Warm Reception Welcome Home JETs
Consul-General of Japan in Toronto Tetsuo Yamashita(above photo) held a reception at his official residence on Nov. 26 to welcome back seven returning members of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme.
“It is a period of great adjustment, like an astronaut back into a world of gravity fitting back into the Canadian lifestyle,” said Consul-General Yamashita in describing how the returnees must feel. In order to cope with the adjustment, he added: “Please seek out opportunities such as this evening, to link up with wonderful members of the JET Alumni Association and the Japanese community.”
Sadaf Taqv (above left photo)i, representing the returnees, said she would like in the future to fully take advantage of her experiences as a teacher in Japan for the benefit of exchange between Japan and Canada. Toronto JET-AA Co-Chair Natalie Bay (above right photo) followed by representing the Association in extending a warm welcome to the returnees.
This was followed by speeches by representatives of various local Japan-related organizations. Among them was Fukuoka Kenjin-Kai representative Kunio Suyama (below left photo), who every year instructs new JET participants on the Bon Odori, a popular traditional folk dance. The reception lasted over three hours. The returnees shared their experiences with members of the local Japanese Canadian community, resulting in a pleasant evening for all.
