Tokyo Orientation

29 July – 31 July 2012
The day before departure, we enjoyed a dinner reception at the South African embassy in Pretoria and a stay-over at the Holiday Inn. Our last South African sunset and the family farewells were really sad, but after months of preparation and stressing - I’ve finally made it to the land of the rising sun.

When people tell you that your jaw drops open when you see Tokyo – they are not joking. The place is mesmerizing. You can read as many travel catalogues and watch as many documentaries about Tokyo as you want. However, no photograph gives Tokyo justice. It is a truly a city that you must experience at least once in your life. After a 14 hour flight to Hong Kong, a lay-over and a connecting flight to Narita Airport, everything seemed like a (jet-lagged) blur.

The JET Programme staff are extremely excitable (‘’genki’’) and gave us a superb welcome at the airport. The staff literally lined up the length of the airport floor, cheering and clapping as we walked past. The same cannot be said about customs at Hong Kong where I was literally made to feel like a criminal – not ‘’genki’’ at all!
Our baggage was taken care off and we boarded a Limousine bus bound for our hotel in Shinjuku. The bus ride was about 2 hours long and we enjoyed the greenery of Chiba prefecture and our first glimpses of a country which is to be our ‘’home away from home’’ for the next year. So far, I have found the Japanese people to be a delight – super friendly, smiling and constantly saying ‘’yorishiku onigashimasu’’
Keio Plaza Hotel was amazing. For an assistant language teacher, 5 star hotel accommodation is not too shabby. My roommate, Liam and I, had a room on the 33rd floor with a hi-tech Japanese toilet and commanding views of the Tokyo Metropolitan building.

Jet-lag and all, we decided to hit the streets of Shinjuku on our first night. Fortunately, one of our fellow South Africans had a couple Japanese friends in Tokyo who took us for a tour around this dazzling part of the city. I experienced my first ‘’izakaya’’ or Japanese restaurant meal and had a round of Japanese beer (which is really light and refreshing) and a six course meal! We were then taken to a massive arcade to get some ‘’pukuru’’ pictures taken!

DAY 1

Full day of orientations and seminars followed by a night at the world famous Shibuya! We took our first Japanese subway to an area known as ‘’Times Square on steroids’’. Like a moth to the flame, you are immediately drawn to the lights. It is like being in a pinball machine.
We decided to make our first Japanese purchase by getting ‘’anything’’ we could get in the first shopping store. My purchase: a pair of socks and a I <3 Japan t-shirt. Cheesy, I know.

It was getting late so we took our final photographs at the Hachiko dog statue opposite Shibuya station and went to bed.

DAY 2

Full day of orientations, seminars and severe jet-lag. This day was extremely exhausting and my head was spinning. At times I was like ‘’are we having an earthquake?’’.
Nevertheless, we decided to still enjoy our last night in the world’s largest metropolis. After a very touching speech given by the South African Ambassador to Japan, we left the consulate, took a cab and headed back to our hotel. I met up with my cousin, Alex (who lives and works in Tokyo) and we all headed up the observation deck of the Tokyo Metropolitan building and then went out to Harajuku (think of the Gwen Stefani song).
Although this part of the city was particularly quiet for a Tuesday evening, we had drinks at a local Izakaya – eating and drinking to Elvis Presley. Gotta love Japan, right?

DAY 3

After breakfast at the Keio Plaza, we checked out, said our goodbyes and departed to our various prefectures, cities, towns and villages all over Japan. We flew ANA (All Nippon or ‘’Pokemon’’ airways) to the beautiful Kumamoto prefecture.

The first thing I noticed was: ‘’Wow, this place is so green’’ – and it is! It sure is refreshing to get out of the concrete jungle and enjoy some mountain-fresh air.
We collected our baggage at the very intimate airport and were surprised by an amazing welcome by current JETs. After some crazy clapping and ‘’Whoohoo, welcome to Kuma,’’ my luggage trolley was taken by an Irish ALT called Ruth and I was given an awesome Japanese fan!

We all stood in a huge circle in the middle of the airport and received a warm welcome by our board of education and current ALTs in the city. I was soon introduced to my Japanese host mother holding a ‘’WELKOM, SEAN O’TOOLE’’ poster. This is going to be an amazing adventure…

Leaving on a JET plane - Itinerary

Alrighty, only a few days left in South Africa... Farewell get-together, check! I thought it would be a good time to create an itinerary. So, without further ado; a step-by-step preview of my forthcoming adventure:

Friday, 27 July 2012

Depart Cape Town International Airport at 08:00 on South African Airways
Arrive at O.R Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg at 10:00. Here, I will be transported to the Holiday Inn Express in Sunnyside, Pretoria.

From 16:00 – 20:00 I will be joining the South African JET team at the Japanese Embassy in Pretoria for a dinner reception and orientation.




Saturday, 28 July 2012

Depart Johannesburg at 12:30 on Cathay Pacific Airways.

Sunday, 29 July 2012

Arrive via Hong Kong at 07:45.
Depart Hong Kong at 09:10.

Arrive at Tokyo Narita International Airport at 14:40.

From Narita, we will be transported to Tokyo inner city(a 2 hour bus ride!)

We will be staying at the swanky Keio Plaza Hotel in Shinjuku.

Fortunately, we have the rest of the evening to make physical and mental adjustments! I will be meeting my cousin, Alex, that night. Time to explore!

30-31 July 2012

Two full days of JET Programme orientations, seminars, meetings and a breakfast with the South African Ambassador to Japan!

Free in the evenings to get some of the highlights of Tokyo as well as mingle with participants from around the globe.

1 August 2012

Depart Tokyo for Kumamoto-Shi, my new home!

1-3 August 2012

Home-stay with a Japanese host family

4 August 2012

Meeting and tour with my supervisors and apartment predecessor!

_________________________________________________________________

Ok, so to the family member or loyal friend who has taken the time to read this - there we go!

Right now, time to work out how exactly I am going to pack up my life in 27kg - and distribute a million South African hugs equally!

My predecessor, apartment and area information

So, much has happened since my last post. Most importantly, I have discovered who my predecessor is.

For those who don’t know, my predecessor is the person whose apartment / schools I’ll be taking over in August. His name is Ryan and he has provided me with a great deal of insight into my new home and life in Japan. Ryan and his wife will be returning to Idaho in the United States soon. However, unlike most leaving-JETs, he will still be in Kumamoto City for a few weeks after I arrive. I will be meeting up with him for lunch and he has kindly offered to take me on a mini tour of my exciting new city.

The apartment itself is terrific. I am privileged to have the largest ALT apartment in all of Kumamoto City – around double the size of most of my co-workers! It is a 2LDK - the Japanese term for a 2 bedroom apartment with a spacious living area, kitchen and bathroom. Pictures will certainly follow. The apartment is located about 20 minutes from everything cool in Kumamoto City (including other ALTs) and is perfect for throwing get-togethers!

If things couldn’t get better, the landlady is said to be extremely sweet. Good to know!

I have been told to check out the International Centre downtown (my go-to place for any assistance) and a local English library that offers reasonably priced Japanese lessons!

My apartment is stocked with the following furniture and appliances:

Washing Machine
Refrigerator
Gas stove
A/C and heating unit
Kerosene heater
Vacuum cleaner
Electric fan
Landline telephone
Dish cabinet
Kitchen table with four chairs
Light fixtures
Television
Shelves and book cases

As soon as I arrive, I will need to purchase a new bed / bedding and a bicycle to get around town!

Ryan has kindly created an interactive map setting out my board of education, schools, closest convenient stores, grocery shops, cinema, gym, bus and train stations nearest to my apartment. What more could I ask for?

I will be teaching at five Elementary Schools and one Junior High School. I have been told that the dress code is rather relaxed in my area and that I will be able to wear short-sleeved shirts to work. Jacket and ties are reserved for more formal events. This is brilliant news considering the terrible humidity this time of year!

Oh, I nearly forgot… I have successfully adopted a pair of Japanese goldfish that will be waiting for me in my new pad!

Placement: Kumamoto City, Kyushu

This morning I finally received information as to my placement in Japan.
For the next year, I'll be living in Kumamoto City (population: 1 400 000) - a city rich in culture and tradition. Kumamoto City is the capital of Kumamoto prefecture, located in the center of Kyushu Island in far western Japan.



The city has one of the finest preserved castles in all of Japan; the 400 year-old Kumamoto Castle. Near this famous landmark is the strikingly beautiful Edo- era Suizenji Jojuen Japanese garden.



It was during this time that the tradition of eating basashi (raw horse meat) originated. Basashi remains popular in Kumamoto and, to a lesser extent, elsewhere in Japan, though these days it is usually considered a delicacy.

The downtown area has a commercial district centred around two shopping arcades, the Shimotori and Kamitori, which extend for several city blocks. The main department stores are located here along with a vast number of smaller retailers, restaurants and bars. Many local festivals are held in or near the arcades.
Cultural venues include the Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art and Kumamoto Prefectural Theater.



Kumamoto has an excellent public transportation network consisting of trains, trams and bus lines. It is very easy getting around by bicycle.



Within a two hour train ride of Kumamoto is one of the largest, most active volcanoes in the world called Mount Aso.



The Kyushu coastline is dramatic and offers spectacular scenery.



The JET Programme community in the city is a diverse one with representatives from 12 countries. I will be one of 29 ALTs working with the Kumamoto City Board of Education. I will be rotating between four or five Junior High and Elementary schools.

Kumamoto has an inland-basin climate and temperature changes can be drastic. The average annual temperature is 17.4℃ and the average annual precipitation is 1,543mm. Winters are mild and snow is rare. June marks the beginning of the rainy season and summers are very hot and humid.

Oh, Kumamon is the cute city mascot - seen all over the place apparently!



It's hard to believe that in exactly 1 month I'll be living in the land of sushi, samurai and the rising sun!

This part of my life is called waiting...

I have always been bemused by JETs complaining about how long they have had to WAIT. I took a rather ‘chilled’ (Capetonian) approach and took things day-by-day, not understanding why my soon-to-be colleagues were so impatient. Now I do...
Over the past few weeks I have been riding a rollercoaster of emotions. Overwhelming excitement, fear, anxiety and nervousness are but a few of the feelings that have consumed me. Okay, so this is a tad melodramatic...

Anyway, this is all due to the fact that I have yet to receive word regarding my placement. Knowing where in Japan I’ll be living for the next year will alleviate so much of the tension that I have been experiencing. As a perfectionist, I guess that I am pedantic about these things. Knowing will not only give me the opportunity to prepare myself mentally but also emotionally for the unfamiliar waters that lie ahead.

However, I have come to realise that no matter which prefecture Tokyo decides to place me in... Nagasaki to Sendai, Okiniwa to Sapporo... It will be the greatest adventure of my life!

To date I have received a JET Programme package from the Japanese Embassy in Pretoria containing the following material:
1) General Information Handbook including a ''LIFE AS A JET'' dvd
2) Japanese for JETs textbook including audio lesson CDs
3) JET Programme Insurance forms



I also have a VISA application form which will be completed in due course and handed in. Later this month, a Q&A session will be held at the Cape Town Embassy. Looking forward to that!
Until then...

May the odds be ever in your favor... Upgrade to the shortlist!

This part of my life is called luck....

I woke up this morning with a certain ''JET Programme back-up plan'' reeling through the back of my mind.

My options:

1) Study for my Attorney Admission Examinations in mid August
2) Do some waitoring for extra cash
3) Attend Japanese classes in the hope that JET would select me for 2013
4) Accept UCT's offer to study towards a Masters degree in Environmental Law

Little did I know, somewhere in the Japanese Embassy in Pretoria, my name was sitting on the top of the Alternate waiting list...

It was a rather mundane Cape Town morning. The skies were grey and the rain was pouring. I was tackling a pretty difficult Accounting question for an upcoming exam.

Then. Out of the blue, I received a call from the JET co-ordinator, Ryan Keet.

He told me that he was updating the system and wanted to check whether I have found another job or whether I am engaged to be married.

After answering these preliminary questions in the negative, he proceeded to say:

''Well, Mr O'Toole, I have some good news for you! You have been upgraded to the shortlist, you leave for Tokyo on July 28''

General leaping in the air and clicking together of heels!

Within the next 2 weeks, I shall hear of my placement in Japan! Will it be the tropical island of Okiniwa or perhaps the icy expanses of Hokkaido. Only time will tell...

The waiting game continues!

Alternate...

I had every intention of abandoning this blog after my horror interview at the end of February. Never will I forget the ''What makes you a South African question'' - a question that will certainly haunt me for the rest of my life! There is nothing more intimidating than an English Professor, ex-JET participant and embassy official staring you down. After blank stares and a very disappointing gut feeling, I left the Consulate with my hopes and dreams flushed down the proverbial toilet.

However, I received a very interesting e-mail yesterday:

''Dear 2012 Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme (Alternate Listed) Applicant,

This letter is to inform you that you have been selected as an ALTERNATE Assistant Language Teacher candidate for this year's JET Programme.

You will be informed as to whether a candidacy on the short-list has become available between now and up to the second week of December, 2012 and upon receiving confirmation, if you, at that stage, still wish to participate in the Programme, placement will proceed. After a Contracting Organisation has been selected, you will be informed of the name of the prefecture or designated city to which you are assigned. Every effort will be made to satisfy your posting preferences. However, please understand that this will not always be possible.''

This means that I have effectively been placed on a waiting list. In the event of cancellations and people deciding to quit JET, I will be pushed up the list and hopefully, upgraded to a short-lister which means I'll be leaving for Tokyo! Holding thumbs....

Interview: 24 February

''Please note that you have been selected to take part in the JET interviews and tests to be held at the Consul of Japan in Cape Town''

A message that I was very anxious to hear.

So, on Friday the 24th of February at 09:00 I will be sitting inside the Japanese Consulate waiting area. My interview is at 09:30 and my English test is at 11:20.

The preparation continues...

So, the JET Programme?

Are you thinking about applying for the JET Programme? If you are an enthusiastic, motivated and dedicated individual, why not embark upon a journey that will change your life?

Each year the JET Programme, with the aid of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, recruits thousands of new participants to come to Japan and experience a new and unique way of life. Participants are assigned to be either Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) who provide language instruction in elementary, junior and senior high schools; Coordinators for International Relations (CIRs) who work in communities on international exchange activities; or Sports Exchange Advisors (SEAs) who promote international exchange through sports.

Participants are placed with local government organisations throughout Japan in every imaginable locality, including large cities, small and medium-sized towns, and rural farming and fishing villages.

A one year term on the JET Programme could be just what you are looking for to broaden your horizons and take a different step in life

My Statement of Purpose

The beauty of being a South African is that we live in a multi-cultural society.  South Africa is the quintessential ‘’rainbow nation’’.  Living in such a diverse country has stimulated a desire to broaden my horizons and apply for the JET Programme.  I have always had a strong interest in Japan and wish to deepen my knowledge and appreciation of the country.  I am particularly fascinated with the language, culture, history, politics, natural beauty, cuisine and the lifestyle of the Japanese people.  I have a sincere admiration for the nation of Japan.  From the atrocities of World War II to the aftermath of the recent earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis, Japan seems able to rise above catastrophe.
The year 2010 marked the 100th year since the establishment of official contact between South Africa and Japan.  Our two countries share deep and fruitful bilateral relations.  While we celebrate the economic and diplomatic co-operation between our nations, as a South African representative, my aim would be to strengthen ties on a socio-cultural level.

As an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT), I would wish to be an ambassador for my country.  I would be delighted to share my South African heritage and culture with Japanese people and, in turn, to learn your culture and understand your language.

I think I would be ideally suited for this programme.  For three consecutive years I participated in Model United Nations Debating.  This gave me the opportunity to help represent national policies, including those of Asian countries, in the global effort to curb HIV and AIDS.  This inspired me to become involved in the trend toward internationalisation.  During this time, I was captain of my school debating team and was honoured as senior debater of the year.  My English language abilities have been strengthened by public speaking in our province and in our provincial legislature.  At the end of my high school career, I received the Bronze Award in an English writing Olympiad.

I have mentored students in our junior debating team, as well as students preparing for their final year examinations, notably in English.  In my experience, it is often a lack of confidence that prevents students from reaching their potential.  My approachable and empathetic nature will assist students to embrace English as a foreign language.

I am currently volunteering, alongside local and international volunteers, at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital in Cape Town.  Having the opportunity to give back to my community by spending my free time with children diagnosed with conditions as diverse as cancer and HIV has been a humbling, rewarding and life-changing experience.

My tertiary studies in the law have had a huge influence on my intellectual world.  Understanding the South African Constitution and our Bill of Rights has given me access to human rights’ theory and an understanding of moral and political philosophy.  As a result of our country’s traumatic political history, there is a real necessity to understand these matters and so to foster respect for the differences we as human beings have.

In my final year at law school, I focused on International and Environmental Law.  The Kyoto Protocol and Japan’s stellar efforts to curb global warming have been of particular interest. These internationally-orientated subjects have re-affirmed my longing to teach abroad.

The complexities of legal text have further improved my command of the English language.   I am more than competent to assist in English language instruction and to provide Japanese students with the tools to improve their written and oral English.

My legal studies have been through a distance learning institution, and this independence has been invaluable.  Much of the material I have had to master myself.  Complex legal material is not always easily understood, but I have managed and am proud of that.  Law, as a social science, has given me a greater understanding of the human condition.  Japanese students will profit from the practical skills and sociological knowledge which I will be confident to share.  Teaching is itself a skill.  I believe that having taught myself will give me the insight I need to teach another.

My knowledge and skill will equip me to overcome the challenges and demands of the position. If I am accepted within the JET Programme, a primary focus will be fluency in Japanese. Language defines us as individuals.  Communicating effectively will unite us in our differences. As an ALT, I would promote student participation, enthusiasm and teamwork in order to invigorate my own academic and leadership skills.

I cannot be too idealistic: living in a foreign country will be a challenge.  However, I am more than ready, insightful and mature enough to take on the challenge.  I have requested placement in Hokkaido.  As a keen photographer and hiking enthusiast, the prospect of living and working in a prefecture surrounded by vast snow-capped, volcanic mountains and spectacular scenery is inspiring.  I thrive when I am out of my comfort zone and feel sure that I am more than capable of managing life in an urban city or rural town.

In conclusion, it would be a real privilege and honour to live, experience life and teach in Japan.  I view the JET programme as a stepping stone toward a future career in the international diplomatic arena.  I would hope to proactively maintain relations with Japan, even after completion of the Programme.  I sincerely believe that my time in the Programme will foster intercultural understanding between the people of Japan and those of South Africa.  I am an adaptable, enthusiastic, robust and suitable candidate who will wholeheartedly embrace this experience of a lifetime.