WATN: Dusty Wittman (Kusatsu, Shiga 2009-2014)

 

 

Returning this month is our “Where Are They Now?” section. In it, we share the words of wisdom of those who have gone before us back into the real world.

 

Placement + years on JET

 

I was a prefectural high school ALT in Kusatsu-shi, Shiga-ken for 5 years.

 

Favorite JET memory

 

My favorite memory resulted from one of my worst memories. March 11, 2011 was a day that changed everything for Japan. After the earthquake, I spent a couple of weeks in Ishinomaki-shi, Miyagi-ken doing relief work. Words can’t describe what I experienced but devastating and heart-breaking come close. I wish I could have spent the rest of my JET career helping those people. Since I couldn’t leave my schools, I created the Biwa Bottle Boat Challenge with the help of a great friend. Our goal was to raise money for children who were orphaned by the tsunami. To do this, we proposed a difficult and unique challenge – we would build a boat using only PET bottles and plastic cord and then paddle it across Japan’s largest lake and Shiga’s heart, Biwako. With support and donations from around the world, we successfully made our way across Lake Biwa on July 16, 2011. All the major Japanese newspapers, as well as NHK, reported on our success and by the end, we had raised $8,500 for children in Tohoku.

 

Most valuable thing he learned

 

As JET participants, we are given a unique opportunity to interact with and influence children’s lives. It may feel like just a really cool job, but, actually, it’s much more than that. We have an amazing chance to make a true and lasting difference in our students’ lives. Do whatever you can to share yourself because that is your best gift to them. I always did my best to share my culture and my numerous travels with my students. I was hoping to give them a view of the world that they wouldn’t otherwise see. Throughout the years I was teaching, many of my students chose to study abroad or participate in summer language programs around the world. I’ve even had a couple students visit me after I moved back to the US. It was amazing to be able to reciprocate to my students the same gracious hospitality that was shown to me while living in Japan. I can’t say for sure, but I’d like to think that my class had some influence on their choice to reach out into the world. As teachers, we have a responsibility to facilitate our students in creating their futures and I am honored to have been a part of that.

 

Recommendation for current JETs

 

The best way to integrate yourself into a new culture is to get involved with your community. There are international organizations in almost every city. Find them, go there, talk with them, and offer any help you can. I spent a good portion of my spare time with my town’s and the neighboring towns’ international groups. These groups are usually run by retired Japanese men and woman and they absolutely love sharing their culture with foreigners. Before you know it, you’ll be invited to dinners, attending birthday parties or even weddings, and perhaps even become the centerpiece of your community. The level of involvement is completely up to you and your schedule. Even helping out a little will go a long way to making you feel like Japan is your home.

 

Something he wishes he had done

 

I climbed Mt. Fuji, I ate blowfish, I visited almost every prefecture, I pulled a float in a parade, I watched a sumo match, and numerous other bucket list items that we all have. However, the one thing that I didn’t accomplish that I had set out to do was to become fluent in Japanese. I was never very good at sitting down and studying anything, so the things that brought me outside and kept me active took precedence. Of course I learned enough of the language to interact with my local community, to travel, to eat, to meet new people, and to carry on a productive life; but I do regret not being more disciplined in studying Japanese.

 

What he does now

 

For about four months now, I have been living in a small village in Thailand located along the Burmese border called Sangkhlaburi. I am working as a volunteer English teacher at Baan Unrak Primary School. It is a non-profit humanitarian school offering education for local children who may not otherwise be able to attend school due to their nationality or family status. Our students mainly come from children’s homes and are of Mon or Karen (Burmese ethnic groups) or Thai ethnicity. I was first introduced to this school and organization while volunteering during my first year on JET. Every year since then, I volunteered over the winter break and now I’m here long-term. JET truly opens doors that we might have never seen otherwise.

 

Contact information

 

All questions are welcomed; I can be reached by sending an email to dusty.wittman@gmail.com.

 

Dusty Wittman