Rumoi Prefectural ALT - JET Programme
 |
|
Name |
Years as
Rumoi Prefectural ALT |
Significant
events |
|
Christopher Corbin |
July 2000 – July 2001 |
|
|
Colin Wahlert |
July 2001 – July 2004 |
|
|
Karen Mcinnes |
July 2004 – July 2007 |
|
|
Tara Zuber |
August 2007 – August 2009 |
|
|
Donald Bruger Jr. |
July 2009 – July 2010 |
|
|
Natsuma Imai |
November 2010 – August 2011 |
|
|
William Fenton |
August 2011 – July 2013 |
|
|
Katherine Morris |
August 2013 – August 2016 |
|
|
Finlay Harnden |
August 2016 – July 2018 |
The JR
Hokkaido Rumoi Main Line to Mashike closed down Rumoi High School
and Rumoi Senbo merged |
|
Catherine Adcock |
July 2018 – September 2021 |
Tokyo
Olympics COVID
Pandemic happened |
|
Neil Alvin Nicerio (ME) |
October 2021 - May 2026 |
First
Filipino Rumoi Prefectural ALT Rumoi Line Closed Down First Filipino to visit all the municipalities of Hokkaido |
Welcome Letter to the incoming Rumoi Prefectural ALT
Hello, and
welcome to the JET Programme.
Congratulations.
Somewhere between the paperwork, farewell parties, visa appointments, and
frantic packing, you probably haven't had much time to think about what comes
after stepping off the plane. Before long, you'll find yourself in Rumoi, a
small city on Hokkaido's Sea of Japan coast that, at first glance, can seem
impossibly quiet. Give it time. Places like Rumoi rarely make a strong first
impression. Instead, they grow on you gradually, almost without you noticing.
My name is Neil Alvin Nicerio. I'm from the Philippines, and by the time you read this, my family and I will have moved to a different part of Japan after almost five unforgettable years in Rumoi.
Rumoi isn't
Tokyo. It isn't even Sapporo. There are no towering skylines, endless train
lines, or crowds rushing through intersections. Instead, you'll find dramatic
coastlines, brilliant sunsets, generous portions of fresh seafood, long snowy
winters, and people whose kindness often reveals itself in quiet, understated
ways. The pace here is slower. At first, that might feel unfamiliar.
Eventually, it becomes something you'll treasure.
As an ALT,
you'll quickly discover that your work extends far beyond the classroom. You'll
build relationships with teachers, students, office staff, and members of the
local community. Some days will leave you energized. Others will test your
patience. There will be lessons that go exactly as planned, and others that
seem to fall apart five minutes after they begin. That's perfectly normal.
Don't judge your success by the occasional difficult day. Judge it by the
connections you build over time.
If your
Japanese isn't perfect, don't worry. Mine certainly wasn't. You don't need
flawless grammar to earn respect or friendship. A willingness to learn, genuine
curiosity, and the courage to make mistakes will carry you much further than
memorizing every page of a textbook. Your colleagues are incredibly supportive,
and before long, you'll find yourself understanding conversations that once
sounded impossibly fast.
This guide
is intentionally comprehensive. Some information may eventually become outdated, like restaurants closing, teachers transferring, procedures changing, but I hope the
advice, experiences, and observations remain useful. Read what you need now,
return to it later when new questions arise, and don't feel obligated to absorb
everything at once.
Finally,
remember that everyone experiences Rumoi differently.
There will
be places you'll love that I barely visited, traditions you'll discover that probably
never crossed my path, and friendships you'll build that will become yours uniquely. That's one of the best parts of this job. You're not here to repeat
someone else's experience. You're here to create your own.
Five years
passed far more quickly than I ever imagined. When I first arrived, Rumoi was
simply another point on a map. By the time I left, it had become home.
I sincerely
hope it becomes one for you as well.
Welcome to
Rumoi.
Best wishes,
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