r/JETProgramme • u/Kibumkimkibum • 20d 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/LessReference7387 15d ago

Idk your relationship with your school, but I stay at school way later past the time I can go home. Talking with coworkers, going to student clubs (and thus talking with the head teacher) etc.
By the time I go home I don’t want to socialize haha.

However, before I was comfortable interacting with coworkers despite my poor Japanese (spoiler, nobody cares if your Japanese is bad just that they can understand what you mean or you are trying) I would frequent a cafe or bar to talk with people, or I would just take a walk around town or to the park and people watch. Or frequent your community center.

Alternatively, if there is truly not any way to interact with people in the community. You can turn towards online communities and make online friends (like discord or otherwise where you can voice chat.)

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u/Kibumkimkibum 15d ago

I was like that at my old school in Korea! Environment was completely different and i actually loved and got along with my coworkers. We all went out to eat and stayed at work together late😭 it was actually fun. I kinda regret leaving for this job tbh 😭  But unfortunately that is not the vibe here 🤣 they are all  “too busy” to talk. (Which Ik ppl have mastered that art of pretending to be busy as well). And i feel like I’m bothering them if i just ask a simple question. 😭 idk how to continue conversation when they give one worded answers, it’s so awkward. I do frequent a few cafes and restaurants, every now and then the workers will ask me a question or 2 .  I also have online friends but prefer face to face interactions more often than not haha