Job Discussion Forums

move · Joined: 30 May 2009 Posts: 132

Just got my placement, will be headed to Okayama. I'm excited because it seems like I won't be too far from the ocean, and there's enough greenery around there. I'm guessing there's not too much nightlife in Okayama, but it's not too far from Osaka, or Hiroshima. Anybody living around there who can give me some additional insights into the area? (yes I've already done a search). Smile

acornrevolution · Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Posts: 47

If you find your own apartment, do you know if Interac will still act as the Guarantor? Although getting a Leopalace would be easiest, I need something a little bigger and cheaper, and I've found plenty online, but I dont know how flexible the branch will be. I've found plenty of 2LDKs for 45,000 - 55,000. Although I would accept a nice loft LeoPalace or 2DK if it was cheap enough.

seklarwia · Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:29 am Post subject:

I know that some of the ALTs that have been here longer are indeed living in apartments they found themselves, so that in itself shouldn't be a problem. And they aren't making any profit from subletting so it shouldn't matter to them which apartment they are guarantor for.

They might not be so happy about people not yet in the country trying to organise their own accomodation though. If you are not yet in country then you have no idea where your schools are going to be, and even those who know their placements before arrival, don't know (or know for certain) how many or even where their schools are until they get their initial timetable (as they will continue to swap people around even after arrival). I had my schools changed after I had finished training i.e. after I signed my contracts (at my insistance but the other ALT who got my old schools had no idea until a week before term started).

Have you also confirmed that the places you have found are foreigner friendly.

You said that your wife will be joining you later. If Interac know that already, just ask them to look for a larger place for you. But if you are not driving, they may want to find you housing near your school or near good public transport, so you might not get the price you want.
If you didn't tell them, you might have to move into whatever they offer you, then whilst in country you can find somewhere else and move. It will cost a little more though doing it this way.

acornrevolution · Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Posts: 47

Thanks for the info. I did tell them that my wife would be joining me, during the interview. Whether or not they know it, I'm not sure. I'll remind them soon.

mintxleaf · Joined: 11 May 2009 Posts: 47

There's a bunch of information out there about apartments, and I know Interac loves to recommend their ALTs Leopalace since it's probably easy on their part... but is it really that bad? I guess it's the small + expensive issue. I don't mind the "small" part because I've lived in similarly sized apartments before. The "expensive" (for the size) part bothers me, since I am considering to stay over a year. Is it more beneficial to try to find an apartment and furnish it myself? Or, i guess the more important question is, will Interac assist me in any way to help me find these apartments or will it be completely on my own (I guess the helper people they assign us for help during the first few days might be able to help-- but really, is it possible to find an apartment and begin furnishing it in a just a few days after the training?).

Thanks for any and all input!! =D

spurious · Joined: 10 Jul 2009 Posts: 2

If I remember correctly, at the info session I went to they said you have to take the apartment that Interac provides for you, since they will have already signed a contract/rented it before you get there, so they would be losing money if you didn't pay them rent. I could be remembering incorrectly, though.

seklarwia · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 9:26 pm Post subject:

What happens is that when the think they have the placement confirmed and organised, they then start looking for housing. When they find somethng appropriate they sign the contract and make the down payments. If they do this before you have arrived, then they will insist that you take the apartment (or at the very least, that you pay them back whatever they have already paid upfront).

There are places that they may already have been rented out if you are replacing an old Interac ALT, but that is not always the case. I replaced an Interac ALT but I was moved into a newer place that was closer to the school, so my contract was new, not pre-exsisting.

You can move out of the places Interac put you in, but you will have to pay any moving out or penalty charges yourself.

Thing is, it really isn't going to be easy for new people to find an apartment straight after arrival. You may only have a week to settle in to your new place before you start working. House hunting and moving is bound to take weeks if not longer. Also, you need an address to register for your ARC when you arrive at your placement. You can't start working before you have registered. If you arrive, start house hunting and haven't moved into a place and registered before you start working there could be all sorts of problems.

mintxleaf · Joined: 11 May 2009 Posts: 47

OHHH~!! I see! Thanks.

I guess it's a double-edged sward type of thing. On one hand you're freed from the hassle of having to find and secure a housing. On the other hand, you have no freedom to choose your apartment.

I guess it's good tho, no hassle to have to rush and find an apartment (not to mention the furnishing part!) in the beginning =)

seklarwia · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:51 am Post subject:

spidr245 · Joined: 26 Nov 2008 Posts: 60

seklarwia · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 10:37 pm Post subject:

I wouldn't get your hopes up just yet. I'm not talking simply an inaka rice paddy with a population of a couple of thousand. Most of us couldn't fathom what remote could really mean, I know I couldn't until I heard about some of these places.

I'm talking about places like a couple of islands that only have a ship on/off once a week; where you will be in a completely isolated community; where you will be the only foreigner and could possibly not see another for most (if not all) of the year; where you have to order in your shopping... places where there really are not rental apartments avaliable. These are the places where the BOE is likely to provide the housing because there isn't anything else on offer.

Our branch got the contract for some of these islands from JET. I know one was filled, but I don't know about the others. Our MC was telling us that if we really wanted a truely unique experience, then they were placements we might want to consider for next spring.

Pretty much anywhere else, you'll likely find a Leopalace block : ) Actually, I was suprised when one of the Kofu city ALTs ended up in a regular unfurnished rental... I would have thought that Leopalace blocks would be a dime a dozen in such a sizable place.