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2013 JET-MIP ESSAYNOVEMBER, 2013: BREEZE ISSUE #73
A FREE MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF JAPAN & TEACHERS OF JAPANESEEMILY GRABOWSKI
Inglemoor High School
Kenmore, WAI remember sitting in the back seat of the bus, on our first day inTohoku. Light rain continuously interrupted our pictures of thebeautiful countryside. Our bus had to keep turning around andretracing its steps, and I was just looking out the window at thefields passing by. Then Thomas picked up the microphone andtold us that the fields we were looking at were actually neighborhoods that had been literally flattened by
the tsunami. Silence blanketed the bus and we began to see the faint outlines of foundations. In thatmoment I realized the seriousness of this trip.
The next night was my favorite night of the trip. We were in a restaurant with Japanese students that we
had met earlier in a summit about how to best improve the area. I remember feeling shy and awkward, but
two Japanese students invited me to eat noodles with them. We talked over our dinner and we were able
to connect over hobbies and pop culture. By the end of the night, we were all singing and playing games,
and I remember being greatly impressed by their attitude and kindness towards us.
Through these two experiences, I was able to grasp the true meaning of the trip. We were not there to
gawk and take pictures, but instead we were there to connect with Japanese people in person and takethose connections home with us. Everything we did, from studying to visiting high schools to sightseeing,
was for this purpose. In this small way, I can help improve US-Japan relations.
In addition to the Tohoku tour, we also participated in homestays, toured the areas affected by thetsunami, experienced the Japanese lifestyle, and studied Japanese. I was able to improve my Japanesethrough conversation and immersion. We were able to stay in various places, from the Japan Foundation
Japanese Language Institute in Osaka to the traditional Hotel Boyo in Tohoku. Through this immersive
Japanese experience, in a short two weeks, I was able to experience a disproportionate of Japaneseculture and language.
This trip showed me just how powerful language is since I was able to connect with students despite thelanguage barrier and cultural differences. Before the trip, I was not certain how I was going to makeJapanese a part of my life. But now my plans are to study Japanese through college and do a study
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abroad in Japan during my junior year. I am most likely not going to major in Japanese language, since myinterests lie more in the field of psychology, but I want to use my Japanese in my chosen field.
After college, I want to apply to be a JET-CIR, or Coordinator for International Relations, and work in atown hall in Japan to help translate and teach English. I also want to pass the JLPT N1, a very high level
Japanese proficiency test. My current dream for after college and JET is to apply for a grant to conductpsychological studies in Japan, so I can use my language skills as well as help foster understanding
across cultures through my interest in psychology.
I began to foster this understanding in a small way when, the day I returned to the States, I went
immediately to a family gathering. My aunts and uncles were all really curious about my experiences inJapan, so I had a chance to share a little about my trip. The part of the Tohoku tour that they were mostimpressed by was the ship that washed up in Rikuzentakata. They were shocked by not only the size ofthe ship but also by the distance it traveled from the ocean before coming to rest on top of aneighborhood. I also taught them a lot about Japanese culture that I learned during the course of my trip,
and I feel like I have affected their impression of Japan by sharing with them my personal experience.
In order to share my experiences with more people, I am going to give a presentation to my Japaneseclass at school. In addition to this, I will also give a presentation to a few clubs in school. This is vital
because people are very poorly informed about the earthquake and tsunami, and I feel as if I could makea difference for them by sharing my experiences.
Finally, I would like to thank Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson for having such a beautiful dream toimprove US-Japan relations and am grateful that I could take part in their dream. This trip made a big
difference in my life, and if Monty and Taylor had not had such a dream, I probably would not have beenable to go to Japan until I was in college. I am incredibly grateful to have this chance on the trip and hopethat someday I too will be able to make a difference in US-Japan relations.

NIPPON THROUGH MY EYES PHOTO SUBMISSION“Culture Still Stands”
This picture reminded me that the Japanese still treasured theirculture even after an event like the tsunami. From the top of thismountain, we also had a good view of the destruction left behindby the tsunami, but even through it all, this mountain was animportant thing to the people in Ishinomaki.

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Teacher Training Program: Noah Miles2013 J-LEAP Report: Tomoko Minato

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2013 J-LEAP Report: Izumi Takeda

2013 JET-MIP Essay: Emily Grabowski

2013 JET-MIP Essay: Devoni Guise

2013 JET-MIP Essay: Tarik Hayward

2013 JET-MIP Essay: Alyssa Hu

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