I'm going to Japan!!!

So...maybe the 3rd time is the charm!! Having been associated with TN Governor's School for International Studies for several years, international & cultural opportunities and ideas were always abundant. It was during this time that I found out about the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund that gives teachers an opportunity to raise awareness of and interest in Japan through a cross-cultural experience for 3 weeks each summer. I've always had an interest in foreign lands, which first began during my stays in Mexico as a student and then later as an English teacher in Mexico when I graduated from Ole Miss. This interest was further enhanced by 2 of my college roommates--Lori moved to Japan to teach English and Molly became a missionary in Africa and other far reaches of the world after a stint in Thailand. So, I applied for this grant to go abroad (Japan specifically) myself. The first year I applied for the grant, I was denied denied denied (1 stipulation is that you teach for 3 years...I had only been teaching for 3 months and broke my ankle during that process as well, so not going was a blessing, I guess). The 2nd time, I was chosen as an alternate. Exciting for me at first, but as bad luck would have it, no one backed out, so I didn't get to go (which was also a blessing because I got married that summer). So December 2007 was the deadline for the program this year. I already had everything written from the previous 2 times (the application is very long & detailed) so on the last day it had to be postmarked, I gave it a whirl, and mailed the application. Which brings us to Spring Break 2008. After 3 long months of waiting, I checked the mailbox one sunny afternoon, to find a big fat blue envelope straight from Japan. Now I knew immediately that this was a special envelope because all my rejection letters came in a small white envelope. Needless to say, I'M GOING TO JAPAN!!! I will use this blog to write about my adventures in Japan as a way to educate and enlighten others about Japan. I leave June 8th for San Fransico for an orientation before departing for Tokyo on the 9th!!!
For more information about the program, click here: http://www.iie.org/Website/WPreview.cfm?WID=194 or here: http://www.fulbrightmemorialfund.jp/