DeShea is going to Japan to teach!

I have been accepted into the most prestigious program to teach English in Japan. It has been promoting international relations between Japan and English-speaking countries since 1987. The position that I have been offered is called an ALT: an Assistant Language Teacher. I have been called to represent Hot Springs and Fayetteville, Arkansas on an international level. The great thing about being an English teacher is not just teaching English so that they can speak to native English-speakers, but to other international students who have studied English as well! My vision as a leader and as a teacher is this: I want to encourage as many of my students as I can to study abroad, preferably in Arkansas.

I graduated from the University of Arkansas in 2011 with a BA in Cultural Anthropology and a minor in German. I have worked at Ozark Natural Foods Cooperative for the past 4.5 years. For the past year, my goal has been become an English teacher, and so far I have been successful. Last summer, I received my Teaching English as a Foreign Language certification, and taught my first English class at Spring International Language Center at the University of Arkansas. I co-taught a special program for a group of Japanese students from Kanto Gakuin university. They inspired me to teach in Japan, so I applied for JET and I have succeeded!

I have been paying out of pocket to take Intensive Japanese (M-F) at the University of Arkansas since January. I've also been volunteering at the local Boy's and Girl's Club leading a Foreign Language Club. I want to teach local kids that the world is bigger than Arkansas and that foreign languages can give them to opportunity to go abroad. I've been really busy, so I've only been able to work part-time in order to pay for tuition, food, gas, and rent. In order to save money and to focus on my goals, starting January 1, 2015 I stopped drinking and smoking. Sobriety feels so good and has given me everything I hoped it woud.

So, now I've got the big job! There is so much still to do. The money that I am asking for from you will cover professional clothes (suits), nice shirts and pants to teach in, an $85 fee for an IRS form, a hotel and gas money (twice) to get and from to orientations in Nashville, TN, business cards, a physical and x-rays, personal care supplies, suitcases. I am not asking for money ($3000) that I will need for the first month there. I am selling my car before I leave to cover what I will need money for the first month that I live in Japan, including rent and a deposit, food, a new phone and plan.

Thank you for considering donating to my cause!

Note: I removed the name of the program I have been accepted into because after thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that it might not be the most professional thing to include it on this site without consent! If you're interested in knowing, just message me!