There is a high school whose name is Tachibana in Fukushima city located in the northern part of Fukushima Prefecture. It's not like the school is my Alma mater. Technically, I couldn't get into & graduate from it no matter how I liked the school. Why?? It used to be a girl's school while I was a high school student ! LOL It's only recently that the school decided to start co-ed. After they had decided to accept boys, the school building was completely rebuilt, and it has become one of the fanciest looking school in the city.
I graduated from college at age 24. Back then, I vaguely pictured my future becoming a teacher,however, the vision was neither grounded nor down-to-earth. I just wished so. The big turning point of my actually having determined to be a teacher came suddenly and it did absolutely by chance.
One afternoon in 2005, I am talking with a lady over a cup of coffee who is a high school teacher. She asks me about my vision toward life. My answer is nothing but the one that at best junior high school students could give to you. It has not any specific plan. I think I just said I liked to study English. Her response is amazingly quick and to the point. She goes like "Then, why don't you become an English teacher? " The moment was the critical moment which has been shaping the goal for which I've been headed ever since then. Within a week or so, she searched a distant learning program which offers the course that you can get your teaching credential, and she even bothered to get the application form for me. I started studying for my new tailor made couldn't - be - better goal. But it was also the inception of my mental torture . I had to go through real emotional crisis,including depression, obsessive compulsive disorder and so on.
What with this and that, 6 years has already passed since I declared that I wanted to be a teacher! The last 6 years was like a long long dark tunnel with no light coming into. I literally went through so many twists and turns.
But at last, after having kept walking the way I should do, brilliant light is starting shining and the spacious exit is showing itself right before my eyes. I mean, when I pass the college exams for the teaching credential on June 26th, I will get it finally.
I'll pull myself together and do my best until the very day when I surely receive it with my hands.
Life is not easy,but it's worth challenging.
Life is a fickle thing. I've learnt that the easy and the hard way! I wanted to be a teacher until I reached 16 when I thought, no way. Then when I was 17 I discovered I could teach English in Japan and that became my goal. In the meantime I became a swimming teacher. After graduating uni I applied for so many teaching positions but I couldn't land one, so I made the decision to give up that dream and concentrate on criminology. A week later I received an email from ECC saying they were coming to Australia for interviews. I was completely torn on what to do. Give it one last go or pass up that final opportunity? It's obvious which choice I made and I am so glad I saw it through. It took me 6 years to get here from my original goal (and that's the main reason why I refused to leave Japan after the earthquake!!)
ReplyDeleteYoshi, I'm so happy for you. =D You're going to reach that brilliant light!!! As always, if there's anything I can do to help, please, please let me know! =)
Kate
ReplyDeleteIt was really touching to read your experiences. You had gotten beyond many obstacles before you finnaly came to Japan. It tells me that it's oftentimes necessary to go through some hard time,and rough time can be the best teacher in our life. I believe you learn more when you're suffuring or struggling.
You're tough and generous and yasashii. I'll try to learn from you.
BTW, is MY shark doing well?? You must look after him everyday!!! OK?? LOL !! and where has the monkey gone?? Kate chan!!