8 years today

I know ive been saying “I’ve been here for eight years...” for a while already, but today is the actual anniversary of the day my bewildered, tenuous, apprehensive but determined 26 year-old-self stepped off the plane at Narita. Ahh, I remember that day...like...well, it was a bit of a blur even at the time\Z

I think most people come to Japan with an idea of what they want to experience while they are here, a list of things they want to get done before they go. I came focused on work - it was my first full-time job \Z I never really made that list. 8 years later there are so many Japan experiences that im so glad to have had, but heres a shorter list im proud to say I havent.

I havent been to Disneyland OR Disney Sea
I havent bought any Hello Kitty items for myself (oh, except for that tshirt, but that was a rip off)
(and Bad Batsu Maru stuff doesn’t count!)
I havent worn a skirt over jeans (except in Oz at the Falls Festival when I was freezing to death and wore everything I had, tho I have been tempted at times, and only numerous quantities of insistent fashion advice from some of my key advisors has stopped me)
I haven\Zt made it to the top of Mt. Fuji. I made it to the 8th stn the first time, and making it to the top would mean having to make a second attempt
I havent bonked any of my students
I havent been sufficiently harrased into subscribing to any newspaper
I havent been to a gokon, and I have resisted all attempts to get me to organise one
(Now hang on, thats a bit scary… For all the attempts Ive resisted to be the organiser, not once have i actually been invited...hmmm...and ive been a single girl for How Long? )
I havent been a hostess
I havent been into a hostess club any further than the front desk for an interview at one one time
I haven’t killed anyone. In particular, I didn’t kill that girl from the Mt. Fuji trip, nor have i done any damage to people who stop suddenly on the street, nor have i done any lasting damage to anyone on the train.
I havent killed myself, walking in heels on the stairs in a train station
I havent missed out on the seedier side of Tokyo

Yeah, im pretty happy with that.

• Kristen said on 05/05/24 at 09:58 AM.....

  Congratulations on 8 years!

• MJ said on 05/05/24 at 10:46 AM.....

  8 years…you still here??? :-p

  
  omedetou honey (^^)

• T said on 05/05/24 at 06:20 PM.....

  Resisted gokon???  Hang on a minute…  I think you have rejected every guy that I have suggested an introduction…  hhhhmmm

  Congrats on your anniversary honey….

   

• Fontella said on 05/05/25 at 08:59 AM.....

  Happy Anniversary Jo! I remember all too well when you first started talking about heading over to Japan. Well I left first (by only six months) and while I have returned to South Aussie, I’ve still managed to avoid Adelaide. Here’s to another eight years wherever it will lead you…

• Fiona said on 05/05/25 at 01:29 PM.....

  Wow! And here I am STILL studying in Adelaide…

• Darren said on 05/05/25 at 03:33 PM.....

  Congrats on making it that far and avoiding so much temptation.

  
  I passed four years in Melbourne a couple of months ago. That seems a long time to me. Eight years is just inconceivable!

• Andy said on 05/05/25 at 03:49 PM.....

  Congrats on the 8 years. Wow. I am currently looking into going to Japan myself within the next 12 months… possibly to teach english (doesn’t everyone want to do that?), and get away from Adelaide for a while.

  
  Any tips for a budding young go-getter who wants to see Japan?

• tokyo goat said on 05/05/25 at 06:13 PM.....

  jo…there are so so so many pretty wild things that aren’t on that list so I will accept that this is only a short list and I won’t spend too much time speculating over the things that aren’t here and wonder with you haven’t done them but for some reason you aren’t proud of it or…you’ve done them!!

• amanda said on 05/05/25 at 10:52 PM.....

  omedetou

  
  and otsukare

  
  what an achievement

• j-ster said on 05/05/26 at 09:28 AM.....

  MJ, couldnt have done it without you!

  
  Fiona, what are you doing? Get off the internet and back to writing!

  
  tokyogoat, shhh, my folks read this….

  Everyone else, thanks!

   

• Meenoo said on 05/05/30 at 09:15 PM.....

  Looking forwards to writing my own “8 years on” list ^^ Yaaaaaayyyy!!! Soldier on trouper.