So for about a month, I went to my home country of Canada.
So how was it, to be back in Canada? It was cold!! But I managed to survive, and I'm really appreciating the warmer weather here in Tokyo. It was great to visit family and friends that I haven't seen in a while, as well as eat food that I haven't had in a while as well.
But yes, I'm back in Tokyo.. I arrived on the 14th of this month.
I went back to Canada for five reasons:
Reason #1: Visa Expiration
My visa was going to expire on December 15th, so I had to leave Japan by this date and go somewhere. A plane ticket to Taipei would have cost about 40,000 yen. A plane ticket to Canada cost me about 90,000 yen (only 50,000 yen more)
Reason #2: New Passport
The Japanese government would be very suspicious of me if I tried to enter the country on a fourth consecutive tourist visa. Renewing my passport enabled me to 'erase' my visa history and start fresh.
Reason #3: Student Holidays
Near the end of the year, most of my private students (my sole source of income) would be taking holidays anyway, so this was the perfect time to come back to Canada.
Reason #4: Home for Christmas.
Although winter is not my favorite time of year to visit (I'd much prefer to visit in the summer when Tokyo is unbearably humid and Toronto/Brantford is actually tolerable), there's something good about getting the whole family together at Christmas. It was especially good to see my grandmother. At 89 years old, I don't know how much time she has left.
Reason #5: To get a TESL certificate.
I found a place in Toronto that would let me finish the entire 60-hour course in 9 days. So now I have a TESL certficate. Why is this important? Because it should enable me to find work in Taipei with relative ease. I decided that if I can't stabilize my visa situation in Tokyo, I will work in Taipei and either finish my degree from there by distance, or obtain the work experience necessary to get a visa in Tokyo. In fact, recently I've been applying to places both in Tokyo and in Taipei. The first place I can get a work visa in, I'll go to.
There are some of you reading this that might think moving to Taipei is something of a step backwards, and that it's pushing me further away from my goal. But I don't believe that to be the case. Staying here on a tourist visa, teaching English under the table to pay the bills.. I'm just spinning my wheels at this point. I've learned what is important to me, and also what I need to do to get where I want to be. Now it's up to me to act - and put my plan into action.
