Progress

Earlier this week, I received some bittersweet news: I'm being transferred to a branch in Katsura, just on the outskirts of Kyoto!

They told me it was solid for September 1st but that they desperately needed someone at that branch ASAP, and would I be willing to go August 1st instead? I told them I already had plans to climb Mount Fuji on the 6th & 7th and that I have already worked most of the extra days I needed to get time off for my brother's wedding in the States. I need almost a whole week off in August for the wedding. If they were willing to do that, I was in.

They got back to me right away the next day and said they'd work with me, so I'm starting training there four days from now!

Pros:

• commute time is now 35 minutes each way instead of 95 minutes, giving me 10 more hours of time a week
• no more sitting in front of the computer with my eyes bugging out all night
• no more night shifts (they are only open 10am to 9pm), so my sleeping and eating habits can resume some normalcy
• I will be live in front of students who live in my area
• I will be interacting with more Japanese staff at my location

Cons:

• I earn less money, so much of my free time will have to be with private students to make up the difference
• the schedule they gave me means I have to move or cancel ALL of my existing private students
• the schedule they gave me has me working Wednesday and Friday nights as well as Saturday mornings. Guess when aikido classes are...
• it all happened so fast, without the opportunity to mentally prepare myself for the fact that I WILL MISS THE FRIENDS I MADE AT THE MULTIMEDIA CENTER AND THE TIME WE SPENT TOGETHER THERE!! Thank you all for making an otherwise miserable experience not only tolerable, but enjoyable and rewarding.

By the way, Happy 6-monthiversary in Japan, folks! I'm one step closer to how I wanted my life here to be. I can feel the upswing, and I'm loving the breeze.