The Plan....So Far

Since many have asked me what I am actually going to be doing in Japan, I thought I would go ahead and answer this question again on the blog. I applied for an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) position through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, and have been assigned to Hamamatsu, Japan. Here I will be teaching both elementary and middle school English as a foreign language for at least the next year.


For those of you who have never heard of Hamamatsu (it's okay, I hadn't either before I received my placement), it is in Central Honshu about two hours (by bullet train) southwest of Tokyo (see the little red dot on the map). Located on the Pacific Ocean and bordered by Lake Hama and the Akashi Mountain Range, Hamamatsu is known for both its eel and mandarin oranges. Additionally, the city is the home of Yamaha, Suzuki, and Honda manufacturing plants for both motorcycles and musical instruments.

Why Japan?

The above question is one that I have been frequently asked and ponder quite a bit. Humanly speaking, Japan doesn't really sound like my "perfect match" for a country -- it is so far from home, I don't speak the language, the culture is so different from America, I hate seafood etc. However, I know without a doubt it is exactly where I am supposed to go. For what reason? I don't know, but then again, who of us actually writes our own life stories?

Japan has always been a part of my life. I grew up knowing that my grandfather was there as an ex-prisoner of war during World War II. Then when I was seven or eight, one of my closest friend's family had a Japanese exchange student for the summer. I was fascinated by all that she said regarding her country and was determined to visit someday. At age sixteen, I did just that while on a mission's trip. During the trip not only was I given the great privilege to be the featured soloist in a concert for the community, but I was given the opportunity to visit several elementary schools to perform and teach English. The experiences were truly one of the greatest things that I have ever had the opportunity to do and I knew that one day I would return...

That day is right around the corner. As I look at the last picture in my 1000 photo album of my previous trip (copied above), I see the realization in eyes..."I will be back for this is where God has called me!"