We Are Tomodachi Japan and Russia Edition 2018

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17About the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) ProgrammeThe JET Programme official websitehttp://jetprogramme.org/en/At work in the Niigata Prefectural Government Office.Explaining Japanese influence on Russian culture at a maritime high school in Itoigawa City, Niigata.we love visiting Niigata’s many beautiful beaches. I work for the Niigata Prefectural Government Office. This often involves smoothing out cultural differences and closing the communication gap. In that sense, my work here often resembles my previous job, but with a twist. For example, part of my job now involves encouraging somewhat delicate conversations. Russian visitors often misunderstand instructional posters and promotional photos for hot springs and public baths. In these images, bathers are often shown enjoying the baths while wearing towels. Tourists often don’t realize that those towels are only shown to protect the sensibilities of the viewers! In reality, towels should never touch the water in the baths. Bathers mustn’t wear towels except while showering or drying off. On a more serious note, my team and I have been contributing to events in Khabarovsk and Vladivostok, which are happening as part of the Russia-Japan Cross Cultural Year in 2018. As part of this, Niigata is ramping up the cultural exchange still further.Although I’m very happy here, life in Japan hasn’t been The Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme began in 1987 with the goal of promoting grass-roots international exchange between Japan and other nations, and is now one of the world’s largest international exchange programs. JET partici-pants are placed in every region of Japan and work in one of three positions: assistant language teachers (ALTs), coordinators for international relations (CIRs), or sports exchange advisors (SEAs). In 2017, the JET Programme welcomed 5,163 participants, and currently there are approximately 66,000 alumni from 67 countries living in all parts of the world. without challenges. In Krasnoyarsk we rarely have to put up with humid weather, so summers here are tough. It’s also hard for straight-talking Russians like me to adapt to Japanese-style communication, where much is left unsaid. Thankfully I’m getting better at reading between the lines!Something that has helped me become more in touch with Japanese culture is studying traditional flower arrangement, known in Japanese as ikebana. There’s something very meditative about ikebana, which is all about communicating feelings without the need for words. So in spite of the challenges I face, or perhaps because of them, I cannot recommend the JET Programme strongly enough. Anyone interested in Japan and cross-cultural exchange should consider applying. I’m undecided on what I’ll do when I finish my term as a CIR. I might choose a career in tourism, or find a job that helps Russian and Japanese companies work together. Either way, I hope to continue building on the skills I’ve been developing since I graduated, and I sincerely hope to continue living and working in Japan.