One of the JET programme participants of this year, Mr. Lieuwe Boer, reported to us about his new life in Tonami. Please read on to find out about his experiences so far!
Against a vast majority of 2,400 currently employed American JET participants, I am one of a cosy group of three Dutch people bravely representing their country in Japan. We make up less than 1 per mill of the entire JET programme, but let’s hope we are here to stay. With the Abe government seeking to more than double the current number of JET participants to 10,000 within the next three years, it is not unthinkable that more non-native English ALT’s will be admitted to the programme in the future.
About the ALT, or Assistant Language Teacher
Although recruited through a single, national organization, JET participants, of which ALT’s are by far the most numerous, are hired by local Japanese governments. It is with them that you enter into a contract, and they are the ones that pay your salary. So why would a school or local government seeking to improve English language in the region choose to hire a Dutch ALT over a native English ALT?
In my particular case, the municipality of Tonami chose to do so because of their connection with a sister city in the Netherlands, Lisse. Just like Lisse, Tonami has a flower garden and the city eagerly promotes itself using the tulip as their symbol. A part of the sister city relationship is also a yearly exchange programme.
Yet surely the Tonami schoolchildren aren’t taught Dutch in class? No, indeed they are not. In fact, my daily work consists of teaching English language at a local junior high school, by assisting in pronunciation practice, spicing up lessons from the textbook and providing cultural context, just to name a few things.
School life in Japan
Much more than in the Netherlands, the lives of adolescents in Japan are dominated by school. They arrive early in the morning for their reading session, then take classes until the late afternoon (no free periods!) and spend the rest of the day at the school’s sport or culture clubs, until they go home for supper. They are strictly prohibited from leaving the school premises until the day is finished. Club activity commonly continues during the weekend and holiday breaks.
With children spending so much time at school, it is arguably the biggest influence on their development into adults. Considering that newborn children are universally open to any cultural input they get, I find it fascinating to be present in a place where I can witness the transformation of children into “Japanese”, rather than “Dutch” or “American”.
In some cases you can see it literally being drilled into them. Take, for example, the yearly sports day, where perfecting the ceremonial parts of the event, such as marching, seems to take priority over enjoying the sport activities themselves. And there are many such examples through which you start to understand where certain behaviour in Japanese grown-ups, and the values that they have, originate from.
The ALT’s role outside the school
Being an ALT, aside from teaching English, you also play a role in intercultural exchange within the larger community. Tonami is a small city in a fairly rural area. It is far away from larger, relatively internationalised cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, and people are not exposed as much to foreign culture and language. Importing ALT’s into the community is one (very modest) attempt to increase this exposure.
International exchange can take place by attending events specifically set up for that purpose, but in its most basic form it happens through being an active member of the community and simply socialising with the locals. There is a surprisingly large number of initiatives by the Japanese to organise events and parties where locals and foreigners meet.
I found it very rewarding to attend as much of these as possible. In combination with volunteer work there is a lot to be gained from the connections you make at such occasions.
Speaking Japanese in Japan
An ALT does not necessarily have to speak Japanese. I daresay the majority has had no formal education in Japanese language prior to arriving in Japan. It is not a requirement for the JET programme, but being able to speak Japanese sure helps. In many cases an ALT will be placed in rural area where an English-speaking Japanese person is a rare luxury.
As it is often (correctly) said, Japanese people are generally very shy about using the little English that they know. Just like I would be if I was suddenly asked to speak French. Very few can fluently speak any other language than Japanese. Yet especially in rural areas where there are not many opportunities to talk to foreigners, I found a lot of Japanese people to be very curious when meeting ‘gaijin’.
So while it is not hard to strike up an informal conversation with a Japanese person, it tends to end quickly if English is the only medium of communication. There is a good side to this. If you wish to learn Japanese you will have plenty of opportunity (and motivation) to practice it.
For those who nevertheless worry about going through Lost in Translation-like scenarios: you probably will, to some degree. But it is perhaps good to know that in Japan you are never far away from other westerners, if you look for them. There are so many English teachers spread throughout the country, that virtually every area has a community of ALT’s. There are always a few who can speak Japanese, too.
On culture shock
Having people around that have somewhat of a similar cultural background as yourself can make a big difference when faced with a culture shock, which is something that non-Japanese inevitably experience during a long-term stay in Japan. As culturally different as a Dutchman and an American can be, our differences pale in comparison to those that exist between ‘Western’ and Japanese culture.
Judging by my own experience, chances are you will find customs or rules in the workplace that seem strange or even illogical. Classes are conducted in a different way than you might be used to. You may find that teachers in Japan value different skills in students than we do in the West. At times you will likely find yourself struggling with cultural differences of some sort. Meeting people that are going through (or have gone through) the same experience can then be a huge relief.
The rewards of being an ALT
Unlike students and Japanese colleagues, the ALT enjoys rather un-Japanese working hours. So besides school life there is ample time to engage in leisure activities and to enjoy the pleasures of living in Japan. Of which to me, and I’m sure this is true for many others as well, food is one of the more obvious ones.
And in my particular area, having the majestic peaks of the Japanese Alps in the distant background fills me with feelings of awe and privilege every time I look outside. But then again, this might be a sensation limited to mountain-starved Dutch eyes.
Life in rural Japan may not always be attractive (or perhaps outright boring at times), but to me the cultural insight that can be gained from being an ALT is worth it. And also remember that in densely populated Japan with its superb railway system, even in the most remote areas a big city is never more than three or four hours away.
To ALT or not to ALT
How often do you get the chance to witness firsthand how people get taught in their own culture? I think this is an experience that is especially precious in a country like Japan, whose isolated culture and mindset (and language) seem so hard to grasp for outsiders.
So if you are attempting to get a deeper understanding of Japan and the Japanese, visiting a Japanese school is one of the things that should be on your list. Should you ever get a chance to become an ALT and move to Japan, my advice is simple: if Japanese schoolchildren don’t kill you, they will surely make you stronger. Go for it.
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