Goodbye to Japan

by Deniz Erkmen

And so with this, another chapter of my life closes...
I am so incredibly grateful to have had the amazing opportunity of living in Japan. I would highly recommend the JET Programme to anyone.

I want to share with you some of the life lessons I've learned during my 2 years here.

1. Friends are EVERYTHING

During my time here, I've cultivated some of the deepest friendships I've ever had in my life. I relate to these beautiful people in ways that are so unique to us, our circumstances, our lives. We've shared life here, experiences, learnings, and growth. We became each other's family, support, and community.
My friends here are also literally (!) some of the funniest people I have ever met in my life. I honestly can't believe how perfectly we vibe and bounce off of each other. It's super incredible. But, I also can believe it, cause that’s the way the universe works… your vibe attracts your tribe!
Thank you Universe, for bringing me incredible friends (soulmates) to love and be loved by!!

2. Life keeps getting better and better as the years go by!

I wouldn't have believed where I am now years ago, but here I am and I can't wait for what the future holds. DREAM BIG PEOPLE! ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! Live your authentic life!!! Literally anything is possible!!!

3. Intention matters, vibes don't lie

Navigating the cultural and linguistic barrier taught me this. I came to Japan barely knowing any Japanese. And English isn’t widely spoken here at all. Some advice I heard when I first arrived was that a smile will take you a long way… and it is so true!

Even if there are no words, people (no matter how "sensitive") can read energy. And Japanese people are incredibly sensitive, empathetic and considerate. I had heard of this before coming here, but honestly, you have to come here to experience it. Hospitality and service are truly out of this world.
An important part of Japanese culture is 空気を読む, kuki o yomu, "reading the air", a Japanese phrase for situational awareness. Japanese people can "feel the vibes" and read people so incredibly well I've noticed. Anticipating a person's needs, always thinking a few steps ahead. As a high-context culture, there is a lot of reading in between the lines and communication is more implicit and non-verbal.

With my Japanese friends and the times where we couldn’t speak each other’s languages, smiles, laughter and body language went an INCREDIBLY long way! Osaka people are quite friendly and like to laugh, so I actually found it quite easy to goof off with my fellow teachers, despite any language barriers!

People don’t remember your words as much as they remember your energy.

4. We give our lives meaning.

Not going to lie, I had a bit of an existential crisis when I was living here. One of my dreams was to live alone and cultivate independence. “I’m living alone, I’m independent, I’ve manifested this… Now what?” were my thoughts. The sadness and shadows I had didn’t disappear with the manifestation. Actually, I might have even (re)discovered new ones. But…

Day by day, following our passions, gratitude, and giving our lives meaning can help us out of these ruts. And… we are never alone!

5. GRATITUDE CHANGES EVERYTHING

Shifting our perspective from (perceived) lack to gratitude is a huge game changer. Whatever you focus on you get more of. So why focus on the lack or negative in your life?

6. You get what you give

Children are amazing. You give ‘em a little love… and they give it back to you tenfold!

The classroom is a reflection of the teacher’s energy. If the teacher is 元気 , genki, energetic, then usually the kids are too!

I absolutely loved the children’s smiles and laughs. It was the best part of the job! I loved teaching and I really feel like it’s a job for me! I swear, I get a little high every time I’m in front of a class… it’s exhilarating!

I am grateful to Japan, my job and for the people who have taught me these lessons and helped me grow!

Some highlights of my 2 years in Japan and Asia includes:

1. Yakushima, Japan - INCREDIBLE hiking trails in a lush forest…
2. Koyasan, Japan - beautiful fall leaves and Buddhist temples
3. Seoul, Korea - trip with my incredible besties
4. Getting my yoga license and teaching
5. Bali, Indonesia - rediscovering my inner artist

Shout out to my peepz in alphabetical order. Thank you for the deep conversations, laughs and LOVE:
Argyll, Bryan, Izumiちゃん, Joe, Julie, Kanna, Mami, Mandy, Owen, Roland, Sarah de Jong, Sarah Spicer, Hirota先生...

And omg so many others on and off FB! Thank you, thank you, thank you! Infinite blessings and love to all of you for making my time so special and unforgettable in Japan! Thank you to the teachers, Board of Education and students who made my job so enjoyable and expansive! Good luck everyone and see you soon 

Deniz Erkmen

University of Calgary

İnternational Relations and Economics  BA