I’ve been living in my placement for 5 years and some months, and will be leaving this summer to move with my wife and kids to a different part of Japan.
Bittersweet. Part of me would really like to stay here forever, SO MUCH, and maybe I might come back here someday, but there’s just so many factors in these decisions, especially with a family.
But thats beside the point. I finally found out who my successor will be today.
And I am SO EXCITED for them. This job has a hectic schedule but it’s so enjoyable, going to a different school everyday, engaging with young kids, eating school lunch, listening to Japanese all day in the work environment (obviously classes involve some English… But I’ll be straight with you, I *just happen to speak* English, and don’t think one way or another about it, but I **really like** Japanese.)
The location is cold and snows in winter and hot and balmy in summer (both a plus, in my book), the food especially sea food is AWESOME and the people here are so damn nice, I’m just STOKED for them to come here, because it’s just a magical place.
And the number 1 advise I have for my successor is only what I can say from my own experience: (Especially your first month here in the dead of summer with no classes and probably no car for a little bit) walk around the town, find fliers of events, and just *go* to them, and *meet people*. I attended so many events my first week or two in my tiny placement that for a short while I was known as that foreigner that is at every event, and had so many connections with other “out-of-towners” (i.e. non-locals who moved here) and locals, and because of those connections was being invited to BBQs and other events and helping with cooking and asked to play a small guitar concert (I sing and play guitar) etc etc and I think my efforts in my first month here paid back 100 or 1000 fold these past years.
Just get OUT there and LIVE IT!
GAH just stoked for them. Can’t wait! 🙂
/end gush.
12 comments
Still blows me away that the JET programme is 5 years now. Congrats, by the way.
Please make a book or something giving them them the lowdown of the city. my pred didn’t give me anything and just said “go explore.” Im outgoing so its ok, but my limited japanese prevented me from going to anything really. I had to make friends through my JTE’s to get out. people to know, places to go, resturants is a big one. likea log book to pass down or something.
At the same time, remind the JTE’s and all the people in town that the new ALT might not be the same type as you. they might not be able to play guitar, or even speak Japanese that well…or at all. you have all these friends and connects. still introduce them to the places. Obviously friends are friends, but don’t let the new guy be alone. ya know? if there is a halfway decent english speaker, or japanese person, ask them to help the person in town. (only saying this becuase my JTE’s didn’t help me with anything and I had to go to the senior ALT in town who spoke japanese to help) All the gushiness that you feel, help the next person to feel it too. we are a team.
Love your optimism and positivity. Thank you
awesome post! are you allowed to contact them yet or do you have to wait until clair gives the ok?
Save all the tasty restaurants, bars, fun places or sight seeing spots and send them the pins. I swear we have a huge collection now between our ALT group.
Wow! Sounds like you had a great time. What kind of work are you moving on to?
You’re post ignites excitement as the waiting and anticipation continues. Thank you!
We need more of these stories from those of us who had a positive time. There are too many downers on here and it makes people assume all former CIR and ALT hated their time in Japan.
Wish you the best on your next adventure!
May I ask which area or town in Japan this is?
Couldn’t agree more about just getting out and living it. One of the other things too is to not wait for people to invite you, or to ask you to do things (especially inside the classroom) but just fucking DO IT. You HAVE to be Shia LeBouf from that meme or else those opportunities won’t come. From their perspective, inviting someone who doesn’t speak the language and trying to set up logistics for them is a hassle. So you have to be responsible for turning up yourself.
I arrived in the middle of corona and many of these events were cancelled. For those of you who have spent more time in video games than you have outside: Flyers will be on small local grocery shop’s doors, or on a notice board right next to them. Think of them as initiating a Side Quest like you would in the Witcher 3. You show up, they tell you a monster needs slaying (those monsters being the lack of cross-cultural pollination) and to finish the quest you just insert yourself. Then you meet more people, and more and more. And it just doesn’t end. But it does end if you just go to work and go home every day. So don’t do that.
This is really lovely and just what I needed to see! After yesterday’s announcement of a month’s delay before departure I was feeling a little deflated. Wishing you all the best!
Dang that sounds so lovely. Manifesting that I learn my placement soon and my pred contacts me~