National AJET’s Life After JET: David Leung
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National AJET
shares former JET participants’ experiences – and a little advice – with current JETs in their new monthly interview, Life After JET. Contact lifeafterjet [at] ajet.net to be featured in future posts.
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David Leung (Nagasaki, 2009-2010) walked us through his decision to leave JET and eventually finding his way to his current position as Graduate Policy Officer for the State Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology back in Australia.
NAJET: When in the JET-year did you decide not to re-contract?
David: It was the toughest decision to make, whether or not to recontract. It is usually the worst time of the year for most JETs to carry such a heavy burden, either having just settled in, or in the most serious bouts of wintery homesickness.
For me, from the very beginning, it was always an open option to stay for as long as I could enjoy the experience and be of use to my local community on Fukue Island. The main reason I was still debating at the 11th hour wasn’t because I didn’t enjoy my work (I loved my schools, my Japanese colleagues and the kids), my social life (I had the closest network of JET teachers, who will remain some of my closest friends for the rest of my life, and was a member of the warmest Taiko Team you could imagine) or the environment (fresh local produce and delicious Goto udon that you must try, the friendliest neighbours, and the most gorgeous tropical island with beaches). It was the fact that I left the love of my life back home in Australia. When it came down to it, choosing to stay would be choosing a life for me, and choosing not to recontract meant choosing a life together with my partner.
NAJET: What’s important for JETs to do once they decide not to re-contract?
David: The two toughest things to do is to keep up the energy and try to pack in as much experience as you can in the time left. I found that I subconsciously began to distance myself from all aspects of life, I guess as a defence mechanism against the inevitable pain of leaving a year’s worth of relationships, work and stories.
Make a list of things that you want to do, either mentally or written down. This list doesn’t just include experiences that you can only do in Japan or your local community, but also making the time to say proper goodbyes with people that have become close to you over the past year(s) you may not see ever again. As time to go draws near, time speeds up; your mind will wander to the future, leaving less time and space for the present – having the list helps you keep focused and in the here and now.
Make the effort to say goodbye to your school(s) and exchange contact details with those nearest and dearest to you. You never know with whom you will want to stay in touch during a lonely moment after a few months of being back at home.
Don’t underestimate the amount of luggage you will want to bring home, and be prepared for bulky and impractical (but wonderfully sentimental and treasured) goodbye gifts from people you’d least expect.
NAJET: How did you get started on your job search when you returned home?
David: As soon as I decided to return home, I started my job search online via the numerous jobseeker support websites here in Australia. I had plenty of conversation with my partner, my family and my friends, all of whom were splendid sources of support and advice.
I had a pretty clear idea of where I wanted to be – education policy. Having worked in rural Japan, I saw areas of improvement in local government policy and funding decisions first-hand, yet could do nothing about it at the teaching level.
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