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2013 JET-MIP ESSAYNOVEMBER, 2013: BREEZE ISSUE #73
A FREE MONTHLY E-NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF JAPAN & TEACHERS OF JAPANESETARIK HAYWARD
Mountain View High School
Bend, OR
Three years ago I was presented with the incredible opportunity
to go to Japan with my high school's band for a relatively low
price. We were to be leaving in less than a week when theearthquake happened. Even though the place we would begoing, Chiba, was not affected too badly, the trip was postponedby a year's time. Since that time, I have been involved in many fund raisers and have desired to visit theaffected area because of the connections and relationships I had already made with Japan and its people.
And since my first visit to Japan, I had been looking for any and all chances to go back. When I heard
about JET-MIP from my Japanese teacher, it was exactly what I had been looking for. Throughout theapplication process, I was confident in my "book knowledge" of Japanese, especially after taking the NJE,
but I was unsure whether I would be selected because of my lack of speaking experience. When I
received the acceptance email (in the middle of seventh period, Jazz 2) I literally screamed. I was goingback.
Being the only participant who had been to Japan before, I knew a bit of what to expect upon arriving. I
had been through the weather: hot and humid. I'd gone through the whole left side/right side traffic shockand seen how differently they drive. I knew the train system. I'd used the showers and baths and I knew
the ins and outs of the fancy toilets. For that first couple of days it was like being back in a second home. Iguess you could say that I was experienced. But nothing could have prepared me for the time we spent in
the Tohoku region.
Seeing the effects of 3.11 first-hand, even two years after the event, was mind-blowing. After the event, ofcourse footage was all over the news. Everyone saw the images of the tsunami coming in and literally
sweeping entire houses away. And especially for a little while after, images of the damage wereeverywhere. You could certainly tell that this was huge. But it wasn't until I was there, standing where ahouse once stood — somebody's living room, somebody's kitchen, somebody's bedroom — on the only
thing that remained, the concrete foundation, that I realized EVERYTHING was gone.

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Before I had ever even heard of this program, I knew of the JET program. It's always been an interest ofmine and a possible, even probable, path for me to follow. Not anymore. Now it is a certainty. On thisprogram, from beginning to the end, we were able to meet with various JET participants, ALTs and CIRs
alike. Hearing theirs stories and answers to our many questions has led me to the decision that I will dothis program. And, as well, before this, I've expected that I would be an ALT, should I go into the program.
But now, after speaking with people who have been through the experience of applying for and being
both ALTs and CIRs, it would seem that I might be more suited for the CIR position.
This program has not only confirmed what I want to do, but how I need to do it. It has shown me how far
I've come in my studies of the Japanese language and, more importantly, how far I have to go. One thingthat has really stood out to me is something that the US consul general said regarding language study,
that the only way to learn to speak is to... Speak. Specifically, one story that really hit home is when aJapanese student asked how good should her English be before studying abroad, and he simply replied,"Go now." I guess this has really shown me the direction I need to follow in order to improve my Japanese.
To Monty and Taylor,
This program was certainly one of joy and fun, and having adventures and making memories in Japan, but
I don't want to lose sight of that M in JET MIP. You two lost your lives following your dreams and doing
what you loved. Through this program, I feel like I have gotten to know you, personally. From all thefriends and family we were able to meet, listen to, and speak with, I saw a glimpse into your lives andpersonalities. Your gifts to the people of Japan and desire to build and keep connections between Japanand the US, and all people, has inspired me to follow in your footsteps and continue in mine own efforts toconnect these two great nations now, and onwards towards posterity. I like to think that we could havebeen friends had we known each other but, then again, like I said, because of this program, I think I doknow you, and that is my definition of a memorial.

NIPPON THROUGH MY EYES PHOTO SUBMISSION“Sanctuary”
Hotel Bōyō was used as a shelter after the tsunami and was alarge part of our time while we were in the tohoku region .

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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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