JET Programme Series: Time for an Adventure! - Shanaz Karmally

Greetings! My name is Shanaz Karmally. I grew up in a village called Gasparillo, or, as I like to call it, traffic central. I’ve lived here my whole life, but that has now changed. I have embarked on an exciting adventure across the waters to the land of the rising sun.
 
For as long as I can remember, I have always held a fascination for languages. Ultimately, this led me to pursue Linguistics with a minor in Literature in English. Through my degree, my interest in languages flourished, which steered me to beginner’s Japanese, where I learned about the JET Programme.
 
My first two attempts to enter the programme were unsuccessful. Fast forward through two years of OJT and a pandemic, and we've come to my final attempt. Upon hearing my acceptance, at first I thought it was more of a prank. Then excitement took over. This is the opportunity I’ve been waiting for—a new start in a new country. An opportunity to represent my country as an educator in Japan while immersing myself in a culture so different from my own.
 
I’d like to express my gratitude to my family, friends, and coworkers who stuck with me through the years with their encouragement to keep applying. To my boyfriend, who had to endure late-night crazy ramblings and a whirlpool of emotions these past months. I would also like to thank the Embassy of Japan and CLAIR for this opportunity. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to the JET Alumni Association of Trinidad and Tobago, incoming, current, and past JETs, who have been extremely helpful during this time. I really appreciate all the love, support, and assistance thus far.
 
Now you’re probably wondering what placement I received. Want to make a guess on my placement? I’ll give you a hint: it’s known to be the Hawaii of Japan.


JET Series: Time for an Adventure! (Japanese Embassy's Facebook) 

JET Programme Series Archives