I wrote this in 2016, but the insights shared still remain relevant.

Teaching English has always been regarded as a low-barrier entry to experience the awesomeness that is Japan. What's more, with the Japan government determined to pump in substantial resources to improve the quality of English instruction due to the upcoming Tokyo Olympics 2020, it seems that prefectural governments are hiring more native speakers in recent years. So teaching English is a great way to earn an income, immerse yourself totally in Japanese culture and make lifelong friends. Intrigued? Hang on as I recount my two years of teaching experience under the Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) programme so that you will have an idea of what it's like.

Under the JET programme, I was rotated among three elementary schools and one junior high school to impart English alongside Japanese teachers to students ranging from 7 to 15 years old. Being the only foreigner in the staffroom was intimidating at first, but the sheer exhilaration of experiencing first-hand the education system soon eased my anxiety away. Watching children organize themselves to dish out food to their classmates or clean up their classroom felt familiar because I had previously seen all these on Japanese school dramas, but other things were surprising revelations for me. Take for instance how many schools incorporated rice planting sessions or three-day work experiential programmes into their lesson time so that students could learn to be responsible and responsive members of their community. Or how club activities were such an integral part of both teachers' and students' lives that they trained every day after school - and even on weekends! Not forgetting the many exciting events that were held in the school calendar: chorale contest, sports festival, cultural festival, cross-country run, among others. Undergoing the highs and lows of a school year really enabled me to appreciate why Japanese people were so cooperative and caring for others' well-being - these admirable traits have been instilled in them from a young age!

I didn't speak much Japanese before my JET stint, but total immersion in Japan helped me improve my Japanese by leaps and bounds - and along with it, my understanding of what was trending among Japanese youth. Nameko, a smartphone game that featured many irresistibly cute nameko (a kind of mushroom) characters was the rage during my stint, so it was fun to weave these popular characters into my lessons and have my students get all excited about learning English. Some Japanese artistes have the habit of including some English phrases or even sentences in their lyrics, which made for a great way to introduce to students how English wasn't some obscure language that belonged in another universe. Getting my students to dance uninhibitedly along to the English-infused chorus of "Life is a party" (Funky Monkey Babys) was a career accomplishment that would remain etched in my mind! And of course, culture cuts both ways. It was a humbling experience being able to share with them aspects of my motherland or to plan festival-themed lessons in which we explored how different countries around the world celebrate significant festivals like Halloween and Christmas. Due to my JET stint, I now have a heightened understanding of how the teaching of a language is enlivened when the teacher leverages it to impart cultural knowledge.

The JET programme took me to places I would never have ventured to if I had simply remained in my home country. I was a teacher at a vocational college back home and never thought that I would be able to relate to elementary school kids. However, my times spent at my elementary schools were easily the highlight of my stint. It was just so refreshing to soak up the children's bubbly innocence and effervescent energy, and I had a lot of fun interacting with them. Another interesting experience was teaching special needs students as they were integrated in mainstream schools. Not only did I get to witness the steadfast dedication and patience of the special needs teachers, but I also had fun challenging myself to design simple, yet meaningful activities that catered to their learning needs. Occasionally, I even got to visit kindergartens and high schools and teach one-off lessons as well. Communicating with such a wide spectrum of students in terms of ages and abilities helped me collect many precious experiences under my belt and consolidated my teaching capabilities - something that I will always be grateful for.

Some people around you will point out that teaching English in Japan isn't all that it is hyped out to be, for some native speakers get relegated to being "human tape recorders" in the classroom as they merely get students to parrot vocabulary words mindlessly after them. Although their misgiving isn't entirely unfounded, you will get to work with many different teachers in Japan. For every teacher that would rather you repeat vocabulary words, there will be another teacher who will be willing to let you try out your ideas. If the idea of testing your mettle in a foreign land and being able to embrace wholeheartedly another culture appeals to you, I will highly recommend that you teach English in Japan!