Right when my spring break officially started, I received an email from JET (Japanese Exchange and Teaching) Program. It wasn’t just one, but three emails and all I can think was did I get passed the interview round and get accepted? I was literally shaking as I clicked each email and downloading what seems to be a bunch of attachments and read the main letter. It was official; I made it on to the final short-list of candidates of ALT (Assistant Learning Teachers)! This meant that I will be guaranteed to be selected with a Contracting Organization in hopefully the area I had preference to. As excited as I was telling the good news to my family, all of their faces were not of happiness but a bit of a frown instead and that got me even more nervous.
My family especially my parents are concerned about me going there after all that has happened the last 2 months. They feel it is not safe and the main topic that they keep throwing at me about was about the radiation and the nuclear power plant. I felt my hopes of going diminish a bit and thinking to myself would I be able to go? I had mixed reactions from some of my friends and family when I posted it onto my wall on FB or spoke with a few on the phone. The ones on FB were all congratulating me for getting in while on the phone a few were against me going. I spoke with my professor who has helped me during the application process about the dilemma. While she understands their concerns, she tells me that it is a very good opportunity and to be accepted among so many applicants is prestigious and an accomplishment. It’s a once in a life time opportunity. It will definitely look bad if I decided to decline the position as 1 – I would be taking away someone else’s opportunity when they tried so hard and didn’t get in and 2 – the organization would also look down on me. From what she has heard, life in Japan is going on like normal even when trying to find solutions to repair/take down the plants. She tells me to trust my gut and listen to what it is saying.
I had another friend’s perspective who also wants me to go. What he told me was that there will be many more things that will cause your parents to worry in the future such as finding my own place and living alone, going out of NY due to a job or when I decide to get married. They can’t keep you in sight all the time and they need to know that it is alright to let you go and everything will just be fine. As long as I keep in contact with them while I am half way around the world, it will be fine. My friend is right. They can’t keep me in the nest forever and I want to be independent. Inside myself, I want to go, ever since I studied abroad 3 years ago. I want to experience life in another country and see what this cultural experience will bring me. I know in the beginning it will be tough and mentally exhausting but I am sure I will get over it and just enjoy being in Japan for a year.
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