|
Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
|
| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
frazerorr
Joined: 06 Jul 2003
Posts: 7
|
 Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2003 3:36 pm Post subject: JET 2004 |
 |
|
Hi all. I am an Irish EFL teacher currently working in Cape Town and thinking of doing JET in 2004. I've been scouring this site for a while and have found it very helpful but still have a few questions.
1 - I appreciate that JET can send you to pretty much anywhere of their choosing but I was wondering if there was anything I could say at interview that would persuade them that I would be most useful in an urban area, perhaps an aptitude for Business English..... over and above my duties as an ALT.
2 - Accomodation is a worry. I have read a great deal about the sub-standard accommodation in Japan and I was wondering what existing ALTs thought of their accommodation. Is there any support from the Programme once you arrive? Are problems such as this dealt with?
3 - I'm returning to Ireland in January 2004 and will be there until I (hopefully) leave on JET in July. I'm thinking of taking an additional Westgate contract, April - July before JET. I need the money and I think it would be a good 'taster' before I go on JET. Would JET, or indeed Westgate, have problems with me doing both schemes? Would immigration have a problem with me leaving Japan on Monday on one visa and returning on Friday with another? Bear in mind I have 2 EU passports (British and Irish).
That's all for now. I would be grateful for replies but I have to say that the people who have been posting on this website for the last couple of months have already been a great help and made me feel that my decision to go to Japan is at least 'informed'.
Thanks in advance. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
|
| Posted: Fri Aug 15, 2003 11:00 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| 1 - I appreciate that JET can send you to pretty much anywhere of their choosing but I was wondering if there was anything I could say at interview that would persuade them that I would be most useful in an urban area, perhaps an aptitude for Business English..... over and above my duties as an ALT. |
Probably not. You are here primarily to work in a high school, not to teach business English.
| Quote: |
| 2 - Accomodation is a worry. I have read a great deal about the sub-standard accommodation in Japan and I was wondering what existing ALTs thought of their accommodation. Is there any support from the Programme once you arrive? Are problems such as this dealt with? |
Why not ask JET? This sounds like one of their concerns anyway. What do you mean by "sub-standard" anyway? Remember, this is Japan, not Ireland or Cape Town or Los Angeles. Different cultures, different customs.
If you want info from JET ALTs, you'll find a lot of them post at www.bigdaikon.com .
| Quote: |
| Would JET, or indeed Westgate, have problems with me doing both schemes? Would immigration have a problem with me leaving Japan on Monday on one visa and returning on Friday with another? Bear in mind I have 2 EU passports (British and Irish). |
Yes, to both questions.
Since each outfit sponsors a visa, and that visa is slightly different, you will have to go through the proper channels for each one... separately. As you probably know, it takes about 2-4 months to process visa paperwork, so your Monday/Friday thing is untenable.
| Quote: |
| I'm thinking of taking an additional Westgate contract, April - July before JET. I need the money and I think it would be a good 'taster' before I go on JET. |
What "taste" of Japan do you need? The work is completely different with Westgate and JET. Why not just come on a tourist visa if you just want to experience some of Japan?
Moreover, JET may have qualms about you coming to Japan without the rest of the people who are hired in your area. They fly everyone to Japan all at once so they can attend an orientation meeting.
From the JET web site:
Can I make my own travel arrangements to get to Japan?
No. As a general rule, it is not permitted to come to Japan on any flight other than the one arranged for you. However, in very special cases that seem unavoidable on humanitarian grounds, it may be permitted on the condition that all relevant expenses are paid by the individual participant.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Why do all the participants have to depart for Japan together ?
In addition to expediting the processing of visas, participants must also attend pre-departure orientations as well as post-arrival orientation in Tokyo. Departure dates and flight numbers are arranged ahead of time to avoid confusion and ensure that all participants can be met by representatives of their contracting organisations. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Celeste
Joined: 17 Jan 2003
Posts: 814
Location: Fukuoka City, Japan
|
| Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2003 12:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| I was wondering if there was anything I could say at interview that would persuade them that I would be most useful in an urban area |
In the interview, no. There is a place on the application form where you can state your preference of rural, semi-rural, semi-urban, or urban though. Just check the correct box. The people from JET try to encourage everyone to chek rural because that is where they have the most openings, however no one says you have to check that box. (I remember in my info sessions they had a few rural Jet alumni come and tell us about the magic of waking up to the sound of frogs in the rice field... not a big selling point for me)
| Quote: |
| perhaps an aptitude for Business English..... over and above my duties as an ALT. |
Don't tell them you want to teach business English over and above your duties as an ALT. THey will think you only want to use JET to get the more lucrative gigs moonlighting as a business English teacher.
| Quote: |
| Accomodation is a worry. I have read a great deal about the sub-standard accommodation in Japan and I was wondering what existing ALTs thought of their accommodation. Is there any support from the Programme once you arrive? Are problems such as this dealt with? |
Coming from Canada, my husband and I were a bit shocked at how small the apartments are, but that was about it. Our colleagues from the UK rave about how nice and comfortable the apartments are here. It's all relative. I know of one JET in the countryside who was the first ALT the town had ever had, and they only provided her with an outhouse, not a proper flush-toilet, but I believe she was able to have a real one installed after a month or so. For the most part JET housing is fine and for the most part it is cheap rent.
| Quote: |
| 3 - I'm returning to Ireland in January 2004 and will be there until I (hopefully) leave on JET in July. |
This is good because you will have to interview and do all of the other preparations through the embassy or consulate in your home country. When you fill out your application package, you must send it through this embassy.
I am now starting my second year on the JET programme, and have had a very positive experience thus far. If you have any other questions, please e-mail me. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1548
Location: Tokyo, Japan
|
| Posted: Sat Aug 16, 2003 1:11 pm Post subject: JETs generally live in palaces by Japanese standards |
|
|
| Quote: |
| Accomodation is a worry. I have read a great deal about the sub-standard accommodation in Japan and I was wondering what existing ALTs thought of their accommodation. Is there any support from the Programme once you arrive? Are problems such as this dealt with? |
Virtually all the JET accommodations I've seen in various prefectures have been more than adequate by Japanese standards. These standards are different from your home country, of course. Be prepared to live in a very different way and cope with household routines that can be quite a surprise.
My place was huge - a 6 mat room, an 8 mat room, what they call a unit bath rooom - deep but small bathtub, shower area, double-basket washing machine and a washstand, large kitchen with range, water heater over the sink, microwave and fridge, and in the two rooms, a desk, chest of drawers, sofa and a bookshelf. These things were provided by the Board of Education. I lived on tatami floors, slept on futons (bought from my predecessor) and braved winter cold with the aid of kerosene heaters and survived roasting summer temperatures under an air con unit that I used sparingly.
About Business English, don't tell them anything of the sort. They're looking for someone who's committed to teaching in the schools. Any side gig you have on JET don't tell anybody.
Last edited by TokyoLiz on Sun Aug 17, 2003 9:43 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2003 12:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
Just to let people know a few things about Japanese apartments, I thought I'd clip from TokyoLiz's post and elaborate a little. No offense, TokyoLiz. I just thought that at first glance, what you wrote may not say enough to people.
| Quote: |
| My place was huge - a 6 mat room, an 8 mat room |
Room sizes are gauged by a standard based on how many tatami mats could make up the room. A room does not have to have tatami mats to have this measurement. One tatami mat is about 1m x 2m, and the way they are laid out makes a 6-tatami mat room size about 5m x 3m.
http://jafnet.co.jp/manual/chintai/migigawa/apart.htm
| Quote: |
| a unit bath room - deep but small bathtub, shower area, double-basket washing machine and a washstand, |
Just so people understand, the "bath" room often contains all these things that TokyoLiz mentioned, all in a tiny room. Some people feel strange to shower or bathe in a room with a washing machine literally at arm's length. It is a very cramped room.
And, bathtubs in Japan are not meant for people to lay down and stretch out. They are short, but deep, so the water can immerse an average person up to his neck, but you have to fold your legs. Some westerners are a bit too large for these and find them too confining.
Showers are just the open floor space in these rooms, and you usually have a hose with spray attachment. How you hang it may depend on your creativity and a coat hanger! Bath and shower water are heated as it is used, not from a water heater storage tank. This is economical, but if you have an old style water heater, it may require some adjusting to turn on the gas-powered pilot light (and it will therefore require some safety with the gas). Some operate with an electric switch; others need a crank to generate a spark. In cold climates, you may have to drain the water to avoid freezing pipes in winter.
The double basket washing machine (not always the type you may find, but I think it's the most common) may have an auto drain function for the wash cycle, or it may not. This means you will have to do it manually. The other basket does a spin cycle, so you first have to transfer wet clothing from the first basket (again, manually). It spins clothes drier than the washing basket does, but you still have to hang clothes to dry fully. Where? Depends on your apartment and the season. Verandas are usually equipped for this, but if you live in a cold area in winter, you will have to hang clothes indoors. My old apartment had hooks built into the kitchen wall for a clothesline for this, but some people get tired of dodging or ducking under damp clothes all the time. Just be aware. Oh, and these washing machines don't take a large load, so you may have to do laundry fairly frequently. Laundry soap is made so you don't need warm or hot water (must be the enzymes in it), and for that reason, most washing machines are not plumbed with a warm water faucet. If you want to use warm/hot water, you will have to fill it manually (sometimes with the shower hose, sometimes with a bucket).
TokyoLiz didn't mention the toilet, which is what many foreigners assume is part of the "bathroom". Not so in most cases in Japan. The toilet is the toilet room. Whether you get a western style or a Japanese squat style depends on the luck of the draw. If you don't like (or can't use) the squat style toilet, you can buy a plastic seat from a home amenities store for about 1000 yen and then use it like a western commode, almost.
| Quote: |
| large kitchen with range, water heater over the sink, microwave and fridge, |
To use the word "large" and "kitchen" in the same sentence in Japan is rather rare. They are usually tiny, and counter space is severely limited to about a square foot. Microwaves can be provided with apartments, but they may be smaller than you are used to. This is definitely the norm for refrigerators, and it is the reason why you may have to make so many trips to the supermarket (you just can't store the same amount as you did back home, but that's ok, because vegetables and fruits are sold at the peak of their freshness and won't last long anyway). Don't be surprised in rural areas if your sink has no running hot water. Mine didn't. You can rent a water heater to mount on the wall, though (like TokyoLiz may have supplied to her).
| Quote: |
| a desk, chest of drawers, sofa |
I got a desk, too, but it consists of little more than a frame, table top, and one drawer, sort of like a schoolroom desk, not an office desk with many file drawers. There just isn't enough space in Japanese apartments for an office desk. Chests of drawers are usually a set of 3 plastic drawers that stand about a meter tall. Sofas are short and squat, something more like a love seat. Again, to conserve on space.
Most of your furniture will come from previous teachers and/or the garbage/recycle. Don't expect better, but relish it if you get better. Apartments are furnished to be minimally functional, not cozy and comfortable (by western standards, anyway).
| Quote: |
| I lived on tatami floors, slept on futons |
You may or may not have tatami floors. I like them because they are cool in summer (and smell nice), and warm on your bare feet in winter (I live in a cold climate, Sapporo).
You may or may not like sleeping on a futon. In the US, a futon is a wooden frame with a heavily stuffed mattress. In Japan, it is a soft mat to throw on the floor and cover with a quilt. I like them, but some people complain about their backs and "sleeping on the floor". To each his own. Typically, Japanese people fold them up and store them in the closet every day (after hanging them to air out). This again is to make use of the floor space for any other purpose, and since the rooms are easily viewed by others, unless you shut the door and seal yourself off like a submarine in really close quarters, you may want to do this, too, or people will see your "bed" laid out all the time.
| Quote: |
| braved winter cold with the aid of kerosene heaters and survived roasting summer temperatures under an air con unit |
Some climates don't even have these. Some heaters are piped to the outdoors for ventilation, while others don't require that. You still have to be careful with the heaters because of earthquake danger; don't leave them running all night or when you aren't home. Learn how to operate the timer to start it before you wake up. Kerosene may be delivered, or you may have to go get it, usually in 18-liter plastic tanks. Can you carry one? How about two? Apartments with 4-5 floors don't always have elevators, so you may have to lug them upstairs. And, of course, you are the one who refills the heater.
Well, I've droned on long enough. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
TokyoLiz
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1548
Location: Tokyo, Japan
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2003 10:06 am Post subject: Thanks for that Glenski! |
|
|
For some people, the Japanese lifestyle things - cold water, manual washing machines, squat toilets - may seem like a hardship. However, there were some features of a Japanese house that just can't be beat.
You mention the tatami. Both my big rooms had tatami, which I also found fragrant in summer and warm in winter. To maintain them, I put little feet on my furniture, vacuumed and cleaned them with a damp cloth once a week. I was lucky that I didn't have ticks. In my area, the big problem was spiders as big as your face wandering in after the postman...
For one person, an apartment with 6 mats and 8 mats is huge. My kitchen was also 6 mat size, though the counter space was just big enough to slice veggies for curry rice.
I really liked my double basket washer. In fact, I missed it when I returned to my hometown. Typically in my hometown, rental apartments have a laundry room in the basement that you have to plug tokens or coins into. And they brutalize my clothes. I found that the double basket washer was gentler on my clothes and it gave me more control over the amount of soap, water and abuse my clothes required to get clean.
My old JET apartment kitchen was big enough to hang laundry in, and the apartment I'm in now has a loft where I can hang things. Either way works out.
About futon, if you have back problems, you might find that a futon is either a remedy or a cause for discomfort. I found my back never hurt after sleeping on futon.
The only frustrating part about futon is hanging it out and beating it senseless to get the dust out. The last few weeks in East Japan, it's been really rainy and my futons are getting a little musty because they haven't been out for air. When I was a JET, I had a few mishaps with futons - one time my big futon got blown off the laundry pole and landed in a neighbour's garden. Another time, I had to bolt from school on lunch break to rescue it from a sudden rain shower! Everybody had a good laugh at school about my futon on a near-weekly basis.
Lately my futon and my arms are getting a real workout because I go over it with a bokken - a wooden practice sword. Great exercise!
The kerosene was a bit problematic in the winter, though. I had to bungee a plastic tank to my back bike rack and ride down to the gas station in bitter cold to fill it up - usually wobbling all the way home. I can't remember if they were as big as Glenski says, 18 litres? Nah, mine where small, maybe 10 litres or so, and they lasted for about 2 weeks with moderate usage. I used to put my tea kettle on the stove to keep the place from drying out. It humidifies the room and boils your tea. Mornings can be miserable, though, because you can't use the kerosene heater over night - the fumes can kill you in an enclosed space. So I made do with wool socks and the air con turned on to heat the place in the morning.
I had a bit of a challenge at first learning how to manage the hot water in my place, but I got into a routine with it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
frazerorr
Joined: 06 Jul 2003
Posts: 7
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2003 2:27 pm Post subject: Many thanks, another Q... |
|
|
Thanks for your replies they've been very helpful. I have another question.....
4 - My girlfriend, who is also well qualified for JET is thinking about coming as well. How do JET look upon such things? Would they place us together if we asked them? And would a guarantee like this be honoured once we arrived in Japan? We wouldn't necessarily have to be housed together but we would need to be in the same city/area.
Thanks again. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
|
| Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2003 9:41 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| My girlfriend, who is also well qualified for JET is thinking about coming as well. How do JET look upon such things? Would they place us together if we asked them? And would a guarantee like this be honoured once we arrived in Japan? We wouldn't necessarily have to be housed together but we would need to be in the same city/area. |
Don't count on it. Some people here say it has happened, but many more have said it doesn't.
Ask the JETs at www.bigdaikon.com how often this happens if you want a bigger survey sample size of JET people. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Evil Giraffe
Joined: 05 Feb 2003
Posts: 32
Location: Kofu, Japan
|
| Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2003 5:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
I am one of this year's new JETs. Just got here about a month ago. Still learning the ropes but I think I am learning fairly quickly. And I have to say that JET as an organization has been wonderful. Everyone should do something like this.
Anyway, regarding the girlfriend thing, here's my short story.....
We applied together and had our interviews on the same day. I was asked about her during my interview. Question was " what would you do if one of you got accepted and the other didn't?" Very tricky question to answer. So I said something to the effect that if one of us got accepted that first, we'd have some thinking and talking to do and that second, the one would probably accept leaving the other to figure out an alternate route to get to Japan. "But," I said, "I'd like that decision to be made by us." I didn't want to tell them that if they couldn't take both of us, forget it.
So we had our interviews and in early April heard back. She was accepted and I was an alternate. Now the possibility of us being placed together seemed to really decrease. We thought that even if I did get accepted, we'd be placed pretty far apart. But I hung in there and lo and behold, I got notice at the end of May that I too had been accepted, and lower and beholder, we'd been placed in the same prefecture. Of course there was still the possibility that we'd be hours apart. But as it has turned out, I am a fifteen minute walk from a train station that gets me down to her place in 30 minutes with a short 5 minute walk to her place to follow.
So there you go. We are quite happy with what has happened. Granted, at first, we wanted to live together, but I think this has worked out quite nicely. We have my place in a large town, and her place in a smaller town. City and country. And what's more......we don't get in each other's way. And they all lived happily ever after............ |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
