A Brief History

 When creating a blog, it's sometimes a challenge to think of the right “theme”, especially when you have a multitude of different subjects that you want to cover. In the past, I've had blogs that I used to document my travels and to publicize my editorial writing, but ideally, I'd like to have everything in one place. I'd also like to build on past themes, and have this blog function as a “getting to know you” page for potential employers as well, in my never-ending quest to find the right one to settle down with. So, on that note, I'm going to kick this blog off with a brief (ok, maybe not so brief) self-introduction, and then see where the writing takes me. I'm not going to concern myself too much with theme, but rather, with producing writing that people will want to read, on whatever subjects seem relevant.

 First, I should say that for those of you who already know me, some of this might be repetitive, but you could very well learn something about me that you don't already know. If you do want to skip ahead however, I promise I won't hold it against you. If you're reading this as a potential employer, I hope you can appreciate the informal tone as a refreshing break from the tedium of reviewing endless stacks of resumes. I've worked in Human Resources, so I know your pain.

 The most important thing to know about me is that I love learning. Continually expanding the range of one's knowledge and experience is, I believe, why we're all here. When you think about it, we are ultimately the universe's method of understanding itself, and I feel I would be doing the universe a disservice if I didn't attempt to understand my own little corner of it to the best of my ability. This no doubt has something to do with my love for teaching, and why I have just returned to teaching overseas again, after having done so from 2005-2008. Helping young people ignite that passion for learning and helping them to understand other cultures is an incredibly rewarding opportunity. Being able to do so in Japan, a unique and fascinating culture with thousands of years of history to explore is like winning the lottery. Twice!

 My parents deserve a lot of the credit for helping me to appreciate both learning and critical thinking. My mother, a teacher, instilled in me a passion for reading, and my father, an accountant, is certainly where I get whatever sense of diligence and responsibility that I possess. By encouraging me to explore my interests and to educate myself whenever I found my knowledge lacking, they set an example that I believe parents anywhere would do well to follow. Whenever I hear a student tell me that their parents did not read to them as a child, a part of me dies inside, and I immediately recommend a laundry list of excellent books to help fire their imaginations, and hopefully get them hooked. I honestly believe that the high literacy rates and the stable economies of both Japan and Canada are no coincidence, and that democracy itself benefits immensely from a literate and well-educated population. More on that in future editorials.

 In school, I admit that had some difficulty in narrowing down what I wanted to do. There are some of us who, early on, know exactly what they want to be when they grow up, but I was not among these lucky few. I believe that the majority of young people, have only a vague intuition about what they want to accomplish in the world, and without specific guidance, it takes time to narrow down one's focus. It took me the better part of a decade, but the journey was one I wouldn't trade for anything.

 Initially, the question of what to study in university posed a bit of a dilemma, but I eventually settled on Psychology. I did this for several reasons, but perhaps not the ones you might expect. Even as a child, I had always been very direct and rational, and as such, people were occasionally a bit of a mystery to me, as they could (and often did) behave so irrationally. Psychology fascinated me, because I hoped that studying it might shed some light on why we do the things we do. Further, I have always been interested in the mechanisms of societies as a whole, and hoped to gain a better understanding of their secret internal workings. I knew that there was much to be learned, given how arbitrary and contrary to common sense the politics and policies of nations often appeared to be. I felt, like many young people do, that I wanted to change the world, and it appeared that there was no better way to do this than by first understanding how it worked. While at the University of Ottawa, I focused on studying psychology, sociology and criminology, and in the process, I believe I gained a much deeper understanding of how our psychology influences our interpersonal, political and consumer choices, which social policies work in the long term and why, as well as the causes of and potential solutions for criminal activity. The experience was formative and invaluable, and while psychology might not be a terribly lucrative field, it was without a doubt the right field for me.

 In terms of what career I wanted, I had a much better idea after university than I did coming in, but I still knew that I wanted to sample more of what life had to offer before settling down completely. I knew, at that point, that I wanted to work in charity, in teaching, or in the government, but getting work in any of these fields as a fresh university graduate was a daunting prospect. Like many university graduates, it took a short stint working in a number of dead-end jobs to realize that I had to work at getting relevant, real-world experience if I was going to be able to translate my degree into a meaningful career. So, I set myself a plan, and set the wheels in motion.

 I knew I needed to go abroad, because international relations factored high on my list of potential career trajectories, and because at that time I had traveled very little, despite a keen interest in other cultures and global politics. Due to a long-time interest in the martial arts and a consequent interest in Japanese culture, I decided to apply to teach in Japan, via the JET Programme. For those of you who don't know, the JET Programme is one of the most successful and longest-running English-teaching programs in Asia, and places applicants who possess a bachelor's degree throughout the public school system in Japan, once they pass a fairly rigorous application process. Although this process was daunting, I was determined to get out into the world, and the rest, as they say, is history. In 2005, I was sent to teach in Beppu city, Oita prefecture, on the southern island of Kyushu. I would say it was like a dream, but rarely do dreams challenge you quite so much.

 In Beppu, I quickly learned that JET is about more than just teaching. On JET, the level of responsibility is quite high, as you are also expected to represent your country, acting as an ambassador of sorts. While there, I studied Japanese with a vengeance in order to overcome the obvious language barriers, worked to leave everyone I encountered with a positive impression of Canada and Canadians, and as a result formed many new friendships that have lasted to this day. I knew, in my unique position, that I would often be the one foreign person that the students would come into contact with for years, and I did my best to encourage their interest in the outside world at every opportunity. I knew that those few hours we spent together every week were critical in how they would eventually come to perceive the outside world, and as such I used every method at my disposal to engage and interest them. In the end, I stayed there for three years, and feel confident that I did have a positive impact.

 The question of what to do upon returning to Canada had dogged me in my last year, and by the time I left Japan I was determined to find work in the government. My parents had both been public servants, and encouraged me to follow this path, so I did my best to find a position that would dovetail with my existing skills and experience. In the end, this was something of a challenge, as I returned to Canada in the midst of the economic downturn, and very few departments were hiring. However, I was determined and eager for any experience I could find, and satisfied myself with contract work in a number of different places. Before long, I had worked in Corrections, Human Resources and Skills Development and Service Canada, each time gaining a bit more insight into government policies and practices. 

 Contract work also eventually opened the doors to private organizations and charities, and within a few years I had worked numerous positions in these as well, each time trying to focus in on the experience that I deemed most relevant to my overall goals. Administration, Benefits, Client Services, Drafting and Editing, Event Planning, Human Resources, Labour Relations, Public Relations, Training, Vocational Rehabilitation, Volunteer Coordination and Management – you name it, I've done it. While I occasionally worry that my frequent job changes may give a potential employer cause for concern, I wouldn't trade the wealth and diversity of experience I've gained for anything, and can only hope that the right employer will see it the same way. This is actually the way that today's labour force is increasingly structured, with fewer long-term jobs and a greater reliance on contacts. While this is never a terribly secure way to make a living, I feel that I did make the best of what was available, and always managed to get by somehow. 

 Contract work, however interesting, is by nature very inconsistent - this was always the primary drawback. After living for a year in Toronto and for four years in Ottawa, I found that the lack of job security was starting to leave me disillusioned. I had worked so hard to build my skill-set and gain experience, and yet consistent, salaried work was not forthcoming. After a bit of soul-searching, I decided to turn back to the job I had most enjoyed, and that had offered me the most job security – JET. Once again, I felt the call of teaching, and knew that JET could offer me additional international experience, a more consistent paycheck, and a wealth of new networking opportunities. I was reluctant to leave my friends and family again, but Japan was willing to invest in me in ways that no Canadian employer would, and I had grown tired of being under-appreciated. I undertook the application again, and am proud to say that I passed with flying colours.

 Today, I teach in Miyakojima, Okinawa. As I write this, I am sitting in one of 8 local Junior High Schools at which I work. I am often told, when I tell other JETs throughout Japan where I live, that I am unbelievably lucky, and I believe them. Miyakojima, one of the smaller islands within the Okinawan island chain, sits close to Taiwan, far south of mainland Japan. It is tropical, lush, and full of warm, kind people who are happy to share their unique culture. While here, I have determined that although international experience is great, I'm going to work on becoming more politically involved, and on getting published as often as possible. The JET governing body, overseen by the government, is always looking for local representatives, and I intend to apply wherever I can. I have already submitted my first article to the local JET newsletter, and hope to have consistent entries posted on this blog, as time and my teaching schedule permit.

 That, in short, is how I got to where I am. I love my job, and perhaps I'll stay here for a while, but I know it can't last forever. Teaching is a passion, but the market in Canada is overflowing with teachers, under the oversight of a government that does not seem to particularly care about investing in education. I hope, in the long term, to find a role with a charitable organization or government body, in which I can utilize my equally strong passion for writing, perhaps in tandem with my skills in political and policy analysis, or public relations. I will, in any case, continue the explore my little corner of the universe, and learn a little more every day. I hope you learned something new today too, and I'm always happy to hear from any of you.