Zac is a Canadian JET Program alumni. An avid practitioner of Kendo and an amazing cook. Listen as Zac shares his experiences teaching in Hitachiota-shi as an ALT at his inaka mountain schools. The JET interview experience. School life in Japan. Training Kendo in Japan. Dojo culture. Kendo in Japan vs Canada vs USA. Sharing food with students and community, Food Culture. HS After school clubs.

Jennifer shares here amazing experiences as a high school teacher in Ibaraki Prefecture. Topics covered: Teaching at low level industrial high schools. Driving in Japan and getting your license. Dealing with stress. Religion in Japan. Staying in Japan after JET, Raising kids in Japan. Getting married to a Japanese person. Apartments and moving. 2011 Earthquake!

Welcome to the JET JUMPSEAT Podcast! Each podcast is a 2 hour long deep dive conversation with a current or former JET program participant. I hope this podcast will be a great way for former JET's to share and reflect on their past experiences while inspiring and educating future JET's or anyone interested in learning more about Japanese culture, living or traveling abroad. What is JET? The Japan Exchange Teaching Program (JET) was started in 1987 as a grass roots effort to promote internationalization between the United States and Japan. Over 70,000 participants from 70+ countries (including 35,000 Americans) have been apart of this amazing experiment. JET's working as ALT's (Assistant Language Teachers), SEA's (Sports Exchange Advisors) or CIR's (Coordinator for International Relations) are cultural ambassadors helping to make positive and long lasting impacts and connections with Japanese people they meet and the communities they live in. **Please note this podcast is not officially endorsed by JET. The views and experiences expressed are sole those of the guest.