Looks like I will be heading to Toyama Prefecture to work at the Toyama Prefectural Government International Affairs & Japan Sea Region Dept. Although Toyama is a pretty long ways from Tokyo and Osaka, I am pretty stoked to be near the mountains and sea. Has anyone ever eaten a MOS Burger in Japan? MOS = Mountains, Ocean, Sky and I will be getting my fill of that fo sho. Also I found out my apartment is pretty dope, 3DK and 15 min walk from my office in Toyama City. I even have a Yamazaki convenience store around the corner. Its not SUNKUS but hey it will do, it will do...

.... So I  know pretty much for sure I am heading back to Japan in early August but I still have no idea where  in Japan I will be going. I should be finding out in a matter of days but the question of WHERE has been driving me nuts. I mean Japan has a very diverse climate and culture. I could be chillin up north in Hokkaido in long johns or on a miniscule island of Okinawa attempting to alter my complexion from somewhere between hideously white and german tourist lobster red. I also could be in a huge metropolis or in a dinky backwoods village.

What is funny is I would probably be happy with where ever I go because there are +/- to being in any of those places. I think I just want a metal image of where I will be by the end of summer.

On a side note, I have started to compile a master address book (old school, I am talking phone numbers, e-mail, and mailing addresses) so if any of you would be so kind as to forward me your contact info that would help me out a lot.

For those who haven't heard already, I found out last week that I was accepted to the JET Programme as a Coordinator of International Relations (CIR). This early August I will be beggining a new adventure in Japan. I haven't heard where I will be going yet, but I will be finding out in a month or so.

In relation to my new journey I pulled up a quote I found in a history website about my ancestory. This is basically the origin of my name Gallagher (O'Gallchobhair) which means "Foriegn Help."

"Four generations directly after the above mentioned Donal, son of Ceallach, another man of the Maelcobha descent lived in the 9^th century. ¹⁷ It was during this time that the Vikings including the Scandanavians, Danes and other foreigners were attacking Ireland and the Gaels (Irish) were trying to keep them out.  Despite all this: this man of Maelcobhan descent got friendly with the foreigners/norsemen that came ashore in his own area in Donegal.  We do not know what was the reason for this, but it’s likely my man did some kindness to the import. Did he save someone from the sea? Did he make a marriage alliance with them? ¹⁸ Maybe that is the reason he baptised his son with a foreign name, Manus.  We do not know.  But, because of the connection he had with the Vikings he was given a nick name (we do not know his baptism name) that stayed with his people right until today: Gall-chobhair, i.e. the man who helped the foreigners was the nick name he was given. ¹⁹ It is likely that his neighbours were down on him and also his relations from the line of Donall who were fighting the Vikings in those days.  Not surprising, there would be little mention of the man or his descendants who were known as Muntir Gallchobhair – The Kinsmen of Gallagher."

http://www.gallagherclan.org/gallagherhist.htm 

So the interview went pretty well I think, but it sounds like there might be very very few CIR positions (What im applying for). The interviewers asked me maybe 3 times questions about if I would want to be an ALT (English Teacher) instead and I said yeah. I think it is very likely I will get the ALT position. I guess I will have to wait until April!**tired of waiting

In the meantime the job hunt continues, still more internship in portland, and weekends in Eugene. Anyone know of any good places to look for a part time job in Eugene?  

On a side note, I just started reading Haruki Murakami  (Kafka on the Shore) and I would say it is some interesting shit. I haven't read one of these kind of trippy novels in a long time. Johnnie Walker will never taste the same mehtinks.

Ok so I passed my application for the JET Program CIR position. Now I am all set to interview in a couple weeks and am buffing up my Japanese like mad to prepare for the Japanese portion of the interview. Meanwhile still plugging away at my internship in Portland and kickin in it Eugene.

I was wondering if anyone knows any JET CIR's that could give me some pointers for the interview?