Thanks for visiting!
It's true! I am traveling to Japan for two years to teach English at The Wakakusa English School, a private elementary school in one of Japan's rural towns North of Tokyo.
The Wakakusa program consists of several Japanese teachers/coordinators and 9 American teachers, each with a minimum 2 year contract to teach English at the Elementary or Jr. High level. We are assistant teachers, which means there will be a Japanese teacher in the classroom with us.
The Wakakusa program is a Christian-based program; one prerequisite is that the applicant be a believer in Christ Jesus as their Savior and Lord, having committed his or her life to serving Him. Because people respond to the gospel in different ways, Wakakusa's goal is to not only provide excellent education for the students, but to be positive, ethical, and responsible professionals in the workplace. We strive to reflect Jesus in our everyday lives, our actions themselves presenting the gospel of Christ. To learn more about the Wakakusa program click here.
Dates:
Update: New departure date is May 9th!
Update: Arriving HOME in Seattle April 29-30th. See you soon!
Frequently Asked Questions:
The Wakakusa English School
66 Hiradate, Funehiki-machi Tamura-shi, Fukushima-ken
963-4312 JAPAN
The Wakakusa program consists of several Japanese teachers/coordinators and 9 American teachers, each with a minimum 2 year contract to teach English at the Elementary or Jr. High level. We are assistant teachers, which means there will be a Japanese teacher in the classroom with us.
The Wakakusa program is a Christian-based program; one prerequisite is that the applicant be a believer in Christ Jesus as their Savior and Lord, having committed his or her life to serving Him. Because people respond to the gospel in different ways, Wakakusa's goal is to not only provide excellent education for the students, but to be positive, ethical, and responsible professionals in the workplace. We strive to reflect Jesus in our everyday lives, our actions themselves presenting the gospel of Christ. To learn more about the Wakakusa program click here.
Dates:
- March 16th, arrive in Washington
- March 27th, fly to Mansfield, Ohio for training, orientation, and meet fellow teachers.
- April 2nd, fly to Tokyo, Japan and embark on a new journey!
Update: New departure date is May 9th!
- March 29th, leave Japan :(
- March 30th, arrive in New Zealand!
- April 17th, arrive in Hawaii
Update: Arriving HOME in Seattle April 29-30th. See you soon!
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Where will you be staying? In an apartment near my job site. Most all the other teachers live in the same complex.
- Do you know Japanese? While it is not required for the position, I took it upon myself to learn Japanese and have completed almost 2 years at college level. See "Signing My Life Away" for more detail.
- Are you scared or nervous? Nope! Well, maybe I'm nervous that I'll do something culturally inappropriate and be embarrassed, but I'm sure that's unavoidable.
- Will you come back during the 2 years? Not planning on it. I figure, in the entire span of my life, 2 years in Japan is not that big of a deal. I've already had 23 birthdays and Christmases in the States and I'm sure there will be plenty more in the future. Might as well live it up in Japan!
- Do you like sushi? I love Japanese food, but if you want to send me some whole wheat flour, granola, mixed nuts, or dried cranberries feel free!
- What's your address? Please send all mail and packages to:
The Wakakusa English School
66 Hiradate, Funehiki-machi Tamura-shi, Fukushima-ken
963-4312 JAPAN
- Will you return to Oregon? I hope so...