Some introduction...

Now that I have given most of my friends and students this blog address, I better highlight some of the acronyms that I will be using often in the blog in case you get confused.

My position is known as ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) and sometimes we are also referred to the JETs (teachers on the Japan Exchange & Teaching Programme). My pred is referring to my predecessor, the very nice and friendly American (Anna) that I am taking over. I am posted to kitakyushu city but people generally just refer to the area as KitaQ (that's the short form).

Hum, can't think of what else to explain for now.

Last Friday I attended the Singapore JETs pre-departure orientation at Japan Embassy and there are altogether 22 of us. 20 ALTs and 2 CIR (coordinators of international relations who do more translation and other jobs that require a high proficiency in the Japanese lanugage). It was interesting to hear from the ex Singapore JETs who shared with us their experiences etc. However, we didn't much chance to interact and Carie-anne, one of the girls has organised a informal gathering next week. Hopefully we will get a chance to interact more since having a network of fellow Singaporean JETs is good for travelling within Japan! On Kyushu island itself, there's 8 new ALTs and according to Weili, one of the JETs currently stationed in Kumamoto, there are also other existing JETs in Kyushu and he's going to organise a reunion gathering during New Year. Looking forward to that!

There's much coincidences for me that really show that the world is very small.
1. I got to know a new ALT, Yvonne wayyy before the interview through the JET forums and turns out she was my VP's ex student.
2. After meeting up with a few ALTs, discover Adrielle and Nicholas just live like, a few streets away for me.
3. I had actually seen Nicholas's car often because he used to pick up my neighbour and friend Liyong for work every morning and they are colleagues in YJC. LOL.
4. Adrielle who heard our conversation about Liyong realised that we know the same Liyong as Liyong is her senior in her secondary school's cca - band.
5. One of the new ALT, Shane, is my sec sch's classmate's husband and he's bringing Eileen along to Japan
6. A friendly guy in Facebook gave me much useful advice as he read that I was posted to Fukuoka and he's there. When I got my exact placement, he was shocked because he never expected to be staying in the same city as him and after I got my exact address, he's even more surprised because I am only staying 20-30 mins away from his apartment. Haha.
7. I chatted with a asian girl in the JET forums and we just found out the day before, that we are going to be neighbours in our new apartment block! She's taking over Dan, my pred's fiancee. It's really amazing!

Anymore surprises? =)