By Nicholas Jones
JETAA hosted the 2016 Re-Entry Conference on Saturday October 22nd. This conference is much like the reverse of our annual Pre-Departure Orientation Toronto (PDOT). At PDOT, we prepare new JET Programme participants for the possible culture shock of moving to Japan, with all of its new challenges. At the Re-Entry Conference, we help JETs with the often-unexpected reverse culture shock of returning to a place you’ve always thought of as your home.
Though Toronto may have stayed the same while these JETs were away, they themselves have changed so much as a result of Japan that now they deal with reverse culture shock. Fortunately professional therapists and JETAA Executive Committee member Sonomi Tanaka was on hand to present about the challenges of reverse culture shock, and to present some strategies for re-adapting to Canadian life.
She let the returning JETs know that all the mixed up emotions they were feeling were completely normal, that the rest of us JET alumni had been in their shoes, and that we were here to support them as they readjusted to Canada.
That essentially set the tone for the rest of the day, as a roster of JET Alumni delivered presentations on interview and resume skills, how to volunteer your way into a job, and how to make the most of all the Japanese culture that Toronto has to offer. Though the content of each presentation differed, they could all be boiled down to one sentiment:
All of us alumni have been in your shoes, whether it was last year, or more than a decade ago. We had to figure out the things you’re now facing, so let us share what we learned about them, and let us help and support you through your Canadian re-entry process.
And support all the recently returned JETs we will. Whether it is through professional development and networking events like our Career Roundtable on the evening of Thursday November 10th, or the Kiln You Softly pottery event on the weekend of November 18th and 19th, JETAA has a pile of events planned through the fall. Every one of these events will be attended by JET alumni who have had years experience re-adjusting to Canadian life, so be sure to come out and chat with them.
To cap off the day, Consul-General of Japan Mr. Yasunori Nakayama graciously welcomed the returned JETs to a reception in their honour at the Consulate-General of Japan. In his welcoming address, the Consul-General recognized the very unique experience that JET alumni boast, and encouraged the returnees to continue to act as cultural ambassadors between Canada and Japan for years to come.
The Consul-General then handed the mic to Yaroslava Timoshenko, a JET returnee who is also the current JET Programme Assistant Coordinator. She spoke on behalf of the returned JETs and did a phenomenal job of capturing all the complex emotions that we’ve all experienced returning to a home that now somehow seems strange. She also honoured the fantastic support that the Consulate-General of Japan, and tireless JET Programme Coordinator Marcia Iwasaki in particular, provides for JETs, both before and after their time in Japan.
Finally, Mr. Yoshikazu Ito, Secretary General-Toronto Japanese Association of Commerce & Industry, led the guests in a toast.
The reception was attended by a number of representatives from the Toronto Japanese community, including the Japan Foundation, the Toronto Japanese Association of Commerce & Industry, Pasona Canada, Torja, Bits, and Japanese faculty from York University and the University of Waterloo.
JETAA would like to thank all of these representatives for coming out to honour the returnee JETs. We’d also like to honour the dozen JET Alumni volunteers who made the conference a success—chief among them our intrepid Executive Committee Conference Coordinator, Cecilia Yam. She has worked tirelessly this year to organize and run both the Pre-Departure and Re-Entry Orientations, benefiting nearly 100 JET Programme participants. Thanks Cecilia!