JET Programme Series: Pride and Humility: My Japan Journey - Dana Williams
2024/6/27
JET Programme Series: Pride and Humility: My Japan Journey - Dana Williams
Sometimes, when I’m sitting in my apartment doing the most mundane of tasks (combing my hair, doing laundry, cooking a meal), an overwhelming sense of pride consumes me. Pride in my decision to take the leap and apply for the JET Programme; pride in daring to persist through the various stages after being shortlisted (despite questioning so many things along the way); pride in myself that (after all that hard work) I was one of the lucky few selected to come to this beautiful country; pride in the work that I’m doing here and in my contribution to shaping young minds through my lessons; pride in the newfound bravery that’s growing everyday as I continue to jump hurdles that I know my past self would have turned away from. My life in Japan fosters a pride that’s not born from conceit but is molded in the humility that, I took a chance in what I wanted my life to be, and it paid off in the end (and I continue to reap the rewards). I am proud of me!
That being said, my time here spans about 11 months and it often still feels surreal. Since my last update, the friendships that I mentioned are flourishing as our bonds become stronger and stronger with each adventure. One of our many escapades was attending a yabusame (Japanese horseback archery) tournament. Witnessing these skilled archers hitting small wooden targets while mounted on horseback, running at full speed, was truly awe inspiring. At the end of the tournament, spectators were even allowed to purchase calligraphed pieces of the broken targets, with the funds being used for charitable purposes. I felt like I had a front row seat in a modern-day flashback of what the warriors, whose names are etched into this country’s history, may have looked like. The experience was unparalleled to anything I could have ever fathomed.
Speaking of archery, I was also able to participate in my first kyudou (Japanese archery) tournament just one month ago. So many emotions inhabited my body on that day. I was consumed with nerves, excitement, fear and so much more as I was one participant in a pool of 150 people. I wish I had a fairy tale story to tell of how my first tournament was the definition of astonishing. About how, out of the 12 arrows I released on that day, 5 of them hit the target and the dojo erupted in applaud with each hit. However, we’ve established the fact that I prefer the taste of reality and the cold hard facts is that the competition was a fierce one. My arrows avoided the target as if they were sworn enemies and my number of hits held steady at an underwhelming (drum roll please) ZERO!!! Needless to say, I was nowhere near the skill level the other participants possessed. Despite this, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. My first tournament was scary and fun and exhilarating, and I felt proud that I allowed myself the opportunity to let my arrow loose amongst all the greats.
Sadou (Japanese tea ceremony) lessons are also holding strong as I’ve now graduated to performing the ceremony in a kimono. As the temperatures gradually rise and the summer heat and humidity are starting to take root though, the kimono has recently been switched out for a yukata (cotton summer kimono). These classes are a continuous learning experience as the layout of the tea-room and even some of the steps in the ceremony change according to the season. This means that I’m always kept on my toes because just when I feel like I’m getting the hang of one style, I show up to class the next week and the room has been changed again. But I’m left assured by my tea ceremony sensei that I’m doing great and on the days that I feel like I’m not, she makes it her duty to tell me that everything is “daijoubu” (ok) and to “jishin o motte” (have self-confidence/believe in yourself).
Japanese language learning is now being conducted in real life events instead of a classroom setting. My friends have now taken up the baton and try to teach me something new every day. Let me just say that real life Japanese and textbook Japanese while being the same type of peas, are definitely not in the same pod. So many times, I’ve been told by my friends “it’s not incorrect, we just don’t say it in everyday conversation”. As such I’m so grateful to my new teachers for making my language learning more authentic. The learning process is a slow one but, added to the aforementioned list of things I am proud of, is the fact that I am now able to understand a lot more than when I first arrived. Speaking is still a challenge but I’m able to get by a lot easier and even have basic conversations with some of the teachers.
But my adventures are not confined to just my friend group. A few weeks ago, the women’s group in my town treated me to a day of sightseeing, sushi, desserts and wonderful conversation (using google translate of course). I was also able to participate in the sports day at one of my elementary schools, rice planting with the students (although I have no photographic proof because I was knees deep in mud), and I’ve been falling more and more in love with my students as they have also appointed themselves my personal Japanese teachers. They teach me new words and phrases (even using gestures when I don’t understand) and they show me so much love.
So, when asked what my time in Japan has been like so far, I could say with unwavering certainty that 11 months have given me great respect for this amazing country, as I learn more about its people and culture. It has given me a love for a profession what was not priorly even on my radar. It has gifted me a love for my kids/students that it makes me sad when I even think about leaving them. It has granted me numerous adventures as I’ve visited many different temples, shrines, gardens, restaurants and so much more. It has helped me to learn so much about myself that I know wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.
When I wrote my “statement of purpose” piece for the JET application I quoted Robert Frost as one of the reasons for deciding to undertake this process. At the time, that quote came with the hope that what it said would ring true if selected to be a part of the programme. But now that I am here and living all the adventures, hardships and emotions, I could say that without a doubt that there is no greater truth that, “Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.”
JET Series: Pride and Humility: My Japan Journey (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives
That being said, my time here spans about 11 months and it often still feels surreal. Since my last update, the friendships that I mentioned are flourishing as our bonds become stronger and stronger with each adventure. One of our many escapades was attending a yabusame (Japanese horseback archery) tournament. Witnessing these skilled archers hitting small wooden targets while mounted on horseback, running at full speed, was truly awe inspiring. At the end of the tournament, spectators were even allowed to purchase calligraphed pieces of the broken targets, with the funds being used for charitable purposes. I felt like I had a front row seat in a modern-day flashback of what the warriors, whose names are etched into this country’s history, may have looked like. The experience was unparalleled to anything I could have ever fathomed.
Speaking of archery, I was also able to participate in my first kyudou (Japanese archery) tournament just one month ago. So many emotions inhabited my body on that day. I was consumed with nerves, excitement, fear and so much more as I was one participant in a pool of 150 people. I wish I had a fairy tale story to tell of how my first tournament was the definition of astonishing. About how, out of the 12 arrows I released on that day, 5 of them hit the target and the dojo erupted in applaud with each hit. However, we’ve established the fact that I prefer the taste of reality and the cold hard facts is that the competition was a fierce one. My arrows avoided the target as if they were sworn enemies and my number of hits held steady at an underwhelming (drum roll please) ZERO!!! Needless to say, I was nowhere near the skill level the other participants possessed. Despite this, I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. My first tournament was scary and fun and exhilarating, and I felt proud that I allowed myself the opportunity to let my arrow loose amongst all the greats.
Sadou (Japanese tea ceremony) lessons are also holding strong as I’ve now graduated to performing the ceremony in a kimono. As the temperatures gradually rise and the summer heat and humidity are starting to take root though, the kimono has recently been switched out for a yukata (cotton summer kimono). These classes are a continuous learning experience as the layout of the tea-room and even some of the steps in the ceremony change according to the season. This means that I’m always kept on my toes because just when I feel like I’m getting the hang of one style, I show up to class the next week and the room has been changed again. But I’m left assured by my tea ceremony sensei that I’m doing great and on the days that I feel like I’m not, she makes it her duty to tell me that everything is “daijoubu” (ok) and to “jishin o motte” (have self-confidence/believe in yourself).
Japanese language learning is now being conducted in real life events instead of a classroom setting. My friends have now taken up the baton and try to teach me something new every day. Let me just say that real life Japanese and textbook Japanese while being the same type of peas, are definitely not in the same pod. So many times, I’ve been told by my friends “it’s not incorrect, we just don’t say it in everyday conversation”. As such I’m so grateful to my new teachers for making my language learning more authentic. The learning process is a slow one but, added to the aforementioned list of things I am proud of, is the fact that I am now able to understand a lot more than when I first arrived. Speaking is still a challenge but I’m able to get by a lot easier and even have basic conversations with some of the teachers.
But my adventures are not confined to just my friend group. A few weeks ago, the women’s group in my town treated me to a day of sightseeing, sushi, desserts and wonderful conversation (using google translate of course). I was also able to participate in the sports day at one of my elementary schools, rice planting with the students (although I have no photographic proof because I was knees deep in mud), and I’ve been falling more and more in love with my students as they have also appointed themselves my personal Japanese teachers. They teach me new words and phrases (even using gestures when I don’t understand) and they show me so much love.
So, when asked what my time in Japan has been like so far, I could say with unwavering certainty that 11 months have given me great respect for this amazing country, as I learn more about its people and culture. It has given me a love for a profession what was not priorly even on my radar. It has gifted me a love for my kids/students that it makes me sad when I even think about leaving them. It has granted me numerous adventures as I’ve visited many different temples, shrines, gardens, restaurants and so much more. It has helped me to learn so much about myself that I know wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.
When I wrote my “statement of purpose” piece for the JET application I quoted Robert Frost as one of the reasons for deciding to undertake this process. At the time, that quote came with the hope that what it said would ring true if selected to be a part of the programme. But now that I am here and living all the adventures, hardships and emotions, I could say that without a doubt that there is no greater truth that, “Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.”
JET Series: Pride and Humility: My Japan Journey (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives