s a recent college graduate with a major in International Relations, it was imperative for me to gain work experience abroad. In addition, with my previous experience teaching EFL, I thought it would be a great idea to teach abroad. I chose to come to Japan and work for AEON, because through teaching I would be able to interact with native Japanese people, learn about the Japanese culture, and experience a new lifestyle. Training was a challenging experience. It was a constant learning experience, which made me want to strive for perfection as an ideal AEON teacher. Although perfection is only an ideal, the Training provided a basis to begin from and the follow-ups continue to help me improve as a teacher and as an employee at AEON. Training definitely prepared me mentally, too. Some students have difficulty adjusting to the new teacher, which can be discouraging at first, and I was also nervous, but somehow once I get into the lesson, I am never shy and have fun teaching. The school I work at is a B-school, so we teach both children and adults. The school has an enrollment of about 540 students. We have a Manager, 2 Assistant Managers, a Head Teacher, 4 Foreign Teachers including myself, and 5 full-time and part-time Japanese Teachers. The school has a really friendly atmosphere, and we all know each other really well. We even call the students we don't teach by name, and vice versa. Although it is difficult for the entire staff to go out together, we often go out in smaller groups after work. As for teaching kids, I like children but realized that teaching them is a whole different story. Training made it easier to get ready for the kids' classes, but I did struggle at the beginning. I really had to prepare myself, and I still do! I have to prepare about 5 back up plans for one lesson. Every week is totally different. You have to be creative to keep their attention. You definitely need energy to teach children, and I do find it challenging sometimes. Mothers have extremely high expectations, but they trust me. If you put energy and effort into your teaching and develop creative lesson plans, kids no matter what age group will develop an interest in you, and it feels great to know your kids look forward to the next lesson! Teaching in Japan has not only enabled me to teach my students about American culture, but it has also helped me to delve into the Japanese culture. My students have made sure I celebrate Japanese holidays, and they have introduced me to so many different aspects of Japanese life. AEON is a really great place to work. I have learned the meaning of professionalism and what it means to have interpersonal skills. The students are so willing to learn and this in return provides me with so much energy and motivation to do my best, both in teaching and in business. AEON would be the right place to work if you not only have enthusiasm and energy, but also have the strong drive to succeed. Show dedication, and you get as twice as much back!