Contact UsSEARCH

Site Map

2013 JET-MIP ESSAYDECEMBER, 2013: BREEZE ISSUE #74
A FREE MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF JAPAN & TEACHERS OF JAPANESENANETTE JACKSONAJ Dimond High SchoolAnchorage, AK

THE JET MEMORIAL PROGRAM EXPERIENCE
The only problem with everyone knowing you’re goingaway on a trip is that all those people ask you how it waswhen you get back. You’d think that that’d be flattering
but it gets tiring after a while. Even though it gets
exhausting answering one person after another, everysingle answer starts off with the same reply: “it was amazing”. And with every answer I give, the moregenuine it becomes. When I come upon people who I find are genuinely interested, I spill my heart out
into telling them all about my experience. Telling them about all the places I’d been, all the people I’d met,
and all the things I’d seen.
Of all the years I’ve studied Japanese, I’d never in my wildest dreams imagined I’d be able to actually go
to Japan. One day I intended to go there but never did I imagine it’d be now.
I don’t know what I was anticipating when I was getting ready to go. I don’t know that I was evenanticipating anything because it felt so surreal. Even though I’d already read the congratulatory email,talked to my teacher, and jumped around letting out muffled screams, I still couldn’t believe it!
But then there was getting there. If you don’t already know, I missed my flight in Seattle. That being said, I
had a lot of first-time experiences on this trip. Unfortunately, I missed the first day of orientation but whenI got up for breakfast the next day, everyone welcomed me with open arms. After orientation and several
flights, we finally made it to Japan.
As exhausted as we all were, you couldn’t tell. Anyone could tell that we were tourists by all the camerasthat were pressed against the glass of the bus windows. Instead of joining everyone else in capturing our
first ride through Japan, I just sat there and soaked it in. I remember thinking, “Am I really here?” I still
couldn’t believe it. Once we all got settled, we were welcomed by staff from the Japan Foundation
Japanese-Language Institute, Kansai, where we were staying in Osaka. I don’t know if everyone was justtuckered out from a long few days but I felt bad for some of our teachers because only a few of us werelaughing at their jokes. But that was only the first day.

Privacy - Terms

Every day following the first was an adventure; I learned a myriad of new things. I learned that Japanesehospitals have closing times. I learned that I could successfully talk to a native Japanese person on myown. I learned that every single person in a shop would greet you when you enter. I learned that since I’mvery tall, it is to be expected that people will stare and Japanese boys will try to talk to you, in English.
Some of the experiences I grew the most from would have to have been from the homestays, the school
visits, and our trip to the Tohoku region. Looking back now, I feel childish about being so nervous for myhomestays because I had such great experiences. Both of my families really made me feel a part of thefamily. I got to participate in activities such as making homemade takoyaki and creating bracelets at acastle! We laughed, joked, told stories, and watched TV together. Just as any regular family would. And as
any family would, I plan to stay in contact with them for the rest of my life.
The school visits were a blast! Each school, grade, and class was different. Some schools would be filledwith kids who were shy at first and then there would be schools that had kids who were super outgoingfrom the get-go. But all the kids who we met wanted to get to know you and stay in touch. Currently, I’ve
been keeping in touch with about 6 kids on a daily basis. But overall, I’ve made around 40 new friends onFacebook.
Last but not least, there’s the Tohoku region. I would have to say this was the most rewarding part of thetrip. Actually going to the places where the 3.11 earthquake hit and hearing people’s stories wasunbelievable. I took so much from the people and their stories while we were there. Not to mention thescenery! I was looking forward to seeing the tree of hope and I was grateful that we actually got to see itup close. The people that I met here have definitely left the biggest foot print. Because even though
they’d been through so much, you’d never guess it if you saw them on the street.
When I returned home from the trip, I shared my experiences with many people. One person in particularis Dennis Fenerty. He’s a regular member at the club that I work at. He came up to me and told me he wasso shocked when I had told him that 90,000 people had passed away in 3.11 earthquake that he went
home and researched the number himself. Just to find that the number I’d given was correct; that 90,000
people passed away. He went on to talk about what a shame he thought it was and that more people
should be educated on these numbers! Of course, I hadn’t given everyone this fact but I was surprisedthat he’d actually looked into it after I told him about it.
Overall, I’d say that this has opened my eyes that were once closed to all the possibilities I have in frontof me. I never really knew how much I truly loved the Japanese culture and its people until I went there.
After this trip, I have concretely decided that I will become a JET when I graduate college. I’ve always
wanted to teach English somewhere, what better place than Japan? This was the best experience of mylife and I am so happy now that my parents put me in the Japanese Immersion Program as akindergartener. I will never get enough of learning this language and sharing its beauty.

TO TAYLOR AND MONTY,
To be honest, I hadn’t known much about either of you before this trip. But now that I do know about you,it makes me sad to think we will never meet. The things you have done for others will forever beremembered and I was touched to hear from all the people you’ve affected with your friendships. I hope tocarry on the legacy the two of you created and I hope to do a good of a job as you did.
Monty, I was happy to have spoken on your behalf since we’re both from Alaska. Since we grew up in thesame place, your story affected me differently. I don’t know about any other state but in Alaska, everyone
Privacy - Terms
is family. I have friends that go to and have graduated from the same high school you did. And I went toSand Lake Elementary school so it kind of hit close to home when I saw you in all these pictures wearing ashirt, repping my elementary school. I had the pleasure of speaking with your sister and from her stories; Iwish we could've met
You are both dearly missed and I hope you know that your legacy will forever live on in the United States,
and in Japan. You are our role models for how to be a bridge between our two countries. Thank you somuch for all you’ve done and giving me this opportunity to get a chance to continue what you’ve done.

NIPPON THROUGH MY EYES PHOTO SUBMISSION“East Sendai High School Visit”
I chose a picture from our visit to the East Sendai HighSchool because this was one of the most friendly schoolthat we visited. Here, we were all at lunch in this huge
circle just talking about anything. And more and more kids
would join us as time went by. I wish I could submit acollage of all the pictures that I took with all the kids here because I felt like a celebrity .

Breeze #74

Japanese Langauge Education Update 12013 J-LEAP Report: Kanae Higuchi

2013 J-LEAP Report: Hitomi Komeda

2013 JET-MIP Essay: Nanette Jackson

2013 JET-MIP Essay: Kapil Kanhai

2013 JET-MIP Essay: Sean Kim

2013 JET-MIP Essay: Kelly Kratz

Breeze #73

Breeze #72

Privacy - Terms

Breeze #71

Breeze #70

Breeze #69

Breeze #68

Breeze #67

Breeze #66

Breeze #65

Breeze #64

Breeze #63

Headquarters

New York Office

Center for Global PartnershipJapan Related Links

Volunteer

ボランティア募集

Job Openings (Updated)

5700 Wilshire blvd, Suite 100
Los Angeles, CA 90036
P. 323.761.7510

Annual Report© 2019 The Japan Foundation, Los Angeles
Web Design.

Privacy - Terms