Be it for one year or five years, it takes a certain type of person to pack up their entire lives and move to a completely foreign country. Yet year after year, countless JETs do it. I think this level of courage and risk-taking is a huge reason why many JETs end up in leadership positions, both in Japan and their home countries, when their tenure on JET is finished. Kyle Schlachter is no exception to this.

Sydney Michael’s journey from Wisconsin to the JET Program was anything but straightforward. Connecting the dots of her early experiences with origami, anime, and a unique opportunity to learn Japanese in high school would take her on an incredible journey.

Greg Beck’s first time trying a certain alcoholic beverage wasn’t anything to write home about. But one event devoted to that indelible part of Japanese culture turned out to be a memorable occasion that helped change his life — the Saijō Sake Festival in Hiroshima Prefecture.

If you don't believe in destiny, then you should join the JET Program.

Through my years on JET and in my alumni life after, I have heard countless stories of chance meetings, coincidental connections, and life changing opportunities. Perhaps this isn't destiny- perhaps it is community in action.

Valerie, like many of us, stepped into her small JET town where she often heard students muttering “I can’t read this!” “This is Japan, I don’t know why we’re learning English.” But what she was able to create with a microgrant from USJETAA was nothing less than a reading revolution in her community of students. Want the full JET ALT warm fuzzies? Read her story!

Before I even sat down to talk to Corey Johnson, I was already itching to ask questions. One look at his LinkedIn page had told me only part of the story, that much I knew. His work history was filled with schools all over Asia. From the Philippines to China to Korea. What could the path of a person who had spent almost all of their professional life overseas be like, I wondered. What stories could someone like that tell?

This February, Japan Society of Boston featured Laura Escher (Okinawa, 2023-2024), in their JSB meets JET Alumni series.

Not everyone gets to live out a childhood dream. In fact, not many are brave enough to even try. But for Yuri Lowenthal, the passion and love for all things Japan paved the way toward making his dream a reality…