Anime and Manga Update
Leiso Edwards
I’m a big fan of anime and manga and, if you let me, I would never shut up about it. However, it’s sometimes better to be brief. Instead of talking excessively of how great anime and manga is, I’ll just get to the point.
Tell Me About the Rabbits
Anna Sheffer
From fox villages to cat cafes, Japan has a reputation for animal tourism. And one of the most unique examples is Okunoshima — an island overrun with rabbits — located between Ehime and Hiroshima prefectures in the Seto Inland Sea. After hearing rave reviews, some friends and I decided to visit the island in mid-March.
By Rowan Carmichael
Musical theatre isn’t easy. You have to be able to sing, dance and act, as well as give the commitment that any performance requires. To do a musical, you need a “Never Give Up” kind of mindset. I had the chance to be in a musical about a man with that very mindset — Sogo Shinji, the founder of the shinkansen. “Full speed ahead! The Shinkansen Dream ~The Story of Kiku and Shinji,” centered on Shinji’s motto “Yuufazu” (有法子 “Never give up” in Chinese) and how he never gave up on Saijo, his wife, or the shinkansen.
By Nicole McCoy
It would happen about five times a day. A niggling feeling at the back of my mind, reminding me that there’s something I needed to do, something I’d been putting off. I’d be working at my desk, my eyes would wander to that stack of papers, and I’d lose focus.
I’d been putting off signing my recontracting papers. I waited until the last possible moment to submit them.
Teaching as an ALT
Scott Tamaki
This post is for any ALT who has teaching in their sights as a career path. Maybe your goal is to become a better teacher, maybe it’s to gain teaching experience for something post-JET, or maybe it’s just to find out if you like teaching. I try my best to revise and reevaluate the goals I have for teaching each day. I ask myself, “What do I want my students to gain from this?” and question if my actions are aligned with my objective. Often times my judgement wanes, and mistake after mistake has me reflecting on how I can do things better. Every now and then there are moments of teaching frustration, but there always seems to be small things that keep me motivated as a teacher. Here are my thoughts and observations, highs and lows of being an ALT to junior high school students.
By Hogan Gill
Kia Ora my fellow Mikans,
I recently worked myself out of a pickle and thought it worth sharing on the chance anyone else out there was suffering similar sorrows. When I arrived, I was told that along with a Junior High School and three Elementary Schools, every second Wednesday I had two 90-minute Eikaiwa classes at the local community center. The classes were mostly made up of retired folk and housewives who were interested in improving their English ability. But with absolutely zero teaching background, I had no idea how to run these classes.
By Rowan Carmichael
Want to level up your Japanese? Everyone has their own method, but there’s nothing like making your hobby a +1 bonus to language learning. Some JETs come to Japan, or even start learning the language, because they love games, so time to level up the gamer way.
The Mikan - Summer 2013 Hello again Ehimeans! Cicadas are buzzing, air conditioners are blasting, and summer festivals are nearly in full swing. That’s right, folks—it’s summer in Ehime and…
The Mikan - Winter 2013 With the new year comes a new Mikan! Take a look at our latest issue and learn more about the JET life in Ehime. …