Pre-Departure Orientations and Farewell Receptions for new Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET)Programme participants were held in three New Zealand cities in August.
CLAIR Sydney staff participated in the orientation and reception events in Wellington (2 Aug), Auckland (3 Aug) and Christchurch (3 Aug).
At each Orientation, a staff member from CLAIR Sydney provided information on the support services available to JET Programme participants(JETs)while they are in Japan. Representative members of the local JETAlumni Associationchapter gave presentations about life in Japan based on their own experiences as JETs. The new JETs completed their final preparations just before their departure.
At each Farewell Reception event, a staff member from CLAIR Sydney delivered a congratulatory speech and all attendingguests gave their warm wishes to the new JETs. The new JETs gave speeches about their future aspirations in Japan. All the participants were full of motivation and were looking forward to leaving for Japan.
The new participants have already landed in Japan, and have just started their new roles at their contracting organisations. We hope that their contributions will foster intercultural awareness in their students, colleagues and community members, and develop warm relations, mutual growth and understanding between Japan and New Zealand.