tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post8407562717208318706..comments2023-05-18T22:10:00.932+09:00Comments on Aussie On The Izu: Diary of a JET #7: In which I expound upon the weirdness of ALTs in JapanAussieOnTheIzuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04572177200671354787noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-10100024556100801432012-05-24T08:06:21.902+09:002012-05-24T08:06:21.902+09:00That's very unfortunate! I understand how you ...That's very unfortunate! I understand how you feel though; being an ALT is not exactly the most challenging job I've ever had. I hope you have fun with your remaining time in Japan!AussieOnTheIzuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04572177200671354787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-55196041033572935402012-05-23T18:55:17.803+09:002012-05-23T18:55:17.803+09:00Hey Sarah,
There are a few reasons!
My city is...Hey Sarah, <br /><br />There are a few reasons! <br /><br />My city is cutting the JET Programme and replacing us with much cheaper private ALTs, and there wasn't any option for me to move placements. <br /><br />That said, if I had had a choice, I would not have stayed - I have very, very little to do at work, and the lack of a decent social life doesn't help either. <br /><br />*Sigh* <br /><br />Two more months! <br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />SusanneSusannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09072369587698652657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-7422912085396095112012-05-23T08:21:19.061+09:002012-05-23T08:21:19.061+09:00Wow! Thank you for the kind offer! I will let you ...Wow! Thank you for the kind offer! I will let you know if I'm ever in Kansai for sure!<br />Is the reason for your decision not to stay longer than a year because of the loneliness itself? I'm curious. <br />Yes, the American expats seem to be the dominant group and tend to just stick to each other. I seem to be something of a novelty to them at best, nothing more.AussieOnTheIzuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04572177200671354787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-43883264512236317672012-05-23T08:20:44.963+09:002012-05-23T08:20:44.963+09:00This comment has been removed by the author.AussieOnTheIzuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04572177200671354787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-73839311135575201052012-05-21T15:44:34.685+09:002012-05-21T15:44:34.685+09:00Hi Sarah,
Just found your blog, hi!
I'm Au...Hi Sarah, <br /><br />Just found your blog, hi! <br /><br />I'm Aussie too, and a first year JET. I'm not staying. <br /><br />I've felt quite isolated here. Partly it's locality. I'm in a pretty small town. I've been surprised how hard it's been to form good friendships. Especially as on my time on AYAD in Samoa I found it easy to make friends, and had a good bunch of European, Australian, Kiwi and local friends. The American Peace Corp volunteers tended to hang out with other Americans. <br /><br />You're certainly not alone in your feelings. I haven't had anyone here be openly negative about Australia, but Americans and American English are certainly the dominant expat group here. <br /><br />If you want to meet up in Kansai some time in the next couple of months, let me know! <br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />SusanneSusannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09072369587698652657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-44901433646426346982012-05-15T09:52:03.697+09:002012-05-15T09:52:03.697+09:00I've been left with little avenue other than t...I've been left with little avenue other than to travel by myself it seems! Based on the response to this post I think I'm just going to have to accept that living in Japan is supposed to be a lonely experience. <br />Its interesting because when I ask my students where they want to go overseas, a lot of them say London (maybe because of the Olympics this year, I don't know) and to prevent them from learning unique British words and pronunciation is just selling those kids short.<br />Thank you for the kind words and to everyone for reading my ramblings!AussieOnTheIzuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04572177200671354787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-89277478151197550262012-05-14T20:26:01.371+09:002012-05-14T20:26:01.371+09:00I can relate to a lot of what you say here, Sarah....I can relate to a lot of what you say here, Sarah. I, too, felt quite isolated when I arrived in Japan. Although I did train with others (I worked for a language school - I wasn't a JET, ALT or Interac-er), I found them all to be very young and to have a different idea of what they were doing in Japan to me. Having failed at making many non-Japanese friends, I stuck with making Japanese friends. When I left after three years, I had way more Japanese friends than non-Japanese (although I did meet some great Aussies while in Japan). I am still in touch with my close Japanese friends and imagine I will be for a long time.<br /><br />As for the stuff about being an Aussie in Japan, I get that too. As a Brit I also felt I was "out of the club", simply because I wasn't American, and got really frustrated at the cultural stereotypes. One of the worst things I had to fight was being told that my pronunciation was "wrong", and that I shouldn't use words like "lift" or "trousers". I went with the flow, though, and just accepted that I was supposed to be teaching American English, and would therefore have to try to sound American.<br /><br />Hang in there, try and make some Japanese friends, and don't be afraid to travel on your own - it's fun! ;)Haikugirlhttp://haikugirl.menoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-47803982630168339122012-05-13T16:19:06.253+09:002012-05-13T16:19:06.253+09:00Its a real relief to hear that I'm not the onl...Its a real relief to hear that I'm not the only one who has experienced something similar like this. I know exactly what you mean about people taking it personally every time you cant make it to a social gathering. You and I sound very similar. I can be a bit hermit-y too and I guess people take that to mean I'm a snob or something (sadly). Definitely, if you are ever in the neighbourhood, send me a message on Facebook (I think we are friends on facebook: Sarah O.) ;)AussieOnTheIzuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04572177200671354787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-64182543659481426362012-05-11T21:53:52.484+09:002012-05-11T21:53:52.484+09:00Wow, lots of honest thoughts here. I can certainly...Wow, lots of honest thoughts here. I can certainly relate. I came on JET with a group and all, but I felt so awkward and out of place (although that's not unusual for me - I'm quite introverted and don't do well in groups). I instantly bonded with a couple people, who had just as many quirks as me, but they're not in Japan anymore. Now I hardly have a social life, much less with JETs, though my husband is a fifth year. Everyone bonds with their groups, like you said. If not by year, by region. The fact that I work and have a baby puts me into a different category I think. Not that there aren't nice people (JETs, etc.) who want to do things, but... I can never go off and do things whenever I want more or less. But, I know someone who came during my year late, and she also had a difficult time bonding with everyone, also because she was put way out in the inaka and didn't have a car so hardly got to see anyone else.<br /><br />Sad too that people make such ignorant and stupid comments. I don't get it either. <br /><br />But, just wanted to let you know, you're not alone. I still have difficulties making good friends, and it's annoying because we sort of have settled here and so many people come and go so quickly or completely dismiss us altogether. I know during my first year when I didn't go out to all the parties people started to talk about me being some kind of hermit. I sort of am I guess :), which is fine with me, but I never understood why people cared so much. My only conclusion is that they take it personally, so they project their own feelings of inadequacy of someone else, like, "we're not good enough for her to hang out with us?" Even though, it was never about anyone but me. I don't think people consciously think this, but otherwise I just don't see why people feel the need to talk about ALTs poorly if they don't go out 24/7 and go to every.single.party. ANYWAY....<br /><br />If you're ever in Shiz city or the general area, I'd be happy to meet up (depending on schedules and baby and everything). It's nice to meet people who do want to stick around and are more serious. I'm itching to go back to Izu (haven't been since husb's and my anniversary trip last May), but not sure when we'll be going that way. Either way - we should meet up sometime! (And I'm not the type of person who says that without really meaning it; that seems to happen to me a lot too.... :P)Ashleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09056701655275051956noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-25603214765669899892012-05-11T09:05:08.509+09:002012-05-11T09:05:08.509+09:00Thank you everyone for the positive comments and d...Thank you everyone for the positive comments and discussion! I just can't wrap my head around this idea that it is not worthwhile to make friends while in Japan. I guess I just get really frustrated sometimes and I feel like I don't really have anyone in Japan to even just hang out with. Some of the attitudes SOME people I have met in Japan harbour have been a bit of a turn-off too. Is Japan some kind of arena separate from from the real world where actions and words are inconsequential?AussieOnTheIzuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04572177200671354787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-27886413178295660032012-05-10T21:53:58.340+09:002012-05-10T21:53:58.340+09:00Hey Sarah,
I'm really sorry and sad that you&#...Hey Sarah,<br />I'm really sorry and sad that you've been treated and feel this way. I was just pondering today on how relationships are perhaps different here because back home one spends a long time in the same society as people and ends up running with people who understand that society the same way they do and hopefully they have things in common. Whereas here we're all the new kid on the block you might have just one of back home, so we all have different expectations. I never considered that some people might be holding back because they don't consider these friendships to be worthwhile. Granted I haven't known people here as long as I have known a lot of friends in N.Z. and England, and I'm more likely to end up in one of those countries than the same country as a friend here; but I've spent more time with some people here than I may have done with some of m closest friends overseas, and I don't consider any one to be my 'real' friends, probably because I haven't had any lifelong friends because I have moved so often and, well, who happens to know and be placed in the same class as decent people they agree with from a young age?<br />Anyway, I hope whoever is causing you this frustration gets a wake up call and sorts their behaviour out (especially if I'm one of them) and that I get to enjoy some time with you soon.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04447218027475779539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-81610360761226739332012-05-10T21:22:24.774+09:002012-05-10T21:22:24.774+09:00That sucks :( I'm not sure if coming with othe...That sucks :( I'm not sure if coming with other noobs helps that much though, really. Chances of having anything in common with any other given JET are slim. You'd think we'd all have an interest in Japan, but I've found even that to be a false assumption. The transitory nature of one year contracts and the language barrier make it really hard to connect meaningfully for me too. I hope things look up :)Sopheliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09891110033136610235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4208567599249360467.post-59695478986275014132012-05-10T19:11:44.691+09:002012-05-10T19:11:44.691+09:00I totally get what you mean. For me, I know someti...I totally get what you mean. For me, I know sometimes I'm not the most social person, and so when it comes to friendships, it can be hard for me to bond or get chummy easily with someone/anyone. There's no doubt that there are things like 'real' friends - even I myself feel like there isn't anyone here to whom I can truly bond and pour out my heart & soul, like how I can be with my best friend at home.<br /><br />I feel like sometimes people make friends just for the sake of doing it (maybe I'm wrong), so that they can feel like, oh even though I'm in a different country I have a bunch of people who I can hang out with/want to hang out with me. But of course I've met people who are genuine and they hold on to the friendships they've made in Japan dearly. <br /><br />So sorry to hear about you getting those discriminatory remarks - some people can be very narrow-minded. <br /><br />I'm very thankful for the JET because then I'd never meet so many people from so many different parts of the world, and they've really helped opened up my mind/perspectives. I hope soon enough you can find someone "worthy" of your friendship and goodness. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09333855842735825249noreply@blogger.com