Being an ALT(Assistant Language Teacher) inside of Japan, you get to experience being both a part of the schools as well as a part of the local community. Every day is its own adventure, where you will adapt to changing schools, coworkers, and conditions.
As an ALT, you will not act only as a teacher, but as a cultural ambassador as well, giving your students and people around you the opportunity to talk and interact with someone from another country. Initially, you will enjoy a feeling of stardom in your school, but as you continue working, you will start to become a staple in the classroom, and may even be invited to join in extracurricular events and activities as well. For those with sports experience, or even those with musical or artistic talents, it’s absolutely a great idea to participate in school clubs, giving you the opportunity to interact with students without any classroom pressure to communicate and the opportunity to share common interests with them.
Of course, the experience doesn’t end once you leave work, but you will continue representing your nation (and really all foreigners in Japan) during day to day activities, whether it’s at the gym, shopping, or enjoying the nightlife. All in all, it’s is one of the most fulfilling jobs I’ve had the opportunity to do.