I'm usually not a person to make resolutions because I never have a reason to. People make resolutions to fix things about their life or themselves they are unhappy with. I am either happy with myself or just don't care enough to be unhappy.
This year is different. Every January, JETs are faced with a re-contracting decision that extends there time in Japan an extra year with the maximum being 5 years. I have already decided to re-contract for my 5th year which will keep me in Ogimi until July 2012. After that, they kick me out.
If the 3.5 years I have already been here have taught me anything, the next 1.5 will go by real fast. I have a couple ideas of what I want to do next, but recently, I have felt I need to hurry up and figure out which one I want to do. As that is turning out to be difficult, I figured I should just be ready for ALL of them.
Therefore, my New Year's resolutions are:
- Pass the JLPT N1 - If I choose to find some job within Japan, having this on my resume will hopefully make me stand out.
- Pass the Foreign Service Officers Exam - If I pass this, it will not only give me major cool points, but also give me the option to live abroad while working for the government.
- Score high on the GRE - Another option is to go to grad school. As I would want the school to pay me to go, I need to do well on this to show that I have smarts.
Realistic Reasons Not to Accept Reappointment
- Procrastination. Think long and hard about your life path. Do not seek reappointment only to delay a more difficult decision.
- Money. Participating on the JET Programme for the sole purpose of money-making.
- For no particular reason at all.