[The Nahari mascot was Kinmenyan! A cat dressed up like a kinmedai fish.]
Where were you in Japan as a JET and when?
I was a CIR in the town of Nahari, in the eastern part of Kōchi Prefecture, from 2021 to 2023.
What sparked your interest in applying for the JET program?
I've been interested in Japan since middle school, and have been many times for fun, a year of study abroad, and research during graduate school. I always wanted to spend time living there and was interested in cultural exchange, so the I couldn't pass up the opportunity to work as a CIR in a small town!
[Yearly mochi making event at the elementary school.]
What are some of the things your prefecture is known for? e.g. food, hotspots, etc.
Kōchi Prefecture is pretty far off the beaten path, but that's one of the reasons I loved it! Nahari is sandwiched right between the ocean and the mountains, so it was very beautiful. Kōchi is known for Sakamoto Ryōma, Makino Tomitarō (a famous botanist), katsuo-no-tataki (seared bonito cooked over a straw fire), and a history of whaling.
Did you pick up any of the regional dialects? What are some of your favorite words or phrases?
Yes, Kōchi has two dialects, Tosa Dialect in the east and Hakata Dialect in the west. Since I was in the east I pretty much only heard Tosa Dialect. It's very distinctive, and there were two phrases I heard a lot! One, often from kids and students, was 何しゆうが？ which means "Whatcha doin'?" and the second was かまん which is a shortening of 構わない which means "I don't mind." or "no problem."
[I was able to participate in a trial e-bike tour to increase tourism in Eastern Kōchi.]
If you were to return to live in Japan, would you choose to live in that same prefecture?
Definitely! I really love rural life, and I got to participate in a lot of unique events like rice planting and harvesting, a local arts festival, translating and publishing a kamishibai, a tai chi group, and a folk dance group. It was a really lovely community! There was also a lot of great hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities really close by.
How has your connection in relation to Japan changed since living in Japan?
I feel a much stronger connection, and I still keep in touch with my friends (both Japanese and other JET participants) who still live there. I'll definitely be back to visit Nahari during future trips to Japan.
[My folk dance group.]
Thank you, Mac, for sharing your JET story!
Comments