April 2025: Lily Sun
Hello, and welcome back to the JET Alumni Spotlight! This time Lily Sun, our current webmaster, has volunteered to participate in an interview. Please read on to learn more about her time in the lovely Nanao city, her multilingual background, and her unforgettable experience of trying to hike a mountain in an actual pair of Vans.
Are you from the Great Lakes area? What is your experience in the Great Lakes Area?
I’m a third culture kid and have trouble answering the question of “where am I from”. I was born in China. And when I moved to Canada, I lived in Windsor, Ontario and when I moved to the US, I lived in Troy, Michigan for awhile. So technically, I’ve been around the Great Lakes area for a long time.
What is your favorite Japanese snack?
I love anything with red bean so I love myself a dorayaki, a shiratama zenzai, or a taiyaki.
What is the biggest difference you see between Japanese and American culture? What do you believe these two cultures could learn from each other?
The biggest difference is the prevalence of group think in Japanese culture and individualism in American culture. I think people who live in the US can relate more to others and act for the good of everyone, maybe there would be fewer problems. Similarly, if many people in Japan could be comfortable being more individualistic, it would loosen some social pressure to act accordingly.
How did you become interested in applying for the JET program?
I took an elective Japanese class and my professor told the class about JET. From learning English in my teens, I know from experience that immersion is a great way to become better at a language. I knew moving to Japan is a great way to level up my Japanese skills.
Were you an ALT, a CIR, or an SEA on the JET Program? How long were you on the program, and where was your placement?
I was an ALT placed in Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, from 2015-2017.
Would you please tell us more about your placement? For ALTs, what were your schools like? For CIRs and SEAs, what sort of work were you involved in?
Nanao City is located at the base of the Noto Peninsula. For the first eight months I was there, I worked at one junior high, and rotated weekly visits between two elementary schools. For the 12 months after that, I worked at 12 elementary schools, a few times where I went to a different school every week. And the last four months I was there, I went back to my former junior high and rotated three elementary schools. It’s been too long, I might be misremembering.
What is a memory you have from your time on JET that sticks out to you?
The best story I have from my time on JET was when I tried to climb Mount Hakusan on the border of Ishikawa and Gifu. Michigan is very flat, so my experience of hiking was geographically limited. Up until that point, I have never owned hiking boots, and I didn’t have time to break into any new shoes, so I wore a pair of Vans. It was a disaster. Halfway up the mountain my feet were hurting, and I was getting multiple toe cramps. A very kind Kiwi guy who was part of our group helped me. I hadn’t had a good night’s sleep the night before because because I was nervous. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get to the very top. And when we were coming down, we missed the bus to get us to the main parking lot. And it was sadly getting dark. For the last little bit, the Kiwi guy and another guy from Ohio carried me, while a Jamaican guy told me if I wanted him to take a picture to remember this in the future. I immediately rejected this idea out of embarrassment. Despite that, it’s the funniest and most embarrassing story I have form my time on JET.
What has your career path been since leaving the JET Program? How has JET influenced your journey?
After JET, I spent a few years tutoring Japanese, English and Chinese at a tutoring company. Without my JET experience I don’t think I could’ve been as comfortable jumping into that role. After that, I was lucky to have found a job that appreciated my graphic design experience and expertise. I focus on production 30% of the time and do graphic and product design for the rest of the time.
Do you have any advice or other support that you can give to current / future JET applicants? How about your fellow alumni?
Be open to new experiences. Don’t spend too much energy focusing on things that don’t go your way. Some people are meant to be in your life for a reason, some people are meant to be in your life for a season, and some people are meant to be in your life forever.
Where can we reach you for networking?
You can contact me via email at or .
Please do reach out if you have any questions for our alumni. Thank you, Lily Sun, for sharing your own story.
Alumni Spotlight is an outreach activity through the Great Lakes JET Alumni Association seeking to build stronger connections between alumni and to provide bridges for networking. If you or an alumnus you know would like to be featured in an installment of Alumni Spotlight, please email us at .