Hobbbies and the Possibility of JET

I feel like hobbies are something that we need in life. They are the things that keep us active and excited and keep our minds functioning (if you have a good hobby). Though, I've been thinking about it lately and, I think, less people are "hobby" people nowadays. More often than not, people seem to think that craft-y hobbies are for children or old people or that other hobbies are weird... It's kind of sad that the most common "hobby" I can think of is probably playing some FPS video game...

Anyways, I love hobbies and craft-y things. I have a stupid amount of hobbies and I think my poor husband is going to cry if I take up any more of them in the near future (though, there is a local bead store that has a really cool beaded kumihimo class available >.>). So, I thought maybe I'd talk about my hobbies I have now and hobbies that are a part of Japanese culture that I'd like to try.

First, a list of my current hobbies (that I can think of off the top of my head):
-archery
-sewing (mostly garb)
-kumihimo (learned a month or so ago)
-embroidery (I just started a week ago >.>)
-RPGs, everything from D&D to video game RPGs
-baking
-drawing (not as much as I used to)
-collecting manga (though, only when my wallet can handle it)
-bento

Most of these I can continue in Japan, if I get into JET. In fact, after Staci got to Japan, it took a few weeks to get her phone and internet taken care of, so taking some craft-y fun with me seems brilliant. I probably shouldn't bring my bow and quiver because I don't know that I'll have anywhere to actually use it (I'll get super out of practice and be even worse than I already am >.<). Some of these hobbies I would almost like to ignore. I don't want to spend my time in Japan on video games (unless I hit up a  cafe :P) because I want to be out seeing the culture. Most of my craft-y hobbies are fairly portable and so I can take them with me or save them for days when I end up stuck inside. And bento and baking are good for sharing with people ^_^ I look forward to that :)

Secondly, a list of the hobbies I would like to check out, maybe try, and maybe find a class for:
-archery (the yumi is really cool and harder to learn where I live)
-kendo (I don't know that I want to do it, though it would be cool, but I'd like to see it)
-Japanese embroidery
-fabric collecting

The big one used to be archery, I think, but now the embroidery and fabrics are the big one. Japanese embroidery has caught my heart and I really want to learn it. Sadly, the only thing I can find in my chunk of Maine is a book in the Bangor Library on it, so I'm going to try that for now and hold out for Japan and a class in embroidery. I also want to collect fabric so that I can have inspiration for making kosode or other things as I learn new crafts (I want to eventually learn weaving and making my own fabrics). I'll definitely be visiting some of the historical museums to see some of the old garments on display and to improve my own garment making. I'm really excited ^_^

I Keep Finding New Things About Japan

I assume that it is really obvious that I love Japan and am a silly fangirl for the country. I'll admit that a large part of my interest stems from a love for manga. I'm a manga addict. However, I also find that as time progresses, I am coming to love more about the history of Japan. I have mentioned before that I am trying to read through Genji Monogatari (and I must admit, that I haven't been super successful, just because it's so long... maybe in the winter I'll curl up with my book), but I am currently learning more of other things too. I just thought that maybe I'd talk about some of why that is, which, sorry, is not terribly JET related, but is a little bit.

Firstly, I have to thank JET and the SCA for getting me to really look more into Japan's reality. A large part of why I want to do JET is because I want to see the real world that inspired and created the world's I have found in manga because clearly manga and real life are nothing alike. But, in applying for JET, I have found that I want to start learning more about Japan either way and have begun searching out more things on my own. The SCA has been a large part of this. It was an easy decision to have a Japanese persona because I find Japan the most interesting because it is so different from what I got stuck learning throughout my educational career. So, I picked a name, but I had no idea who "Oguri Tatsuko" would be. I lacked a career, a family, a history for my persona and this has encouraged me to learn more. Now, I sort of want to talk about the different subjects that this has opened for me ^_^

-I like bento a lot, so I started looking into historical bento and learned a lot about when bento really started and what its predecessor was like.
-I wanted to be able to make medieval Japanese garb, so I started looking up patterns to sew my own kosode. Now I want to improve my garb, so I have started looking into Japanese embroidery and medieval patterns and prints for clothes
-I'm really excited to try and learn Japanese embroidery, it is GORGEOUS. Before I start to try and search more about nuido, I am learning Western-style embroidery to build up the basics.
-I will be modeling my garb at the Fort Know Demo in Maine on September 8 (though I don't think I'm a decent model, I'm excited to share my garb attempts) because I decided to chase after Japan's history. This is something I never imagined I could share with people, try and teach a little bit about the construction of old Japanese clothing.
-I have been asked to teach a short Arts & Sciences class on Momiji-Gari at the Endewearde Hunt. And though I don't know a lot about it yet, I am learning more and looking forward to building up a base to continue finding out more about it ^_^
-I want to find out more about festivals of all sorts, so that we can set up our own festival event in Endewearde. Maybe set up a yearly Momiji-Gari event during the Hunt or possibly celebrate snow-viewing or so many other options.

Really, I have encountered so many new things as I try to find out more about who someone might have been in medieval Japan. But I am doing all this because of the SCA and JET. I am taking JET as a cultural exploration and getting to participate in the program would help add so much to my knowledge that I couldn't begin to explain how cool it would be. I am also working, slowly, on learning Japanese and I hope to keep working on that too.

Basically, it's wicked cool to get into more about something you love. And, please, take it a step further and build up your knowledge in things you want to know about. In fact, if you don't quite know exactly what you want, google some of the things I've talked about or google something you are generally in and follow all those tangents and ideas that you come upon so that you eventually find something to set your sights on. If I get into JET, I want to find a class in Japanese embroidery and one of my eventual goals will be to make a folding screen that I embroidered ^_^

Also, it's getting closer and closer to JET application time! I hope everyone is getting prepared okay ^_^

Reference Things That Make Me Happy

So, I know I go on and on and on and on and on about references, but I finally have a nice thing to say about them. You know that you have picked a good person to be your reference, when they ask you about your deadlines, ask about getting a copy of your resume, ask about the requirements, and ask to meet you in person to make sure the formatting is all right. One of my references this year is going to be a professor that I absolutely loved having. He taught my adolescent literacy class for my education minor and he does a lot of work with improving literacy education in the northeastern US. Basically, he is awesome. He is really nice, really smart, and a really good teacher. And he thinks I am a decent fit for the JET Program and is more than happy to help me out by writing a reference letter for me! I am super excited XD

In other news, there are more people on the forums almost every day ^_^ And the Miami coordinator is back and helping us with good advice and we have the LA coordinator this year too! It's great to see that there are so many people willing to take time to help us applicants out, even this early on.

Does Anybody Think That I Am Crazy Obsessed with References Yet?

I swear that my letters of reference are going to be the death of me. I am going to have an aneurysm, an ulcer, something. I asked two people to write me references back in May/June and now it is time to remind them and ask again. This morning I emailed the two people that agreed to write me a reference before, plus one more possible reference. I am hoping to have a fair amount of things in my hand and ready to go before the application comes out. If I get references from all three of these people, then I have options and I get to choose who I think knows me best and can represent that to JET for me...

Anyways, I know that it is almost time for more applicants to start coming out of the woodwork and so I will be seeing more questions that I can address and find answers for. Yesterday (I think), a guy posted on the fb group and ended up asking about references. There are important things to remember, like answering the questions JET posts and showing you at your best. You definitely need to choose someone that knows you as a learner, an educator, and as a person, if you have someone that really knows you well in all three ways. It is also important to pick someone that is going to look professional and make you look professional (as in, don't end up like I did last year with my manager failing to read the directions and do any of it right). Lastly, ask more than two people; ask all the people that you think will give you a good reference. If you get more than two, you can choose which will be best and you won't be sitting there thinking that you only asked two and one of those hasn't gotten back to you and the deadline is fast approaching. So, too much is better than not enough, in this case. Also, ask now, so they have time if they need it.

Summer Is Coming to a Close and JET Season Is Approaching

Two weeks ago, I went to a party for my friend Staci, who has now been in Japan for a few days with JET!!! Then I went to spend two weeks in Pennsylvania at Pennsic 41, living in the middle ages ^_^ I had tons of fun and wish Staci the best of luck!

Being at Pennsic, I finished three kosode. One is a white under-layer and then I have two outer layers or layering layers, one blue and one orange. The layers looked pretty good together and I look forward to getting some pictures of them. The next step for my medieval Japanese garb is to make some patterns on the kosode I've made. Traditional Japanese patterns are typically larger than modern prints in Japan and elsewhere, so it's easiest to dye your own or use fabric paint to accomplish your goal. I have a fall-ish orange that I want to do maple leaves (or something like that) for a fall event, since that seems most accurate. But, I will try to get pictures up soon ^_^

And most importantly, it is now mid-August! This means that it is truly almost time for the JET application XD I am going to start asking again about my letters of reference and getting myself together. After finishing my TESOL certification course, I really want to do more work with the IEI and hopefully get a reference there. The course really got my back into the game as far as JET is concerned. As I met some of the kids and talked about the TESOL process, I realized that I definitely want to do this. The man that runs the IEI taught in Japan for years, so his comments helped me see some of the reality of what I want to do and in doing so, brought the fire back.

Other things on my to-do list: get my new ME license, get my new-to-me car registered, get my passport done, make more kosode, and take a new look at my SoP ^_^

Any ideas on what I should talk about here would be awesome. I know that I have covered my own experiences fairly completely, but I can look for other advice or repost some of the things that have been more useful. I just want to get back to being helpful, especially since it is now time for the help to be more needed. I am going to try to post at least once a week, maybe more, but I will definitely try to get things that are useful up here each time ^_^ (or things that are at least interesting, maybe, if you like Japan).