October 2025

It's that time of year again!

The air is crisp, the leaves are turning, the taikos are drumming, and a brand new batch of ZINEs are arriving. The fall season is in full swing! This month’s edition of the maga(ZINE) highlights everything we love about this time of year and all the spooky goodness that comes with it . Speaking of arriving, we sat down with Emma, Zev, and Erick to discuss how their first year (and first Halloween season) has been on JET!

Meet the ALTs

Emma Ní Chnáimhsí (She/Her)

Ireland —> Uwajima City, Uwajima

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery.” – Grand Master Oogway, Kung Fu Panda

Zev Green (He/Him)

Portland, Oregon —> Iyo-shi, Ehime

“For of this world one never sees enough and to dine in harmony with nature is one of the gentlest and loveliest things we can do.” – James A. Michener, Iberia

Erick Mendoza (He/Him)

Miami, FL —> Sakawa, Kochi

“How will you know if you never try” – COIN

Welcome to Nanyo A. Ehime - Emma

Meet the ALT

Where are you from and what inspired you to move to Japan?

I’m from Ireland originally, but I’ve been living abroad since I was 18. So, when I moved home for a few
months, it didn’t take long before I decided it was time to try somewhere new. I’ve always been into art,
history, languages, and food, and I always want to experience those things from new perspectives. As
such, Japan has been a bucket list destination for me since I was a teenager. It’s very cool to finally be
here 🙂

What’s your go-to comfort food when you’re feeling homesick?

Not to fit the stereotype, but it is potatoes. More specifically, Shepard’s Pie or stew, though it’s still too hot
out for either one. However, everywhere I’ve lived, I’ve added a new comfort food to my list. I know I’m
settling in now that onigiri is making its way on there.

First Time In Japan

Was there a moment you felt like “Okay, I live in Japan now”?

Honestly, I didn’t notice it really until I was in Kyoto experiencing reverse culture shock. Someone at a
café was speaking English to me and I was so confused why they weren’t speaking Japanese, and then
it kind of hit me. It’s something that comes at random. For the most part though, my brain is used to this
so it just adapts. With the exception of the insane time difference, I think my brain is treating Uwajima like
it’s just another town in Ireland (yes, even with the language barrier).

What has been the biggest challenge in adapting to life here, personally or professionally?

Personally, building a social calendar. I can’t engage in a lot of my more social hobbies here, either because I don’t have time or they aren’t accessible in Uwajima. I’ve taken to grabbing any opportunity for them with both hands, even if it means travelling for hours to do something I used to walk to. That being said, I’m so lucky that Nanyo A has a small but close network of ALTs, so there’s always some get-together, festival, or dinner on the calendar. Almost all the photos I’ve put in the ZINE are from days out with different Nanyo A people. It’s been great to try so many new things and really get immersed in the lifestyle here in Ehime.

Professionally, the dedication people have to work has been difficult to adapt to. I’m a staunch believer in work-life balance and that so long as you’ve done your job well, you should leave work at work and go and live your life. While I admire my colleagues’ hard work and dedication, I miss my 25 days of holiday
leave and unlimited sick leave. I also think that there is a need to always be ‘on’ here, especially as someone who works with so many students. My path home crosses by one of my elementary schools so my kids often spot me after school, and occasionally they’ll catch me on an after-dinner konbini run. I don’t mind it, but it’s been an adjustment all the same.

Halloween

Is there a Halloween treat or candy you miss from back home?

It’s been a while since I was at home for Halloween so I think I’ve shaken off most of the cravings by
now. That being said, there’s a type of bread that we eat in Ireland around Halloween called bairin braic
(or barmbrack). It’s a sweet bread (not quite Japanese sweet) filled with sultanas and raisins. Historically,
it was used for fortune telling around Halloween, since the Irish traditions around Halloween are some of
the oldest in the world. Nowadays, the only remnants of the fortune telling tradition is the ring hidden in
the braic. It’s said whoever cuts the slice with the ring in it will marry in the next year. Personally, I think
we should start hiding coins in there again; give us some good luck with money for the coming year.

Sherbert Skys - Zev

Meet the ALT

Where are you from, and what inspired you to move to Japan?

I am from Portland, Oregon, USA. My mom was an ALT in Iwate-ken back in the day, and enrolled me in Japanese immersion elementary school as a kid. Ever since then, I’ve been studying Japanese off and on (emphasis on the off and on, as my Japanese is not great). In some ways, because of my mom, I feel like I was always going to do JET – like it was destiny.

How would your friends back home describe you in three words?

Witty, tasteful, and strongly opinionated

What’s something quirky or surprising about you that students here might not guess?

I am, in the words of my coworker ALT Adelaide, a “music freak” (meaning I really enjoy and have strong opinions about music, not that I can play an instrument or anything).

What’s your go-to comfort food when you’re feeling homesick?

Spaghetti carbonara – a childhood favorite courtesy of the great Ruth Reichl. No cream, ever!

First-Time Living in Japan – Teaching English Focused

What was your very first impression when you landed in Japan? Anything that caught you off guard?

While I had been to Japan a few times, it had been six years since my last visit. My first impression was that it was very hot and humid. I honestly felt very overwhelmed by Tokyo during orientation, and I was glad to retreat to the more relaxed vibe of Ehime.

What was your first day of teaching like? Do you remember how you felt walking into the classroom?

I was pouring sweat, since I decided to wear a real dress shirt instead of a polo. I did a self-introduction presentation for all my classes that was way too long and had way too much information and words that my students wouldn’t be familiar with. I was definitely nervous.

How did your students react to having a foreign teacher? Any funny or memorable student reactions?

My school has had a long succession of ALTs, so the concept of a foreign teacher wasn’t new. The kids are pretty funny. Sometimes they try to make me say things in Japanese that I am unfamiliar with but I am sure are inappropriate (something I totally would have done at their age in their shoes) and I have to deflect and laugh it off.

What’s been the biggest challenge in adapting to life here, professionally or personally?

Definitely the Japanese style of communication – 空気を読む – (Kuki wo yomu) which is not only totally foreign to me as an American, but directly contradicts my personal ethos of always being direct and honest (sometimes to a fault).

How did your expectations of teaching in Japan compare to the reality?

I was concerned about teaching given my lack of teaching experience, but luckily, I’m strictly T2-ing. While I was worried before I got here, now it’s light work.

How has teaching in Japan changed or shaped you, personally or professionally?

I think just a few months in it has made me more patient, which is not a strong suit of mine.

Halloween in Japan

How did you celebrate Halloween back home, and how does it compare to Halloween in Japan?

I was never the biggest fan of Halloween, even as a kid. Halloween is a big deal in college as well, but I wasn’t super into it. Sorry for being lame!

Did you dress up for Halloween this year? If yes, what was your costume?

My low-effort costume last year was a union organizer (my previous job back home, and I have a lot of union swag) which is just barely more effortful than the standard straight-male costume of just wearing a sports jersey.

What’s the spookiest or weirdest thing you’ve experienced in Japan — Halloween or not?

One time I was sneaking back into my room at home late at night, and I was absolutely startled by a deer and it scared the bejesus out of me.

Is there a Halloween treat or candy you miss from back home?

When I occasionally consume Halloween candy, my favorites are Reese’s, Butterfingers (I’m a big peanut butter + chocolate guy), Junior Mints, and the ultimate guilty pleasure, the Nerds Cluster.

Have your students ever asked you spooky or superstitious questions about Halloween or ghosts from your country?

No, but when I was doing self-introductions, a few classes worth of students gave me their recommendations for places to visit, and some of them recommended Oya Pond, which is allegedly haunted. As someone who doesn’t believe in the supernatural, I would like to check this pond out.

Everything I wished for and more - Erick

Meet the ALT

Where are you from, and what inspired you to move to Japan?

I’m from Miami, FL but my parents are originally from Colombia. I always had a passing interest in Japan thanks to my stepdad that introduced me to anime like Dragon Ball Z and video games like MegaMan and Pokémon but it was never much more than a passing interest. Moving to Japan was never in my plans until I decided to take my first Japanese class in College and it became my dream thanks to my first Japanese professor. He would tell us stories about our time abroad and I had so much fun learning Japanese that I wanted to give it a try as well, but not only that, I wanted to be an inspiration to others the same way that he was to me. After that I decided to change my major to Asian studies, took my first step by studying abroad and then I realized that Japan was the country I wanted to live in which led me to JET.

Did you have any previous experience with Japanese culture or language before moving here?

As I mentioned before I majored in Asian studies focused on Japan after taking my first Japanese class in college which I took because of my love for Japanese music and because a friend of mine wanted to take it too. From there I studied abroad for a month in Kyoto as part of a program in my university where I partook in many cultural activities such as meditation, taiko, and tea ceremony, as well as regular language studies every day. During that trip I befriended many Japanese students attending the university and even travelled a bit to get to know more of Japan. My greatest memory was getting to Tokyo when the program ended and stumbling across a nearby music festival which I decided to go to on a whim and ended up seeing many artists live which were the reason I even started this journey. I vividly remember crying for hours during the concert when I saw them on stage.

How would your friends back home describe you in three words?

Charismatic, nerdy, persistent.

What’s your go-to comfort food when you’re feeling homesick?

Definitely a Big Mac combo from McDonald’s. I get it way more often than I’d like to admit.

First-Time Living in Japan – Teaching English Focused

What was your first day of teaching like? Do you remember how you felt walking into the classroom?

I was nervous beyond belief. The days leading up to it were pretty busy as I was preparing my intro lesson and brushing up my Japanese to communicate with my coworkers but that did not prepare me for the absolute culture shock I was feeling. I vividly remember standing in the music room with all the students and the staff for the opening ceremony of the semester and not understanding a word while they asked me to give a welcome speech for the whole class which I was not prepared for. I felt lost and confused but once I gave my speech everything seemed to calm down aside from the embarrassment of having the collar of my suit all messed up which the principal fixed for me. The kids looked at me like a different being, they seemed nervous but excited and all I could think about was how to nail this intro lesson and make them like me. Despite all this, once I was introduced to the class and began giving my intro lesson everything seemed to flow perfectly, kids were laughing, they were engaged and I felt good being in front of the classroom. After the day was done I felt relieved and realized how much fun I had, and felt more prepared than ever to tackle whatever came next.

What was your very first impression when you landed? Anything that caught you off guard?

This might be more specific to the region I live in but when I first arrived in my town I was picked up by members of the board of education here in Sakawa. Despite feeling somewhat confident about my Japanese despite my lack of practice I suddenly came to realize how difficult it would be to understand the local dialect called Tosa-Ben which I never even knew existed. Everybody was really friendly but I felt as though they were speaking in a completely different language. I’m slowly getting the hang of it but I definitely wasn’t expecting it.

How did your expectations of teaching in Japan compare to the reality?

Thankfully it was much more relaxed than what I had expected. Before coming here I was incredibly nervous because I did not have much teaching experience and the idea of planning classes and making up games for kids was making me incredibly nervous. However, once I began working in the classroom I realized that my job was more to support and assist than actually lead which was a relief. The teachers were all incredibly kind and understanding which made all my worries go away, and although I do lead classes and come up with games from time to time, I feel much more prepared now than at first.

What’s been the biggest challenge in adapting to life here, professionally or personally?

It’s a bit strange but the layout of my house and the products used to clean it are something I still can’t get used to. Back at home we just buy bleach and wipes and clean everything but here things feel different, I don’t know how to use the space, how to organize, there are a ton of different cleaning products for each individual thing in the house that I still can’t get used to. And in the workplace I never know how to respond or if I’m doing things correctly just by the amount of unspoken rules there seem to be but I’m still trying my best.

What’s something you wish you had packed or prepared for before coming here?

More clothes for the cold! I lived in a city with absolutely no winter so I had no need for any winter clothes, but now that I’m starting to feel the cold I understand the need now.

Halloween in Japan

What’s the spookiest or weirdest thing you’ve experienced in Japan — Halloween or not?

Simply being in my Japanese apartment alone in the dead of night and randomly hearing things crash into my window is terrifying. Not to mention going out for walks late at night with the complete lack of street lights in my town. I like the atmosphere but it’s definitely still scary.

Hey, Mikans!

We hope you’re enjoying this month’s ZINE. If you have a story to tell, an idea to share, or just want to contribute we’d love to hear from you!

We’ll have a new maga(ZINE) post for you on the first of each month, so keep an eye out!

Interested in having your own ZINE? Reach out to us at themikanblog@gmail.com!