JET Programme Series: If you mix with red you become red – Reegan Samlal
2024/6/8
My tenth month of being a Jet participant in Koto city, Tokyo has already begun, although, it feels like it’s only been five. Since my last Jet series entry, I have had more opportunities to interact with the students and staff at my school, although just as I was getting familiar with those around me there was a staff change or reshuffling of staff among the schools within the Tokyo prefecture. A phenomenon which is commonplace here in Japan and I’m sure you share my sentiments when I say it is unfamiliar to me.
The staff aside, enduring the winter to be rewarded with the blossoms of spring also brought with it new students, this too was unfamiliar to me, here in Japan the financial and academic years both start in April. People mature to repeated greetings and farewells I suppose. The seasons, people, experiences and thoughts change and of course I am no exception.
Just as my presence and interactions with those around me have changed them they have equally changed me, only in hindsight does such a thing seem obvious. My school consisting of mostly boys by interacting with me they have developed, for better or worse, an interest in resistance training (weightlifting) and by student demand and through our desire to promote English learning, we have since been hosting English/training classes after school for the students that are interested, and unsurprisingly many students participate.
I am glad that my time here has influenced the students towards being active, in addition I also participate in STEP (Science technology English program) and an open English conversation club after school. It was there I learnt what is meant by “if you mix with red you become red” or confusingly also known as “ he who touches pitch will be defiled”. Meaning, you are influenced by your environment, but I believe there is an equilibrium, whatever changes I gained within myself due to my environment and the people around me, it is equally repaid, the environment and the people around me, are also changed by me.
JET Series: If you mix with red you become red (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives
The staff aside, enduring the winter to be rewarded with the blossoms of spring also brought with it new students, this too was unfamiliar to me, here in Japan the financial and academic years both start in April. People mature to repeated greetings and farewells I suppose. The seasons, people, experiences and thoughts change and of course I am no exception.
Just as my presence and interactions with those around me have changed them they have equally changed me, only in hindsight does such a thing seem obvious. My school consisting of mostly boys by interacting with me they have developed, for better or worse, an interest in resistance training (weightlifting) and by student demand and through our desire to promote English learning, we have since been hosting English/training classes after school for the students that are interested, and unsurprisingly many students participate.
I am glad that my time here has influenced the students towards being active, in addition I also participate in STEP (Science technology English program) and an open English conversation club after school. It was there I learnt what is meant by “if you mix with red you become red” or confusingly also known as “ he who touches pitch will be defiled”. Meaning, you are influenced by your environment, but I believe there is an equilibrium, whatever changes I gained within myself due to my environment and the people around me, it is equally repaid, the environment and the people around me, are also changed by me.
JET Series: If you mix with red you become red (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives