6 weeks on Wednesday

So the I-20 finally shows up today (Monday), after having been sent to the UK first. Reckon it must have nearly completed a full circuit of the globe, although I think we can probably forgive the good folks at Columbia that little mistake, given that they were so quick in processing the whole thing. So now everything I need for the interview is gathered together, more or less; I still have a total of $200 in application and processing fees I need to pay before the whole thing can go through. Not something I am particularly happy about, but it's not something that can really be helped.

And another hoop to jump through; I also have to find my vaccination records from 1983 or thereabouts, as apparently New York public health law requires proof of vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella before any student at a university or college can register for classes. This might prove a bit tricky, as I had mumps as a kid (which means I probably wasn't immunised against it), but apparently there are tests for antibodies or whatever which can confirm immunity. Might not be easy to do quickly under the NHS though, and so far as I know my medical records are still in Oxford. This could prove rather problematic...

I must commend the US authorities on doing a stirling job to make sure I'm not an illiterate, impoverished and disease-ridden terrorist.

Weekend saw a small-scale night out in Sendai on Friday, then nothing much for the rest. Helped the very lovely Nicky Furniss put together the Drum (prefectural JET magazine) on Sunday, spent a leisurely couple of hours with her after lunch, and that was about it.

Work plods along much the same as before, rather busier than usual. Visits to Tagajo Higashi Shogakko and Tamagawa Shogakko, plus Eikaiwa on Weds and a speech for Shiogama Labour Union Association to work on this week - should keep me out of trouble.

And as the title implies, there's not much time left for me here now. Still not completely sure how I feel about leaving - I probably won't be until I have left. In an ideal world I would have liked to have been able to take the job at the Kencho and stay for another year, or maybe more - I really do like Sendai and the Tohoku region, and I have some great friends out here who I will be sorry to leave behind. But in many ways JET is a lot like life's snooze button, and it's time to get up, however hard that may be.

Plus I'll finally be able to get reasonably priced fruit and veg.