changes in Agamachi

The board of education in Aga-machi has decided to combine three out of the four current junior high school in our town. Because there will be fewer JHSs, they have decided to cut down the number of ALTs they employ. Next year there will only be three (from 4) and the year after there will only be two. We had thought that one person was not going to re-contract and thus no problem but all of us have rec-ontracted and are now in competition for the three spots. We had an interview on Friday that I had thought went well until I talked the others and it seems I was asked a few more questions than the rest. All the others have been here longer and thus can speak more Japanese than I and know more people. As I see it I have two factors on my side, I am in my first year thus the possibility that I would stay longer and I am the only female. We will find out this week who will have to move. There is another ALT in our town who works for the prefecture and who will be leaving this year. We are hoping that the person who is not picked to re-contract with the town can be moved to this position but who really knows with Japanese thinking. I like my school and my apartment and do not want to move so I am sitting here with my fingers crossed.