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BREEZE #87

JANUARY, 2015: BREEZE ISSUE #87
A FREE MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF JAPAN & TEACHERS OF
JAPANESE

CLAIRE NORDAthens High School
Troy, MI
Before participating in this program, I had
never done a spontaneous video interview ona street for elementary-school girls. I had
never seen rocks wearing aprons, worn a facecover (that looked sort of like a dryer sheet) ina changing room, or seen a deer steal and eat
someone’s money. More importantly, though,I’d never traveled outside of North America ormade so many dear friends in two and a half short weeks. The JET Memorial Invitation Program
allowed me to do all of these things and more. The program gave me so many pricelessmemories and experiences that have changed the way I interact with and think about theworld. Most importantly, this program has changed my impressions of the Japanese people andJapan itself, influenced my future aspirations, and given me the ability to connect deeply withso many people.
Firstly, I was surprised by the kindness of Japanese people. Despite being an intrusive andsocially clumsy foreigner, I was welcomed by every person I met. I was especially surprised at
how polite young Japanese children were. The children that I talked to at Watanoha Elementary
School as well as two girls I met in Nara were extremely courteous, enunciating clearly andusing polite speech forms. That’s not to say that the Japanese people I met wereuptight. Rather, they displayed a blend of courtesy and friendliness best embodied by the jovial“Irasshaimase! [Welcome!]” said by every employee in a ramen shop when a customer comesin. These enthusiastic greetings and friendly interactions put me immediately at ease in Japan.
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Another reason why I enjoyed every day I spent in Japan was the diversity of the landscape. I
had heard in class that Japan is a conglomeration of modern and traditional culture, but seeing
it in person made me realize just how true that is. Biking through Osaka near the JapaneseLanguage Institute Kansai, one would see a number of compact, modern Japanese houses
followed immediately by a shrine. Entering the shrine muffled the sounds of bustling bikers anddrivers and made me feel peaceful and reflective. I was struck by the vastness of Japan’s
history compared to America’s history.
Naturally, traveling in Japan for two weeks significantly improved my Japanese skills. Beyond
learning new vocabulary and grammar and improving my listening comprehension speed, I also
gained skills that transcend language. When you’re in a foreign country with five hours of freetime, you learn to be more outgoing. I loved exercising my spontaneous side while in Japan,
from buying a cheese yogurt drink at the airport to eating Ramune ice cream and french fries
before running for 20 minutes to get back to the Institute before curfew. Being outgoing
doesn’t mean just doing fun things on a whim. I learned to be more outgoing by asking forhelp when I needed it. I learned to be more humble because there were so many things I didn’t
know. Luckily, everyone I asked for help was generous and accommodating. I learned to accept
that I would make innumerable blunders and that those mistakes helped me learn.
Regarding my plans for the future related to Japanese, this trip hardened my resolve to travel
to Japan again in the future. Next time I travel in July I’ll target somewhere cooler, though, likeHokkaido! Japan’s culture really appealed to me and I think that I would enjoy living there for alonger time, perhaps during college. I’ve been looking at study abroad programs at various
schools and I hope to spend a semester or summer in Japan continuing my studies through aJapanese educational institution. As I stood at the door of my room at the Institute on the day
we departed, I felt like I was leaving my home. Living in Japan felt right. Before this trip I wasn’t
sure if I’d be able to adjust, but I did, and remarkably quickly at that.
While I was able to keep in touch with my family and close friends in Japan, I didn’t have thetime to talk about my trip in its entirety until returning home. The people that I have spoken to
now have all been affected in different ways by my trip, but all are glad that I had such a
wonderful experience. The people that my experiences will affect most, though, are my brotherand other younger students in my school’s Japanese program. I spoke to my Japanese teacher
recently about my trip, and she and I agree that many of my classmates would love to have anexperience like mine. Furthermore, as the first person from my school to participate in the JET
Memorial Invitation Program, I can prepare future applicants and help them understand theapplication process. My brother and his friend start Japanese 1 this fall, and I hope that he canhave a similarly wonderful study abroad experience in the future. Speaking with students fromdifferent Japanese programs across the country has also given me new ideas about thestructure of my school’s Japanese program and made me appreciate the quality of my school’s
program. By sharing these ideas with my teacher I believe that the Athens High School
Japanese program can continue to grow.

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If I were able to say anything to Taylor Anderson and Montgomery Dixon right now, I would tellthem that I respect their decisions. It takes an immense amount of courage to travel tooverseas. And they didn’t just travel to Japan, they lived there and contributed to theircommunities in meaningful, positive ways. I would want to tell them that their family members
are doing their best to further those contributions. Lastly, I would like to thank them for all of
their work. Taylor Anderson and Monty Dickson embodied the ideal JET Assistant Language
Teachers: energetic, enthusiastic, friendly, and passionate about Japan. They serve as a model
for all future JETs to aspire to.

NIPPON THROUGH MY EYES PHOTOSUBMISSION“Jizō statues with bibs”
When I saw these rocks in Kyoto I didn’t
understand why they had “little aprons” onthem. I simply thought that they werecute. Researching their meaning later revealed
that the statues depict Jiz ō, a Bodhisattva orenlightened follower of Buddhism that helps
others. Jiz ō is specifically the guardian oftravelers and children that die very young. Theclothing on Jiz ō statues is placed there tothank Jiz ō and protect the children. I’m glad that I was able to learn more about this fascinating
aspect of Japanese Buddhism and culture after my initial misunderstanding.

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2015 Kakehashi ProjectJapanese Langauge Education Update 142014 J-LEAP Report: Hiromi Nagai

2014 J-LEAP Report: Shunji Iwasaki

2014 JET-MIP Report: Thomas O'Donnell

2014 JET-MIP Report: Michelle Peterson

2014 JET-MIP Report: Gwenyth Nicoloro

2014 JET-MIP Report: Claire Nord

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