Thursday 1 August 2013

The Izu Life: My Last Day at School

Today is my last day of school. My apartment has been inspected, accounts closed, and tearful goodbyes bid. It's time for this proverbial (and perhaps literal as it is my middle name) "Alice" to come back up out of the rabbithole and return to the place where everything makes sense (even if they walk up-side-down there). 

Emails have been exchanged with my successor. She is at the beginning of her journey now, and I am at the closing of mine. So-and-so@blueyonder.co.uk will soon be the one living in a place that makes little sense, and (supposing that our positions are to be reversed metaphorically), that means I am the one headed back to the "blue yonder."

It's weird how things have come full circle like that. I found some leftover omiyage from Australia which I had brought as a gift for my colleagues on my very first day of school. Now, on my last day, I will give them away to the people who have helped me most in these past few hectic weeks. Weird. 

On Monday, I gave my farewell speech at the closing ceremony in full yukata. Whilst choking back tears, I implored my students to consider living in a foreign country. I know from first hand experience that doing so is one of the most challenging and rewarding things you can do with your life. 

Me in a yukata which the school actually bought for me as a leaving present!

Over the next couple of weeks, I will be travelling around Japan with my mum. Then, its home to Australia. And then what? A job? More travel? I'm still not sure. I guess I just gotta get back out there. Out into the great blue yonder...

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Thank you to everyone who read, commented and hopefully found some useful information on this blog! I'll still be posted bits here and there over the next few weeks and months...

Tuesday 2 July 2013

Some Site News

As you may have noticed, posts are starting to dwindle on this blog and this is largely due to my busy work schedule what with my students heading into exam week. I only have one month left in Japan and a lot of my time is being taking up with exam marking, and when I am not doing that, preparing to return home. Due to my busy schedule, I have had to halt regular posting on this blog. I will probably be posting in drips and drabs when I have time  over the next month but after that and when I return to Australia, this blog will officially cease to be. Let this day mark the beginning of the end for AussieOnTheIzu.blogspot. 

Picking green tea back in June.

Japan has been an amazing experience for me and I hope you have enjoyed and found use in my posts as much as I have enjoyed writing them. I'm sure I will continue to blog or write in some capacity elsewhere after I have settled in Australia so stay tuned. Thank you so for all of your support over the past couple of years! 

Tuesday 18 June 2013

Tops Tuesdays: Cats doing people things...

I found this series of photos from Japan of cats doing adorable people things... Enjoy!




Continue reading after the jump for more!

Tuesday 11 June 2013

Tops Tuesdays: The Japan Wrap

While searching for videos on Youtube which perfectly encapsulate the experience of Japan's culture, media and lifestyle, I stumbled across the following videos and couldn't choose just one for my Tops Tuesdays post. Enjoy some funny videos from Japan...


See more after the jump!

Sunday 9 June 2013

Travel Log: Getting my nerd on in Odaiba and Akiba


I headed out to Tokyo during the week to doing some shopping before I leave Japan. My calendar is filling fast with farewell parties and summer barbecues so I wanted to take advantage of my free time now to tick some of the things off the pre-returning-home-shopping-list. First stop was Odaiba in Tokyo Bay...


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