May Update
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Hey friends, Dogentricks.com here.
Due to the recent influx of ridiculously serious blogs, today’s entry will be on the casual side.
Thanks to everyone that’s been leaving comments. I especially appreciate the countless number touching replies on the ‘Chapter 1′ blog. The support means more than you guys can possibly imagine.
LOLZ Well here’s the great, big news: I was accepted to the JET Program!
Brief summary: The Jet Program is a highly prestigious English teaching program in Japan. Unlike most conversation schools, the JET Program is not run through a private company, but by the Japanese government itself. Therefore, I won’t be working in an English school that people pay to visit; I’ll be working in actual junior high and high schools. Dogentricks.com/teacher.htmlということになります。It’s one huge step closer to my dream of becoming a teacher and writer.
Excellent. I’ll be back in Tokyo on July 27th. After a couple days of orientation, it’s off to wherever the Japanese government wants me, in this case, most likely Oita-ken. For those of you who don’t know where Oita is, which is probably all of you, because I didn’t know anything about it until this year, it’s pretty close to Fukuoka in western Japan (Kyuushuu). Oita was my number one pick because it is the home of fantastic ramen, hot springs, and my great buddy Yu Kamikawa. If Oita is already occupied, i’ll probably end up in either Hokkaido or Yokohama, which were my second and third choices, respectively. This time, I’ll be gone for much, much longer than a year.
Yes, I will be tricking again one day. However, due to injuries, most notably serious lower back pain, I’m taking a very long, much needed break. I will continue to train flexibility and strength, but no high impact activities for now. I’m shifting my focus from tricking to writing and work. In becoming a teacher, I will be in a critical position to touch people’s lives; I want to take full advantage of the opportunity. Rest assured, tricking will never be far from my heart or mind.
Train hard.
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May 3, 2009 pm31 11:30 pm
Congratulations on being accepted to the JET programme. I’m sure you’ll have a… swellexcelent time teaching in Japan!
A couple of comments on your placement choices. First of all, Oita is so far from Tokyo! Have you ever been there?
If you have and you liked it then that is awesome. If you haven’t i’d like to point out that it seems like it’s one of those places were you’d be one of the few foreigners in town. Depending on your perspective, this could be a great opportunity for you to reach new levels of understanding and immersion of Japanese culture, or, a nightmare given the expected levels of isolation. Tsumari, you could be the novelty or the outcast.
Same comments apply to Hokkaido. However, if you get Yokohama that means you’ll be close to tokyo and that is particularly exciting for me because I’ll be in tokyo too.
I hope we get to trick together someday. Again, congratulations on the placement!
May 4, 2009 pm31 5:15 am
Congratulations man! Go out there and kick some ass!
May 4, 2009 pm31 6:33 am
Thats awesome dude! I don’t think there was ever any doubt on my end, but I didn’t want to jinx it, hahaha!
How did Rodger do? Did he make it also?
May 4, 2009 pm31 1:34 pm
May update brought great news!
I join all other congratulations, and wish you to have succes in teaching.
Also the second part of that blog made me happy again!
You are “just” taking a break, not completely banish tricking FOREVER
I hope you could run by now
Heal soon.
Best wishes, Dandanik.
May 5, 2009 pm31 7:34 am
Hey Rodney,
Yea, I actually purposely chose places where I would ‘a novelty.’ I thought it would be a better way to improve my Japanese, while making the biggest impact on my students. I’m confident enough in my abilities to befriend individuals in places where English is non-existent : ) I’ll be over in Tokyo sometimes though, so I’m sure we could meet up sometime.
May 5, 2009 pm31 6:20 pm
Great thinking there!
Another perk is that it is usually when placed in those kind of remote locations that JETs tend to save a lot of money. By a lot I mean like my friend who managed to save over 30k during her 3 year stay somewhere in Aomori.
You’ll be ballin’!
May 5, 2009 pm31 10:17 pm
Congrats!!
I’ve been reading your blog for quite a while now and have wished nothing but good things for you. I love your outlook on life and challenges.
I’m sincerely happy that you are accomplishing your goals in life!
Good luck in Japan.
May 6, 2009 pm31 7:18 am
Yea, another reason was definitely for future saving; a typical apartment in Tokyo runs 1k a month. Thanks for the support Mike!
May 6, 2009 pm31 1:22 pm
Woot! Congratulations! I’m glad to hear you’ll be tricking again someday, although I didn’t doubt that was the case, it’s still good to hear. ^_^
May 6, 2009 pm31 2:37 pm
I knew you wouldn’t be able to stop in the end
Hopefully you enjoyed my email. I keep yours with me wherever i go as a source of re-inspiration. Keep us up to date as usual 
Continue fighting for your dreams
May 6, 2009 pm31 6:34 pm
Looks like you’ll be here while I’m still here. I’m actually trying to extend my stay in Japan for a couple more years. I’d like to meet you, Mr. Dogen. We are brothers from another mother after all. I’ll send an e-mail your way later.
May 8, 2009 pm31 4:40 pm
Congratulations, Dogen! That’s so awesome haha. I remember reading a couple months ago about your interview with the JET program. Now you have been accepted! That’s so great. Keep us posted on your experiences there