LD's Guide to Japan

One of the interesting things I’m discovering about moving to Japan to teach English is that everybody knows someone who has “done that.”  Although usually they don’t actually know the person, so much as they just know of the person, and usually by “done that,” they actually mean “done something vaguely similar to that.”  Even so, it’s always the first thing that people want to tell me when they find out what I’m going to be doing.

Sample dialog that actually happened this morning:

E: So what is this job that you’re leaving to do?

Me: Well, I’m going to be teaching English in a public school in Japan.

E: Oh, no way!  My sister-in-law’s cousin married a guy who did that!  I heard he had a great time.

Me: Really?  Did he go through the JET Program, too?

E: No, I don’t think he did.

Me: Oh, that’s cool, though.  Do you know where in Japan he was?

E: Actually, he went to Spain to teach.

Me: English?

E: Yeah.  Well, English Literature.

Me: …

E: I’m sure you’re gonna have the time of your life.

Me: Yeah, I’m really excited.

Soon I’ll be one of those people that my friends and family say they know when other people tell them they’re going to Africa to teach science.