Blogs from Fukui, Japan, Asia

I have finished my first full semester of teaching in Japan. It has been mostly awesome, with a little dash of frustration thrown in there to keep me on my toes. Teaching English on the JET program is not a normal job, so some days are absolutely great, like caroling, playing silly games and bringing Christmas cheer to a number of local schools, while others can be full of no responsibility around exam time, when there are no classes to teach or prepare. Here’s a general round up of what I’ve been up to. Christmas Caroling My nearest city is one of the few places that get the local JETs to join up together to do some Christmas caroling. One of the highlights of my year so far for sure! Myself and 4 other junior high ... read more

Jet Program Nearly 10 months after handing in my application for the JET (Japanese Exchange and Training) program, here I am, finally in Japan. I knew I wanted to teach English abroad somewhere, and by far and away the JET program was the best of all the options I saw. It is the largest exchange and training program in the world! It differs from other TEFL jobs mainly because the Japanese government directly hires you through their embassy in your home country. The JET community is very large and useful, and I have contacts in every prefecture in Japan, so it is amazing for travelling in not just Fukui, but all of Japan! The other big difference is that half our job on JET is teaching English, the other half is teaching and learning culture or ... read more

Many Japanese turists do not visit Fukui, Japan. Needless to say, almost no foreign visitor comes to Fukui. Although it is ranked as the most comfortable place to live, the second highest educated people, the lowest unemployment prefecture and the fourth of the country's longevity, many people would not come. Therefore, I would like to introduce this unknown but valuable country to those who would like to find the place like this. Ichijo-dani(Valley); Ichijodani is a mountain villege in the southeastern part of Fukui. It was here that the Asakura warring lords who ruled Echizen lived for 103 years. The area, which prospered as a castle town, has been restored to its original appearance. Some parts of it have been preserved as they are. You can feel the real hestory of Fukui in 15th century. Echizen ... read more

If someone were to ask me to name the top 10 places that I want to visit I could list them off in the space of one breath. They are always there, in the back of my mind, nagging me and quietly persuading me to go. I have thought so much about them that I have developed romanticized images and ideas about them. I feel like I somehow know them and know what they are like. In contrast, if someone were to ask me to name the top 10 places that I wouldn't want to visit I could list them off as well but it would take me more time. After all, I don't particularly spend my time thinking of places where I don't want to go. What's the fun in that? However, if pressed for ... read more

三連休 or sanrenkyu, a long weekend. A 3 day weeknd in Japan for me, is like the summer holidays to a school student. A thing of long anticipation and preparation, and when it comes off a general feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction is felt, which has been accompanied by me being in a good mood all week, despite being intensly sleep deprivated, and slighty alchohol poisoned. Its always good to see friends from back home, as they become a vessel for all that is home and an opportunity to feel like your back in Britain once a again if only for a short while. It is not like I am crying for the lack of time off work I have, and I have robbed myself of a lot of time also as I have been taking ... read more