my luggage in the taxi. Good that the driver noticed it and called my attention before I could ever enter the hospital entrance. My father was in ICU. It was terrible to see him there. The last time I saw him was when I spent Christmas and New Year with them, my family. It was also that time he met my boyfriend. When we left to Japan, he said to take care of each other. I gave him a hug which I usually don`t do. I spent my days in the hospital. It was so unreal. In the dawn of March 22, he passed away. And I was there in the room with my mother and with more than ten nurses trying to revive him. But that was that. Life left my dad cold in the bed. My dearest father was gone.

In few days, I was back in Japan. I accepted the job offer of my company to move to Miyawaka, about twenty-five minutes away from Munakata by car. If Munakata is inaka, Miyawaka would be the queen of inaka. There was nothing there. No train stations. No malls. One Mc Donalds. One big supermarket where everyone goes to. Buses come in like once in an hour. Many Japanese friends did not know where Miyawaka is until you mention the nearby bigger city of Nogata. Wild pigs or inoshishi crossing the streets is not a thing to be surprised and raccoons and snakes are regular sights. One day, while I was on my way to school, a snake dropped from nowhere right in front of me I almost stepped on it and scared me to death. There were many abandoned buildings near my apartment including a big supermarket which made it seem the place was hit by an apocalypse. But despite that, I loved my apartment room. I love nature and the view of the ricefield and the mountains by my glass wall was perfect for me. It was a haven after a tiring day of work. The nearby river park was also perfect for my strolling and cycling. In fact, the picture you see in the `About Me` section was taken there.

If there was one thing worth mentioning in my stay in Miyawaka, I would say it was the experience I had as an ALT. I was assigned to teach all kindergartens in that far-flung small city (there were five of them) and four elementary schools. I had to juggle all these schools in my monthly schedule. I had to visit the kindergartens once a month and once a week to the elementary schools. I was used to being observed by school and city officials and teachers as well. I was nervous at first but then they did it almost every week, I did not care at all. It helped me enhance my teaching skills. I learned how to adjust my teaching strategies to different groups of Japanese students. I learned how to work with many different kinds of Japanese teachers. Some passive. Some active. I had the experience to teach the smallest class I had ever have. That was in my farthest school. Very far I had to take two buses to get there. The inakaest school. One school has only eight grade six students and another kindergarten had only four. Those schools` populations were dying they had to close it for good the following year. That was how inaka the place was. One grade-six student told me he had to walk like an hour to get to school since he lived in the mountains and in winter when it snows, he could not make it to school. Coming from Tosu with about forty students in a class, I had a hard time at first how to teach a class with less than ten students. But after the first time, I knew what to do. Those students became better in English since they had all the time to participate in whatever activity we had. No excuses. Everyone had to recite and answer the Q and A. There were only eight of them anyway.

Another important event that happened in my life in 2015, was that I got married. Yes. My boyfriend and I decided to make it official. Nothing fancy, nothing extravagant. Just the papers. We gathered the documents and submitted them to the city hall and that was it. We were married.

2016 Back to Munakata Again

One year in Miyawaka was enough. Whether my company would let me transfer or not, I was completely decided to move out of Miyawaka and live with my husband in Munakata. My company originally planned to move me to Okagaki, a town next to Munakata. But in the end, it did not happen. Instead, they told me to stay in Miyawaka. I needed to get a driver`s license so I can easily drive to school. I enrolled myself in a driving school which cost me a lot of money. Well, that is how it is in Japan. I started schooling in the last week in January and got my license at the end of March. Although I could officially drive with my license released, I preferred to work in Munakata but under a different company. I felt bad that I had to leave my schools and co-teachers in Miyawaka but I had to.

In the spring of 2016, I worked in Munakata. New company, new co-workers, new-co-teachers, new students. I was back in the place I considered home in Japan. I recalled the times when I was there as a student. I missed my friend from Myanmar, who was now back in her country after our training had ended. Living in the same neighborhood as a student was totally different when I was a worker. No more sponsored trips and no more special invitations. I was a regular working citizen paying taxes. But it still was home for me.

In the winter of 2016, I had my wedding ceremony and reception in the Philippines

2017 Life of an OFW

2018 A House is a Home

2019 The Year of the Baby