JET Programme Series: Japan: How Long has it been, I can’t even remember… - Isiah Archer
2023/6/5
JET Programme Series: Japan: How Long has it been, I can’t even remember… - Isiah Archer
It’s been such a long time since I came to this foreign land. It still feels like a dream. I feel almost like an imposter in someone’s else’s body, because in my mind, there’s no way I belong here. Regardless, I’ve been able to see and do so much that I think I need to take a vacation from my life! I’ve seen the students grow and learn and I’ve adapted and gotten comfortable with my own style of teaching for the students. They seem to like my vibrant personality (somehow). The students actually like coming to my classes as I tell them all about my trips to the different parts of Japan. Talking to them, I get the feeling some of them are a bit jealous that I get to go to so many places. I’ve realized how much I take for granted the opportunities I have to actually go places, considering many of the students haven’t even gone outside their own town. I guess the students enjoy my classes as they can live vicariously through my own traveling stories, sort of like a traveling vlog. Come to think of it, a lot of you who are reading right now are doing the exact, same thing (haha).
Ah, another time for me to self-reflect and understand how I really feel about Japan. One thing I’ve had to slowly realise, through not only my own experiences and that of my friends, not only from Trinidad, but from other places around the world who happen to be living here, is that stereotypes really do affect how people see a country, for better or worse. People have been enamored by Japan for decades, centuries even, with its exotic culture, picturesque backdrop and beautiful people. And to be honest with you, I understand why.
Not to mention, the food!
The thing is, though, we always seem to stick firmly to that image that we see in the media without any thought to nuance or even a re-evaluation of those same stereotypes that look so appealing in our imagination. And I suppose, that’s not specifically an issue towards Japan; it happens with most countries from what I’ve seen. It’s nothing but a human tendency towards putting things into well-defined boxes, especially when given limited information about a topic. It’s how we’ve evolved as a species. At the same time, it really does serve to reduce something as complex as human behavior to a fixed set of traits, as opposed to a complicated, nuanced being. That’s why I maintain that one shouldn’t judge a country and its people until one has at least stayed a month living and interacting with them. And with the JET programme, I was fortunate enough to do so. Through this, I was able to see Japanese people as humans with their own flaws but also their kindness and aspiration towards the future. My various interactions have allowed me to meet varying personalities, from the more introverted and withdrawn, to the extroverted and expressive. Even that characterization is a bit reductive, but I suppose it’s the best I can describe them.
I’ve gotten the chance to visit even more places in Japan and I can’t get over how many specialties there are in Japan, from different variations of foods like ramen and sushi, but also to the varying locales and special phenomena. For example, I recently visited Tokushima prefecture and it was the first time I had ever seen whirlpools just randomly form in the ocean. It was really cool! The town is even called Naruto which is the name of a food put into ramen that has a spiraling structure. Honestly, I don’t think I would have the time (or the money) to find all those different specialties in Japan. It’s really overwhelming. But at the same time, I feel good knowing that, at least for me, there will always be something to do so it won’t get boring anytime soon.
As I become more experienced and gain more knowledge about myself and the country that I live in, I hope to gain the perspective to grown in myself, to understand other people and to become more empathetic to those around me, regardless as to whether I say in Japan or go back home. If you choose to come to Japan, I hope you keep my words in mind and think carefully about why you want to come and what you want.
JET Series: Japan: How Long has it been, I can’t even remember… (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives
Ah, another time for me to self-reflect and understand how I really feel about Japan. One thing I’ve had to slowly realise, through not only my own experiences and that of my friends, not only from Trinidad, but from other places around the world who happen to be living here, is that stereotypes really do affect how people see a country, for better or worse. People have been enamored by Japan for decades, centuries even, with its exotic culture, picturesque backdrop and beautiful people. And to be honest with you, I understand why.
Not to mention, the food!
The thing is, though, we always seem to stick firmly to that image that we see in the media without any thought to nuance or even a re-evaluation of those same stereotypes that look so appealing in our imagination. And I suppose, that’s not specifically an issue towards Japan; it happens with most countries from what I’ve seen. It’s nothing but a human tendency towards putting things into well-defined boxes, especially when given limited information about a topic. It’s how we’ve evolved as a species. At the same time, it really does serve to reduce something as complex as human behavior to a fixed set of traits, as opposed to a complicated, nuanced being. That’s why I maintain that one shouldn’t judge a country and its people until one has at least stayed a month living and interacting with them. And with the JET programme, I was fortunate enough to do so. Through this, I was able to see Japanese people as humans with their own flaws but also their kindness and aspiration towards the future. My various interactions have allowed me to meet varying personalities, from the more introverted and withdrawn, to the extroverted and expressive. Even that characterization is a bit reductive, but I suppose it’s the best I can describe them.
I’ve gotten the chance to visit even more places in Japan and I can’t get over how many specialties there are in Japan, from different variations of foods like ramen and sushi, but also to the varying locales and special phenomena. For example, I recently visited Tokushima prefecture and it was the first time I had ever seen whirlpools just randomly form in the ocean. It was really cool! The town is even called Naruto which is the name of a food put into ramen that has a spiraling structure. Honestly, I don’t think I would have the time (or the money) to find all those different specialties in Japan. It’s really overwhelming. But at the same time, I feel good knowing that, at least for me, there will always be something to do so it won’t get boring anytime soon.
As I become more experienced and gain more knowledge about myself and the country that I live in, I hope to gain the perspective to grown in myself, to understand other people and to become more empathetic to those around me, regardless as to whether I say in Japan or go back home. If you choose to come to Japan, I hope you keep my words in mind and think carefully about why you want to come and what you want.
JET Series: Japan: How Long has it been, I can’t even remember… (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives