Friday, January 25, 2008

A Reflection: Saying Goodbye After 5 Years in Japan


Today I finished my finals and said goodbye to my career as a University professor. (No, really guys, that's what my visa says...) Probably the first and last time I will be one. I had a quaint sayonara lunch with my coworkers. So far so good: Exiting smoothly with little attention being brought to the fact that I'm am leaving. The school year ended Monday and I actually think I got away with not telling the students.

Can't explain it. Just trying to avoid the emotion drama of leaving. On the drive home I was thinking about previous strike through word (which by the way I am NOT experiencing any of...)

Since I became of age to enter the work force I have never lived in The States. It's not that I am anti-living there, rather, today (in the car) I realized that I am nervous to do something ordinary.

When I come home in May I will enter my uncle's nonprofit company. This is the first time, since becoming of working age, that I will do something that isn't completely off-the-wall.

In uni I googled a tropical island job, then got one and moved across the world to Guam. I actually accepted the job, then ran downstairs on my world map to check where it was located. There I became a windsurfing instructor and life guard (at the time, all I knew was the doggie paddle).

Besides that and Japan (which has become, with no intentions, a sort of career) the only other job I have held has been a taxi driver (I'll save that entry for a slow day.)

So yes, truth be told, I am scared. I am scared that I won't be satisfied with the ordinary.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ordinary is what you make it. I am sure nothing in your life will be ordinary (:)m

kateri said...

Wish I could be there with you D! We are having an OK time adjusting, but I know you've been gone just a bit longer. Well...What's next!?! Aville??

Paula said...

That's interesting Danielle. You nailed it girl. I always wondered why you have not lived in the states after college, but it makes sense to me that the ordinary does scare you. I would say Fallston is the most ordinary but it doesn't mean you can't make it interesting. Danielle, you are the most interesting, creative, and enlighting people I know. You will make the ordinary seem unordinary in everything you do.

Anonymous said...

You can make the ordinary extrordinary!!! Who says living in the States working for your uncle is ordinary??? You have such great talent, why don't you do something that you love while in the States and explore out West??? Japanese people think Japan is ordinary.

Fran said...

Are you confusing passion (or lack of it) with excitment (the or ordinary)? For instance, I am excited by my career because I'm passionate about what I do. Some of the most "ordinary" jobs can produce extreme satisfaction if the person is passionate about his or her field. In my opinion, find something you're passionate doing and it won't matter where you are. If you aren't lucky enough to get paid for what you're passionate about, make time to do that outside of work. You'll be fine, Dani :)