| The tale so far |
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| It's been a while My two years on the JET programme are now drawing to a close. Soon I will be leaving my schools and heading onto pastures new. They say time flies when you are having fun. Well, that definitely has been the case with me here in Kyoto! I blink and I am back in the humid Kyoto International Centre two years ago. All suited up, sweating and nervous at the prospect of meeting my supervisor. So long ago, yet a mere blink away. Time passes Things have a funny way of progressing. Personally, I certainly have over the last 2 years. For the first time in my life, I can speak in a tongue other than Enlglish. Although not great at it, I love speaking, reading and listening to Japanese. I feel very lucky to have been placed in Kyoto. It is in this city that I met beautiful Isabel who I love dearly. And it is here that I have been welcomed into the community by my colleagues and peers. I have been invited with the most open of arms into Japanese homes, I've been praised at school parties in my honour (not just for my use of chopsticks!) I have also enjoyed festivals, fishing trips and mountain hikes to name but a few. A true lasting memory of Kyoto for me, will be the kindness and hospitality that Japanese people have shown to me. Although my foreign registration card says: Ol (alien) I certainly don't feel like one! JET Ever wanted to come to Japan? Interested in teaching English? Or quite simply - you are just after an adventure? Well, the JET programme is for you! That's the pitch. Don't worry, no-one has paid me to say it!. My honest opinion is that the JET programme is a truly great thing! Rewarding work with rewarding holidays. For me, the major thing was exploring Asia. With my generous allocation of vacation days, I have been able to visit the likes of China, Thailand, Vietnam, Guam and Okinawa! Don't get me wrong, there are downsides to the programme: My friends and I have felt isolation, underutilisation and in some cases, alienation. But these are problems that can be overcome if one is patient and uses a modicom of empathy. The rich benefits of working as a high school teacher are immense. I now leave Kyoto with a tangible set of transferable skills that I look forward to applying elsewhere. Looking into the crystal ball As to the future: well I am re-entering the rat race. Joining the ranks of the white-socked, manga-reading Japanese salaryman force ... I am off to Tokyo to become a Head Hunter. |
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