I made this blog months ago. I intended to begin it before the big move. Unfortunately, my procrastination got the best of me and it never happened. But a new year brings new tidings.
My name is Meghan. I'm twenty-three years-old, growing up in New Jersey with a strong Staten Island background. I've been described as both quiet and loud, nice and mean spirited, but smart and occasionally, some people find me funny. I love reading and going to concerts and music festivals. I'm very interested in political and social issues with a secret passion of writing. And in November 2011, I up and moved across the world to Japan to be an English teacher.
I never studied to be a teacher. It was often suggested to me but I felt that I would be absolute rubbish at it. Instead, I was an Asian Studies major through college. It was spurred by an interest in anime/manga when I was younger but evolved into a real appreciation as I learned more. However, it didn't leave a clear cut path once I graduated from university. I talked with a professor about my concerns when he suggested to me that I try teaching English abroad; it was an easy way to pay back my student loans and travel. This was spring of 2010.
That summer, I read and researched everything I could about being an ESL teacher abroad, from various blogs to essays to the big companies offering employment. I reviewed my credentials- or lack thereof- and the need for ESL teachers. No matter the experience of the teacher, it seemed that no one regretted teaching abroad. By the time my fall semester began in 2010, I knew that I was going to try to become an English teacher.
I first tried the JET Program. They were regarded as the best all around from pay to actual work in the classroom. It also allowed me to test the waters with my parents regarding me working overseas. My dad was initially supportive. The news was harder on my mother but I had to break it to her; she had my passport and I needed copies of it. Whatever misgivings she had, she still supported me.
Nevertheless, I was not accepted. Which was fine. JET usually sends their teachers out to the most rural of places and I felt that wasn't for me (recently I've heard that JET's trying to send people to Fukushima, so be wary.) That was about February 2011. At that point, I started looking into other companies to see if it would work out.
Things changed in March 2011 with the Touhoku Earthquake and Tsunami and the Fukushima Disaster. Everyone felt that there was no way for me to get to Japan now. I didn't disagree. There was so much misinformation being spread around with even more kept secret by the government that Japan seemed impossible. So I looked into South Korea and Taiwan at that point but still kept my eye on applying to places in Japan.
In May 2011, I graduated from university. At that point, I kept applying to places. One of the first places that responded to me was Peppy Kids Club, part of the iTTTi Japan group. I was interviewed and it went very well. At that point, they hoped that I would be sent out in the October training group if they decided to hire me. Al I had to do was write out a cover letter and get three recommendations. This was June 2011.
During this time, my grandmother had suffered a stroke and a heart attack and was in the hospital. By the middle of June, she was fine and sounded wonderful over the phone. When the doctor told her she couldn't live by herself anymore, things progressed extremely fast. She wouldn't eat and couldn't be compelled to. I don't know who said that starving was a painless death, because it was absolutely not true with my grandmother. Within two weeks, she had gone completely down hill.
On June 19th, she passed away six days before her ninety-first birthday. To be blunt, it fucked me up for awhile. For the first three years of my life while my parents were working, she took care of me, buying me clothes and taking me everywhere with her. Now, she was gone. I couldn't deal with anything job hunting related; I just... lived. I was out of contact with everywhere I applied at this point. For sure, I thought my opportunity with PKC had passed.
About a month later in July 2011, I received a phone call on a Monday afternoon. It was my recruiter from PKC. They were still interested in me and told me there was one spot left open in the November training group. This was right before my parents and I were about to leave for the shore. That night, I sent out what recommendation letters I had and a copy of my diploma. After filling out more forms and going back and forth, in August 2011, PKC offered me a job. I accepted it.
It's been a long process, thinking about it now in my apartment in Toyohashi. But I set out something for me to accomplish and I did it. I made this blog not just for being an English teacher but for all my adventures abroad. The name 'illy girl' comes from a song by M.I.A., being slang for someone who's cool or fresh. I don't know whether it's applicable to me, but I like it.
My name is Meghan and I'm an English teacher. Let's see how this goes.
