Jefferson airplane--I'm trapped and I am enclosed, but I won't complain, I'll open all the windows...

There were over 15,000 applicants for JET, and I made it to the second round. You know, the one where America phones in and votes? Anyway, in February, we went to New Orleans to do an interview. I was so worried about being late for my 4:20 appointment that I got there at 2. The plus side to that is I met quite a few incredible people. (Side note: My first time in the Big Easy, and it was Mardi Gras week. It was my first time at an aquarium, too. And to have beignets, at Cafe Du Monde. I sat where Dustin Hoffman sat in "Runaway Jury." My butt touched Dustin's! It was a great trip in all, and then some.)
In April, I got a letter saying I was selected for an alternate position. So, not no, but not yes. Fantastic. More waiting. Even though there was still a chance I wouldn't get to go, there was still a lot of paperwork to do and appointments to keep in case they upgraded me.
They hadn't by the time I graduated on May 5th. Even though I thought I trusted God, I was getting panicky that I was off my rocker on what I was supposed to do, and the infinitely worse question of when. Not only that, while I waited I would basically just be at Mom's house...waiting. I wanted one week to relax, and promised Mom on the 8th that had they not called by the end of the week (the 12th) that I would seek gainful employment. On Thursday, the 10th, at 12:45 they called to let me know I had been given full ALT status.
By this time, everyone I had spoken to had their placements, but I was backlogged, due to the fact I was a late bloomer. Awww. Following the advice of friends, especially the Japanese nationals at college, I requested anywhere except Tokyo. And when these friends were recommending only visiting Tokyo, they talked about their hometowns. I also had the advice of a few friends who have been there, and of their favorite places. About a month went by, starting with pondering if I'd be in the mountains, by the ocean, in a big city, next to a volcano, or just where in the world (well, in Japan, but more specific). Then I moved to hoping for specific regions. After a month, I just wanted to be anywhere, because that meant I was going, that they hadn't been too zealous in upgrading the candidates and I was part of the overbooked crowd. I remember praying that I would get some sort of email or phone call that would let me know if I needed to send in more forms or something. The next day, I got an email telling me I'm in a tiny town (5x bigger than my home town of 2,000! Gasp!) in Yamaguchi. There are 4 distinct not too extreme seasons in this prefecture shaped like Australia (tee hee) that is, according to quite a few guides, one of the most beautiful in a stunning country. SCORE! "Gateway of the Mountains," here I come!

Habia Una Vez...

Continuing with L'Epic du Brooke, about 3 years ago I felt this sudden pressing that I should go to Japan and Guam for three years after I graduate. Yeah, right. I mean, sign me up for the military base that is the Isle of Guam, but Japan? I love the people I've met from Japan, but like I even speak the language! I put the thought away, with the hope that God would let me off the hook, and I'd go to Paris or Scotland or Tahiti...you know, where I'm really needed. Besides, I'd have to work for years to be able to raise the funds the first trip out of the country for 1 month cost, let alone the 3 years this is calling for.
So, little did I know, waiting on the bulletin board in Irby was my destiny--an advertisement for the JET Programme. Airfare, in some places complete subsidies for housing/food, 3.6 million yen remuneration, and the only requirement is a BA/BS. Okay...let me get this straight--they'll 1. pay about $3,000-$4,000 for airfare, 2. help either pay for everything, or set you up so you can, 3. pay a salary of around $30,000 a year, 4. require no prior knowledge of Japanese, and 5. accept my degree in African/African-American studies. And all of this so that I can go learn a culture that's produced many people I love and admire, be able to teach (read: be a know-it-all), open opportunities to travel all over Asia, and by all accounts make me a rare, exotic creature that will have attentions cast on me at all times? Did God make this thing especially for me? I'd like to think so. (Eyeroll. Of course I would.)
I started the hurry up and wait process to apply, and after a ridiculous amount of stress and straining, and help from some incredible people (Thank you so much Triplets plus One!, Pateal, Adee, Sarah, Farm Boy, Sara, and Mommy!) it all got in the day it was due. But only just. That was December 2006.

Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end...

At the suggestion of many, and following in every other white person moving to Asia's footsteps, I've created a blog. Oh, happy day! I'll tell the epic of Brooke in this final week in the States. You know, regale you all. Won't that be fun? Good times until the next time!