July 2025
Thanks for the memories. Farewell.
July is a special time for everyone on JET. Either you’re fresh off the plane and just starting your Japan adventure, you’re a seasoned veteran welcoming new friends, or, like Amaris, you’re saying farewell. This month is all about new beginnings.
About The Mikan
Amaris Lopez
Mikan Status: 3rd Year ALT in Iyo City, from San Diego, California & Tijuana, Mexico
“In everything I do â whether it’s teaching or storytelling â I carry my values like a compass:
Global Competency
Gastronomy & Spirituality
Prejudice & Representation
Family & Education”
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đ« Why JET?
      Iâm Amaris Lopez, a border-born, culture-breathing globetrotter raised between San Diego, California and Tijuana, Mexico. Growing up between two worlds gave me a passport to perspective, and taught me that culture isnât just something you learn, itâs something you live.
      In 2022, I traveled to Japan to visit my university friends (and my bestie Jun!) and fell in love all over again, not just with Japan, but with the kind of community Iâd been searching for: one rooted in connection, kindness, and curiosity.
      As a Japanese major and Spanish minor (yes, I picked it at first because I had no clue what to do with my life âŠoops đ ), applying to the JET Program felt like fate. My parents are both educators, so teaching has always been close to my heart. JET offered the perfect fusion: language, culture, and community. I saw it as a launchpad to grow personally and professionally in the land of the rising sun.
âš Life in Ehime: 3 Years, 1 School, Countless Memories
      For the past three years, Iâve lived in a charming loft in Iyo, just three train stops from the biggest mall in Shikoku (Emifull supremacy!!). As the solo ALT at my elementary school, I crafted every lesson from scratch, and went beyond the textbook. From organizing a Flamenco performance to creating a multicultural library, to helping my students donate 300 toys to kids in Ukraine, my role evolved into something magical.
      I invited guest speakers, including a renowned human rights advocate, and collaborated with my Mexican friend on a presentation about indigenous tattoos and how theyâre viewed in the West (yes, you read that right, and yes, the kids loved it đ đ„).
      JET wasnât just a job. It was a chapter that let me bloom in ways I never expected. I taught English, yes â but I also taught love, culture, and empathy. And in return? I found the love of my life, community, and purpose. I came to Japan searching for meaning. Iâm leaving with so much more.
đ The Spicy Ladies Club
      Somewhere in between lesson planning and Shimanami Kaido bike rides, I found ohana ,my Japanese soul sisters. We built the legendary âSpicy Ladies Clubâ (coined after our fierce hearts and fiery personalities). We traveled, laughed, healed, and became each otherâs chosen family.
đ¶ Music, Movement & More
      Music is my heartbeat. From bachata to Bollywood, Hawaiian reggae to jazz, I dance when I clean, cook, and dream. Iâve been dancing since I could walk, and yes, I may or may not have cumbiaâed my way through the teacherâs room more than once.
đ± New Beginnings (and growing pains)
      Next stop: Ireland. New city, new degree, new me (kinda).
      I had a good life here. A cozy apartment in Iyo đ, amazing coworkers, kids who called me âAmaris-senseiâ like I was a celebrity, and the iconic Spicy Ladies (best friend group to ever exist, sorry I donât make the rules).
      But if Iâm being real⊠I started losing my fire. Wake up. Work. Sleep. Repeat. I had a system, but I wasnât alive. âWhen youâre comfortable, you stop growing.â And Iâm not ready to stop growing.
      I love Japan with all my heart. But Japan will still be here. Family? Time with them? You never know how much youâve got. So Iâm going. With love, with gratitude, with my suitcases overflowing with Japanese snacks I canât live without.
đ„ Some Advice (from your loud, emotional ALT friend)
đĄ To Current JETs:
      Yes, travel. Yes, party. Yes, take those train selfies and eat your way through every combini snack.
       But please â donât forget why youâre here. Youâre getting paid to change lives. And yes, that includes taping up flashcards or playing Simon Says like 50 times a week.
      Japanese teachers are working their butts off doing overtime. You have a privilege â donât waste it. Be bold. Be present. Be humble. Say hello in the hallways. Ask the shy kids how theyâre doing. Show up for your school like it matters â because it does.
đž To Leaving JETs:
      Youâre gonna feel so many things: relief, sadness, joy, fear, guilt, freedom. Let yourself feel all of it. You lived here. You gave your heart. That means something.
      This chapter is done â but this place? These people? They’re part of you now.
đŹ To Incoming JETs:
      Youâre about to get rocked in the best way possible. Youâll cry, dance, eat something weird, teach without knowing whatâs going on, and laugh harder than you ever have.
      Say yes more than you say no. Be awkward, be brave, and donât be afraid to be your full self â even if that means bringing cumbia into the classroom (guilty).
đŹ Quote for the Road (Real One from Me)
      âThis chapter taught me that being a global ambassador isnât just about showing people your culture â itâs about living with heart, staying grounded in who you are, and knowing when to walk away from what dims your light. I gave everything to my students and my school, but I also learned how to choose myself. To protect my peace. To love louder, but only where itâs safe. You canât pour into others if your own cup is dry â and sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is choose your people and keep walking toward the version of you youâre still becoming.â
Hey, Mikans!
We hope you’re enjoying this month’s ZINE. If you have a story to tell, an idea to share, or just want to contribute we’d love to hear from you!Â
Weâll have a new maga(ZINE) post for you on the first of each month, so keep an eye out!
Interested in having your own ZINE? Reach out to us at themikanblog@gmail.com!