Comments | jetjapan: Memories of JET and Japan

andorus in jetjapan

Memories of JET and Japan

Nov 30, 2010 01:37

JET alumni: quick little query for you all. :)

When you think of your JET experience, what comes to mind?

No limits: memories, artifacts, things, places, people, foods, feelings. Anything at all. Kneejerk responses and happy times you like to ponder over. All are welcome.

Thanks!

Comments 18

jen_kat November 30 2010, 07:02:07 UTC

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andorus December 5 2010, 01:50:17 UTC

Oh, that's wonderful. :) I really loved those moments of exploration, too. (Especially if a great little kissaten or dessert place was hidden in one of those corners, haha.)

And I know what you mean about the "my place, my life" thing. I had this very surreal and jarring moment in class one day, when my JTE and I were practicing, "My name is ___. I am a ___." And she turned to me and said, "This is andorus-sensei. She is a teacher." My immediate kneejerk reaction was to say, "No, actually, I'm a web designer..." and then I just had this epiphany, that, yes, I WAS a teacher after all.

Thanks for this!

nymphti November 30 2010, 11:45:47 UTC

Sitting in the dentist's office feeling crummy because three little old inaka ladies were gossiping about me when one of my kindergarteners came out, sat in my lap, put her hands around my neck, and gave me a fuzzy, half-eaten sticker. That's my perfect Iwate moment that summed up all three years.

andorus December 5 2010, 01:53:18 UTC

Awwww. That is so sweet. God, I miss my kids. Their little gifts and gestures just totally make your day, you know?

Thanks for this. :)

rainy_day November 30 2010, 12:40:07 UTC

School trip to Okinawa, standing in one of the hospital caves - I was feeling sad and awkward as the only American present, but when the guide turned out the lights and we stood there in the absolute dark, one of my students took my hand and held it through the rest of the cave.

andorus December 5 2010, 01:54:55 UTC

Oh, wow...that must have been intense to be there. I did visit Okinawa and went down to Urasoe and the cape and heard the stories of the students conscripted to work in the hospital caves.

What a wonderful story, though. Kids can be so insightful and understanding.

Thanks for sharing this. :)

rainy_day December 5 2010, 05:22:40 UTC

It was a really amazing trip. One of the few surviving women who was pressed into service as a highschooler to serve as a nurse visited our hotel and spoke to the kids about her experiences. Hearing her account was incredible... intense and gut-wrenching.

The girl that held my hand was one of the troublemakers at our school - always in makeup, always out of uniform, always in trouble and NEVER in my English class. The fact that she, of all the kids, sensed how I was feeling and reached out really meant a lot to me. It was what made me realize that even when I was feeling frustrated by my lack of freedom in the classroom, I was still making an impact on my kids.

erisedraine November 30 2010, 17:04:49 UTC

Looking forward to my landlady calling ___-san through my window, which either meant I had some mail, or she had made me some delicious food.

andorus December 5 2010, 01:57:20 UTC

:) It's great when you get landlords who enjoy housing the ALTs. It adds such a cool personal dimension to your stay there.

Thank you for sharing!

My students prettyroser November 30 2010, 17:57:08 UTC

All the kind people in my town and area. I miss hanging out with my boyfriend every weekend there. And strangely enough teaching my adult ECC class. I really enjoyed that and those bunch of old people.

Re: My students andorus December 5 2010, 01:58:48 UTC

Oh, absolutely...even when you're having the crappiest day or are so worn down by the "gaijin" this and that, a random gesture of kindness by someone can absolutely pick you up--especially people who have come to know you and see beyond the "foreigner" aspect to the "friendly person who's very, very far from home" aspect.

Thanks for sharing!