Hello! I am Emily, the resident Elephant.

Why an elephant? Two reasons.

1. I love elephants! They’re one of my all-time favorite animals. I have a small collection of wooden elephants, and elephant paintings (of elephants, not done by elephants). What appeals to me about these animals is their community/family structures. Elephants remember each other! Also, wouldn’t it be neat to have a trunk?

2. In Japan, I’ll feel a bit like an elephant. I’ll be strange, big (footed, as well as taller than most people), and I’ll be separated from my family herd. Picture an elephant in the middle of a city — unless that city is in India, there is no way she won’t stand out! It’ll be an adjustment.

Maybe it seems like a silly choice, but I can’t take life too seriously. To me, elephants embody both seriousness, and fun!

A little bit more about me:

I was born in 1986 (Tiger), a Pisces. That is the 12th sign, which means I am a funny mix of all the other signs, and don’t quite know how to present myself sometimes, or who I’m supposed to be. It also means that I really like shoes.

In college, I majored in Philosophy and in French, but spent time doing theater, dance, and art (oh liberal arts of the humanities, is there nothing you can’t do?).

Hopefully I will become a good teacher, I’m at the very least going to try hard. What is it that they say? That if you’re going to fail, fail spectacularly?

Or rather, if I can’t be a good example, at least let me serve as a horrible warning.