Job Discussion Forums

dove · Joined: 01 Oct 2003 Posts: 271 Location: USA/Japan

The original poster said she was looking forward to an unheated apartment in February, snuggled under a kotatsu, drinking genmai cha.....that's a cozy image, but you can't live under a kotatsu. Try waking up to an unheated apartment and showering.....it gets (c)old quickly.

Deicide · Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 2:39 pm Post subject:

Hey OP, you're NOT in Korea and you're going to Japan; shut up and be happy...

nonsmoker · Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 4:44 pm Post subject:

Deicide · Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 5:42 pm Post subject:

nawlinsgurl · Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 10:33 pm Post subject:

Hey how about this? You give me your JET placement and I gladly move to Okinawa--and you move to Yokosuka?

You will like Okinawa-just watch out for the flying roaches.

Lyrajean · Joined: 19 Jul 2006 Posts: 109 Location: going to Okinawa

flyingkiwi · Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 11:47 pm Post subject:

shuize · Joined: 04 Sep 2004 Posts: 1270

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

gaijin4life · Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 1:38 am Post subject:

OP: Most likely it will turn out to be a lot better than you think at this point Very Happy

Give it a chance.. People adapt to the climate they live in, so like the locals do, Im sure you will find ways to stay cool when its really hot - like being inside w air-con etc during the hottest parts of the day.

It sounds like a great opportunity and experience. A very well-travelled teacher colleague had the opinion that, `you can live anywhere for a year..` I would agree..

In any case, you can transfer after a year with JET right .. ?

Deicide · Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 1:58 am Post subject:

flyingkiwi · Posted: Tue May 22, 2007 2:02 am Post subject:

ironopolis · Joined: 01 Apr 2004 Posts: 379

I might be wrong but I never saw the OP's initial post as looking for sympathy; expressing disappointment, yes, but asking people to feel sorry, no. Having said that, I'm not surprised by some of the reaction generated.

In my not very recent experience of JET, it seemed that those giving a convincing (but not necessarily completely true) reason for a placement request were generally given what they wanted or not so far off. Those putting down totally different parts of the country seemed to be considered as happy to be placed anywhere. Of course we can all be right with hindsight, but your mistake, lyrajean, was perhaps putting down Fukuoka with Tohoku. If you'd put down a combination of places in northern Japan, you might have had a better chance of being sent there.
Fukuoka wouldn't have given much you more snow in winter than Okinawa, BTW.

I can understand your disappointment however, as I've known quite a few JETs who wondered what the point of asking them for placement preferences was, when the place they ended up in had absolutely zero connection with the preferences they expressed. I suppose the moral of the story is to re-emphasize one of the big drawbacks of JET - the sheer unpredictability and inflexibility of where you'll end up.

To try and give you something relating to what you asked, lyrajean; Okinawa is usually agreed to be amongst the cheapest areas of Japan, so you'll very likely be better off in real terms than many of your fellow JETs elsewhere. I've known a few people who worked in Okinawa - some who wanted the more tropical lifestyle, some who weren't bothered about that at all - and all them said they liked living there. From what I've heard, I have the impression that people in Okinawa seem easier to establish real friendships with than many other parts of Japan.

Distance-wise you are indeed more isolated from the rest of Japan in Okinawa. But bear in mind that you'll be near an airport, and then only a couple of hours away from pretty much any other airport in Japan. Whereas in many parts of northern Japan, you could end up being a few hours away from the nearest airport, which probably wouldn't have the range of destinations than Okinawa has.

azarashi sushi · Joined: 23 Jan 2003 Posts: 562 Location: Shinjuku

I feel your pain Lyra Jean. I've been to Okinawa and liked it but I wouldn't want to live there either. As you say, it's very isolated and difficult to travel to other parts of Japan. The smaller islands are nice but Naha (and the surrounding area), where you are most likely to be placed is a HOLE. It's hideous and there are no good beaches nearby. And what's more, every second person is American ... But you might like that. Try to get a car when you get there and you'll be able to get out of Naha and explore the northern part of the island on the weekends.

On the plus side, I think the pace of life is a lot more laid back than on the "main island" and people are probably a lot friendlier.

canuck · Joined: 11 May 2003 Posts: 1921 Location: Japan