The last few months have been hectic and stressful, which is why I’ve kind of hit pause on this blog. There have been some big changes to my plans (as you probably already know from the title) and having to readjust after has taken some time.
Photo by Fernanda Publio from Burst
Originally, I was planning to return home on August 4th. Leading up to that, I needed to pack up and ship my belongings home, clean out and organize my apartment and desk at school, and finish various other leaving procedures like canceling contracts and figuring out how to get to the airport. During all this preparation, however, I was still getting updates on how the US had not curbed infections. They were still rising, in fact. There were hot spots all over and who could have predicted that Americans could not do the absolute bare minimum.
Anyway
With various international travel restrictions, even getting home was going to be tricky since flights were reduced. My flight had already changed once to include a transfer between airports. On top of that, my University hadn’t given any guidance on entry procedures or support for incoming international students (such as if and how self-isolation would be handled).
Doubts and Regrets
As my leaving date approached, I started to feel more doubt and apprehension. In Japan, I had stable employment, health insurance, a comfortable apartment. Not to mention I was in a country with lower infections and widespread use of masks (and no one passing out from lack of oxygen despite 90% humidity and summer heat. Shocking). Going back to the US, even briefly, carried more risk than staying. I would have to pass through 4 international airports, 2 in hot spots, to get home.
I was worried for several reasons. I could pick up the virus in transit and pass it to my family. I didn’t have health insurance in the US, so getting sick could wipe out my savings. The virus also has a wide range of symptoms, with some people experiencing extended periods of illness and even long-term, potentially permanent, damage to their health. Not good considering my career goals would require me to be fit and healthy. More and more I was regretting not re-contracting.
The way the JET Program works, you make your decision to re-contract or end your time on the program in December. I had already made that decision before the pandemic hit. However, as the virus spread, states of emergency declared, and travel restrictions put in place, it became less and less sure that the new batch of JET participants would be able to get into the country for 2020. Their start date was already pushed back because of the (now postponed) Olympics, but due to the virus departures had been pushed back again. Very little information was coming out about what would happen in September. Everyone was wondering if they could get in at all or if the program would be postponed for a year. It didn’t help that a lot of the JET participants come from the US, which was barred entry to Japan because of spiking cases.
I was given a second chance.
Given the current state of the world, leaving ALTs were given another chance to extend their contract, including 5th years who would get special permission to stay a 6th year. The new deadline was the first week of June. I turned it down because I was hoping things would improve. I wouldn’t be starting my program until October, so I thought there was still a chance things could improve by then. I already had everything planned out and a room arranged for Bristol. I was excited to get back to biology and start taking real steps towards my career. Honestly, I was kind of tired of teaching. While I enjoyed living in Japan, I wasn’t in love with the job and was ready for a change.
But then things didn’t get better.
And now we’re back to that weekend of worrying. The weekend before my goodbye party and final apartment check. A weekend of doubt and feeling like maybe I had made the wrong decision. I wondered, given the desperate state of things and the possibility of no incoming replacement, if I could ask for another chance to extend my contract. It was so last minute though. I thought it would be impossible.
And then a third chance.
An hour before my goodbye party on Tuesday, I got an email from the BOE. They said that it seemed hopeless that the new ALTs would be able to get in, and if anyone leaving was still interested in staying to let them know ASAP. I took it. I went to the principal with one of my JTEs to explain the situation. He was happy to have me stay and called the BOE on my behalf.
So it turns out, I’m postponing after all. I’m disappointed but I think this is the safest thing to do. On the bright side, I’ll be able to save more money to cover my living expenses for Bristol. I also hope to work on other skills, such as learning GIS, so that I can make the most of this extra time to prepare. And maybe I’ll even manage to stay on top of this blog 😉
(she typed ironically not realizing it would be months before this post actually got uploaded)
