1/10/2025 - 31/10/2025 October in Japan

I think that October is the month where I realised how fast time was flying by. After being back at school after summer vacation for a month, I realised how soon my time at my first school would be coming to an end. Each day felt like a countdown but I really tried to make the absolute most of my time there. I went to different after school clubs everyday and spent the lunchtimes chatting to different students. I started to feel pretty apprehensive about changing schools as it was at this time that I felt I had really settled into life at this junior high school. Not only did I not want to say goodbye to all of the wonderful students and teachers at this school, but I was also pretty scared about having to re-introduce myself and meet so many new people at a completely different school. However, I knew that nothing could be changed and so I just made the absolute most of my last two weeks at this school.

The final day was very bittersweet! I was pretty sad about leaving and I spent the day taking in the atmosphere and talking to as many students as possible. However, I was overwhelmed with love from everyone there. Teachers and students gave me some amazing and thoughtful presents and I spent about half an hour at the end of the day signing notebooks, pencil cases, and study files for the students! At one point I had a queue of about 30 students waiting to say thank you to me and asking me to sign whatever they had on them. One student even asked me to sign his tissue box lol.

I was sad to say goodbye but as I left the school grounds, I knew I had another adventure ahead of me.

I started at my next junior high school on the next Monday, and after hearing some crazy stories about the students there, I was very very nervous. However, I felt so much more confident than when I started all the way back in March. Not only was my Japanese so much better, but I better understood the culture and working atmosphere that I would be entering into. I was thrown straight into the deep end and by the time my first week was over, all of my apprehension had dissipated! I'm writing this blog post in February and, honestly, Anna in October had NOTHING to worry about. Obviously more will be said as I catch up to present day, but I have absolutely loved my time at this school.

The first two weeks in October saw Japan welcome some more special guests: my Auntie, Uncle, and cousin! They spent two weeks travelling around the country but luckily their weekends ended up being in Tokyo and so I was able to spend some time with them! First, we went to Disney sea and, even though it rained pretty much the whole day, we had an amazing time! I have been to Disney sea many times since and I actually think the rain was a blessing in disguise as that day remains the quietest I have ever seen the park! We managed to get on pretty much all of the rides, including the Frozen ride (without a fast pass) which is honestly crazy lucky!

The next day, Chloe and I travelled into Tokyo to meet them for dinner and drinks in Harajuku and Ginza! The weather was warm and it was a great chance to have a well-needed catch up. It was super nice to be able to spend time with Kev, Yvonne, and Molly in Japan.

They weren't the only visitors here in October. At the end of the month, mine and Chloe's friend, Cesca, visited Japan!

Cesca is a flight attendant for BA and after some lucky bidding, she managed to get a job on a flight to Tokyo that had a stop over of two days before she had to fly back. It was a very brief visit from her, but it was so so nice. We met up in Chiba and took her to a conveyor belt sushi restaurant to show her a small, but important, piece of Japanese culture.

Japan doesn't celebrate Halloween as much as Western countries, however an American/Japanese family that we have befriended out here absolutely LOVE Halloween and the father (who runs his own American school out here) hosts various events to educate Japanese people about Halloween!

Firstly, he hosted a costume Halloween party for all of the ALT's in the area. This was the second ALT party he has organised this year and, as per, it was so much fun! It was a great chance to chat to some other people also living in Japan and my friend group and I had a fun time hand making crayon costumes for ourselves. (It wasn't a competition but honestly I think we would have won).

Then, we were invited to help out in a 'Trunk or Treat' event for the local children. In a rented out hall space (alongside other groups), we set up a Disney themed stall and handed out sweets and chocolate to children, allowing them to experience trick or treating! Some of the children's costumes were super super cute and the atmosphere was great. It was a super fun way to celebrate Halloween out here :)

I finished off October by spectacularly breaking my finger at after-school volleyball practice. After telling the students that I could play the sport, I was actually spectacularly bad and I was so embarrassed that my awful playing ended in me having a broken finger that I actually continued to "play" for an hour while my finger swelled up to double the size lol.

On to the next - November!