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Bruce Bordner’s Welcome Letter |
Hello everyone!
Congratulations on being selected as a Sendai JET! It won't be long and you'll be here enjoying life in a new and exciting place. My name is Bruce Bordner and I have been living in Japan for the past four years (wow...has it been that long?). I taught at a small English conversation school in the countryside for two years before making my way into Sendai and the JET Program. The last I can remember, I came from the USA. I was born and raised in a small town in Indiana. Before I made the huge leap to move to Japan I had been out of the US only once, and that was to Canada. So I can relate to how some of you may be feeling. It's a big step to move to a foreign land, but I think all of you have made a great decision. You're going to have some incredible experiences in the coming year, experiences that you'll never forget and that may well change your lives. In this letter I'll be telling you about some of my experiences and how I feel about Sendai.
Let's see...where to start. I've been told time and time again that Sendai is a "big city" with a "small city" feel. I really believe this is true. It has a lot of the conveniences of home yet gives everyone an abundance of opportunities to experience traditional culture. It's all here waiting for you. Sendai is pretty spread out so each of you will have slightly different schools, living conditions, working conditions and neighbors. Each of you will have his or her share of perks and problems, but keep in mind that usually everything balances itself out. Sendai has probably the best JET support and training program in the country. When you arrive, Tony, Lois and Stefanie will be here to answer your questions, provide teaching advice and help you as much as they can. In most cities the JETs are left to their own, but here, there is plenty of support and training designed to help you adjust, teach and slip into your new life.
Before coming to Japan I wondered what exactly I would be doing. Once I arrived in Sendai, my school met me and I was taken to a somewhat small (by American standards) but very nice apartment. After a few days of orientation, I was off to school. Once there, I soon realized that there were few people around. This was because the students were on summer break, but even though they weren't in class they were participating in club activities. I found it a great opportunity to meet all of the students, teachers, study some Japanese and get prepared for the coming school term. Most of you will be in the same situation so my advice to you is to take advantage of the time!
When I first arrived I had no clue as to what was expected of me. Your Japanese English teacher will not always tell you exactly what they want you to do. For many Japanese English teachers, teaching with an ALT is a relatively new experience. I recently sent out a questionnaire to the Japanese teachers you'll be teaching with. I wanted to know what they expected of the ALTs with whom they work. Good news... basically they want you to show qualities that got you on to the JET Program in the first place. Your teachers want you to you be energetic, creative, flexible and interact with the students inside and out of class. No, worries. It's all good.
Finally, what to bring. I certainly can't tell you everything that you can and cannot get in Sendai, but I'll try to give you a few suggestions about what to think about bringing (remember ladies, this is coming from a man). I can't think of too many things that it will be necessary to bring since Sendai has a number of department stores and supermarkets that import foreign goods, but if you are partial to particular brands of personal products (toothpaste, deodorant, condoms, etc.), bring plenty. I've been told this is especially true for people who wear contact lenses, as it's expensive here. In terms of clothing, it's most important to bring enough shoes, especially ones for indoor use. If you have a large shoe or clothing size, you won't be able to buy them here. Be sure to bring pictures of your family and hometown or anything else reflecting where you're from and who you are to show your teachers and students.
Good luck in preparing for the coming move to Sendai...don't wait until the last minute! I'm looking forward to meeting all of you. If you have any questions about school or life in Sendai, feel free to e-mail me at bruce@pb.highway.ne.jp
See you soon,
