Jikoshokai Corner
Today we would like to introduce our new JETAARM Treasurer, Elaine Martinez!
Welcome to JETAARM, Elaine! Please introduce yourself.
Hello everyone, My name is Elaine Martinez. In 2014, I was assigned to a little town called Kahoku-Cho in Yamagata Prefecture. I spent two amazing years getting to know myself and the people around me. My hope is that future JETs will take this assignment as an opportunity to discover their own potential and gain confidence in the world we live in. It’s truly a time to reinvent yourself!
What made you want to apply to the JET Programme?
I wanted to challenge myself to live in a foreign country and get to an advanced level in the language. The goal was to find a job in the future to use both English and Japanese. I had always wanted to pursue business so I thought going on this program would achieve several goals: language proficiency, familiarizing myself with social customs, business etiquette, and making long-lasting friends!
What was your most meaningful experience on JET?
My most meaningful experience on JET was learning how selfless people can be. Both Japanese locals and JET locals often went out of their way to spend time with me. I once had a Japanese friend drive me and my other JET friends an hour away to see Mt. Haguro. He gave us a tour, translated religious scripts and shared a lot of his historical knowledge just because. When I was hospitalized, this same person, Mr. Naoki, helped me navigate that terrifying experience and cared for me as I recovered my health. Another JET, Mr. Coull traveled over an hour by bus to visit me in the hospital. It was not someone I saw frequently so you can imagine my surprise and joy when I realized someone had traveled so far to see me.
What are you most looking forward to as a JETAARM board member?
As a board member I hope to share with other JETs new and old how the community is still alive even before and after your time on JET. It’s one resource people can leverage to make connections, make new friends, discover a new hobby, or anything. Just put yourself out there and you’ll realize that you’ll find things in common with other members.
Bonus Question: What’s one of the most surprising experiences you had while on JET?
I think other JETs with Latin-American backgrounds will understand this well. I was incredibly surprised the first time I tried Japanese beans. The Japanese word for beans is mame and in Spanish it is frijol(es). When I first arrived in Japan, my co-workers were very excited to share with me edible omiyage (souvenirs) from their trips. One in particular said the omiyage they had brought was their favorite dessert. And I was confused because the term they used was mame. I was totally confused when I bit into this pastry thinking it would be similar to my culture’s use of beans and instead found the inside of the pastry to be unusually sweet. My co-worker noticed my confusion and when I explained to them that in Latin-American culture we never put sugar into our beans, but salt, they were extremely surprised. It was just so interesting to discover different uses for similar vegetables! This was so surprising to my co-workers that I was interviewed by the town's newspaper. Hahah.
