Well hello there and hurrah for May! The sun is shining, yet we are not melting! Cherry blossoms are long gone, but new flowers bloom every day, each more brightly than the one before. Schedules are finally in normal mode after April’s organised chaos of ceremonies, health checks and interviews. Sure we’re going to miss…
Where are they now? This month, alumnus Kevin Shannon from Ireland tells us about his 2007-2008 Hyogo experience when he worked ‘up north’ in Hamasaka and Kasumi, and how it has affected his life and work post JET. What did you do immediately after leaving JET? A lot of not very much really. I…
You may visit Tokushima prefecture for the impressive Naruto whirlpools in the strait between Awaji and Shikoku, but whilst there you can also enjoy an unexpected cultural extravaganza thanks to the Otsuka Museum of Art (ÅŒtsuka Kokusai Bijutsukan). On a bright day in February my friend and I were taken to this museum…
Greetings! I hope you are reading this sat on a river bank under a cloud of pink blossom, because spring has finally sprung! Yes believe it not, after the months of shivering it is time to bid a bittersweet goodbye to the kotatsu, burn the over-worn HeatTech and break out the blue tarpaulin and…
We’ve all been there; falling asleep as a lecturer drones on, yawning as a fascinating life story is told as a monotonous forty minute speech with fully four slides, texting instead of concentrating when a speaker waxes lyrical about his pet project using more acronyms than exist in the United Nations… Poor presentation skills seem…
Hallo! March is a funny time in the JET schedule. We’ve said teary goodbyes to those graduating, but have yet to welcome a new batch of [hopefully] eager learners. Many of us may have a lot of extra time on our hands which can result in hours of Kanji study, applying for jobs back in…
Japan has a rich culture of stage performance, from kabuki, bunraku and rakugo, to the more modern Takarazaka revue. Now, in Kyoto, a new type of show is entertaining spectators at the weekends. The exceptional, non-verbal show GEAR is a treat for all ages. In the future, in a dilapidated toy factory, the repetitive lives…
Last February I ventured north to Hokkaido for the famed Yuki Matsuri. Admittedly the sculptures were very impressive, the snow slides worth their two hour queues and the atmosphere buzzing. But even though I am a snow-junkie, the festival is not something I feel the need to visit again. The local food, however, demands a…
Where are they now? In the January issue we featured three inspiring Hyogo alumni who are finding their feet immediately post-JET. This month, with the dreaded recontracting papers handed in, I thought it apt to think about the potential long-term effects of our time here. As such I spoke to my cousin Jane, from…