May 18th - Neutrality is the best policy

I know of a few JETs who are counting down the days until departure in every imaginable way. (I might be in this group. Ha.) You know the stuff --- How many weekends? How many days at school? How many elementary visits? How many classes? I know that my leg is practically shaking all day in anticipation of leaving. That doesn't mean that I'm not terrified of having to start over again, but at least people will speak English this time!

The other day our PA sent us our forms to fill out for our successors. I remember when I found out that I was placed in Okinawa, I started crying. I was inconsolable. I was a baby. But, maybe I should have listened to my gut instead of getting swept away with the fever of moving to Japan and all the exciting stuff leading up to departure. I remember checking my email hourly to find out where in Okinawa I was placed... waiting to hear from my predecessor so I could ask a thousand questions. Talking to Bridgit in Wisconsin about how terrible Okinawa could be... And of course, the whole Ken/separation bit. It was an interesting time.

So as I fill out my paperwork, I have to wonder if the person being sent to Okinawa to take my place is like me, disappointed in the placement and on the fence about whether to go or not, or totally gung-ho with the whole idea. I hope for the latter for his/her sake. I am remaining neutral in the paperwork. Honest, but not overly pro-Okinawa like most ALTs or revealing how much I dislike the island. It is strange to think about someone else using everything in my apartment that I picked out. (For this reason, I hope they send a girl... pink curtains? Oops!)

I feel like this is a post that should go on my regular website but many more people read that one and I don't want my successor to stumble across it just yet. Although I guess all of the other entries might point to some unhappiness, like the Skip Okinawa T-shirt. Ha.