And we will journey among the stars

A lot has been going on since I last updated this journal. I try not to update too often or else I feel I'll have nothing to say, but that also leads to longer entries; I hope you guys don't mind that.

School is over for the summer, which I suppose is one of the bigger news items. I finished out the semester with 2 As, 1 B, and a Pass in my Pass/Fail practicum. This is very good for me, especially considering some issues that arose with another class that caused me to withdraw after the official cutoff--meaning I did have to accept one F for the semester (though I don't fully count it as I plan to retake the course and replace the grade). Currently I am sitting on a 3.0 GPA and I am looking towards next semester with the hopes of obtaining all As (and a 4.0 GPA) to raise that up higher until I retake that course and replace that F. I really am excited for next semester's courses too, even though the schedule is beyond weird, because all of my classes are in my major and it's my second to last semester before I enter student teaching.

Speaking of student teaching, that's another exciting prospect! I may be able to student teach overseas in Kobe, Japan. This is all reliant on the school remaining a part of the Consortium for Overseas Student Teaching (COST), but I'm hopeful. Teaching over there would go a long way in terms of ensuring I keep that job offer I was given. Which is my next point! I was offered the possibility of having a job after graduation, which is still a year and a half off. I happened to take to my alma mater's principal after a school board meeting, and upon mentioning that I had extensive study in the Japanese language he asked me if I would be able to teach it. I responded that so long as I passed my proficiency certifications it should prove no problem, and he asked me to keep in touch so that they might establish a Japanese language program at my old high school. It's all rather exciting.

On the other side of life, the side that has absolutely nothing to do with school, I was able to see Sydney last month. She came up again for ACen, and it was...easily the best week of the year. Long distance relationships are...exceedingly trying, but that week easily made up for all the nights I spent wanting her here with me. We only have a year and a half more until I am out of school and can hopefully look at getting a place so she can move up here--which I am so excited for. The only downside to that weekend was that we weren't able to have any alone time. The one time I thought we might have it a friend of ours ended up hung over on the floor (or in the bathroom puking) most of the morning. It kind of sucks that we weren't able to spend it comfortably in bed alone, like I had hoped.

So! I said I would likely post again...so I am.

This day turned out awesome, just as it started out to be! So...that's all good news.

My Admission Practicum, i.e. my observation class, has a lot of work to it. This work is mostly because our practicum assignments are actually building our online portfolios and resumes for the future--so I have to dissertations, philosophy statements, self evaluations, and complete a resume on top of observation periods in my assigned school. Still, it's rewarding and serves a purpose, so I don't think I'll mind much. I just have to be sure to stay completely on top of things.

My Japanese folklore class is going to be work as well. This is mostly because we are working with texts that have never been translated in their entirely. This means we will be reading them completely in Japanese. This is exciting, though slightly daunting considering the amount of studying that will need to go into this course. At least the material is interesting, and Nakamura-sensei is very dedicated to our success.

Speaking of Nakamura-sensei, I talked to him about being my third profession reference for my Practicum after class today. Not only did he agree, but apparently he used to be in charge of student teaching and the intensive graduate program for Japanese education majors. He is apparently very willing to not only be my reference but to also put me in contact with his contacts in the educational field. There is a reason he is one of my favorite teachers.