Friends of Japan Series: What a wonder... - Brittney Alonzo-Simon

“Hmm, I wonder if I can?” I thought as I saw a couple of my friends post their experiences in Japan on social media. I marveled at the bonds made halfway across the world, having cultural and personal exchanges and the exploration of their prefecture and environs. It was enough to push me beyond my doubts and give it a solid effort to apply for the JET programme as an ALT.
 

Fast forward to my arrival in Japan, I was overwhelmed. Excited, shocked, scared, but ready to make my own experiences in Japan. My placement was in Saitama Prefecture. At the time, I didn’t know too much about this place but it soon became home away from home.
 

I spent two years in Japan. Over the course of time , I too was able to make bonds that I almost thought was impossible due to my shy nature. I was invited to hiking, picnics, wine tasting events, lunches and even into homes of people who I now consider friends. During these interactions, I learned so much about Japan and Trinidad and Tobago was always a topic of interest.One of my most memorable ‘limes’ was being invited to the house of a now close friend. She loves the pan and is part of a pan group in Japan, so she invited my husband and I to her ‘Panorama lime’. Her request was local cuisine and we requested a couple Japanese dishes. When we arrived, there was a mix of both Japanese and Trinis there. Roti, doubles, pelau and chow were on the menu and we were taught how to make takoyaki (a popular Japanese appetizer). We even taught them how to ‘wine’ and we all decided to call it ‘the takoyaki wine’ haha. It was such a warm, exciting day filled with a beautiful blend of the two cultures and also only the beginning of our wonderful friendship.
 

Besides the interactions. I fell in love with exploring my prefecture. At first I thought the only interesting thing about Saitama was that it was approximately one hour from Tokyo, but that was far from the truth. Sometimes my coworkers would have mentioned places in Saitama to visit but at first I was Tokyo struck. Eventually I decided to explore my area. Just a quick walk around the neighborhood and we discovered a mall, an arcade and a few restaurants which we frequented until they knew our orders by heart. On a weekend my husband and I started making plans on trips to popular sights and also recommended spots by locals that were only a short train ride away. We witnessed some of the most breathtaking sakura spots such as Gongendo Park and visited Iwatsuki, a town in Saitama known for the making of traditional ceremonial dolls since the Edo era and has kept this tradition until now. These dolls are used during Hinamatsuri, also known as Doll’s day or Girl’s day.The dolls are usually placed on tiers of shelves covered in scarlet carpet and are dressed in the ornate, decorative robes of the ancient imperial court. It was a very interesting festival to witness.These were only a couple examples of the many adventures around our prefecture.
 

So, to answer my own question from the beginning, “I wonder if I can?”, Yes I did and it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I stepped out of my comfort zone and in return I gained friendship, knowledge and memories that would last a lifetime.


Friends of Japan Series: What a wonder... (Japanese Embassy Facebook)