So I haven't written an update in the last month and that was about stuff that happened two months ago! I've been very busy and there's a lot to update people on including birthdays and trips out (not as many activities as we've been doing lots of N2 practice). But this isn't about what's been happening in Japan and it more about what I'll be up to in the coming months.
Just as a re-cap for anyone who's forgotten why I'm out here with Wes, basically we have been studying in Fukuoka, Japan for the last 5+ months, in order to brush up on our Japanese in preparation for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test N2. We're still brushing up but should be ready for the exam in 3 weeks!!!
The next question is what to do after our course? For those who don't know my dream is to be a Japanese-English interpreter, I've yet to find my specialisation but it would be fun to work for a certain games company in Seattle... Anyway. I still have a long way to go and the ideal is to start off getting experience as a translator. I knew from others people's experiences that finding a job takes a while, so being super prepared I started looking over 2 months ago when Wes and I got back from Korea. Actually the day after we got back I spent about 6 hours on linkedin improving my profile and finding groups. I asked around a number of groups for tips on starting my career in Japan and got a lot of great advice and even a few possibilities!
One in particular jumped out after I got a message from someone in the company. I'd rather not jinx too much but it's an amazing opportunity where I'll be working in Tokyo (for an American company), learning a lot of new things, have a lot of responsibility and being a bit asset to a company. I've had a few interviews with some people over skype and now they want me to meet in person! So they're flying me out to Michigan for an in person interview at the end of July.
The plan now is to go back to the UK before my visa runs out and the Japanese government kick me out on the 10th July. That'll be for about 2 weeks visiting people and seeing my family and having wonderful home cooked food before flying out to Japan. Now it seems silly that Wes pay extra to come to the UK just to come to America with me 2 weeks later when he's not being covered for flight costs. So he'll stay in Japan while he finds work and then fly to America where we'll meet in July. Fingers crossed after the interview I'll get to visit his family for a bit ^__^
Then the plan gets kinda fuzzy but if things work out I'll have a month of training in Michigan, get my work vis and everything sorted, find an apartment in Tokyo and start working by the end of September! Fingers crossed Wes will find some work as we'll be together. It's a shame I won't be able to see people as much considering I'll be living in Toyko but it's a great opportunity and looks like the start of a great career. Fingers crossed I don't flail horribly!
I also don't think I'd been here today if it wasn't for all the support from my family and friends and people just being amazing. So thanks guys for being there for me. I hope that even though I'll be on the other side of the world you'll drop me a line via skype and keep in touch XXX
