JET Programme Series: The Japan Fairy tale? - Dana Williams
2024/1/18



JET Programme Series: The Japan Fairy tale? - Dana Williams

When I found out that I would be ‘moving’ to Japan, I must admit that adult rationality was locked away and my childhood imagination took over. I envisioned a fairy tale life where money seemingly came in an endless supply, bills didn’t exist, travel was frequent (due to my limitless funds), and life was in a constant state of being carefree.
After my first month here, reality quickly came knocking, reminding me that the world didn’t stop turning on its axis because my new home was now halfway across it. Bills do exist, money comes in the form of a very limited salary and travel is expensive. Added to this list, I didn’t miraculously become fluent in a language that I knew very little about. Basic, everyday communication was a task in and of itself.
The carefree life I expected was filled with daily struggles. Homesickness, spontaneous bouts of missing my family and friends and even some thoughts about whether I made the right decision. The reality is that moving to a new country is not an easy feat. However, as I started to settle into my new existence, I realized that life in Japan didn’t differ drastically from my life back home. There was simply a change in environment.
Living and working in a new country meant developing a routine to survive everyday life. Saturday became laundry day, Sunday was chore day, as month’s end approached, it meant that certain bills were due, and the list goes on. “Responsibilities” isn’t a word that exists only in the English language.
However, just as my life in Trinidad, being an adult in Japan didn’t mean all work and no play. Although travel isn’t as frequent as I envisioned and a trip means budgeting and planning, I’m still able to explore this beautiful country. Despite the language barrier, I was still able to make wonderful friends and even start a few new activities.
I developed a work/life balance that allowed me to graduate from feeling like just another foreigner occupying space in a new country to feeling like I’ve become a new member in this amazing community of people. I’ve made new friends, been welcomed into families and have been on a few (of countless) adventures. Now, coupled with my list of responsibilities, my list of fun activities includes, kyūdō (Japanese archery) lessons every Wednesday and Friday, sadō (Japanese tea ceremony) lessons on Saturday, Japanese language lessons on Thursday (to make everyday conversation less of a task) and many weekend ‘limes’ and road trips with my new friends. I was even able to celebrate my first birthday in Japan without feeling downhearted, because my Japanese family ensured that the day was special.
Five months have elapsed since I took the biggest step of my life and with my experiences thus far, I could undoubtedly say that life in Japan didn’t turn out as I expected; it’s one hundred times better! I prefer the reality of life here, over my fairy tale version. The unremarkable growth I’ve seen in myself in this short time is unparalleled to anything I’ve done thus far. I’ve become a bit more fearless; I’ve become a lot more adventurous; and I’m starting to embrace a bravery that I didn’t even know existed within myself. Japan has taught me so much and I can’t wait to see what the rest of my time here will bring.
JET Series: The Japan Fairy Tale? (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives
After my first month here, reality quickly came knocking, reminding me that the world didn’t stop turning on its axis because my new home was now halfway across it. Bills do exist, money comes in the form of a very limited salary and travel is expensive. Added to this list, I didn’t miraculously become fluent in a language that I knew very little about. Basic, everyday communication was a task in and of itself.
The carefree life I expected was filled with daily struggles. Homesickness, spontaneous bouts of missing my family and friends and even some thoughts about whether I made the right decision. The reality is that moving to a new country is not an easy feat. However, as I started to settle into my new existence, I realized that life in Japan didn’t differ drastically from my life back home. There was simply a change in environment.
Living and working in a new country meant developing a routine to survive everyday life. Saturday became laundry day, Sunday was chore day, as month’s end approached, it meant that certain bills were due, and the list goes on. “Responsibilities” isn’t a word that exists only in the English language.
However, just as my life in Trinidad, being an adult in Japan didn’t mean all work and no play. Although travel isn’t as frequent as I envisioned and a trip means budgeting and planning, I’m still able to explore this beautiful country. Despite the language barrier, I was still able to make wonderful friends and even start a few new activities.
I developed a work/life balance that allowed me to graduate from feeling like just another foreigner occupying space in a new country to feeling like I’ve become a new member in this amazing community of people. I’ve made new friends, been welcomed into families and have been on a few (of countless) adventures. Now, coupled with my list of responsibilities, my list of fun activities includes, kyūdō (Japanese archery) lessons every Wednesday and Friday, sadō (Japanese tea ceremony) lessons on Saturday, Japanese language lessons on Thursday (to make everyday conversation less of a task) and many weekend ‘limes’ and road trips with my new friends. I was even able to celebrate my first birthday in Japan without feeling downhearted, because my Japanese family ensured that the day was special.
Five months have elapsed since I took the biggest step of my life and with my experiences thus far, I could undoubtedly say that life in Japan didn’t turn out as I expected; it’s one hundred times better! I prefer the reality of life here, over my fairy tale version. The unremarkable growth I’ve seen in myself in this short time is unparalleled to anything I’ve done thus far. I’ve become a bit more fearless; I’ve become a lot more adventurous; and I’m starting to embrace a bravery that I didn’t even know existed within myself. Japan has taught me so much and I can’t wait to see what the rest of my time here will bring.
JET Series: The Japan Fairy Tale? (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives