For context, I have been placed on the JET Program and have since moved to Japan! While I had previously not yet been told my final destination, I am currently writing from my desk in the faculty room of my new school. I'm the newest addition to the school staff, since my predecessor left right before I arrived. I have taken over living in the same house as he (my Senpai) and have already made a few new friends.

Life on Takarajima「宝島」is a lot like life anywhere else in rural Japan, just slightly more remote, and a bit more inconvenient. I'm fortunate enough to have access to the only shop in all of the seven inhabited islands in my village of Toshima-mura. I'm told Takarajima has the best beaches of all of the Tokara Islands, though I have not yet found a chance to investigate them. (It's also currently Obon, a Japanese holiday, during which there is a taboo against swimming.) Though there are still snakes here, I'm honestly quite excited to live on Takarajima.

The Journey：米国➡日本

In the beginning, I flew from ABQ to DEN. The next day, it was direct from Denver International Airport to Narita in Tokyo, along with the rest of the JETs from the Denver departure cohort; we totaled maybe 25 people. I met so many nice people from my departure cohort, and I'm so grateful I was able to share in the transition process with so many like-minded individuals.

Denver to Tokyo：デンバー➡東京

After arriving in Tokyo, we were all bussed to the same hotel in which we all received orientation lectures and keynote speeches for the next couple of days or so. Many of the topics were really good review of the materials given to us to look over prior to arrival, but there was some new content in there as well; many complained that all could have been just an email, but I feel as though the primary benefit was to those that did not have time to read all of the predeparture documents beforehand, and those that need repetition to drive concepts home (like me).

I actually appreciated the review, finding many things I had already forgotten during this tumultuous transitional phase of my life. The greatest benefit to me was the opportunity to network with other JETs and the teaching technique instruction, as I don't have a background in education. I was really impressed by some of the educators there that were visiting Japan for their first time just to teach. That's true love of the game.

Tokyo to Kagoshima：東京➡鹿児島

After Tokyo orientation, all the rest of the people headed to Kagoshima-ken (the prefecture) and I were rounded up and flown down to Kagoshima-ken's regional airport. From there, the head of education for Toshima-mura came to drive us to Kagoshima-shi (the city) where we spent the next couple of days getting all of the bureaucracy out of the way. Things like banking, phone numbers, and groceries for the first week or so.

Kagoshima-shi to Takarajima：鹿児島市➡宝島

Finally, on my favorite leg of the journey, a ferry ride! I spent about 13 hours, primarily overnight, on Ferry Toshima, voyaging from Kagoshima-shi to Takarajima, stopping at every other inhabited island in Toshima-mura along the way. By ferry, my island is the final stop before Amami Ōshima (one of my favorite places) where the ship turns around and does the same route in reverse. From Amami, it's only about 3 hours, so the quickest way to get to Takarajima is probably a flight to Amami Ōshima airport, then the ferry from Amami to Takarajima.

Quite frankly, I love boats and ferries, so I was thrilled at the opportunity. I got to help load and unload shipping containers, which was quite novel, and getting to see all of the other islands in Toshima-mura along the way was a bonus, as well. There was even this crazy-looking bird just chilling on the roof, close enough to touch (though I respectfully took only pictures), having hitched a ride overnight to Kuchinoshima, all the way from the mainland.

Settling In

While I have already been here on Takarajima for over a week at this point, I have only just begun to settle in. So far, everyone here has been super kind, welcoming, and helpful towards me. I am so very grateful. I'm still struggling with figuring out how to do silly basic things like laundry and garbage disposal, but the community has been so supportive in helping me to learn. I am also excited to document various events and landmarks on the island, here. I can't wait to see what else this island has in store for me.

First Week Gallery

Looking Forward

While I am excited to teach, I'm also excited to learn. I was thrilled to meet so many new people from all over the world (though primarily just the English-speaking world) at the post-arrival orientation in Tokyo. I found myself getting along with people from Australia, India, the Philippines, South Africa, and the UK! So many different perspectives. Each day as I experience life in Japan, I am getting to practice my Japanese. While I'm still primarily just speaking Japanese, I'm still improving in that respect while also beginning to study and improve my literacy, as well.

I plan to mark up this map with landmarks and points of interest, throughout my time on Takarajima, so keep an eye on it!

I also have a Kagoshima-ken Prefectural-wide New JET Orientation to look forward to in a next week, which means a trip to the mainland! I wonder if I will tire of all the boats, because right now I'm still stoked.

Thanks to all who read to the end,
I can't wait to bring you on this journey with me.

Yours from abroad,
Joseph「西川龍児」Coston