Oct 24, 2008

Tick, Tick, Tick...

I'm leaving Japan.

I'm leaving in the first half of February, and I feel great about it. I've had this planned for a while, but this past month I've gone through the official channels at my work, written a letter of resignation, and am prepared to leave my job behind in less than four month's time. This is happening, I believe, at precisely the right time. As of tomorrow I'll have been in Japan for two years. Over the course of my time here I've learned quite a bit, changed much more than I thought I would, and had a wonderfully unexpected experience. But, it's time to go. I find myself going through the motions at my job without passion or a feeling of being challenged. In some ways, it's great to not have to think much about my work. In other ways, it feels maddening to be underutilized. Arrogant as it may sound, I know that I've got skills that my current position will not allow me to use. At work I may be busy in a technical sense, but in more meaningful, intellectual ways I'm quite idle. I aim to fix that.

So, I'll be back in the States in February, though not permanently. At least that's the tentative plan. In February I'll be taking the Foreign Service Exam, and I hope to get a job at a U.S. embassy or consulate somewhere around the globe. I thought that a stay in Japan would get the urge to live as an expat out of my system. Instead, it just got it more into my system. What's more, I know that I will be continually unsatisfied if I merely read about, talk about, and think about politics and world affairs all of my life. I want to work with it in some small way, to put that political science degree to some measure of use.

I know I'll be out of Japan in four months, back in the States in five, and no idea where I'll be in a year's time. Right now, I wouldn't have it any other way.

6 comments:

Seph said...

Remember. You're moving down to Southern California and working in LA for a few months while you figure things out.

Remember.

kb said...

happy Japanaversery!!!!

I'm so happy you found your path.

smooch.

Kristin said...

I think it's an awesome plan J. Truly, an awesome plan.

Joe Streckert said...

I'm happy too! The path is pretty nifty so far.

No matter what, I'll definitely visit LA. Perhaps we could even get in a car and motor about the U.S. for a bit next summer, Seph. That would be fairly rockin'.

Seph said...

Oooh, road trip! Now /there's/ a good idea...

Beau said...

Glad to hear you have got yourself a plan there good buddy.

When you get here, I am sure your time stateside will fill up quickly, but I would love to buy you drink if you get a chance.