 This year’s JETs have the opportunity to go to a truly special event: the Setouchi Triennale. Every three years this festival ignites the sleepy islands scattered between Kagawa and Okayama prefectures with a blaze of modern art. Many of these islands would have almost nothing to offer outside the festival season, but this…
There was a change to the morning routine when Henry suddenly looked up from his porridge one day and said to his husband Frank, “Your mother still hasn’t seen Sam.†Frank didn’t look back from trying to aim mushed banana into his son’s mouth, “She sees him all the time. Here comes the aeroplane, 
This past month, a group of us ventured out to Brasiliano, an all you can eat Brazilian Meat restaurant in Kobe’s Harborland Mall (definitely give it a try if you’re a meat lover.) Toward the end of the meal, we ordered a giant dish of a pineapple dessert that was pretty delicious and an…
Where it went down If you’re like me, when you applied to JET you put Tokyo as you preferred placement city, but ended up on an island called Awaji, in a town called Sumoto. I gave that town two years of my life (2013-2015) and would gladly give it 20. Good fishing there. Precious…
Despite being internationally recognized as merely a territory or province of the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan has many traits which distinguish its culture and people. Having heard nothing but good things from friends who have traveled and/or lived there, it easily earned a spot on my must-visit list. Thus, with two companions,…
I’m not a student, that much is certain; but I’m also not really a teacher. I’m like Gollum– technically not part of either side, useful to both if controlled correctly, but too unpleasant to keep on long-term and liable to dance weirdly when he gets his way. The No-Man’s-Land nature of my job became…
Spring is a season for new beginnings. As we end our hibernation and climb out from underneath our kotatsu, we are greeted by birds singing, flowers blooming, and (thankfully!) rising temperatures. Our excitement can hardly be contained as we start making plans to enjoy the weather. Don’t know where to start? Check out the events…
The weather may stay warmer, my school will have Taco Rice Tuesdays, and Golden Week insanity is upon us! May also brings a more settled schedule for many of us following the holidays at its start. My first year, Golden Week was split into two, with the first half devoted to a solo trip…
Among our grand confluence of JET Program participants, there are many who find they have the time and the passion to give back. These people are AJET, volunteers who do all kinds of stuff for the JET community and beyond. Each prefecture has it’s own group of AJET movers and shakers. Besides organizing events and making…