Charles Harris
How does managing a room of energetic elementary students in rural Japan prepare you for a legal career? For this week’s Sempai Spotlight, we connect with Charles Harris, who proves that the communication skills forged on the JET Programme stay with you for a lifetime.
Charles served as an ALT in Miyagi Prefecture from 2010 to 2014. Today, he applies the adaptability and resilience he built in Japan to his role as a Legal Assistant at the Attorney General's Office in Texas.
Here is Charles looking back on his favorite traditions and why JETs are so much more than "human tape recorders":
A Birthday Gift to Remember
One of my most memorable moments was actually a lesson where, for my mom's birthday, I had my elementary school students design and decorate the letters spelling out 'Happy Birthday' on printer paper I borrowed from the school. The kids loved the lesson, and in the end, I took a short video of them holding up their letters and smiling. My mom loved the gift, and I fear that the quality of my birthday presents to her have been downhill ever since!
Sharing Culture & Breaking Barriers
I bought a Christmas tree my first year and did the same lesson every year with my students. I would put on English Christmas music and have every student come up and add an ornament to the tree. Many of my students said it was their first time decorating a tree. I would conclude the lesson by giving them all an ornament. I did not visit my hometown at Christmas most years, so it felt heartwarming and nostalgic. It helped connect me to my students and let my humanity shine through.
The Legend of "Chucksgiving
One tradition that continued all four years started when I felt a little homesick in November. I wanted to try my hand at baking a turkey, so I bought a tiny Japanese oven and filled it to the brim with a turkey from a specialty site. Every year, we would cram about 30–40 ALTs and friends into my tiny apartment to celebrate what I called 'Chucksgiving'. For many Japanese participants, it was their first experience with turkey, and for the ALTs, it was a celebration of our culture when many of us needed it most.
My JET experience had a great impact on my professional career and especially my ability to communicate. I have a strong belief that this is a core skill for any career, even those that are not directly related to JET or Japan.
Current JETs: Be open to new experiences. Sometimes, the most memorable and significant experience comes from the humblest place. Go out with your coworkers, immerse yourself in the culture... The happiest JETs are the ones who embrace Japan and its quirks.
Newer Alumni: Do not sell yourself short. We tend to get stuck in a mindset of seeing ourselves as nothing more than a 'Human Tape Recorder.' But there is so much more to each and every JET. Look beneath the surface and remember—you were an ambassador to Japan and a representative of your culture.
Charles’s story reminds us that true cultural exchange happens in the small, shared moments, whether it's decorating a holiday tree or cramming 40 people into a tiny apartment for a home-cooked meal.
Are you a JET alum with a story to share? Get in touch to be featured in an upcoming Senpai Spotlight.
