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2015 JET-MIP ESSAY: ISABELLE JOYCENOVEMBER, 2015: BREEZE ISSUE #97
A FREE MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF JAPAN & TEACHERS OF
JAPANESEISABELLE JOYCEPrinceton High School
Princeton, NJ
For me, the gravity of the impact the JET Memorial Invitation
Program had on me and my life did not properly sink in until
I had been back in the United States for about a week. Whileat my next summer camp, I found myself particularly missing
the Japanese convenience stores and vending machines. Itwas little things like that that truly tipped me off as to what
the program really provided, cultural exchange.
I was very impressed with the program itself. It had just theright balance of structured activities and personal freedom. I
was almost shocked at the amount of trust placed in us fromthe beginning. However, I feel like with that trust andfreedom, we flourished and were able to fully appreciate ourtime in Japan.
Going on JET-MIP, I had expected a few things. First, that I
would further my language skills, and second, that I would learn about the impact and effects ofthe earthquake and tsunami that devastated the Tohoku region in 2011. While both of theseended up completely true, the exchange aspect did not hit me until I was literally in the middleof it. I think it’s very hard to describe “cultural exchange”. When my friends and family asked
what I did during parts of the trip like the Tohoku tour, I would reply with something like “Wevisited schools, talked with the students, and sometimes had dinner parties”. While to them thatprobably seemed like normal, even boring socialization, it was an incredible experience for me.
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Although my Japanese teacher is a native speaker, I had never gotten a chance to informallyspeak Japanese with someone my own age. I think it really helped me in many ways. It
definitely helped my conversational technique, but also helped me with a personal barrier.
Generally, I’m not a very outgoing person, and I have a lot of trouble talking with people I’ve
just met. However, after so many of the school exchanges, I of course had to open up, andended up making incredible connections with some of the friends I met there. As I returned
home, going to other unfamiliar places with unfamiliar people was a lot easier than it had been
for me. There was almost a feeling of “If I can hold a conversation with a teenager from halfway
around the world through a language barrier, I’m sure I can do this”.
Going into it, I was much more worried about that language barrier than I needed to be. I wassurprised at the amount of English spoken, and even more surprised at the amount of Japanese
I ended up knowing. While it sounds absurd, I had definitely never put my skills to the test likethis before. I think that confidence boost, as well as the practice, definitely pushed myJapanese speaking skills up a level. In addition to helping me, now that I know I can make it inJapan as well as I did it, it gave me more incentive to study harder and find a way back as soon
as possible.
Of course, those with Japanese students weren’t the only lasting bonds I made. I would thinkit’s impossible to travel with people nearly a month and not end up having some kind ofconnection. In the case of me and my fellow mippers, the relationships created were all toopositive. I can’t think of a single person I ended up disliking. There were those I got to know
more deeply than others of course, but overall I think I did get to know all thirty one of mycompanions.
A couple memories really stand out among the rest. My favorite, as I mentioned in mypresentation, is from the first day we arrived at the the Kansai Institute. We students had gonefrom plane to bus to plane to plane to bus and so on, then through endless orientations, andwere completely exhausted. However, that evening, eight of us girls decided to head over toRinku Town anyway. We went in several shops, and finally the onsen. The experience was trulyincredible. The water itself did wonders for our travel-weary bones, and I think without theonsen atmosphere I would never have gotten so close to those girls.
Several other experiences blur together, such as those of doing karaoke as often as possible.
That experience is one I will definitely, have definitely missed now that I’m back in the states.
Karaoke over here is definitely not as widespread. Getting to do it with the others was amazing,and I hope they remember my voice if nothing else!
Finally, to Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson: I wish I could thank them for how much their
dreams helped me, and helped so many other students. While I am so sorry that they could not
realize their dreams themselves, I hope they would be proud of how we are trying to continue
to realize them for them. When I heard this was the last year for their program, I wasdevastated, because I think it’s an incredible opportunity for American and Japanese students
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alike. In addition, as we saw, the effects of the earthquake are still very present, so I think theeffects of Ms. Anderson and Mr. Dickson should be too, and this program is one of thoseeffects. All in all, there is no way to express the gratitude I feel towards these two JET
individuals, as well as the JET Memorial Invitation Program for giving me this incredible
opportunity.

NIPPON THROUGH MY EYES PHOTOSUBMISSION“"Progress"”
Of all the pictures I took of the rebuilding in Rikuzen-Takata,this one is my favorite. I like the light the sun in the
background provides.

Breeze #98

Breeze #97

Japanese Langauge Education Update 24

ACTFL 2015
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2015 Teacher Training Program: Sueyon Seo

2015 J-LEAP Report: Ami Kaneko

2015 J-LEAP Report: Seiji Arai2015 JET-MIP Essay: Claire Endl2015 JET-MIP Essay: Dillon Evans

2015 JET-MIP Essay: Nicholas Gallitano

2015 JET-MIP Essay: Isabelle Joyce

Breeze #96

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