A Road To Japan: Results!

Well, after a very loooooooooooooooooooong wait, results finally came through yesterday (April 5th).

 

I got Shortlisted!!!!!

"Overjoyed Otter"

...It's taken the last 48 hours or so for the news to actually sink in. I still can't believe it. I have spent the last few days quite literally starring out of my window, hunting the poor postman in the hope that he might bare with him my very important letter. What didn't help matters was the damn pizza leafleters out in force on my road. I swear they were there to push me over the edge by putting crap through my door. I honestly can't tell you how stressful this whole week has been and both the relief and excitement I felt when I heard that envelope pass through my letter box. (I was actually doing battle with a Ryvitta in the kitchen at the time.) After sobbing like a stupid person, I was finally able to announce it to friends and family. It's the best feeling in the world to know that after all that hard work and battling to get my application & statement completed on time, to have gone through the interview and the gruelling 3 month wait, I had been given the opportunity to fulfil my dreams. 

I know there are so many people out there that didn't make it or were given alternate positions and it only makes me realise just how very lucky I am. Whilst I know that everyone didn't get the response they had hoped for, it's just confirmed even more for me that 'what's meant to be will be.' You are only ever doing what you are meant to be doing at any particular moment. Life takes you where you need to be. The right path for you opens up when the time is right, and though sometimes it may feel like it's steering us away from things we want in our lives, it's always for a good reason. 

I have a massive journey ahead of me and this is just the beginning. At the moment I actually feel quite overwhelmed by everything. (Probably doesn't help the fact that it's now early hours of the morning and I had a 5 hour Naginata lesson today. My brain and body are starting to shut down for the night). But it's so very exciting and I really can't wait. Tomorrow I begin my To-Do Lists! Mwhahaha! 

All I want to say is, for those that didn't make it in, those that were given alternate status and anyone thinking of applying for the future: Good luck. Life is what you make of it. You can sit back and admit defeat or be idle, or you can let it take you where you need to go. There are always chances, opportunities and paths available, we just sometimes need to open our eyes to see them. 

I am most certain more updates will follow. Until next time, toodles my lovelies!

A Road To Japan: Eeeeeeeek!!!!

Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!!!!!!!
So it looks like results are beginning to trickle out of different consulates/embassies across the globe! I'm starting to get both excited and nervous now!! Come on UK!!!!!!!!

A Road to Japan: Still waiting.....

Time goes sooooo sloooowly when you are waiting.........

 I'm heading into my 10th week of waiting and I have to say it really is killing me. On the plus side it's given me time to start trying to find ways of making money incase I am accepted. I just sold a load of unwanted books and shoes etc. on Ebay this weekend and made about £80 so far! *GO ME*
 
I'm also considering bombarding people with pretty cupcakes in an attempt to make extra cash. JET isn't going to be cheap and so I'm trying to find any way possible of making money (legally ofcourse! ;D) 
Until then, I am slowly withering away inside. Come on April!!! Bring us all some good news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...In other headlines, I made it to my first Kyu grade last weekend. My aim is to make it to black before the summer gets here. I've been training just over 4 years now so it would be amazing to make it there before I (potentially) leave for Japan. But we shall see what unfolds over the next few months. Gotta keep working hard! Practise makes better afterall! :)

1st Kyu! Awesomeness!!! :D

Hopefully my next JET update will be a good one. It really does feel like forever ago I had my interview. I can only hold my breath and keep my fingers crossed; whatever will be will be eh? 
Until then I shall endeavour to raise as much money as possible. More Ebay and Cupcake baking here I come!!!!!! 

I'll leave you with some amazing music that has kept me going this past week:

A Road To Japan: The Waiting Game....

So yeah. I'm waiting. Waiting, waiting waiting. It's already been about 6 weeks since I had the interview and I'm kind of getting to that restless stage now. I just want to know so that I can start getting on with things. It's frustrating that the wait has to be so long. I have at least another 4-5 weeks left before notifications will go out. I wana knooooooooooooow!!!

I'm keeping busy with work and training and also Japanese classes which does help take my mind off of things for a little while. But it's got to the stage now that every time I go into the office at work or my club etc. people will ask me "Have you heard yet?" "When will you hear?" "APRIIIIIIIIIIIIIL"

Having all of this time to contemplate my application and interview can be annoying. I keep going over things and wondering whether I should have done this differently or said that better. But there's nothing I can do now. My advice to anyone applying in the future; make sure you have plenty of things to keep your mind occupied, or you may just go crazy......

A Road To Japan: Interview Time!

Ok. So I had my interview on the 15th Jan. I haven't written about it before now as the last couple of weeks have been pretty busy with work and stuff. Plus I kind of realised it might not be such a good idea just yet to post everything that happened and the questions I was asked until after the results are out. So check back in a few weeks for an update on this post and I'll tell you exactly what happened.

What I can tell you is that I pretty much spent the whole week before cramming as much knowledge as I possibly could into my little brain because I just didn't know what I would be asked. I must have covered current affairs both in Japan and the UK, the political system, geography and history. I revised some key phrases I knew in case I was asked anything in Japanese and made sure I knew who was who. My room must have looked like a hurricane had passed through a library by the end of the week. It actually quite surprised me just how much information I managed to fit into my head in the space of those few days. And you know what? After all that it turned out that I didn't need about 90% of it!

Nevertheless, I now have a wider knowledge on Japan that I'm sure will benefit me and it was really interesting to learn all the facts I did. Whilst in my case I didn't need all the info I gathered, I do know people that were asked about the things I researched, so I highly recommend that anyone prepping for an interview in the future makes sure they know what's what.

Anyway, I came out smiling from my interview, so I can only hope that it went ok. I had some funny experiences along the way which I will write all about once results are out. Until then, I shall keep my fingers crossed and hope for the best! :)

.....Matane!

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

A Road To Japan: OMG! Interview!

 

 hgtuhjewigobgeroagogbrjogfrjofn!!!! Holy Sh*t, I got an interview!!!

*Me upon reading the email this morning*

But seriously now. I got an interview! I'm still so very much excited after several hours of gleaming with joy. Haha. 
I'm actually surprised by how early and how quickly this whole process seems to be moving along. It only feel like a short while ago I submitted my application and already we're at this stage. 
So anyway, my interview is on the 15th of January, 11.10am. I'm trying to research as much as possible past JETs interviews and questions asked. It seems like there's such a variety of things people have been given. I think it may be one of those things that no matter how hard you prepare there will still be things you hadn't expected. But preparation is better than no preparation. So I shall be prepared indeedie.
Anyway, I'm going to bed because I have to stop having so many late nights, it will be the death of me. (Or more likely, increase my lack of concentration and ability to function in a somewhat normal way). 

UPDATE: After an hour or so yesterday of trying to decide on the most SUITable attire for Tuesday, I finally chose one that I liked. Mostly living in jeans makes wearing a suit quite a drastic change. But I think first impressions are highly important and if I am successful and manage to get a place on JET I will need one for the future. 

I'm just hoping and praying now that the weather man is wrong and we will not be bombarded with snow in the next few days. Being in the UK means that we are never prepared for snow no matter how much we know it's coming. 

*Must..buy...bread...milk...powdered egg...*

Even a centimetre or two somehow manages to cause total chaos and grinds everything to a halt for a few days....and then everyone goes totally crazy and starts panic buying as much food as possible as if the end of the world has finally come upon us. *Gotta love UK winter times* I have to get the train to London, so fingers well and truly crossed that a few little flurries do not stop me!