It’s been a minute...

It feels really good as an ex-JET when you plan a trip back to your old city and your old principal and JTEs insist that you come and visit your school even though all the students you taught have graduated.  It’s been two years since I left Japan, but I still think about the people I met there daily, especially as I’ve continued my teaching journey in Australia, This Friday I’ll be embarking on a 3-week placement in South Korea as I round out my masters, graduate in December and hopefully get a big girl teaching job commencing next year!   I’m so blessed and humbled by my JET experience that gave me the footing and guidance I needed to figure out where I’m meant to be. I’m happy, I’m healthy, and things are still falling right into place. 

Cool things going on in Maia-Land: Drowning in Masters assessments but today I found out I got selected to do a placed based elective - meaning I get to go back to Asia (this time Korea!) for three weeks in September to teach and observe at an International school there.  

Some of my former students graduated the other day. A few of them started following me on Instagram when I left, but I didn’t expect to be “put on blast” for commenting on some graduation pictures... haha; (but he immediately PM’d me and asked if I remember that one time we ran into each other playing Pokémon GO on Miyajima and was stoked that I not only remembered but still had the picture) This most recent third year lot was probably the group I bonded with and miss the most. I feel kind of emotional and so proud of them thousands of miles away and I’m truly expecting great things from them. I seriously feel like the reason I’m now in Australia, doing what I’m doing is because of this group of kids. I think that was maybe the best thing about JET. Just the reaffirmation that, this is somehow what I want to spend the rest of my life doing.

Things my five year old Chinese students say.

Sometimes I “still” wonder if JET was the best time of my life...

I love Australia and I’m still super happy here, but damn sometimes I really really really miss my life in Japan. 

Maia Sensei is Back!! Only instead it’s now Teacher Maia and I’m teaching Chinese kiddies online. - 👩🏻‍🏫🇨🇳

When the Melbourne CG of Japan crashes your Sake Workshop and insists on taking photos together and emails everyone this cute gif. 

Friendsgiving 2017 was a spring picnic on a thankfully not rainy Melbourne day. I threw together potatoes, cranberry apple stuffing and green bean casserole (from scratch) another American made a beautiful turkey and pumpkin pie and everyone brought dishes to share. I’m thankful for the home I’m making here and all the beautiful friends I’ve made since arriving.

Happy Friendsgiving. 🦃

Finally moved all my furniture to my new place- it’s adorable and I’m so in love.

I absolutely hate moving.

But everytime I move, either to another country/continent or a new place down the street there’s always something that gets me through it. When I left Japan it was Beyonce’s Lemonade. Now, I honestly wouldn’t have packed nearly as much as I have today if it wasn’t for archived episodes of This American Life.  If you’re not listening to this podcast, what are you doing???

So I guess you could say things on the relationship front are going really well for me. We essentially fronted $250 to get a paper that makes our relationship a little more than just “Facebook official” in the eyes of the Australian Government.