Not there yet

It started out with me being able to write my name in Japanese. KiKi. Simple enough, it is one letter, repeated twice. I was sitting down studying Hiragana when I came about the sound: Ki! In all my excitement I began finding other sounds and creating words. Chi and ro= Ciro. Ki+sha= Quichia and love was a whole different ball game. Isn't it always.
My heart racing, mind spinning, excitement rising and... babies crying. I had to stop studying for the day. I was at work, in Texas, exhausted and ready to go home. Except after my first job, I had another job to go to. But in as little as one week, I would be closing my Texas chapter and opening my Japan life.
An ode to Japan.
It started by accident. I was frustrated with my school and their planning, or lack thereof, and decided to do my own research. I wanted to teach overseas and they weren't making it happen, so I took matters into my own hands. A TEFL certificate was my first choice. I excitedly did research for hours on end, only to find the same six (give or take 10) sources that I found the week before. I finally attended a meeting where I fell in love with the instructor and even more so with teaching overseas. She was a flamboyant little lady with wide hips, wide smile, small dreads and mocha skin. She had a knack for cultures and spoke Portugese. She was definitely my type of teacher. And, I was excited to take her course a couple weeks later.
However...
"You are getting your degree in teaching," she said. "Why don't you just try to apply to places and see if they hire you without the certificate."
Being the good little student I am (or was...when is my paper due?) I applied. To everywhere in Italy. Yes, I was determined to get to Italy. Italy was not determined to have me. But, as I reached out to Japan, it reached out to me.
If countries could have a gender, Japan would be a woman. A beautiful woman with long legs, a robust figure, warm personality and radiant skin. She'd be popular but shy, intelligent and loving. And boy could she cook. She'd clean and take care of everyone. Of course, she's so perfect that she'd be intimidating. Of course.
Of course I'd go for the norm...Italy. My first love. No one EVER forgets their first love. But just like that, I had to let it go.
Japan.
I applied and got an interview. Then another one. And another. And... you get the point.
And I researched. And researched. And flew to Canada. Then researched some more and fell in love again.
I am on my way to Japan in less than two weeks to do what I love: teach.
Things I need to work on in the next week:
Travel Insurance
Packing
See-you-laters
holding my nephew as long as I can

Things I will be doing in Japan:
I have no clue lol
For two weeks I will be going through intense training (which, I can honestly say I am excited about. I like intense challenges...)
And moving to Karatsu City.

It took me a week to remember that my city is called Karatsu and not Katsura.

I can't wait...