This post is long way past its due. I'm glad kai managed to post something about the great and wonderful news of the realization of our dreams. Yes my friends, it has been confirmed. Kaisu, meganekodomo, and Jenny are going to Yokohama, Japan this June/July.

Sorry for my long absence, I think I owe you guys an explanation... So let me tell you my side of the story (warning, this might get long and nasty... prepare a pillow, eye drops, and lots of drinks):

A great tragedy has befallen me, and it started last February 15. It was a Friday and as I was getting ready for work, I suddenly felt an onset of chills. A teeth-chattering coldness that seemed to have seeped into my bones.

I decided not to go to work~ Woo~!

Saturday came and a fever started thawing my body, as my mom restricted me from attending my Nihongo class. I probably would've fainted halfway the journey there anyway~ Then Sunday woke me up with the fever still reaching the height of allowable human temperature...

The deciding factor announced itself on Monday when rashes began to creep through-out my body, starting with my face. Oh the horror I felt when my smooth skin slowly crumbled into pockmarked redness. But when we went to the hospital, the doctor said not to worry for it seems to be only a case of viral rash.

The next day, the rash invaded my chest and arms, my back and even my mouth! Ulcers started swelling inside my lips, gums and even inside my throat. My eyes began to swell as my fever reached an all-time high. My parents agreed that it's time for me to experience a hospital confinement.

I wasn't given a room until 10 PM, but it was worth it. It could've been a hotel room for all I know, if not for the tell-tale IV rack and the hospital logo plastered all over the bedsheets. It was soft, inviting and cozy. Warm lights, lounge chairs, and a floor to ceiling window with a great view of the metropolis. And a large bathroom too! I could've enjoyed the stay luxuriously if only there wasn't a 2-inch needle stuck up inside my vein.

The week dragged on as I spent the days asleep. Drifting into consciousness once in a while to either go to the bathroom or to slurp some of the hospital food. Tossing and turning, I was in so much agony. Mostly it's because of the mouth ulcers and the terrible tonsilitis, and the dextrose made my arm to swell so much that they had to transfer the IV to the other arm... ouch.

Then by Saturday, I was discharged. The fever's gone and I can eat well again, but the spots were still there. Obviously I wasn't able to go to the interview scheduled that same day. Actually while I was in the hospital, I dreamt that everyone got accepted and that I was the only one left... that really made me depressed...

Fortunately, the recruiter managed to move my interview schedule for Monday. And apparently, kai also got sick that day so she was scheduled to get interviewed on the same day with me. But come Monday, the marks were still there. I had to go to the interview wearing make-up (concealer actually, kai said I looked like a corpse... Better deathly than deadly).

Kai went in first then came out bearing the good news. I was next and was routinely questioned just like what Jenny said. Good thing we did some mock-up interview practices, so I was well-prepared for my answers. It went well, I even had the chance to talk to the company president in Japanese~ Hee hee!

I came out light-headed. All of us got accepted. We just had to wait for a couple of minutes before the orientation started. It was so surreal, here we are in a Japanese-styled Nihongo classroom (the interview and orientation were held in my Nihongo school) being oriented to our Japan job. Holding our contracts and salary breakdown documents, I was shivering not only from the cold aircon, but from giddy-ness as well. I don't care if the concealer wore-off, looking like a vassal of viruses. Our dream finally came true, and here we are being told that we might get a field-trip to Tokyo Disneyland! Woah!!

All-in-all it was a very hectic week for all of us. It was difficult coming back to work and picking up the tasks that I left off, especially if it was already partially done by someone else (thank you someone else!). Much so because I also had to give my resignation letter, because it's our company's policy to allot a month's allowance for proper transitioning of work.

I handed my resignation letter this February 28th, 2008 with a termination date effective as of March 28th, 2008. It was an experience I never want to experience again... I was shaking the whole time I was with our manager. Jenny already handed hers, only kai is the only one left to resign (ganbatte kaisu~!).

The Intensive Nihongo Training is scheduled to start by April 7th, and we are also expected to submit all the necessary documents before that date. We were warned that we might not get any chance to work on our documents during classes, so it's very much advisable to finish them up before we get chained up with our studies. I've almost completed mine, just a few more government offices to visit and forms to fill up, then I'm done.

*whew~*

If that wasn't a long story, I don't know what is. I'm not sure if anyone survived reading all those rantings, but I'm thankful you're even reading this part.

The countdown has began, it'd be March starting this weekend. We have a scheduled group pictorial this Saturday, and the first payment of our tuition is set on that date too. Things are finally rolling into place, I just hope we don't get squished flat!

See you in Japan minna~ Watch out for our new blogs! ^___^