Contact Us

SEARCH

Site Map

2013 JET-MIP ESSAYFEBRUARY, 2014: BREEZE ISSUE #76
A FREE MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF JAPAN & TEACHERS OF JAPANESE

ANDREW RYFA
Highland High School
Highland, IN
Before traveling to Japan, I believed in a false sense ofwhat the country was truly like. Granted, I did not expect
absurdities such as every town sporting skyscrapers withrobots roaming the streets, but I did believe that theamount of rural villages were much lower than in reality,
and I did expect that the Japanese people I would meetwould be almost fluent in English. Furthermore, I believedmuch of the Tohoku region to have been rebuilt, give or take a few exceptions such as what used to belarger scale buildings. However, after traveling to Japan and the Tohoku region, I broke free from myformer shell of ignorance and learned how the country of Japan, the nation’s people, and the region ofTohoku truly is. Through this program, I developed a better sense of the language and its culture, further
found myself, realized what I truly want out of life, and learned what a strong impact an individual can haveon a community of people.
Firstly, I believe that for me, along with the other members of the program, the JET-MIP ultimately proved
to be one of the most influential, memorable, and life changing experiences we will have ever lived. Thisjourney to another nation, and into the lives of a different culture, is something I will forever hold dear tome. At some point between the countless school visits, tours of the region of Tohoku, and roaming aroundthe institute, I began to feel a feeling of infiniteness. Never in my life would I have imagined thatconnecting with another from a foreign country I love would have impacted me as it did. Talking to all of
the high school students, along with my host families, gave me a sense of fulfillment and happiness, whichcaused me to become overcome with emotion.
As we continued to visit schools and speak with the students, I began to realize more and more how
genuinely happy and ecstatic they were just to have us in their company. With each song they sung, eachgame we taught them, and each meal and conversation we shared, I began to develop a close emotionaltie to the people I met, and I would tell myself that I would remain in contact with as many of them as Icould. Regrettably, there were many young individuals I met that I am not able to contact, as I was not able
to give or receive a means by which I could communicate with them back in America. However, I currently
continue to communicate with the select individuals that I was able to find a way to talk to via technology,and I plan to continue this communication much into the future, or as long as they wish to converse withPrivacy - Terms

me.
Secondly, this program fundamentally contributed to my desire to further study Japanese in college andcaused me to awaken out of the dream I had brainwashed myself into thinking I desired. Prior to travelingto Japan, I had planned on becoming a pharmacist due to the high salary and high job demand. However,despite my plan, I have always been passionate about being an English teacher, as the English language
and literature are two things I love and enjoy the most. Between all of the school visits and long, tiresome
days, I realized that I honestly do not want to study what I had stubbornly planned to up to this trip andthat English teaching - in America and in Japan - is what my heart truly desires for my future. Therefore,
this program led me to follow my true passions and my true dreams, and motivated me to continue tostudy Japanese throughout college, and one day teach overseas. Through this, I hope to profoundly
impact students In Japan, and later in America, just as many ALT’s, including my own Japanese teacher,have done already.
Thirdly, after returning to America, I excitedly shared my experiences with my family and friends. Although
there were the few people that half-heartedly listened, which I knew they would before telling them, themajority of the people I told my experiences to were surprised, ecstatic, and even a bit crestfallen. After
telling of the innovative everyday objects and machines, such as dry ice dispensers in grocery stores andconveyer belt sushi restaurants, my family and friends were amazed that such things exist, and even moreamazed that we have yet to have such things here in America. Furthermore, after telling of the Japanesepeople’s outstanding moral conscious and benevolent values, the people I told were surprised that anation, although not entirely perfect, could be so safe and all around good. Lastly, after telling of Tohoku
region’s coast’s current state, majority of the people I told became much more empathetic, having notrealized how devastated much of the area still is.
Finally, I will write a message to the two individuals that inspired this program, and impacted the lives ofothers in a way that I long to impact as well. Firstly, to Taylor Anderson: the bravery you demonstrated
when helping your students to safety is something I pray I will one day possess. I hold you in the highestof amount of respect, and I relate to your love of the Japanese language and culture. I admire you forwhat others described your personality to be, and I believe that you’ve left behind a legacy that will never
be forgotten. Secondly, to Monty Dickson: I am amazed by how fluent and flawless your Japanese truly
was. In all honesty, I am a bit envious of that skill you possessed, and I hope to one day be half as
talented as you with the language. Furthermore, I respect you greatly for the dramatic and beneficial
change you caused in the community of Rikuzentakata, and I fully believe that if I were to have ever met
you in person, I would have admired your character and personality almost instantaneously.
All in all, the 2013 JET-MIP ultimately proved to be the most eye opening, educational, endearing, andsignificant experiences I have ever had the pleasure of living throughout my life. As I age and continue on
my path of life, I will never forget what I found and what I learned while I was on this trip, nor will I everforget the profound, lasting relationships I made with the people I met, Japanese and American. At theend of the day, I thank the Japan Foundation for granting me this life changing experience, and for gifting
me with the motivation I needed to pursue my dream and float on into the future, no matter what it may
hold.

NIPPON THROUGH MY EYES PHOTO SUBMISSION“Dilapidated Ruins of a Shopping Mall”
Privacy - Terms

I chose this photo because it clearly demonstrates theamount of rebuilding work that still has yet to be done inmany of the disaster regions. The destroyed shopping
mall signifies that the village still has to finish justcleaning up the rest of the destruction, which many
people in America do not realize.

Breeze #86

Breeze #85

Breeze #84

Breeze #83

Breeze #82

Breeze #81

Breeze #80

Breeze #79

Breeze #78

Breeze #77

Breeze #76

2014 Kakehashi ReportJapanese Langauge Education Update 3
Privacy - Terms

2013 J-LEAP Report: Moe Takahashi

2013 J-LEAP Report: Haruka Nitani2013 JET-MIP Essay: Lisa Trieu

2013 JET-MIP Essay: James Tran

2013 JET-MIP Essay: Anna Schneider

2013 JET-MIP Essay: Andrew Ryfa

Breeze #75Headquarters

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