Read more about the article The Sea, The Iwa & The Classroom
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The Sea, The Iwa & The Classroom

By Patrick Peh

Prologue

Not long after my arrival in Baishinji, I decided that it would be a tremendous waste not to write something about it. This place is not only rich in heritage, but also representative of a coastal suburban area close to the city. The reason it took so long for me to produce this piece of writing is because I wanted to do the Nakajima article first (Into the Seto Naikai). It was also because I was spending a lot of time refining lesson ideas (maybe I’ll do an article on the way I refine my lesson ideas as well), and editing previous drafts of this post.

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Read more about the article Backtrack #6: The Language of the Colonizers (David Titterington, Niihama ALT 2005-2010)
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Backtrack #6: The Language of the Colonizers (David Titterington, Niihama ALT 2005-2010)

Screen Shot 2021-05-09 at 7.41.25 AM

Taken 2008 or 2009 (I’m on the right)

What’s your name, when and where was your placement, and where are you from originally?

Pandemic greetings! I’m David Titterington from the USA, specifically from land stolen from the Pawnee and Kickapoo Nations – what we now call Kansas City. I lived in Niihama, Ehime, Shikoku (or New Port, Love Princess, Four Lands) from 2005 to 2010.

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Read more about the article Backtrack #5 : The First Trinidadian in Matsuyama (Nichelle Mitchell, Matsuyama 2009-2014)
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Backtrack #5 : The First Trinidadian in Matsuyama (Nichelle Mitchell, Matsuyama 2009-2014)

Nicky

What’s your name, when and where was your placement, and where are you from originally?

My name is Nichelle Mitchell and I’m from the island of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T). I was placed in Matsuyama-shi in Ehime ken on the island of Shikoku in August 2009.

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Read more about the article Backtrack #4: Those Impressions Last for Generations (Abdulla Zokari, Imabari & Matsuyama 2011-2016)
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Backtrack #4: Those Impressions Last for Generations (Abdulla Zokari, Imabari & Matsuyama 2011-2016)

horse

What’s your name, when and where was your placement, and where are you from originally?

Abdulla Zokari. I was placed originally in Imabari in 2011, but I got married to a foreigner in Matsuyama and was able to transfer to that school to live with my wife 🙂   

Originally I’m from Yemen, but moved to Canada at 13 and learned English, then moved to Japan in 2010 at 23 years old to work for a private company (iTTTi PKC) in Ozu. That year I applied for the JET program, flew back for two weeks to take the interview, returned to Japan, then found out I was a successful candidate for 2011 JET programme. Not a typical JET story lol. 

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Read more about the article Mikan PhotoMaps #1: Matsuyama Castle with Sage
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Mikan PhotoMaps #1: Matsuyama Castle with Sage

By Sage Burch

This is the first installment of our new series, Mikan PhotoMaps. If you are interested in submitting a location near you, please have a look at what we’re looking for in a submission here.

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For our first installment of Mican PhotoMaps, there was no other place I wanted to introduce more than Matsuyama Castle. 

Take a look at the post below if you’re looking for a place to visit in Matsuyama City and want to know what to expect, and remember, for this series we need your photos and descriptions of your favorite places across Ehime. What place will you write about?

This is Matsuyama Castle.

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Read more about the article Unbeaten Paths: Chuyo <s>2020</s><b>2021</b>
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Unbeaten Paths: Chuyo 20202021

Edited by Jordan Rocke

Welcome to Unbeaten Paths 2020/21 pt 2, covering the central region of Chuyo! Once again, thank you very much to everyone who took the time to submit their introductions, and if there are any incoming folks who would like to be included, I am always happy to add you in!

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Read more about the article Unbeaten Paths: Toyo <s>2020</s><b>2021</b>
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Unbeaten Paths: Toyo 20202021

Edited by Jordan Rocke

Hey everyone! Welcome to our second annual consecutive Unbeaten Paths. Last time, we focused on a handful of incoming JETs from under-represented countries on the JET programme, talking about how they ended up coming here despite not having the same avenues to entry as British and American JETs. This year, I want to use Unbeaten Paths as a way for any incoming JET to introduce themselves to their community, considering how ridiculously long the delay has been.

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