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Sue Pickett, ALT
Miyako City, 1994-95
When you arrive in Japan, you will at first be overwhelmed by people such as yourself and three days of intense orientation. Orientation is intense in more ways than one. It is culturally intense in that you will meet people from all around the world eager to delve into Japan and its ways. Socially speaking, you may find yourself invited to party, chat or intellectualize until all hours of the night. Physically, you will have just traveled a great distance and will more than likely be running on adrenaline. Stop and take a breath! The orientation provides you with a phenomenal amount of information -- all of which will be accessible later if needed.
As you sit through the many meetings of both social and professional nature, think about why you decided to come to Japan. These intense days will soon fade as you arrive at your placement. Everyone's placement and experience is unique. Your job, as you embark on this adventure, is not to teach English, but rather to teach those around you about your own culture and experiences, and simultaneously to be receptive to learning the lifestyles and needs of those around you. In doing this, you will contribute to a world-wide grass roots educational program. This is something that isn't specifically spelled out in any of the documents you'll receive.
When you take on something here in Japan, put your heart into it and don't let preconceived ideas limit your decisions. Prior to coming to Japan, flower arranging wasn't even on my list of goals, yet when a Japanese friend asked me to try it, I couldn't refuse. Ikebana, like many of the Japanese art forms, is initially taught through careful observation of the sensei -- thus words are seldom required. Through ikebana and other Japanese arts, I have begun to understand the history and foundations of Japanese communication and ways of learning. As one teacher with whom I work consistently repeats, "Ahhh, Susan, you must learn the Japanese mind." Simultaneously, he tells me that I am not yet able to accomplish that task and that if I do, it will take many years. Becoming involved in a club or activity outside of school will help you become part of the community, but at the same time, remember that such activities ought to be for yourself as well.
Depending on your placement, there may be some teachers who are not especially receptive to you; there may even be some who do not even want an ALT. But there will also be a few teachers and people in your community who will welcome and reach out to you. When I first arrived at my school, although my supervisor spoke very little to me, one of the other teachers, Kanno-sensei, gave me a brief tour of Miyako and helped me to become acquainted. When I mentioned to him that I needed a bike, he and some of the other teachers offered their advice. One teacher decided to lend me his mountain bike for the year. I then said to Kanno-sensei, "Everyone is being so kind." He quickly reminded me, without hesitation, that not everyone is kind, even in Japan. I say this to remind you that you may find a great many people to be amazingly generous. There will also be some who are not, as in your home country. For those who are, there will be some who are sincere in their generosity and others who do it merely out of a sense of duty or politeness. Cherish those who are sincere, as they are the friends you will remember and who will make your stay in Japan the most meaningful.