Placement

Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

The other day I found out my placement! The red spot in the picture above shows you the approximate location of where I will be living during my time in Japan. For those who don't know, this is Osaka Prefecture (a prefecture is similar to a state). I was EXTREMELY excited when I found out that I would be placed in Osaka. Those who are familiar with Japan probably already know why, but I will explain for those who don't. First of all, the city of Osaka in Osaka Prefecture is a very large and popular city in Japan. It is a port city and is known for having good food, a giant aquarium, and other famous sights. In any case, I was excited to know that I would be living in a city because it seems like many people get placed in very rural, not-so-famous areas. Second of all, I have been to Osaka before, and it was really neat! I was happy to know that I would be going to a somewhat familiar area. Lastly, Osaka is in a great location because it is literally about an hour away from a few other very famous places in Japan such as Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe. In other words, the place where I will be living will make it very easy for me to travel to other famous and fun cities. It is also very reasonable to assume that I will be able to make it up to Tokyo a few times seeing as it takes about three hours by bullet train to get there from where I will be living. When I went to Japan last summer, Osaka was the furthest south/west I went. It is as if I am starting where I left off. I hope to make it even further south/west once I'm there so I can visit Hiroshima, Okinawa, and some other places.

Here are some of the second thoughts and concerns I began to have after finding out my placement: Let me start by saying that I will not actually be living downtown in the city of Osaka. I am actually placed in a suburb of Osaka called Shijonawate. I started to investigate this area on google maps and google earth. From the satellite aerial view, the suburb doesn't look all that appealing. It looks like a bunch of tiny houses/buildings jam-packed together with very little foliage. It almost seems like a factory wasteland or something. Luckily, the city borders a group of hills/mountains which should make for a nice backdrop, hopefully. Despite the fact that it is a suburb with a population of about 60,000, there is only one train station within the city. The station makes for easy transport to downtown Osaka, Kyoto, and Nara, but doesn't help when it comes to getting from here to there within my own city. Not to mention, if I don't live near this train station, then it might be difficult to get to it. What I am hoping for is a good public transportation system within my suburb such as buses or something to that effect. That way, I could get to this train station and to my schools, grocery stores, etc. I guess I will find out.* I really want to avoid driving and getting a car while I'm in Japan (although I am prepared to do so if I must). Another concern is that since I'm living in such a crowded area, my housing will be very tiny compared to my other fellow JETs who might have their own houses since many of them are in rural areas. I guess it's a price to pay for getting to live close to a city. Lastly, I know for a fact that where I will be living is VERY VERY VERY hot and humid in the summer. I'm not exactly looking forward to that, but I suppose I will survive. Living in Japan will be very different. I know that most houses/apartments don't have central air/heating and dryers. I'm hoping I can stay cool in the hot and humid summer.

Sure, I have a lot of concerns, but overall, I am still super excited to go to Japan! I think I am still happy about my placement. I guess I will just have to see how it is when I get there. It seems like there should be some good places to go eat and do other activities within my city (I was surprised to see that there were no McDonald's and only one 7-11 and Lawson in my city)*. I am anxious and nervous to speak to my predecessor. I hope he/she will leave me at least a bed, refrigerator, and microwave! If I need a car, I hope I can work out a deal with them about that too. There's so much to think about! I know that everything will work out, though. Even if my city doesn't turn out to be what I was hoping for, it will be cool to see what it is like to really live like a Japanese person.

*I'm writing this note almost a year later: There are actually two train stations in my town. I live within 5 minutes walking distance from one of them. I'm the only ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) in my town who must take a bus to work, but it's not difficult. When I first started researching my town, I didn't realize how big it actually was. Yes, it's crowded and suburban, but the mountain backdrop is very pretty, and there are more trees and plants than I expected.

* There is one McDonald's in my town! It's just not close to my apartment, and there are a few 7-11s and Lawsons. It just goes to show that you can't always trust Google Maps hah!

Introduction

First of all, I will start off by writing a few things about myself and explain why I have ended up in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme. Ever since I was in junior high I have had an interest in Japanese culture. Like many, it all started with watching anime (Japanese animated cartoons), but eventually it developed into so much more. By the time I was ready to start college, I knew I wanted to choose somewhere where I could learn the Japanese language. I choose the University of Minnesota. I didn't plan on majoring in Japanese, but one thing lead to another, and I realized that Japan was my passion. I ended up getting a Bachelor's degree in Asian Languages and Literature, specifically in Japanese literature, culture, and media. In college, I had learned about the JET Programme. I knew that it was the perfect next step for me. The reasons being that:
1) Although I studied Japanese in college, I still was not fluent, and I figured that spending a long time in Japan would be my best bet when it came to learning the language.
2) I plan on becoming a teacher some day, and JET would give me great experience.
3) I love Japan in general and want to spend time there.
4) I wanted a break rather going straight to graduate school and needed a way to make money.
5) I wanted to help diversify Japan and give the Japanese a good impression of Americans.

After the long application process, I got the email notifying me that I recieved the opportunity to interview in Chicago (although I went to school in Minneapolis, my hometown is actually pretty close to Chicago). The interview was terrifying, and I left not knowing whether or not I would be accepted. Low and behold, several weeks later, I recieved the email notifying me that I had been accepted! After sending in all of the additional paperwork, I now sit here anxiously awaiting my departure in about two months. It's a strange feeling not knowing one second if you are going to be accepted or not and then realizing you are leaving after a few short months the next second.

I decided to blog about my experiences in the JET Programme because I figured it could help others learn more about the program and because I have discovered that it is useful and enjoyable to be able to access my thoughts/feelings/experiences later in life. So to all those who read this, please enjoy!

http://www.jetprogramme.org/