Researching classical music in Kagoshima

It's only been a week since I learned that I am going to Kagoshima prefecture, but there's one thing I'm researching as much as possible: classical music.

Though Japan is home to a thriving classical music scene, it is wind band, not orchestra, that is commonly found in junior and senior high schools. A quick google search for "Kagoshima orchestra" (in English) pulls up Kagoshima Joho HS's wind orchestra, and they. are. fantastic. Have a listen for yourself.

One of the things that drew me to the JET program and the whole idea of teaching in Japan in the first place is the opportunity to get involved with students in various clubs that span the whole gamut, including sports, English, calligraphy, robotics, newspaper, Japanese archery, and the like. If the school(s) I teach at have an orchestra, great! I'm definitely joining. If they only have wind band, it gets a little tougher.

But regardless of the state of the school music clubs, my first task will be to find a cello.

Placements have arrived!

I'm going to Kagoshima prefecture! It's located on the southernmost tip of Kyushu island, but not quite as far as Okinawa.



As of May 20, I only know the prefecture, which is an indication that I will more than likely be teaching at the senior high school level. The prefecture is still sorting out our individual placements, so I won't know my city until later in June.

Friends and Family FAQ

Here are a list of questions you may have about my upcoming employment on JET and their answers:

Q1. What is JET? Why are you going to Japan?

• A1. JET stands for Japan Exchange and Teaching, and is a program run by the Japanese government to hire native English speakers to be Assistant Language Teachers in Japanese elementary, middle, and high schools. (For candidates fluent in Japanese, a different position, Coordinator for International Affairs, may be offered.)  

Q2. Where in Japan are you going?

• Edited 6/28: I'll be going to Kagoshima prefecture! It's located on the southern-most tip of Japan. Where in the prefecture, you ask? On Amami Oshima island, about 200 miles south of the coast of the prefecture mainland. I will live and work on the southern end of the island in a town called Setouchi. See this blog post for more: Island Life, here I come!

Q3. When are you leaving?

• A3. The flight to Japan leaves July 23rd. [Added 5/20: We will arrive in Tokyo on the 24th (due to the time difference) where we will attend the JET Orientation for on the 25th and 26th. On the 27th, I will fly out to Kagoshima.]

Q4. How long are you staying in Japan?

• A4. JET employment contracts are one year long, and may be renewed if both the JET and their school agree to it. I will be in Japan for at least one year (July 2016-July 2017)

Q5. Can I visit you in Japan?

• A5. Yes! I will be in a small apartment in the middle of town, so you will probably need to book the local hotel (super cheap, don't worry). Also, in order for me to spend time with you when you visit, I may need to ask for vacation days, so please tell me as soon as possible if and when you plan to visit.

Q6. Can you speak Japanese?

• A6. I can currently speak a little -- my working vocabulary is about 50 words. Thanks to some friends of mine who lent me their old Japanese textbooks, I hope to teach myself enough Japanese by July to survive in Japan. 

Q7. Are you going to bring your cello with you?

• A7. No. Japan's weather is a lot different from the nice weather in SoCal, and 1) I don't want to subject my instrument to those conditions, and 2) transporting my cello is logistically very difficult. I will likely rent a cello while in Japan, and recruit a cellist friend to babysit my instrument here at home, play on it every once in a while, and keep it in good working order so it's ready when I return.

Interview Results: Short-listed!!

The interview results are in, and I've been short-listed (i.e. officially accepted) for JET 2016!

(I don't yet know where in Japan I'll be going. Placements will be announced in May/June.)

During the weeks leading up to the email announcement on March 30, I honestly had made peace with getting rejected. I would have been happy to be an alternate (i.e. waitlist) candidate. Since I'm currently finishing up a degree, I had a few backup options to pursue (research fellowship applications, science programs, etc.) if JET didn't happen. Luckily for me, I can do JET now and worry about those later (haha).

When I received the acceptance email on Tuesday, I didn't have time to celebrate because I was busy working on a research paper due the next day, but now that the paper's done and it's the weekend, I can finally celebrate by spending the day doing ... JET paperwork!

I've never been more excited to fill out forms in my life, but there deadlines to meet, so slacking off now isn't an option. Short-listed JETs must:

• Send a form indicating acceptance of the position
• Submit a passport photocopy
• Get fingerprinted for an FBI background check
• Have a doctor fill out a Certificate of Health
• Apply for Japanese tax exemption
• Apply for an international driver's permit
• Submit a special JET insurance form
• Supply proof of graduation upon degree conferral
• ...among other things.

In the meantime, besides filling out paperwork I'll be studying Japanese as fast as I can to ease the transition when I arrive. Some friends have generously given me a bunch of their old Japanese textbooks and workbooks (the Yookoso! series, whose online resources I found out today are now free of charge). Thanks Karen and Christina!

The fact that I'm actually going to go to Japan hasn't really sunk in for me yet... I'm sure it will soon enough.

Many thanks to everyone who helped me get this far. Special shout-outs to my loving family for their endless support, my iaido classmates for their faith in me, my research advisor Dr. Warrior and my karate instructor Mr. Barker for writing references, my University's writing center and Study Abroad office staff for looking over my initial Statement of Purpose drafts, my friends Melody, Dave, Vince, and Michael for providing more critical feedback on my SoP, and again to Michael for helping me prepare for the interview. I wouldn't be here without all of you!! <3

The Interview

The fated day has arrived. (^{DUN DUN DUN} _DUUUUNNNNN)

Preparing for the Interview

Last Friday I met up with a friend and former JET for a practice interview. Originally I was going to try to book a mock interview with my school's career center, but in hindsight that wouldn't have helped as much as yesterday's meeting did, since the questions asked in the JET interview differ greatly from "normal" job interviews.

My answers are ok, and I don't fidget, which is good. On the other hand, I can come off as a bit stiff, but it's the kind of stiffness where it's difficult to answer interview questions in a way that doesn't make it seem like you're being interviewed.

I'm now trying to store a bank of ideas that would help me answer questions such as "what objects would you bring from home to teach your students about American culture?" and "act out a sample lesson for us." For the first question, I imagine that most people would think of American symbols first: flags, Statue of Liberty figurine, cowboy hats, etc. but those are just symbols, They don't really show someone what our culture is like. Moreover, a lot of what makes America America has already been exported across the globe - theme parks, fast food, baseball, (American) football, to name just a few.

Two weeks left.

Pre-Interview Thoughts

Today is January 10th, 2016. Two days ago, on January 8th, the first stage results for the US were released via a message in the JET Inbox.


It's good news.