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2014 JET-MIP REPORT: JACQUELINE TRAN

MARCH, 2015: BREEZE ISSUE #89
A FREE MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF JAPAN & TEACHERS OF
JAPANESE

JACQUELINE TRAN
Fiorello H. Laguardia High School
New York, NYMy phone alarm rings at 7:30am. Groggily, I getup and open the window curtains, revealing
the sun rise just behind the ferris wheel inRinku-town. The Marble Beach glitters, and I
watch the small people go for their morning
walk on the bumpy shoreline. As I opened mywindow, a waft of fresh sea air fills the room.
Quickly, I get dressed and grab my card fromthe secret card slip next to the door. I take the elevator down 10 flights, greeting fellow
mippers on the way. I pick out my breakfast and rush to the large table of mippers. Where will
we go today? What adventures will we have? What we were about to experience for the rest of
the day was always beautifully unpredictable. What kind of pain we were about to endure 19
days later would be beyond anything we would ever be able to imagine.
If someone were to ask me what time of my life I would relive over and over again, there would
be no doubt that I would say my time in Japan through the JET Memorial Invitation Program. Ina mere 19 days, I have never made so many strong bonds and friendships with fellow youth; norhave I learned so much about the human condition. Despite the language barriers, I was still
able to break into laughter with other Japanese students, and have a wonderful time. JET-MIP’sgoal to build stronger bonds between America and Japan have been more than fulfilled. Theprogram has made my pull towards Japan stronger than ever before. It is a powerful bond that Iknow will carry through for the rest of my life.

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Coming into this program, I was very sure I wanted to become a neurological researcher in thefuture. Now, I question the path I had previously chosen to follow. I gained a newfound love forlanguage and interacting with people. My experience from JET-MIP has made me look atpeople in a whole new light. In the past, I was under the impression that people from different
societies and cultures were significantly different within themselves. I was slightly
apprehensive to approach the Japanese students, fearing that we would have nothing incommon, and nothing to talk about. But I was quickly proven wrong. Despite the language
barrier, the American students and the Japanese students laughed together, with all differencesdissipated. For the first time I felt truly connected with Japan, and a seed of hope for a united
world was planted in my heart. People are more similar that we are led to believe. I am not surewhat kind of future I will have or what career path I will follow, but I am positive that the things I
have learned through JET-MIP are things I will integrate in every one of my actions.
I had the privilege of speaking as a representative of the JET-MIP participants in the farewellparty on our last day in Kansai. After my speech was over, one of the host mothers came up tome and thanked me for speaking to her and her family. She told me that I had a poetic voice
and my words were very beautiful, and encouraged me to continue studying Japanese. With
encouragement such as this, and my longing to connect with this beautiful country even more, I
intend to continue studying Japanese. In my opinion, language is a tool of communication thatties one to a country stronger than anything else. Even with my amateur Japanese, I was able
to reach out to hearts I never knew I could touch. In college, I plan to continue my studies inJapanese and also familiarize myself with other languages.
Japan has become my second home; it was no wonder that I was not the only one who had an
extremely severe case of homesickness when returning to New York. After a couple days ofmoping around my house in denial, I was able to meet my friends and share my stories ofJapan. I expressed how valuable and life-changing my time was there in the best words I
could've conjured at the time. My friends were very impressed and wanted to hear more andmore stories about Japan. But there are some things that cannot be explained with words andhave to be understood by first hand experience. My stories motivated my friends to one day
visit Japan, perhaps even with me.
Although I did not personally know Taylor Anderson or Monty Dickson, I had learned throughtheir loved ones what beautiful people they were, and I am thankful to be fulfilling their legacyof strengthening the bridge between Japan and the United States. It was a tragic loss, yet evenfrom the unfortunate turn of events, they have both planted the seeds of passion in the many
hearts of both Japanese and American people. Not only did I have a life-changing experience,but I learned to core value of life, as well as seizing the opportunity to follow the things I love
most. The experiences I have been through and the memories I have made from the JET
Memorial Invitation Program are invaluable, and I will treasure these moments for the rest of mylife. Taylor and Monty, you have made such an inspiring impact in your lifetimes, and I could not
begin to imagine what kind of heart it took to touch the lives of so many people the way you
two did. Thank you for further deepening the 2014 JET-MIP members' love for Japan, andcreating a legacy that many people will forever hold dear to our hearts.
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NIPPON THROUGH MY EYES PHOTOSUBMISSION“Curious Soccer Players”
All 32 of the JET-MIPPERS are sitting on thesteps of semboku high school for a group
photo. As they are trying to keep theircomposure, the high school soccer teamcomes up behind the photographers andmakes the students all laugh.

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Breeze #90

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Japanese Langauge Education Update 16

2014 JET-MIP Report: Valerie Santos

2014 JET-MIP Report: Kyle Smith

2014 JET-MIP Report: Jacqueline Tran

2014 JET-MIP Report: Britta Smith

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