Author: Lily Sun

September Events: Bowling Meetup & Picnic!

bowling
We really hope you can join us for two of our exciting new MI & OH meetups!

On September 11th we are having a bowling meetup in Michigan.
On September 18th we are having a picnic in Ohio.

These are both family-friendly events, and we would love to see a good turnout! Even if you have never been to a JETAA event before, there never been a better time to come out and meet some of your fellow JET alumni! Please see the Events calendar for more information: https://greatlakesjetaa.org/calendar/events/

Never miss an event update by subscribing to our calendar:

JETs in Academia: Health Privacy in Japan

Originally posted on JETwit: The alumni magazine, career center, and communication channel for the JET alumni community worldwide.

Nathaniel Simmons (Nara-ken, 2007-2009) is currently a communication faculty member at Western Governors University and lives in Columbus, OH, USA. He teaches a variety of intercultural, interpersonal, and health communication courses. He has researched and published several scholarly articles regarding privacy management between foreign English teachers and Japanese co-workers in Japan.

“Something of and in Japan, [is that] it doesn’t matter about who you are. Your health is never private. They [Japanese] don’t see health as a privacy thing. So you know, if you want to keep it private, don’t talk to anyone about it.” – Alice

After having my own interesting health experiences in Japan, I remained curious as to what other ALTs experienced. Therefore, I went back to Japan and interviewed 10 ALTs (5 women and 5 men) about their medical encounters. I quickly learned that it wasn’t “just me.” I heard a lot of strong comments such as Alice’s. In fact, everyone managed their medical privacy to some extent. I share one story below:

“There were no barriers. Every person in the village, every school, you know everyone in the Board of Education, the whole school knew that I broke my leg and what days I was going to the hospital, and medication I’ve been given. There’s no quiet, patient confidentiality.”

Meet “Jamie.”

An ALT in rural Japan like most of the ALTs employed by ALT organizations. She loved her job, teachers, and students. She worked hard and was enthusiastic about English education.

After breaking her leg, everyone knew. But how? She explained:

“It starts off with the supervisor who tells the Board of Education, they then informed the schools, and well, the schools tell the teachers, and the students ask, they tell the students, the students tell the parents, the parents go to the restaurant down the road and tell them, and the whole village knows.”

For Jamie, living in rural Japan meant that she wasn’t able to obtain her desired privacy levels. Suddenly, she was not just the “foreigner,” but the “foreigner with the broken leg.” She was the talk of the town. Even her prescribed medication wasn’t a secret. At the same time, Jamie was a “good sport.” She laughed about the spectacle of her situation. However, this somewhat uncomfortable experience influenced later health encounters.

After having appendicitis, Jamie didn’t want to go to the hospital as her doctor suggested. She told her Board of Education (BOE) that she just needed to go home and “sleep it off.” However, her tale doesn’t end there.

“I got a phone call from my Board of Education! [The] Doctor called the hospital when I didn’t turn up. So, the doctor then called the Board of Education and told them everything, what he thought, and that I needed to go to the hospital. The Board of Education called me and I said “No, I just want to sleep,” and they are like, “It’s too late. Your supervisor is coming to your house to pick you up, to take you to the hospital.”
Although somewhat comical to Jamie, she saw this as a privacy violation. After-all, this isn’t a situation Jamie would have experienced in her home country. People now knew information she didn’t want them to know. She attempted to not have her school involved, but things didn’t go the way she planned. In reality, the doctor’s decision potentially saved her life, but, at the same time, Jamie perceived her privacy to be violated.

This sentiment was echoed throughout stories of ALTs’ health experiences. Someone told someone, who told someone else…and before they knew it, everyone knew information about them and, yet, they didn’t know much about anyone else.

How did ALTs manage their privacy in this study?

Withdrawing from workplace relationships (i.e., not talking to co-workers), lying, intentionally or through omission, and relying on the help of a non-workplace related friend (i.e., another ALT, Japanese friend, etc.) were the three most common strategies shared. For example, if an ALT was on medication that they didn’t want their co-workers to know about, they might say it was an “allergy” pill. If any ALT felt their privacy was violated, they stopped talking to co-workers…sometimes about everything.

Questions for you:

  • To what extent was privacy a concern for you? Why/why not?
  • How did you protect your secrets? (It doesn’t just have to be health!)
  • What do you recommend to current ALTs regarding their private health information? Future ALTs? Do you agree with Alice?

This blog post is an adaptation of the scholarly article: Simmons, N. (2012). The tales of gaijin: Health privacy perspectives of foreign English teachers in Japan. Kaleidoscope: A Graduate Journal of Qualitative Communication Research, 11, 17-38. Retrieved from http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/kaleidoscope/vol11/iss1/3/

Come meet some brand new JETs

champpsThe Nijikai for Outgoing JETs is almost here! Please join us on the evening of July 29th from 6:30 pm at Champps in Troy to give them to a great send off!

Calling All JET Alumni!

If you are a former JET Program participant living in Michigan or Ohio, then please sign up on our registration page to become a full-fledged member of Great Lakes JETAA!

We are always happy to welcome new members. We’d love to meet you! It’s easy to get involved – after you register, just show up to one of our events. We are working hard to offer various events throughout the year… from serious networking, to laid-back socializing, from reliving your memories of Japan with new returnees, to family gatherings. We are sure to have something of interest, so why not give us a try?

GreatLakesLogo-300x93

Outstanding Okinawa- Four Perfect Days in the Tropics of Japan

Originally published in the Spring and Summer 2007 Issues of Saitama MemoRandom An English Quarterly Publication by The Saitama Prefectural Government, International Division, Saitama City, Urawa Ward, Japan

A. Introduction

Mensoure! (Welcome said in Okinawa’s indigenous language) My first indication that my wife and I were in for a uniquely Japanese travel experience was when I noticed how slow and low the Japan Airlines 747-400 jumbo jet was moving upon our decent into Okinawa’s Naha International Airport. I later learned that this is done due to the large U.S. military presence that occupies Okinawa. To avoid each other, military aircraft conduct operations around Okinawa at the higher altitudes while commercial aircraft fly at the lower altitudes.

Okinawa, the most southern prefecture of Japan’s modern-day Kyushu region, is approximately 2.5 hours away from Tokyo’s Haneda International Airport. Whereas most destinations in Japan there is the option of using the bullet train (shinkansen) when traveling long distances in Japan, however Okinawa’s isolation makes it more unique than the already unique attractions of Japan. In general, most tourists enter Okinawa thru Tokyo’s Haneda Airport when entering from mainland Japan.

B. History of Okinawa

Prior to 1372, The Ryukyu Kingdom was an independent entity with its capital on Okinawa Island. Around this time, China took interest in Okinawa and began requiring tribute payments from the Ryukyu Kingdom. This continued until 1609 when a Japanese prince captured the kingdom which forced the kingdom into a dual claim by Japan and China. During Japan’s Meiji Restoration in 1879, the dual claim was deemed unacceptable and Japan annexed the Ryukyus. Okinawa’s king sent representatives to Beijing asking for protection but to no avail. The US was brought into the mix for diplomatic settlement and President Ulysses S. Grant sided with Japan. The aftermath of this decision brought bloodshed and Okinawan academic subjects and the kingdom’s distinct language were forbidden.

In March 1945, a 90-day battle between the American-led Allied Forces and the Empire of Japan began making Okinawa one of the bloodiest battles of World War II’s Pacific theater known as “The Typhoon of Steel” (due to the masses of bombs dropped in Okinawa and changing the landscape). Approximately 150,000 lives were lost with half of them being Okinawan (mainly civilian), a quarter being mainland Japanese and the rest being American and other allied forces. Japan’s Imperial Navy made one last ditch effort to protect Okinawa by sending its naval centerpiece, the legendary battleship, Yamato. To the Japanese’s dismay the ship barely got out of the gates and was sunk in home waters on April 7, 1945. After the Japanese’s formal surrender on the American battleship, Missouri, in September of the same year; Okinawa was under the occupation of the US. As a possession of the US, people in Okinawa maintained their national language of Japanese, returned to their ancestral culture and recovered from the effects of the war. Several American military bases were established in Okinawa due to its key location in the Pacific region which brought employment opportunities to the local Okinawan economy. For 27 years, Okinawa remained a possession of the US and the Far East’s home of Americana from halfway around the world by giving the American GIs a taste of home such as the legendary diner and soft drink maker, A&W. The franchise exists in Okinawa today. Also, during the American occupation, vehicle traffic moved as it did in the US with cars moving on the right and the driver sitting on the left of the car. In mainland Japan it has always been the opposite. In 1972, Okinawa was returned to Japan with the understanding that the American bases would still be in Okinawa. Today, with 100% of its financial backing coming from the Japanese government, nearly 75% of the American military that is stationed in Japan is found in Okinawa. The issue of why and how many American service members stationed in Okinawa has always been a hot topic to debate.

Today, Okinawa has flourished as the once long, lost cousin of mainland Japan. Under control of Japan, Okinawa provides the “Land of the Rising Sun” with its most unique culture, Japan’s only tropical geography while at the same time being fully recognized as Japan’s most southern prefecture and part of the Kyushu Island region. As Japan’s mecca of tourism for mainland Japanese, Okinawa is the gem that has weathered the test of time maintaining a blend of Chinese, Japanese and American cultures.

C. Main Destination- Naha

The Kuriyushi Hotel is located off of Naha’s International Street (Kokusai Douri) and conveniently located near the Naha Central Bus Depot and Naha’s monorail system. The Kuriyushi chain has a total of three facilities throughout Okinawa with the other two facilities being luxury resorts with an oceanfront view. The downtown facility is a 3-star “Japanese Business Hotel” and has been the best hotel that I’ve stayed at in all of my travels throughout Japan. This hotel was available at a very reasonable price and provided a breakfast buffet, standard lodging on the spacious side with two twin-size beds, (I still haven’t figured out why married couples without children can’t sleep in the same bed while visiting a hotel in Japan), and TV with pay channel options. The top two floors are reserved for public bathing (sento) in addition to the shower in our room. Since the men’s bathing area was on the top floor, it was refreshing to bathe under the stars and tropic sea breeze with the rumble of Naha’s nightlife beneath me.

Since August 2003, Okinawa has joined the rest of mainland Japan with trains as mass transportation with their monorail system. This monorail starts at Naha Airport at the most southern end and goes north to the rebuilt Shuri Shine. The greater Naha area has an elaborate and colorful bus system that picks up where the monorail leaves off. For example, in Saitama Prefecture the main bus system has the green and white (Koukusai Kougyo) bus while in Naha, there were a dozen different buses ranging in colors and companies. One disappointing aspect of getting around Naha was not necessarily the long waits at bus stops which are to be expected but the “hustling” from the taxi drivers. Throughout our stay in Naha, we must have been approached half a dozen times by taxi drivers that were waiting by the bus terminal, driving by and approaching us as we waited at the bus stop offering to take us to where we wanted to go at a higher price that the bus claiming that the bus was too slow. This is another indication that Okinawa is a unique kind of place in Japan.

If your travel plans require venturing off to Okinawa’s north or one of the many scattered and unscathed isolated islands, there are ship and air services that specialize in these destinations. Also, if you have a Japanese driver’s license or an international driver’s license, renting a car is another good option. Unlike the metro Tokyo area, the roads in Okinawa are spacious with adequate parking available outside of Naha.

D. Must see places in Naha

International Street (Koukusai Douri) – The heartbeat of Naha, many restaurants (please see the “Must dine section” listed at the end of this article) as well as shopping centers and tourist gift shops (omiyagiya). The night life on International Street is always bustling with clubs, bars, and cheap eateries open until the early hours of the morning.

Shuri Shine- The equivalent of the Emperor’s Palace in Tokyo, Shuri Shine was the home of the king of the Ryukyu Kingdom. It has the message posted at its entry, “Rejecting all weapons, the Ryukyuans welcomed all who come to their shores with heartfelt sincerity and the utmost courtesy.” The message sums up the Okinawan culture from long ago and how it has overcome its turbulent and troublesome history.

Tamaudon burial site- Near the Shuri Shrine, the Tamaudon burial site displays the ancient ritual of how the Okinawans prepared the deceased. Unlike the custom of cremating as it is done in mainland Japan, in olden times, the Okinawans prepared the deceased by leaving them in a special room where they basically became a skeleton. Afterwards, their remains were placed in large bowls then placed in tombs.

Near the burial site was a very picturesque place with a cobbled road leading to a main road down a curvy hill. In 2002, there was a NHK drama, Churasan which was filmed in this area.

Himeyuri no tou Museum- This was an all-girls school that later became a nursing school in the latter part of the Asian-Pacific War. Pictures were forbidden inside the museum but outside the museum the locals claim that in the pictures, ghost can be seen due to all of the lives lost at the school and in Okinawa during the 1945 “Battle of Okinawa”.

Peace Memorial Tower (Heiwakinendo)- This museum picked up where Himeyuri left off by displaying stone walls with the names of the Okinawan, Japanese, American, British, Korean and others who perished in the “Battle of Okinawa”. The area allotted for these stone walls was equivalent to the size of about three soccer fields. This place was a combination of beauty and sorrow.

Located next to the ocean with the Peace Memorial Tower, the Okinawan Prefecture Memorial Museum is on a hill overlooking the ocean and next to the Korean monument with windmills in the background. This was the only battle fought on Japanese soil forcing civilians as young as junior high school students into battle (boys were soldiers while girls were nurses).

Japanese Navy Underground Headquarters- During the “Battle of Okinawa”, the Imperial Japanese Navy was forced into an underground location where naval operations were conducted. As a veteran of the US Navy, I felt like I was onboard an American warship only underground.

E. Day-tripping from Naha (courtesy of Okinawa Bus tours)- (Their office is located near the Naha Central Bus Depot.)

Okinawa’s South China Sea- After originating from Naha’s Central Bus Depot area, our bus tour took us north to Okinawa’s South China Sea. Route 331 to Route 329 is a beach route which allows views of the ocean the entire time while driving by luxury hotel resorts thru the coastal towns of Urasoe (the original capital of the Ryukyu Kingdom) and Kadena (home of the US Air Force in Okinawa) among other coastal cities. The bus made two stops on the way where we were able to get out and take pictures of the beautiful ocean scenery in particular at Manzamou. I highly recommend stopping there. After our last stop, we ate a lunchbox (bento) and then continued on to the next place.

The Okinawa Ocean Expo Park and Aquarium, aka The Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, is a four-story complex featuring a variety of displays. One can see huge whale sharks, living corrals, colorful tropical fish and a dolphin’s lagoon. The mascot of the aquarium is “Okichan”. This is a humorous and dynamic performance of a group of dolphins that rival “Shamu” of Sea World in San Diego, California. After taking a leisurely stroll on the white powder beach next to the crystal blue waters, we returned to the bus and continued on to the next place.

Situated near the Kadena’s US Air Force Base, the Southeast Botanical Gardens offers four different programs. These programs range from “Frolic & Fun” to “Quiet and Tranquil Walks” to “Bask in the Resort Atmosphere” and “Encounter the Power of Nature”. After experiencing the tropical vegetation up close, we returned to the bus where we continued on to the last stop before returning to Naha.

Located in Okinawa City, Plaza House Shopping Center is one of the oldest shopping malls in Okinawa since being established in 1954. The plaza offers many different shops ranging from an international grocery store, to a bookstore specializing in Western books and newspapers, and various restaurants. It literally felt like I was at a strip mall on Main Street, USA with spacious parking lots with car parking in a diagonal fashion.

F. Must dine places in Okinawa

Okinawans are arguably one of the healthiest people in the world. Experts suggest that the abundance of the homegrown sea vegetable, Mozuku coupled by the dieting philosophy, “Filling the stomach only to 80%” is the reason for the largest numbers of centenarians. Due to Okinawa’s history and slight disconnection from mainland Japan, Okinawa also provides some unique eateries ranging from local, fusion and international.

Billed as the All-American diner, A&W initially took off in California during the early 1900s as a root beer maker. A short time later, A&W became a full service enterprise selling burgers, hot dogs, sundaes in addition to root beer. After World War II, A&W expanded into Okinawa to satisfy the appetites of the young and hungry American GIs who were working on the various military instillations throughout Okinawa. Today, A&W has become a permanent fixture of Okinawa satisfying the locals with old-fashioned American-style hamburgers and frosty root beer floats.

On Naha’s International Street was a quaint and bustling Japanese pub (izakaya), Yunangii featuring Okinawan dishes. After a moderate wait and resorting to one of the low-tables in the front section on the restaurant, my wife and I sat snuggly on the floor and dined on items such as Goya (the bitter green vegetable that resembles a prickly cucumber); mozuku (the slippery seaweed that is served in ponzu sauce); soki soba (Okinawan soba that is a bit thicker than it’s Tokyo equivalent) that was used in a yakisoba dish; mimiga (pig’s ear), fuchanpuru ( various vegetables sauteed into a breadlike sticky but dry mixture), buta no kakuni (the tender part of a pig that is cut into cubes and simmered in a miso-based special sauce and when eaten melts in your mouth), Sanpincha (Okinawan tea that is a mix of green and jasmine teas). Instead of miso soup, we were served a clear soup. In general, Okinawan dishes have a vinegar-based flavor whereas Japanese dishes have a soy-based flavor. Of course a few bottles of Orion (The Okinawan draft beer) were consumed as well.

If anyone has eaten at a non-sushi Japanese restaurant in the US, I’m sure that they were dazzled with acrobatic knife tossing and amazed by watching a stack of onions releasing liquids like a volcano. These places like Benihana’s may be long on entertainment value but are often short on authentic Japanese cuisine which may get by with the average American wanting to take someone out for their birthday. After spending my first six months in the Kanto Plain region and not seeing one of these places, I came to the conclusion that this method of roasting seafood and vegetables on a large iron plate (teppan) was a myth and the style in the US was a watered-down version of the original that no longer existed. However, on Naha’s International Street, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at a Hawaiian-Japanese teppanyaki restaurant where the entertainment matched the excellent food. Now, I can take back every bad thing that I ever thought about the Japanese restaurants in my hometown.

Next, imagine a collision between the bakery chain found at most train stations in Saitama known as Little Mermaid and the American steakhouse chain, The Sizzler. Once the smoke settled and dust cleared, you would get Jimmy’s of Okinawa. This Okinawan chain features a bakery that prepares loaves of bread that are more than three slices per bag among other bakery items experienced when I visited Hawaii. There is also an American-style steakhouse buffet, department store selling Okinawan traditional clothes and an international grocery store featuring several products distributed by Costco Japan.

There is an Okinawan hamburger chain, Jef Drive-in Restaurant, which reminded me of what a local version of McDonald’s would be. Here, we were served unique dishes such as a Goya Burger (Okinawa’s bitter vegetable sauteed with eggs), Pork Sandwich (bears a slight resemblance of to a nikuman (a Chinese/Japanese dish of a biscuit/roll with meat inside) and an American-style BBQ sandwich), and deep-fried apple pies.

G. Special tidbits to know about Okinawa

The world’s largest number of centenarians (people 100 years of age and older) are found in Okinawa. Although the average Okinawan eats more meals in a day compared to Americans, the average Okinawan is healthier and lives a longer life. Some Japanese cuisine enthusiast in the US suggest that the abundant amounts of the ocean vegetable found in the seas surrounding Okinawa, Mozuku (a kind of seaweed considered a delicacy when seasoned with vinegar or ponzu sauce) is a source of longevity.

A dieting philosophy that recently made its way into mainstream American media that arguably came from Okinawa is “Filling the stomach to only 80%” (Hara Hachi Bun Me). Again, Japanese cuisine enthusiasts in the US suggest this method of eating is another reason for Okinawans’ longevity.

Orion Draft Beer is the only beer made in Okinawa and is a rare find in mainland Japan. Orion’s crisp and refreshing taste is a perfect fit for Okinawa’s tropical climate and casual lifestyle.

Something very beneficial to have known back in my single days in Japan is the Okinawan traditional dress for women. For example, if a Okinawan woman wears a flower on her left side, it means that she has a sweetheart (koibito), whereas if she wears the flower on the right side, it means that she is looking for a sweetheart. This is something that is similar to what you may have seen in Hawaii.

In mainland Japan, vehicle license plates have a hiragana character on their license plate. In Okinawa, American military personnel have a “Y” in the place of a hiragana character on their license plate. The reason for this allows easier access for their vehicles to enter the various American military bases and Japanese-funded military housing in Okinawa.

One souvenir found at stores on Naha’s International Street are large bottles of sake containing a snake. These items range in sizes and prices. One bottle was spotted with a JPY136,500 ($130.00) price tag.

H. Recap- How to get there, where to stay and getting around

Travel Agency- Cochan Travel

http://www.tour.ne.jp/ (Japanese only)

Airline- Japan Airlines

Lodging- The Kuriyushi Hotel located off of Naha’s International Street.

Transportation- Monorail, bus, taxi and Okinawa Bus Tours

Roundtrip airfare on Japan Airlines from Haneda to Naha, three nights at the Kuriyushi Hotel on International Street in Naha with a daily breakfast buffet went for reasonable price of (JPY34, 000) per person. An additional JPY5, 000 per person was spent on the bus tour courtesy of Okinawa Bus Tours which included a guided tour in Japanese, bento, passes into the aquarium and botanical gardens. Reservations for the bus tour were made on the morning of the tour but it is recommended that you book your bus tour in advance.

Daniel J. Stone and his wife, Mayuko, fled Saitama, Japan for one tropical Christmas in Okinawa.  This article can also be found on the Consulate General of Japan-Atlanta’s site at the http://www.atlanta.us.emb-japan.go.jp/jettravel9.htm

More on Reverse Culture Shock

1. Be prepared: remember that reverse culture shock is both real and common.

2. Acknowledge your feelings, denial will only prolong the situation.

3. Remember some of your favorite stories will be out of context for your friends.

4. Be patient with your friends and with yourself.

5. Let your friends fill you in on what’s “in” at home: TV shows, music, gadgets.

6. Build a new community and find people who have had similar experiences.  In other words, be active with your local JETAA chapter :).

7. Volunteer or find work that connects you to Japan.

8. Stay in contact with fellow JET alumni; share your re-entry experiences.

9. Keep up your Japanese, take a class or do a language exchange.

10. And don’t forget, you can always go back to Japan even just to visit.

Culture Shock for departing JETs

Introduction

Due to the differences between the US and Japan, members from one place living in the other place will experience feelings of disorientation, confusion, surprise and even anxiety. For example, not being able to tell the difference in what is appropriate or not due to having difficulties in assimilating coupled by strong dislike and disgust about certain aspects of the new culture will take place.

Phases of Culture Shock

Honeymoon Phase- In this phase, every little thing about your new life in Japan will seem romantic and intriguing. For example, eating sushi at a conveyor-style (kaiten) sushi bar, seeing salarymen being shoved into overcrowded trains by sharply dressed train conductors, riding in taxis with plastic seats being driven by well manicured drivers wearing white gloves may initially seem amusing or appealing at first.

Negotiation Phase- In this phase, the desire to have things as you did in the US will take place. For example, you may long for the chance to go to a restaurant that serves beverages in glasses slightly larger than a shot glass, getting to work without having your personal space violated on the train or would give anything to walk down the sidewalk with open space in front of you. The thought of eating white rice at school five days a week or little old ladies walking down the narrow and crowded sidewalk on a sunny day holding a big and bulky umbrella may annoy you.

Everything is OK Phase- In this phase, the new life that you started months ago begins to be part of your daily routine. For example, taking off and putting on your shoes several times a day may have seemed inconvenient now is a done without even thinking. Eating dinner off a low table and sitting on the floor may have been uncomfortable at first now is the preferred method of dining at home. Lastly, being stared at while riding the train at first may have made you feel uncomfortable now is managed in a more subtle way.

Reverse Culture Shock Phase- In this phase, you have become accustom to life in Japan and now are back in the US. The idea of being able to eat a pizza without squid or seaweed is greatly appreciated and finally getting behind the wheel of your car is like the time when you first received your driver’s license. Then, you get use to idea that mass transportation in the US is a farce where in Japan you could set your watch to it. Finally, you come to the conclusion that when it comes to customer service, the Japanese are the best in the world and the idea of walking behind the counter to grab the curly fries at your hometown Arby’s so that you can finally sit down does cross your mind but thankfully you do not act on it.

Coping with Culture Shock

I found that the more I prepared for Japan prior to flying out, the better I was able to detect a situation of disorientation, confusion, surprise and anxiety before it was to happen. Your predecessor and contracting agency would know better than anyone about your future home’s work setting, living arrangements and expectations. One thing that I struggled with was letting comments and questions roll of my back. You will be asked certain things because of the differences in the cultures. Once I realized this, I was able to dismiss it and moved forward. The biggest thing that helped was taking time out. I returned home for my grandmother’s funeral on bereavement leave and took several excursions with my wife to the different regions in Japan. Giving myself this break was similar to a summer back home between semesters. Lastly, the more open-minded I was and the more that I embraced the Japanese culture; the more the Japanese seemed to open up to me. If all else fails, determine who your allies are when you first arrive at your contracting agency and schools and partner up with them on your outings to deflect and control attention that you will bring being a JET.

Communicating Effectively

Although your team teaching partner and contracting agency supervisor speak English as a second language, establishing a communication relationship with them is best by putting your issues and problems in writing. Depending on the situation, you may find it difficult to communicate with these people on a regular basis. By putting your communication in writing, you are avoiding strong feelings and preventing misunderstandings.

JET Support Services

JET Participants- These are your peers either at your contracting agency or nearby agencies. Use these people when you need assistance in coming up with a lesson plan, or need to talk to someone in your mother tongue, or need a like-minded person to relate to your situation.

Contracting Agency Supervisor- When problems arise, this person is the best person to start with. This person is your boss, not your parent, therefore it is your responsibility to maintain a professional relationship with this person at all times. This person is responsible for making out your work schedules, organizing training seminars for the JTEs and elementary teachers, and approving your paid vacation (nenkyu) and absence from work due to illness (byoukyu) as well as informing your schools about your time away from school on business trips (shucchou).

Prefectural Advisor (PA) and Self-Support Group Leaders (SGLs) – While PAs have received training, they are not professional counselors. SGLs also provide counseling and support in seven different languages. You can receive their contact information from CLAIR.

AJET Peer Support Group- This group consists of JET volunteers and is available toll free at 0120-43-7725 from 8pm to 7am 365 days a year. Conversations are confidential and anonymous.

CLAIR Program Coordinators (PCs) via JETLINE/JETMAIL- PCs consist of former JETs and are available via JET Line during business hours (9am-6pm), Monday thru Friday. PCs specialize in counseling and providing information and can provide assistance with workplace relations, mental health counseling and referral, culture shock, harassment, contractual inquiries, conferences and general information. JETLINE number is 03-3591-5489 and JETMAIL is .

Counseling System Committee- If your problem requires the assistance from a professional English speaking counselor by phone; the CLAIR Program Coordinator can provide this information.

Sources: Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_shock

JET Program- http://www.jetprogramme.org/documents/pubs/GIH_e_08.pdf

Source: Daniel Stone’s contribution for the 2008 JETAA-SE Q & A Session for Departing JETs.

 

After the Journey

journey

When I turned my head

That traveller I’d just passed…

Melted in the mist.

– Masaoka Shiki

Many people will tell you that the toughest part of starting an adventure is getting on the plane. That the first step is the scariest, the first year is the hardest, and that once you clear first impressions, the worst is over.

I’m inclined to agree with that assessment. Oftentimes the courage required to start something new will stay with you for the rest of your life, showing up in unexpected, but welcome places. What is unfortunate is that, despite the amount of writing, reminiscing and resources available for those about to face a challenge, there is not a comparable amount of focus on the follow-up: all the adventures that happen AFTER the journey.

Welcome to the Great Lakes JETAA blog. Here you will find stories, anecdotes, tips, and an outlet for your “After the Journey” adventures. Run by JETs for JETs, we hope to provide you with laughter, conversation, and an online home where you can share all the gifts your time in Japan on the JET program gave you.

So tell us, what happened after YOUR journey?