Yesterday, I received some amazing news, which has more or less settled what I’m going to be doing in the future. I am aware that first sentence makes it look like I’m going to have a child but it’s not that. It’s even more exciting because I’ll be making money! So here’s what’s going to happen to little old Mike for the next year or so.

The remainder of my study abroad year. It’s going past way, way too fast but I’m determined to make the most of it. I have university right up until nearly the end of July, meaning that I only have a week or two to get some travelling in, but as long as nothing goes horribly wrong I should be climbing a certain famous mountain in the end of July.

Studying hard at Sheffield university. It’s going to be one hell of a busy year. Japanese degree. I’m also going to be taking an English teaching course, possibly two. Japanese Language Proficiency Test in the summer. I’m going to try to pass the top level, but if not no huge loss. Kind of want to get it out of the way, though. Oh, and since after this things get super serious, I guess I’ll be partying like a monster for a year. Do monsters even party?

If I manage to graduate, I get from around June to September off. But then things get serious…

Ok, this is where things get serious. Starting September next year, I will be working at Junten School, but this time as a full time teacher! YEEEEAAAAAHHHH! It’s been talked about and mentioned a few times, but yesterday I accepted the contract and wheels started turning. It’s a huge step forward, and it’s job security. I can finally stop being so defensive of my student finance. I’m going to go bet everything on Japan winning the world cup. Oh wait.

I’ll be doing six months of training, so I won’t actually be teaching until around April 2012. The school is currently in the process of designing the course I’ll be teaching, but from what I can tell I will be teaching advanced English to students who have lived abroad, and also taking some regular level classes too based on staff numbers.

At the meeting yesterday I was told the course details will begin to be set in stone as of October this year, in other words once I’ve gone back to England, so they can avoid my amazing suggestions like ‘Candy Floss for all teachers!’ or ‘Teach the children to perform classic Disney songs!’ Once I know exactly what I’ll be doing I’ll let you know!

There’s a few other things I want to mention. Firstly, I appreciate the emails but I really can’t help you land a job in Japan. I’m sure there are some good guides out there, and plenty of people willing to give advice, but I’m really not the one to ask.

Secondly, this blog. I’ve been turning it over in my head and I’ve finally reached a decision. I’m going to continue this blog until around August next year, in other words after I finish university but before I come to Japan. At that point, I will open a new website, with a brand new blog. Japan Is Doomed will continue to exist, and I will never get rid of it, but I think after the end of my education it will be time for a fresh start. That said I may well change my mind and continue on with Japan Is Doomed as it is. I’m not sure, what do you think?

I’ll keep taking photos for Flickr and making videos for Youtube, under the same account names.

That’s about all I can think of right now. If anything changes I’ll be sure to write it on here. I’m aware this post has been a bit dull but if you stuck with it and read the whole thing, you win a prize. Check under your seat!

It’s been a long time coming, but here’s my latest Youtube video, in which I make fun of America, England, Japan and Switzerland! Alienation RULES!

As I mentioned in the vide, I’ve been really, really busy recently. I’m teaching a lot, and also trying to get as much fun in as I can before I fly home. I can’t remember if I mentioned or not, but I’m flying August 11th. I’m going to spend my last 11 days in Japan staying with my friends Leon and Saori in Chiba, which means 11 blog posts about their adorable dogs.

Of course this all relies on me not succumbing to the heat. Urgh!

日本語：「梅雨って嫌だ」

Wow, I sure have been neglecting the written word recently! For those not in the loop, I’ve been uploading videos to my Youtube channel at a rate of once a week or so. This past week I put two up, partly because I missed last weekend, and also because this weekend was crazy busy so I didn’t have time!

On Friday night my friend and fellow volunteer Mike, who volunteered the year after I did, had his farewell party. Karaoke ended at 5am, I got home at 6am. Slept all day like a log. Then on Saturday night, we went to Ueno to watch the (ultimately disappointing) England vs America football match. It ended at 5am. I got home at 6am. Have you noticed a pattern yet?

To finish off a great weekend, we headed to Yoyogi park today for a little picnic. I was meant to go to one last week but I got a mild case of food poisoning (oops!) so I couldn’t go. The weather wasn’t great – it was pretty cloudy and quite cold, but it didn’t rain. However as of today (Monday 14th) Japan is officially in rainy season. It’s going to last a long time, up to a month, so this really was the last chance picnic.

Unfortunately I only remembered I had my camera with me when all but four of us had left. Still, here are some fun photos of myself, Andy, Mako and Aiko, as well as a very friendly, giant dog and some some Elvis impersonators!

Anyway, I’ll try and get a Youtube video up in the next few days, depending on how long it takes me to adjust back to a reasonable sleep cycle. Curse the world cup and it’s 3:30 am starts! Also I’m going to Fuji Q Highland, a theme park, on Wednesday so I will probably write a blog about that, too! Until then!

Yep, it’s another Youtube video! This one has the weirdest accompanying blog title ever, too! Yeah! (It’s about baseball and also a drink that has something to do with a tree from Africa, incase you’re wondering…)

So I didn’t manage to get a video up last weekend. I feel bad as I was really enjoying the ‘one video a week’ process. I did mention in this video that I might well miss a week or two, but I still feel bad. I’ve been gaining subscribers at a pretty nice rate recently, probably due to a mention by a more popular user, and I wanted to capitalize on that.

So in an attempt to make up for that, I am going to try to film myself answering the questions you guys sent me anonymously on Wednesday, and then shoot a regular video next Saturday or Sunday as well. So that’s double the videos this week! It’s like Christmas has come early and you got nothing you wanted!

Anyway, I say it every time, but thanks for watching, rating and subscribing. You really do keep me coming back!

Did you catch the England vs Japan World Cup friendly match yesterday? If you did, you probably had the same impressions I had before the match started. ‘Japan have improved, but they can’t beat a team like England’. A fair assumption! But after last night I am starting to think Japan may well have a better chance than Rooney and co.

The game, for those that didn’t see, ended 2-1 to England. Both of the English goals were own goals, meaning in total Japan scored three and England scored none. We really need to work out how to put the ball in the goal rather than asking the other team to do it for us. That said, it was a friendly and the English team were probably told to be a little reserved in order to avoid any last minute injuries.

Now I know, honestly, that Japan doesn’t really have much of a shot at winning the world cup this year. They have got some good players now, like goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi who saved a penalty in the friendly, Keisuke Honda who was blasting shots from miles and miles away pretty consistently throughout, and Tulio. Tulio is the Rooney of the Japanese team. For some reason he plays in defence, but he’s their consistant goal threat. Yes, a goal keeper. Threatening to score all the time. He’s awesome, and I really hope he gets a chance to shine in the world cup.

I’m keeping this update short because, as you might be able to tell, I don’t know a huge amount about football (or soccer for you poor English users!!) but it’ll be interesting to follow this year. I’m predicting Spain win the cup, England scrape through the group stages and then lose to a team like Germany / Italy, and Japan should hopefully win at least one group match. Fingers crossed for every team except America – if England loses to the US I’ll never be able to show my face in the dormitory again.

England play the US on the June 12, and Japan start on the 14th against Cameroon. Fingers crossed!