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Japan Bound in June with PKC/iTTTi Advice please????/
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Quichia



Joined: 03 Feb 2010
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 4:23 am    Post subject: Japan Bound in June with PKC/iTTTi Advice please????/ Reply with quote

Hi everyone I applied and was offered a position teaching with PKC/iTTTi starting the end of Japan. Anyone else heading out there in June???

Also, for those who have been in Japan just a couple of questions.

First, what is a good airline to travel on? I'd be flying out of Florida or Los Angeles. Or Napoli, Italy.

And, what things do you think I should prepare to bring before I head out; things that you thought: dang I wish I would have brought these from home because they were NOT in the welcome packet my school gave me?

And, as far as learning Japanese, what are your takes on the ways to learn it. I am a kinesthetic learner as well as auditory; any books or programs that you can recommend? I read the posts on this in the past, but I think those were all online flash cards. I also don't know how to start- Do I learn the alphabet first or is it better to learn phrases?
I've learned other languages, but they were latin based, not using any characters. So, learning phrases was okay to start then, but I have a feeling not now.

Domo arrigato Smile
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:34 am    Post subject: Re: Japan Bound in June with PKC/iTTTi Advice please????/ Reply with quote

Quichia wrote:
And, what things do you think I should prepare to bring before I head out; things that you thought: dang I wish I would have brought these from home because they were NOT in the welcome packet my school gave me?
Do you even have a welcome packet?

Pack clothes for 2 seasons. Have someone else send the rest a month before the seasons begin.

Pack an address book and recipes.

Bring medicine you absolutely cannot live without, plus doctors' prescriptions for those special meds. Learn what you cannot take.

Don't know where you will be, so it's hard to say whether to bring much more. Mail books in advance, but you probably want to pack a couple for immediate reading. Same with CDs (use a padded carrier, or load up an iPod).

Don't know your clothing sizes, so it's hard to suggest whether you should pack certain things that are not available here.

Spare eyeglasses / contacts.

Enough money for an emergency trip home.

A day pack or satchel.



Quote:
And, as far as learning Japanese, what are your takes on the ways to learn it.
Any possible way you can. Everyone is different. There are plenty of internet sites (start with Jim Breen's Japanese page), or you could hire a tutor or get into a language exchange, or your employer could have something for you, etc.

Quote:
I also don't know how to start- Do I learn the alphabet first or is it better to learn phrases?
Both. Hiragana and katakana can be learned in a week, but you should get a phrase book for those common things to say (and won't have to spell).
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ShioriEigoKyoushi



Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 1:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Last edited by ShioriEigoKyoushi on Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:03 pm; edited 1 time in total
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seklarwia



Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano

PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 9:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ShioriEigoKyoushi wrote:
Also detergents (lots of stuff you can recognise on sight but a bottle of clothes washing soap and a bottle of fabric softener look almost identical... and so does a bottle of bleach)!


Just as well that bleach is found in the cleaning section of any normal store and not amongst clothes detergent. Laughing Laughing Laughing Especially for me who has a wardrobe full of black!

And hair shampoo and conditioner are easy: Go to the hair section, pick up two bottles of the same brand standing side-by-side. Run your fingers down or look at the sides of the bottle. If they are both smooth then you have two bottles of hair conditioner; bottles of shampoo always have ridges on the side that look like measure marks... why do I know such random bits of info? Embarassed
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ShioriEigoKyoushi



Joined: 21 Aug 2009
Posts: 364
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 10:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Last edited by ShioriEigoKyoushi on Tue Jun 08, 2010 4:03 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Apsara



Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 2142
Location: Tokyo, Japan

PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ShioriEigoKyoushi wrote:

Just as well you lived near a normal store, too. In my nearest store they were right next to each other.


I've seen plenty of places where the bleach and clothes detergent were shelved very close to each other if not right next to each other as well. Learning katakana is a very good idea, and most Japanese courses start by having you learn hiragana and katakana.

As for the OP's question about airlines, they are all pretty similar these days apart from a few dire exceptions, but those probably don't service the areas you are going to. Fly the cheapest one, because you'll need the money when you get here. I doubt there will be direct flights to Japan out of Naples- you'll probably have to head to Rome or Milan.
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Quichia



Joined: 03 Feb 2010
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you all for the advice!

Actually, flights are cheaper from Naples in Italy Wink
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Quichia



Joined: 03 Feb 2010
Posts: 17

PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 11:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you all for the advice!

Actually, flights are cheaper from Naples in Italy Wink