Arigatou!

I just got back from the Immigration Office.

3 more years!!

I think this country doesn't want me to leave! LOL!

It's weird to think that I've been here so long. The paperwork now classifies me as a mid-long term resident. I never would have thought that when I first came here!

But it's all good. It gives me time to get where I want to be. What is scary though, is that if I stay until the expiration of my visa, I would have been here a whopping 9 years. THAT freaks me out!

Getting a new visa has kinda given me a kick up the arse to keep pushing on with what I came here to do. I'm aiming to take my first attempt at the JLPT 1kyuu next December. I'm not expecting to pass, but I think if I can really spend the next year applying myself, then by July 2015 I should be there. That's the aim anyway.

I wish I could afford to just not work for a year and spend an entire year in one of those intenseive 5 hours a day study courses. That would be awesome and way more effective than trying to study the way that I am now. Which is not very hard!

Hell, even a month long intensive course would be seriously beneficial. Not at this stage, but maybe some time next year. Trying to negotiate that around work is going to be tough, but I think it's worth a shot.

Thank you Nippon!

xoxo