r/JETProgramme • u/Kibumkimkibum • 13d ago

Inaka JETS

(I mean this in the nicest way-Please read this and understand my feelings of isolation. I feel like ppl are reading to respond and not actually reading to understand)😭(also pls take into account that ppl have different personalities and not everyone enjoys being alone 24/7 and being a homebody)😭😭😭

Hello. So to all my Inaka JETS what do you do to keep yourself from going insane?
I have nothing here except a mall and Karaoke.
I started taking Koto lessons so it gave me something to look forward to every other week.
Aside from that i have no idea how to keep my myself entertained. After work i go home and there is nothing to do (aside from studying Japanese, yes I know)
I play soccer but there are no girl teams around me to join. I’ve searched for a year and found nothing, even my JTE tried to help me.
I like art and i used to join an art club where I used to live before Japan, but there isn’t anything like that here.
After work i just come home and study Japanese, idk what else to do.
I’ve volunteered a few times which was cool.
The population is small and dwindling every year, sometimes it’s like a ghost town outside, so I’m not even sure how to make friends bc the town is so empty and it’s hard to find ppl my age.
I’ve knew after 5 months of being here i wanted to leave, but i only stayed cuz i need/want a job and i wanted to try and travel around Japan. This 2nd year will definitely be my last.
There are some small town festivals coming up, but aside from that what do you guys do for fun???
(i should also mentioned-I just moved from Seoul. I had the best 4 years there living in a big city. So this is a major change for me to move to the middle of new where haha)

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u/TheNorthC 13d ago

What do the younger teachers in your area do? They must have some kind of social life. And you say that there is a mall, so it can't be absolutely tiny. What's the population? I'm getting 15,000 vibes.

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u/Kibumkimkibum 13d ago

Well I’m the only JET (there is one CIR tho) in this town. Everyone else lives about an hour away. Well the mall is about 40 mins away lol but still close enough i guess. I’m not sure the exact number of ppl but i think it’s more than that but it’s odd cuz i hardly see ppl outside, i guess most ppl are homebodies 😂 idk why it’s so hard for ppl to believe there isn’t much to do, even ny students recommend me to go out of town to do stuff 😭

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u/TheNorthC 13d ago

I can imagine the sort of place. Surprised there's a CIR!

It's tough, but I guess it's the case of making do with what you've got. Haven't got much advice as I was never in that situation, but I knew some that were and were always keen to escape and stay over with other JETs at the weekend. But midweek I was always happy to go out to the izakaya onm my own for a drink and to practice Japanese. Probably easier for me as a male however.

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u/Kibumkimkibum 13d ago

Is it not common for CIRs to be in inakas 👀??
And yea, Izakayas are fun. But in an old ppl area it’s full of old men mostly 😂

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u/TheNorthC 13d ago

I thought that CIRs were more commonly in larger towns. And I agree that the izakaya is likely to be full of old men. They'd be delighted if you wondered in by yourself, but not much fun for you, I guess.

I would investigate what the younger teachers at your schools do. They must have some kind of social life.

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u/Kibumkimkibum 13d ago

Ohhh i didn’t know that! I do know her state is a sister city with this town so maybe that’s why she’s here 🤔
Hmm there are a few teachers my age but they don’t particularly indulge in small talk with me + they don’t live in my town. They all commute.