Aitas Japanese Language School

Vol. 15 - The JET program

Name: Jacqueline Fong
Area of Residence: Kawajiri, Hiroshima
Useful Link: The JET program

Kyoko and Masa sensei!
how are you both doing? I am in Kawajiri, Kure, Hiroshima. I teach at both Junior High School and Elementary School. I am enjoying teaching, especially when I am teaching at the Elementary schools. The kids are so adorable!

I am enjoying my time here very much! I went to a lantern festival in a small town called Takehara, east of Kawajiri (where I live). It was absolutely beautiful! They cut bamboo and put the candle inside and then they used it to light up the streets. Some people put them in their gardens and decorated it that way in the evening. There was a lot of good food and people playing music and there was a girl dressed in a really beautiful kimono and she was walking around letting people take pictures of her.

On Sunday, I participated in the harvest festival. Kure city wanted some of the JETs to help out so I and four other girls volunteered. It was an amazing experience! We got our hair done and then we got to wear the festival clothing. The girls had to carry this portable shrine from downtown partway up this mountain to the temple there. There were these guys dressed up as Oni and they were drunk haha .. they went around in front of the girls and they scared children. My supervisor said that the Oni men scare the children so that they will cry which means they will be healthy in the future. That was really interesting. All along the way there would be fights and lion dances. It was very interesting to watch. 

But by the end of the day and by Monday my arms and my body was very sore!! The shrine we had to carry was very heavy. Not only that but while carrying it we had to lift it up and down chanting "washai" or something like that. It was exciting but by the end, I think all the girls were getting very, very tired, haha

Well, I hope you both are doing well ^^
hope to hear from you soon,

- Jackie