Sayonara Speech

Saying goodbye to your friends and family when you move away is one of the hardest tasks. However, for every goodbye or "sayonara", I believe that you will be blessed with two hello's or "hajimemashite".

I was hoping to make a post about my first couple of weeks in Tokyo, but it has been so busy with my new school and my endless adventures that I thought I should just take a little time to reflect on the last moments I had in Canada before moving.

I was given the chance to give a speech at our farewell reception and I'm going to post it below just so you can understand what kind of crazy thoughts were running through my head before my move:

Hello and konnichiwa, minna-san!

I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to say a few words to the wonderfully genki people that I have met thus far, and to those whom I am looking forward to becoming better acquainted with on our long haul flight to Japan.

Everyone’s journey up until this moment has been very different, but I look at all of you now and see the same mixed look of nerves and excitement as we all take the final steps together towards our placements in the JET Programme.  While I cannot speak to the unique and enriching adventures that each and every one of you will have in Japan, I can, however, let you all in on the secret formula which I have concocted in order to make us all JET Super-Sensei’s.

The first ingredient is a dash of role model. Know that when you walk down the street or down the halls of your school, you represent a lot more than just yourself. Our shadows are comprised of our commitment to the JET Programme, our respect towards our families and friends for their endless support, and our pride for Canada. Therefore, be someone who students can look up to (metaphorically and in my case, literally) to inspire positive and lifelong language and cultural acquisition.

The next ingredient is one cup conformity to two cups individuality. Find where you fit in in Japan and then show them how you stand out. Take the time to carefully look at the culture and customs around you as you embrace the challenges that are presented by living in a new surrounding with an open mind. This being said, you should also never be afraid to let your personality shine through. Be proud enough of your hobbies and interest enough to say, “why yes, I am a Korean drama enthusiast slash violin player slash amateur fortune teller” as your celebrated differences are what made you stand out in the first place.

Next is a juicy slice of humility. Earning respect and showing kindness to your co-teachers, your supervisors, and your students will open up so many special opportunities for you. Be prepared to teach, but get ready for a lot of unexpected learning. It is here that I would like to indulge in a bit of humbleness on behalf of all of the departing 2015 JETs in order to thank all of the inspired, caring, and motivated individuals who spent so much time and effort upholding the standard of excellence within the JET community. To the Consulate General of Japan and to the paper-application and interviewing committee – I extend a thank you for your dedication and your commitment to the JET Programme. To the volunteers at the Japan Foundation, and the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre - I extend a thank you for the time you invested into igniting our passion to learn more about Japanese cultures. To the members of the JET Alumni Association and the Japanese Visitors Association – I extend another warm thank you for you endless encouragement, enthusiasm, and openness that you channeled into every second of the P-DOT weekend. The final thank you goes out to Marcia Iwasaki, the JET Programme Coordinator at the Consulate, whose guidance, patience, and wisdom has been present in every email, letter, and meeting.

To stick with tradition, every secret formula must end off with a secret ingredient, correct? Well it should be no surprise that the secret is you. Each and every one of you add such a special flavour to the JET community. I am truly honored to have the chance to get to know many of you and be moved by your dedication, kindness, and determination. Remember that only you have the power to make the best of your own experiences abroad, but feel at ease with the knowledge that your JET community that will always be ready to help you face whatever happens next on your special journey. So with that, minna-san, ganbattekudasai!

I hope that speech made you feel nice and whimsical haha! I know this wasn't the most exciting blog post ever, but I have a special video in the making so please look forward to that!