Japan

I am applying to teach English in Japan with the JET Program. The following is my essay to be included with the app. It shoudl talk about my motivation for going, my qualifications and my goals in going. What do you think?

I have a love for Japan. My first trip to Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe in 1994-1995 sparked the beginning of my desire to know more about the country and her people. I returned in 1998 for a brief trip and the desire to return wells up at least every two years. I realize now that that desire will never leave and that it is time to begin quenching that desire. Along with my desire to return to Japan is my passion for other cultures. That flame was fanned through my travels, the fact that my sister is Korean and my recent studies in cross cultural communication. I believe that to better understand and utilize my master’s degree, I need to spend some intense time immersed in another culture and I know that the JET program would provide just such an experience. My desire is to know people and reach out to them and teach them as much as I learn from them. The very nature of the JET program, teaching English and forming relationships with Japanese is why I have chosen to apply to this program and the ALT position.
I am excited about returning to Japan. My previous trips were short and packed with activity. I look forward to just being able to live and work there while I take in my surroundings. I have spent the last two years in a graduate program studying communication and finally focusing on cross cultural communication and the role of a cultural broker. I have been able to supplement my education with my role at work where I was selected to be a Regions Fellow, working on training others in my area about cultural issues facing us in our work environment. This and the very multi-ethnic environment in which I work has benefited me in broadening my scope of knowledge and understanding.
I am an extrovert who thrives on being with people. I enjoy sharing what I know with those eager to learn. While I have not had a great deal of direct teaching experience, I look forward to the challenges that will bring. I believe that my energy and enthusiasm will be an asset to the ALT position. Living far from family and friends is difficult, but having done that for several years already, combined with my extroverted personality, will allow me to help make the transition to Japan smoother.
Moving to Japan to teach English will, I hope, provide me with a greater sense of what it means to serve as cultural broker. I am sure that I will need one as well as be able to be one to my students who are interested in America. This really serves as both a personal and professional goal for me. A greater understanding of myself and a different culture will not only help me develop personally, but give me the practical experience that I need to return to the States and take a position in my field of study. My goal is to grow and learn as I help teach others.