Cecile Jeffries

Ever been to Iwate prefecture? Here it is through the eyes of Cecile Jeffries, who was placed in Sanriku-cho from 1998-2001:

I have so many lovely memories! I was placed in the local Board of Education and taught at a number of local junior high and primary schools in the Sanriku area. Upon arrival I was told that there would soon be a festival and asked if I would like to participate in the dancing. Of course, I agreed, which meant that I had to practise with the local ladies two hours every night for a whole month - at least! My son (who was just 8 at the time) joined me in Japan a month later - just in time to see the festival. I will never forget the surprised look on his face when he saw his mum dancing in the street clad in bright pink festival attire with white makeup and a most unusual hairdo!

He attended the local school and it wasn't long before he stopped asking me to translate what people were saying and fully mastered the language. He was most puzzled at school initially by many things, not least the 'cheering' culture, the fact that it was the children who served the meals and cleaned the toilets, and also told him to sit down. But he was made very welcome by his teachers and classmates and learned a great deal from his 3 years living in this close-knit community. To date he says it was the most valuable experience of his life.

We enjoyed being close to nature, the sea, the mountains, and the stunning beauty of the changing seasons - and the animals. On one occasion I drove into the mountains and left my car to take a look at some cherry blossoms by a stream. As I was getting back into my car I was astonished to see a bear just a few metres away on the road ahead! I have never done such a quick 7-point turn on a narrow mountain pass in my life, but the bear just wandered off into the woods and disappeared without a care.

Sanriku-cho still holds an important place in my heart. Above all, I will never forget the wonderful people I met there and the strong community spirit of that place. Sanriku-cho and the surrounding areas were sadly devastated by the 2011 tsunami but they have strived hard since then to rebuild what they lost.

I am a human rights lawyer - but don't ask me how I got there! My interest in Japanese started when I chose to study it at university, which led to me joining the JET Programme shortly after and spending 3 wonderful years in Japan. Upon my return to the UK, I worked in a Japanese bank for a few years before deciding to change my career. Learning Japanese and living in a very different culture was a very useful experience which taught me valuable lessons in how to be adaptable, resourceful and an understanding of other customs and ways of thinking.

Are you a JET alum with a story to share? Get in touch to be featured in an upcoming Senpai Spotlight.