Japan Society of Boston Meets Sarah Curtis (Kochi, 2018-2019)

In partnership with Japan Society of Boston, USJETAA is proud to share the JSB Meets JET Alumni interview series which explores the JET experience across Japan.

In May of 2024, Japan Society of Boston got to know Sarah Curtis (Kochi, 2018-2019) as she discussed learning local dialects, exploring local cuisine and more!

Did you pick up any of the regional dialects? What are some of your favorite words or phrases?

I did pick up some Tosa-ben! I mostly did this through volunteering as a performer for the Genki Seinenkai Youth Association, which is an organization aimed at creating cultural awareness through musicals. When I was a JET, we did a story based on “Alice in Wonderland,” but instead it was called “Alice in Tosaland.” It incorporated key cultural aspects of Kochi culture. Before we performed, we were coached by native Tosa-ben speakers who helped us with pronunciation and understand the nuances of the language. We performed at eight shows throughout the prefecture. It was a really lovely way to marry my two passions; music and Japanese culture.