Japan Update!

Japan and Wakayama Prefecture

OK, I really haven't posted much about my big move and I just realized that it is about 5 weeks away. I am moving to Wakayama Prefecture (orange region on the map). Prefecture is sort of like a state. The town is called Iwade and it's right next to Wakayama city (big dot on orange region). My town is about 9 miles from Wakayama city. I'm about an hour by train from Osaka (an even bigger city than Wakayama) and an hour from the new Kansai International Airport. That will be handy for all of you who are planning on visiting. I feel like I got really lucky in my placement. I am near the ocean, mountains, and big cities. The area is also known for fantastic hot springs. The temperature only gets down to about 32 degrees F. That's about as cold as I can take it. Iwade has about 50,000 people in the town. There are 2 junior high schools and 6 elementary schools. I will spend time rotating between the schools. My apartment is surprisingly inexpensive (takakunai), approximately $320 a month. The school district is giving me a bike to commute to school. It comes with a shopping basket, how fancy. I should be in fantastic shape after biking around town for a year. The train is about a 5 minute walk from my apartment, so it will be very easy to travel to other towns. My life is about to drastically change, exciting, yet scary. Click here to check out more on Wakayama Prefecture.