As debt-ridden college graduates in "these economically tough times" struggle to find work, teaching English overseas is becoming an increasingly lucrative option. Most positions require a minimum of a bachelor's degree and fluency in English, though knowing the country's language and teaching experience are helpful. Paying nearly $40,000 US dollars each year, offering the opportunity to see the world, gain work experience, and make a positive impact in the world, English language teaching positions provide the young, well-educated populous in the United States an invaluable opportunity to earn, build a resume, and make a difference.
My whole life, my goal was to graduate from a good college, and coming from a family that did not have much higher education or money to send me, accomplishing this goal was some feat. After graduation, I have served two years with AmeriCorps as a math enrichment tutor at a junior high school. I am fortunate enough not to count myself in the ranks of the unemployed, but barely able to make ends meet with the sub-minimum wage living allowance.
One day, my husband Tom and I sat on the couch talking. He was playing a video game and I was contemplating my future. Do I attempt to find a job in this hostile and terrifying American employment hell scape? Peace Corps? Teach for America? Retail? Go back to school? And then Tom told me about JET, the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. 'YES!' I thought, as tears welled up in my eyes. You know when it's a cloudy day and you see that one ray of sunshine shining through? It always seems so magical. I know it's cliche, but that's what finding JET felt like for me. I needed something to aim for...to hope for. JET is my destiny. And thus begins my journey.My interest in JET is in part due to my Japanese heritage. My great grandmother Yoshie (grandma Jo to us) was from Yokohama, Japan. She met my great-grandfather, a member of the American military, as a dance hall hostess. I am 1/8 Japanese (my forearm is Japanese, I joke) and I have always felt a connection with Japanese culture. I learned how to make many types of sushi, including kampyo, my great grandmother’s favorite. I inherited Grandma Jo’s Go game, complete with her hand-written numbers. And I think the classic example is the Kikkoman shoyu that sits on the table to accompany family meals during holidays.
I have never traveled internationally. Not to Mexico. Not to Canada (and I live in Minnesota). I never had the money or the know-how. Like Dave Matthew's song Grey Street - "I've dreamed myself a million times around the world, but I can't get out of this place." Macalester College is my alma mater. Mac is a liberal arts college that prides itself of internationalism and multiculturalism. There seemed to be two types of students at Macalester: international students, and haughty students with rich parents who have been all around the world and are ready to tell you all about it like a badge of achievement. I once went to a party and the question posed around the bonfire in the back yard was, "What was the longest flight you have ever been on?" White people love to travel, and I think it is a wealth display. It's not that I dislike traveling - in fact I really look forward to the opportunity to go to Japan. Not because it will be a marker on my Google map of where I have been in the world, a notch on my belt, but because I want to do something good with my life and not be a cloistered homebody.
I will keep this blog updated with my preparations and findings related to overseas English instruction and all things Japan including but not limited to:
- Japanese Language Learning & Resources
- Cooking Adventures & Recipes
- Books & Recommendations
- My JET Application
- Practicing karaoke
- English Teaching Preparation
So long, and thanks for all the fish.
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