11 days to go.  11 little days and I'll be leaving my home, my friends, my job and my country; getting on a plane to travel to Japan, to work as an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher)

In some ways I feel excited about starting a new life in foreign lands.  I get a clean slate; a fresh start to be who I want to be.  I get to be a novelty, 'the only Gaijin (Foreigner) in the village' (Crap, that's what I should have named my blog) and probably the tallest man in most rooms.  I cannot wait to sink my teeth into all the ramen, sashimi, yakitori, udon, takoyaki, tempura and every other food Japan has to offer (Apart from Natto).  I'm looking forward to improving my poor basic Japanese to a level I can converse on daily topic and understand which platform I'm meant to be on.  I get to travel and see Japan in all its colours, sights and sounds, not to mention its weirdness (You know what I mean).

On the other hand, I'm kind scared about the unknown.  I've never really taught in this kind of situation before, and the prospect of being stood in front of a class full of tiny Japanese faces, expecting some kind of knowledge to be bestowed upon them in an adult-like, educated manner does make me think "What on Earth am I doing?" But it will be an adventure and I think a week or two's experience behind me and I'll be like a duck to water.

Today I went to the Japanese medical centre in London for some tests I needed before I started work.  I had forgotten how much I've actually missed being out my comfort zone!  I enjoy it.  I like that feeling of being a little 'lost in translation' and like you don't really know what's around the other corner.  Aside from the bizarre tests, alien gowns and odd translations, the creme de le creme came when the tests were finished and I was shown to a 'Recovery Room', where I was given a cake (Dorayaki) to eat!  You don't get that on the NHS.  I say more cakes on the NHS, its the way forward.  And if in Japan, I get that kind of polite and friendly service, along with cakes, all I can say is "Come on Japan, give me all you've got".