Re-contracting Conference

So I've decided to re-contract for another year.

One year is just not enough. Being here for already 10 months has flown by so fast. My Japanese is still lame, I haven't travelled as much as I wanted to, there are still so many places I haven't been to yet and I'm just getting used to everything.

So for all 1st years re-contracting, we're put up in a nice, swish hotel for 2 nights for the Re-contracting Conference. It's split up in two, one for all of West Japan (held in Kobe) and one for all of East Japan (held in Tokyo).

There were about 1000 of us invading Port Island (reclaimed land just off Kobe) and the lovely Portopia Hotel. I was so impressed - the place was so nice! My roomie was Nelar (fellow Perth 1st yr JET) and we were lucky to be on the 23rd floor, meaning the view was amazing!

After the first day kicked off, all the JETs descended on the unsuspecting Sannomiya for dinner and late night shinanigans. I really shouldn't have had such a big one on the first night because I paid for it during the following days.

I headed out with some of the soccer crew to the Brazillian buffet restaurant in Habourland overlooking the port. Will definately be going back there again. Good food and excellent view. Afterwards we met up with some fo the Taj crew and headed to 'Second Chance' - they were handing out flyers for cheap drinks. I met up with Sam (congrats again on your wedding) and Andy (congrats on your new baby girl!!!) and eventually ended up at 'Sallys'. Surprisingly it was a really good night and with Sam aka The Stripper, we were on the dancefloor all night - the lawnmower, the sprinkler, the table, you name it. But alas we forgot the robot!! I haven't laughed so hard for ages, espeically with Sam dancing literally on the floor (damn I wish I took photographic evidence!) It was only when we started feeling tired that we realised what the time was and took a taxi back to the hotel.

The second night was a lot tamer. I headed out with some Perth JETs to the 'Old England' for dinner then ended up at 'Jam Jam'? 'Jam Jazz'? 'Jazz Jam'? - some funky, little, underground jazz lounge. So it did look like a used furniture shop but the couches - very comfy, the coffee - nice and strong, and the atmosphere - perfect place to chat. Most of us were quite buggered so we caught the portliner (monorail) back to the hotel.

After the conference and lunch at La Pausa, I headed home and just crashed. I actually found some of the workshops quite useful and it was a great opportunity to catch up with other JETs and share our various experiences.