What happens when you throw thousands of fresh-faced foreign graduates into a system and a country known for bureaucracy, insularity, and inflexibility? You get something that eventually became The JET Programme as we know it today.

Life as a teacher in a foreign country is a rewarding and enjoyable one. Yet, it does not go without times of frustration and stress. Diet, exercise, work, rest, and play are obvious things that impact our daily state of well-being. However, in this article I would like to concentrate more on a certain philosophy and way of thinking that I have found useful in leading a happier/healthier life, one being the practise of mindfulness.

The Unofficial WIV Holiday Shopping Guide, or a guide to guides for spending your money.

I set up an appointment with one of the local dentists on my small island. I am a sucker for adventure, but this journey was just another biannual checkup. I slipped on a pair of maroon indoor slippers and shuffled in…

Reading and listening to all the information that JETs receive, you’ve got to admit that you guys have got it good. You get flights to Japan; an orientation on culture, teaching, food, study, life in Japan, etc.; a Japanese language program; and plenty of fun-filled activities to make new friends and adjust to Japanese life as quickly and easily as possible. Just about everything you could ask for in the initial training is all wrapped up into a nice neat package to take with you to your new home and new life. But for JET spouses it’s very different.

Iwate-ken JET alum Carl Bradley answers some questions about what he’s been up to post-JET and how the JET experience has helped him. If you’re a JET alum and would like to answer this questionnaire, please email the editor at wideislandview (atto) gmail (dotto) com!

I receive somewhere in the neighborhood of ten emails every month from strangers asking to sleep on my floor for a couple of days. These people are strangers when they contact me, but sometimes once they arrive on my doorstep I find we have so much in common that we can lay awake and chat all night…sipping a beer or some tea, sharing travel stories or photos or both. This is my life as a CouchSurfing host in Japan.

If you are like me, J-POP will not satiate your musical hunger. I have an eclectic taste in music and I enjoy many genres, but Top 40 Pop is not one of them. The bands I discuss here are not hugely popular here in Japan or overseas. These are simply bands that I enjoy listening to and, hopefully, some of them will become bands that you enjoy listening to as well. And, hey, maybe it will help you with your Japanese listening skills.

This is an article written by Matt Nelson in response to Steven Horowitz’s article “JET Programme on the chopping block?” Here, Matt gives ten suggestions on cutting costs and increasing efficiency in the Japanese school system

The Wide Island View is very excited to expand our staff this year and get more people involved in producing one of the best JET resources in Japan! Editors will be responsible for editing articles for their section of the webzine, and also for creating story ideas for their respective sections and finding writers for those stories (two stories a month, though more than two would, of course, be welcome.) Experience with editing is helpful, but not required.