Hajimemashite! My name is Jessie and I am originally from the state of New York. Most people automatically assume I grew up in NYC, however, I was born and raised in a very small town in the Catskill mountains called Liberty. Surprisingly enough, the name of my home town has quite a lot to do with my own personal beliefs. Perhaps like most Americans, I value freedom the right to engage in certain actions without being controlled. I know that many times Americans are pinned as being individualistic and perhaps not so understanding of other people’s beliefs... which is one of the many reasons why I love to travel and why I am here - I hope to learn how to be a global citizen and truly understand what it means to be a member of society in Japan. For the past two years, I was a graduate student at the International University of Japan in Niigata majoring in International Relations. Now I will be teaching English in Tokyo and am looking forward to learning what it is like to live in urban Japan, as opposed to living in the middle of rice-fields.
Prior to coming to this country, I also lived and studied in various Hispanic countries. At the age of 16, I journeyed to Mexico as an exchange student and learned the language without having any prior knowledge. Now I feel as though I am Latina in my heart and discovered that I love to dance and speak Spanish ?asides from traveling ?these are my two passions in life. Due to these experiences, I know what it is like for a person who is learning a foreign language. If you can open yourself to a new culture -because learning a language is highly related to discovering new traditions and ways of life -you will definitely succeed. Ganbatte kudasai!!!