So, it is official: I am staying another year in Japan. I submitted my "intention to recontract" form on February 2nd and received a response from the Board of Education on February 9th. I'll be staying on as an ALT with the Kochi City Board of Education. Though I'll be employed by the same people, I may not stay at the same schools. When the new school year starts in April, I might be rotated to a different set of junior high schools. I'm hoping to stay with the ones I've got; though each of them has a few frustrating aspects, I really like the students at one school and the teachers at the other, so I can't imagine that my situation would improve if I were transferred.
To my knowledge, all 11 of the Kochi City Board of Education ALTs are staying another year, which I consider good news. Some ALTs in other towns are leaving in July, though. One of them is Sasha, who danced in the International Yosakoi Team with me. She has been a pretty good friend and I will miss her. It seems like a lot of the people leaving are the ones based in the countryside. I get the impression that it's a lot harder to live outside the city. I'm really happy to have been placed where I am, and I'm looking forward to another year here.
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