Wow, I’ve been in Japan for a month already! So far I’ve been really busy figuring out the yearly schedule, planning the yearly schedule and finally working out some new lessons (which is taking the most of my time!). What took up most of my time is to create a new curriculum and already plan the activities which I am intending to use this term. At least for most of my classes I have a bit more leeway when it comes to lesson planning.

Rice paddies 

I’ve also been busy writing a skit for the English Club. The stakes are high, not only because I am the new ALT and I have to prove myself, but also because last year the 2^nd years won the contest! Wow…

But, what have I been up to lately other than planning lessons?

Well, we went to Shizunami beach twice.

Shizunami Beach

We also went to Lalaport (a mall) which is in Iwata city. Note: there are no malls in Kakegawa!

We finally received our new dining table and couch.

A creepy guy, shopping with his wife, took a photo of me. (¬▂¬)

We finally received our internet.

I lost my phone at the ATM. Then the next day the bank returned it to me. They even apologized that they switched off my alarm which was ringing non-stop!

I had my welcoming party at a very nice Italian restaurant in Kakegawa with most of the English teachers. 

Starter: a very creamy, cold corn and olive oil soup with a savoury ice cream. 

Entree: Miniature leaf salad (locally sourced - like everything in the restaurant) and smoked fish salad

Main: Tomato spaghetti 

Spumoni-like dessert, Passion Fruit ice cream and watermelon sorbet

Rooibos tea! Most of the teachers tried it, and actually liked it, especially with a slice of lemon! 

The food was fantastic and the company was great! It was interesting to see how everybody became more relaxed and open, leaving the office behind. It was very nice to see my colleagues outside of the very formal school environment. The strangest thing, like many people have wrote about before, is that usually at social events or enkai what happens at the enkai, stays at the enkai. That being said, this wasn’t a real enkai, but more a welcoming dinner. Even though they were a bit more relaxed, my teachers still were very mannered and only touched on topics which, typically, in the West, will be received with a slight frown. Everybody made jokes and even got a lot more “personal” by asking the BIG Question …

How old are you?

My age was received with great surprise! And now it’s out there – I am the kohai (the subordinate junior) by far…

Then, Friday when I arrived at the office, everyone thanked me for last night (I didn’t pay for anything, but thank you for thanking me for joining you and giving me a fantastic dinner party – wow, the Japanese truly have such fantastic manners). Not only that, some of the teachers will chit chat, which is something they rarely did before hand - there was even a joke about my age thrown in the conversation. Again. 

Friday was the school's opening ceremony, so I had to make my self-introduction speech today in front of 700 students and about 60 colleagues. I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be, and I didn’t even make any mistakes. I even received some compliments, although I'm sure I made so many mistakes when it comes to the bowing! 

And so, after a month in Japan, I am finally “Welcomed” as part of the group, which to me, is a great honour. When you are in a society where most often you’re seen as the gaijin, the ultimate outsider, who is making one too many cultural faux pas, you feel really happy to be noticed as worthy of the group (even if that group still sees you as the kohai, with no social standing in the Japanese society). At least they see you as the kohai with no social standing who is worthy enough of being part of their group! 

Pretoria – Johannesburg – Hong Kong – Narita - Tokyo – Shizuoka City – Kakegawa.

Finally after more than 15 hours on a plane, we arrived in Tokyo, beginning to feel the strains of unnatural sleeping positions,  dry, recycled air and crossing 7 time zones.  And then the excitement kicks in! Upon arrival at the airport in Narita, all JETs were escorted to a separate area in customs to receive our brand new residence cards (which used to be the old “gaijin” cards – at least we’re not branded as “foreigners” anymore but rather as “temporary residents”). Soon after, all the South African JETs were off to Shibuya in Tokyo city - then we entered an ants’ nest of JET Programme Participants at the Keio Plaza Hotel. Some more baka gaijin than other…

Oh Tokyo, how I've missed you!

Only when I walked into our beautiful hotel room, it hit me – I am in Japan, there is no turning back now!

The Tokyo Orientation consisted of various introductions, seminars and workshops. Some were interesting, some weren’t. But to see some of the representatives of the Ministry of Culture, Sport, Science and Education does make you realise that the JET Programme truly is an honourable opportunity. We spent some of our free time wandering around Shibuya (and we ate a fantastic Japanese meal on Sunday), Singing Karaoke with the Irish JETs or just trying to overcome horrible Jet lag (No pun intended).

 

Shinjuku in all its glory

The bright lights of Tokyo

Armand enjoying his Japanese dinner

Our Japanese-style dinner

Fisherman's Style Tako (Octopus)

Fisherman's Style fried Taco (octopus)

Singing Kareoke with the Irish (and some other random people)

Wednesday morning all the JETs placed in Shizuoka travelled together to Shizuoka city where we introduced ourselves to representatives of our schools. From there we finally travelled to and arrived in Kakegawa! Our new home!

View of Shizuoka City

View of Shizuoka City

We arrived in our apartment which was completely empty except for a bed, an old kitchen table and two chairs, a washing machine, an empty refrigerator and aircons (which we had to pay a highly overpriced amount for) as well as a dead rat waiting under our bed! That evening, however, we went to a traditional Japanese okonomiyake restaurant where we met two very nice Japanese people and some of the other JETs in the area. It definitely brightened the mood somewhat after seeing our very empty apartment!  

Okonomiyaki

A fun dinner with new friends!

Gradually we’ve been getting a few things for our apartment and making it a bit more like home. It is nice to know who our (Western) neighbours are and that I am getting along well with my new colleagues.

So far I have been well received with a lot of curiosity as well as animosity. Most of my colleagues were very intrigued by the omiyage I gave. Many of the staff will take a curious look at the fizzers and South African sweets I left for all the staff before they come back to look at it again. And then they take some a while later. It is really as if they are testing the waters well before trying out something completely new. At least most of the sweets are gone already! I just know this new life in Japan is going to be a big adventure and I am going to learn a lot, not only about the language and culture, but a bit more about people in general as well.

Have you ever experienced the ritual of omiyage? How did the people receive your gifts?