Jet Programme Series: Walk a Mile in their Shoes - Emily Forde

Konnichiwa! My name is Emily Forde. I am 26 years old and I am a 2021 JET Programme participant. I possess a BSc. (Hons) Physics and Mathematics at The University of the West Indies (UWI).

While growing up I, like most of my peers, consumed Japanese content i.e. Anime and Manga. At the time, that was all I knew about Japan. However, in my second year at UWI, I decided to take Japanese classes at the Center for Learning Language (CLL). There, I was exposed to more of the Japanese Culture. For example, music, dramas, novels, and the JET Programme. It was also through CLL that I made my first trip to Japan on a short study program at Sophia University in Tokyo. During my time at Sophia and in Japan, being able to interact with the Japanese people, I began wanting to know more about Japan. ‘What is life like outside Tokyo?’, I began wanting to know more about the lifestyle of its people. Coming from a small country and having lived in a rural place and Japan being the place that it is - fast-paced, I wanted to experience life there. I wanted to “walk a mile in their shoes” so to speak. The JET Programme allows me to do just that. So when my time at Sophia was over and it was time to leave I made a promise to myself that I would return to Japan. And since I had already heard about the JET Programme from my Japanese teacher my decision was made, I would apply for the JET Programme. Fast forward 3 years and here we are moving to Japan! Moving to the other side of the world!

On the JET application, you are asked to put three places in Japan you would like to live and why. I knew I wanted to live in a place that was similar to my hometown, but I also wanted a place that is close to the city. One day while watching BBC with my father, the BBC Travel Segment came on and Wakayama Prefecture was featured. It was described as a mystical place, a place where you can feel the weight of time. At that moment I knew that I had to live there so it became one of my choices and by the grace of God I was placed in Kainan City, Wakayama Prefecture. Wakayama Prefecture is located in the Kansai region of Japan and it's just 1.5 hours away from Osaka. Like La Pastora, it is abundantly blessed with nature and has tall verdant mountains a sight that may either inspire homesickness or be a comforting reminder of home. There are a lot of things I want to do while on the JET Programme, and during the pandemic that list has grown. Wakayama is mostly known for The Kumano Kodo. It is a series of Pilgrimages routes spanning Wakayama, Nara, and Mie Prefecture. While on the JET Programme I intend to hike all the trails of the Kumano Kodo. I would also like to attend the Nachi fire festival. It’s a summer festival that is held every year at the Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine in Wakayama prefecture. As we all know Japan is known for having a variety of flavours especially when it comes to KitKat and Pocky, I hope to taste most if not all of them!

After the JET Programme, I hope to further my studies in Mathematics, be it at a University in Japan or elsewhere. The JET Programme allows me to experience another country’s society that is so very different from my own and prepares me for what may come when I do start that next chapter of my life.

Being a 2020 turned 2021 JET Programme participant has certainly been a journey! I look forward to continuing that journey in Japan. To the Ambassador and the staff at the Embassy of Japan, please accept my sincerest gratitude for all the hard work you have done. We, the JET participants appreciate it.


JET Series: Walk a Mile in Their Shoes (Japanese Embassy's Facebook) 

JET Programme Series Archives