Decisions made, my time left in Japan

Letters have been faxed, phone calls made, I've got a pretty solid plan for the next year, give or take some random anomalies here and there.

First off, I chose not to extend my contract at my school in Kawagoe. My current contract is until the first week of July. I was given the option to extend for 6 months or 1 year. I like my school, it's very laid back compared to some of my other friend's schools, but I just don't want to be in Kawagoe anymore. The Kantou area, which is Tokyo and it's surrounding plain of suburbs, is just an expanse of buildings, roads, and civilization. The only nature nearby is about an hour by train to Hachioji, which also serves as the only nature for all of Tokyo. I need trees!

But I don't plan on leaving my company. I am applying for a position as an emergency teacher. If I get this job, my main job duty would be to fill in at schools that need a teacher for whatever reason. It's a crap shoot, I could be placed somewhere cool or could go somewhere lame. I could see many many schools or I could be stuck at 1 the whole time. Regardless, this sounds like something that I'd enjoy. Also, I can take a few weeks off after my contract here and before emergency teaching to travel around. Sugoi!

After 6 months as an emergency teacher, my plan is less certain, but I do have an idea what I want. I would like to move back to Tokyo, get a guesthouse for 3 months, and check out other avenues of work in Japan. After that, I have a plan for travelling around Asia for at least 6 months. It's very fuzzy right now, and more than a year away, so I won't talk about it yet. I like being mysterious.

So here's the breakdown for those who want to know:

• Present to 07/07 - Kawagoe, same ol same ol
• 07/07 to 08/07 - Motorcycle tour of Japan... all of Japan
• 08/07 to 02/08 - Emergency teaching here and there
• 02/08 to 04/08 - Guesthouse type place in Tokyo
• 04/08 to 2009ish - Asia travel

If I don't get the position as an emergency teacher, I will just go straight to a guesthouse after Kawagoe. I've heard mixed things about the ease of getting this job. I'm a good teacher and have helped out my school a lot, so I think I'm cut out for it.

So thats that. My plan.