BJ Martinez

Six Japanese elementary students and preschoolers celebrating Halloween for the first time with help from Martinez, who volunteers at an English Conversation School in Japan.

After graduating from Western, BJ Martinez, '17, B.A., Japanese, joined the JET Program and is now an Assistant Language Teacher for Izushi Junior High School in Japan. He assists the English teachers in their lessons and also teaches about American culture. Outside of work, he has participated in a few of the local festivals such as the annual Fighting Danjiri Festival and the Atago Fire Festival, experiencing Japanese traditions. He is planning to stay for another year in hopes of contributing more to the community and discovering more of Japan.