Job Discussion Forums

[iverin]

Well this is my first post. I've spent a while reading old posts and the "FAQ" posts. I'm leaving for Fukushima City at the end of November and will be working for Aeon. This represents a lot of firsts for me (first plane trip, first non-English country, first time living alone etc) and I was just wondering what the experience is going to be like. I know nothing about my Aeon provided apartment aside from the fact that it's a 15 minute walk from the Fukushima Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen line. Has anyone been in that area and know anything about it?

I read the thread on bringing computers to Japan. I have a Dell XPS M1210 that comes with an AC adapter with prongs of one size (not polarized like many here in Canada are) so do you think I will have a problem and need an adapter or should it be fine?

Random question; I read about one person somewhere online that brought their own alarm clock but because of the power difference the timing device worked differently. So is it easy to get an english alarm clock over there?

What is the Fukushima Prefecture and City area like? Particularly the weather. I requested somewhere "northern" that wasn't quite as hot and humid as Tokyo and further south, and what I've seen while checking the weather online, is that Fukushima seems about the same temperature as here in Ontario. But what is it like at the hottest in the summer and coldest in the winter (I love winter and snow).

I think that's about it. I'm SO excited and waiting until the end of November is going to kill me.

[markle]

[iverin]

By english I just meant one with english numbers lol. If they all have normal numbers then all is well

[GIR]

[iverin]

Well I'm glad I can get a clock there. I don't use Cell phone alarms as I have a tendency to sleep through them
Also glad that I don't need an adapter for my computer. I'm not bringing many electric items with me but I do have a blow dryer and straightener, where can I get adapters so they don't malfunction (?).

Also, in terms of money, I was told to come with about $2000 (canadian) to cover the cost of bills and such before I get paid. Should I bring that in Traveller's cheques/Yen? Is it better that way than trying to find an ATM that accepts foreign cards (I use PC Financial, a branch of CIBC).

Also, I know that this has been answered in the FAQs, but more specifically, if I have bills due from my PC account on several different dates each month, is it possible to transfer money straight from my Japanese account into that one? (like say online banking where you can transfer funds like I can do now with PC). I have my student loan payment that comes out of my account as well as some smaller ones that I'm responsible for.


Does any one have any specific info on Fukushima-shi? I'd love to hear details beyond what I've found on the internet

[Ryu Hayabusa]

Check out this site that I found.

http://www.pref.fukushima.jp/list_e/sitemap_e.html

From what I read, the weather in Fukushima is warmer than Ontario. Depending on where you're from in Ontario (Toronto vs Wawa), the weather will be a little warmer or a lot warmer. The winters are about 2-3 months there as opposed to 4-5 months here in Toronto.

I'd say the weather in Fukushima might bear some similarities to Korea since they're both latitudinally close. Maybe a bit less humid, than Seoul though. On average, Seoul was 5-10 degrees C warmer than Toronto.

[iverin]

thanks Ryu. I'll check that site out. I live in Hamilton so the weather is the same as Toronto. I know it's more humid in Fukushima than here. Fukushima was as far north as I could get without waiting until the new year to leave. I had basically just wanted something not as hot as South of Tokyo and somewhere that got snow. I've been checking the Fukushima weather online and so far it's been pretty much the same as here. But I know it will get hotter.

Thanks again for the info.





Edited: Another question. What type of spiders are there in Fukushima? I can deal with small house spiders but what other types are there? How common are cockroaches and centipedes inside apartments? Are there precautions to avoid this? I'm pretty bug-phobic lol

[Apsara]

No, you won't be able to transfer money straight from your Japanese account to your Canadian account. See Tiger Beer's recent money transferring thread for the options- they're in there somewhere...

[markle]

[Apsara]

7-11 ATMs are a dime a dozen these days as well- we are finally getting past the days when it was hard to find an ATM that would take foreign cards. I'M assuming there are also plenty of 7-11s in Fukushima, but possibly not. Post offices are common enough to make the hassle of traveller's cheques not worthwhile.

[iverin]

I tried googling PC to see if they are Plus or Cirrus and didn't come up with a definite answer but did find one site where someone said they had no trouble using their card in Europe on the Plus system. But I'll ask a PC Rep next time I'm near a pavilion. I have to ask about international transfers anyways (like cost and how long it takes etc) so I'll just ask when I ask those questions.

[wayne432]

Just use google maps and glide around the area you'll be. 7-11s (and other conbinis) pop up, but all you're looking for is the 7s

[iverin]

thanks wayne, I google mapped as close as I could get (still not close enough to really see anything) but I did count five 7/11's in Fukushima-shi. I'm not entirely sure yet where I'll be but I was told it's about 15 minutes from the Fukushima Station. And I'd assume that's close to the middle of town and there were 3 7's in and around that area. So hopefully one of those is close to my apartment