New Year's Resolutions

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.

These are actually resolutions for the next 1.5 years. Staying an extra year on the job will allow me to save money and prepare for what is coming next. Funnily enough, JET actually gives advice on why one should NOT stay in Japan:

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.

Ha.