Jack Morrison

From: Canberra, Australia

Placement: Ogawara, Miyagi

Time on JET: 2013-2018

Favorite MAJET Experience:
One of my favorite experiences in Japan was the MAJET trip to Mt Bandai in Fukushima in my first year. I was a little shy and not sure what to expect, but it became clear at the campsite that everyone was just as excited as me. We were all ready to bond over kayaking, a BBQ dinner, drinking games and being totally owned at table tennis by the 8-year-old son of the campsite owner. Lifelong friendships were forged there, as they are every year. Seasoned Bandai’ers enthusiastically show first timers the ropes of important JET skills, like finding the best hiking trail up Mt Bandai, how to barbecue squid, kayak racing, and where to find the little treasures hidden in the area (The Dali Museum, the Five-Coloured Lakes, the local onsens).

This trip also showed me that my 2011 media hysteria-spawned image of Fukushima was completely inaccurate. What greeted me was majestic mountains, placid lakes, dense forests; astonishing beauty, and all completely safe. It was a fantastic experience.

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