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chaoticoni
Joined: 01 Jan 2011
Posts: 5
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 Posted: Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:40 pm Post subject: Info on Iwate |
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Hi, so I just received my placement to teach English for Interac and my placement is in the Iwate prefecture. They haven't told me specifically where in Iwate I was going to teach, but I did send an email back inquiring if they can give me some more information on specific towns, cities or schools.
So I'm wondering, if I can get some input on Iwate before I finalize my decision of whether or not to teach in Iwate.
I have done some research and it does seem positive. Very serene, quiet and nice. I'm also wondering how the cities in Iwate are. I'm just afraid that everything in my area will be closed at 7 and I'm stuck alone. It may be like that everywhere, but I just want to make the best decision I can. |
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Shonai Ben
Joined: 15 Feb 2003
Posts: 617
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 8:37 am Post subject: |
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Morioka has a decent night life for a small country city.Lots of bars and izakayas(taverns).
I can't speak for the other cities but in general even small cities in Japan have some kind of entertainment district.
You can always hop on a bullet train and head for Sendai if you get too bored with things.Population here is one million and the closest big city other than Tokyo.
Anyway,good luck with your placement......... |
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chaoticoni
Joined: 01 Jan 2011
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 3:54 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the input Shonai Ben. I sent an email for more info on where exactly I would be in and it appears to be in the Yamada area close to Miyako. I'm not sure how exact google maps is for Japan, but it would take 2+ hrs to drive to Morioka from where Yamada and Miyako are.
I was hoping to get a placement that would be around an hour or 1 and a half hour away(by train or subway and not bullet train) from a city with a million people.
I'm likely going to reject this first offer in hopes of something a little closer to a city or maybe somewhere that is less cold lol.
Thanks again Shonai Ben. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:03 pm Post subject: |
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I'll put this opening opinion bluntly: stop being a spoiled brat. 
Interac has the JHS/Elem contract in Miyako and the town to the north - I'd be surprised if Yamada hasn't amalgamated with another town by now. They're interesting places. They're reasonably close to Sendai via the coastal road, route 4 (IIRC). It's a 2-3 hour drive to Morioka. It's actually faster to get to Sendai, whether by car or train because all the transit lines converge south of Morioka in.... bother, can't remember the name. Hanamaki? That sounds right.
What annoys me about people complaining about placements in Japan is that they invariably don't realize that the vast majority of mainland placements in a town of ~50k+ is going to give you much the same life as a placement in a town of MM1-2. No, you won't have 500+ choices for movie theatre and izakaya, but so what? The only real difference is that you don't have as much concrete sprawl as the large cities: a positive.
The coastal area of Iwate is great. There are things to do, you're still connected to cities if that's what you think you need, but you have the advantages of smaller locales.
Anyone that rejects it simply because of size is already judging Japan the wrong way and, IMO, not going to survive anywhere there.
YMMV. |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:14 pm Post subject: |
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| chaoticoni wrote: |
| I'm likely going to reject this first offer in hopes of something a little closer to a city or maybe somewhere that is less cold lol. |
Good luck with that. With jobs in such high demand and so many people staying on, and these reconcontracted people and in country hires getting first choice and second choice repespectively, you're likely going to end up just like my roomate at my arrival training: She also turned down an Iwate placement and then ended up coming as an alternate (i.e. you arrive without a placement on the understanding that you will take whatever they give you; no questions asked; no complaining).
And as an alternate, guess what you're probably going to get... likely some super inaka postion that somebody just like you turned down during the placement allocation process. Sure it might be slightly warmer, but it may also be even further from civilisation in a village with the population of only a couple of thousand with the local train station being an hour or more away and the train service being so infrequent that you probably couldn't visit your nearest city term time (I'm actually describing a placement in my branch where the ALT is so close to Tokyo and yet so far).
With most newbies all crying, "I want an urban placement in Tokyo or Osaka!" do you honestly think there is a good chance that people are going to be turning down urban placements and you will manage to get one?
You might be super lucky and get one of the Tokyo Islands 
If you decide to decline being an alternate and come in the summer, you will probably get either a placement that somebody abandoned (maybe because they were the typical fresh out of uni party type who thought that ALT=meant paid vacation, maybe because they had an emergency and had to head home, or a big maybe says it was a nightmare placement) or you will get an ex-JET placement which are often rural.
Personally, I just don't understand why newbies nearly all want urban placements in the big cities. Don't get me wrong; I like visiting Tokyo, but after the, "I'm in Japan!" excitement wears off, most of the big cities around the world are the same: too many people, too many cars, too little space, too noisy, packed trains, expensive and you can live next to your neighbour for 10 years and never learn their name... the only major differences between Tokyo and any other major city in another country are that it is a little cleaner and a little safer. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:56 am Post subject: Re: Info on Iwate |
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| chaoticoni wrote: |
Hi, so I just received my placement to teach English for Interac and my placement is in the Iwate prefecture. They haven't told me specifically where in Iwate I was going to teach, but I did send an email back inquiring if they can give me some more information on specific towns, cities or schools.
So I'm wondering, if I can get some input on Iwate before I finalize my decision of whether or not to teach in Iwate.
I have done some research and it does seem positive. Very serene, quiet and nice. I'm also wondering how the cities in Iwate are. I'm just afraid that everything in my area will be closed at 7 and I'm stuck alone. It may be like that everywhere, but I just want to make the best decision I can. |
I lived in Iwate for quite a few years. If being near a big city and having access to proper nightlife is one of your deal-breaker criteria, then Yamada isn't for you. It is more or less in the middle of nowhere, and is a couple hour drive/train ride even to Morioka (which has a little night life, but not much - maybe 3 or 4 small-ish clubs, and basically 2 foreigner hangouts, which are in the same building). In Yamada, most places will probably be closed in the evening, like you said, except maybe for snacks and hostess bars full of middle-aged salarymen.
Like others have said, though, you may be pleasantly surprised. I had originally hoped to be in a big city, but was placed in Iwate instead, and now I am so very glad I was. Onsens and skiing are great in in the winter, and hiking is good in the summer. All in all, it's a nice place to live, if you are into those things, but if you need the nightlife and big city lights, well... |
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chaoticoni
Joined: 01 Jan 2011
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:51 am Post subject: |
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I'm sorry if I came off sounding like I was condemning Iwate. I live in the suburbs and I am used to having the convenience of having the ability to get to a big city within 1hr and 30mins(no bullet trains here). It's a 1 year contract, and I just wanted to make sure that Iwate was a good fit for me before I fly out and start encountering problems that I am not prepared for.
Doing research of travel sites only give me a glimpse of what tourists see in Iwate. I'm looking for what people who have been there have to say. I really appreciate the posts so far, and I'm getting the idea that it definitely is something different from what I'm used to.
What are some of the activities to do within Iwate?
What do you guys do when things do close down at 7pm?
How do you go about meeting people in small towns?
What were your experiences like living in the Iwate prefecture?
How far did you guys travel when in Iwate?
What do you do on weekends?(Go to Sendai or Morioka?)
What do you do in general for fun during the summer?
Again, I'm sorry if I sounded arrogant, but I just want to know what I'm getting myself into if I do accept this position. I don't want to wing it and end up not liking where I'm placed(It's going to be a long year if I can't enjoy it). All I know is that I'm going to be driving and teaching a couple High Schools and that's about it. I want to know more about the lifestyle there before I do take the plunge.
Also, if I do decide to reject this offer, does anyone know what happens afterward? I asked them this question when I was given my placement and they simply said they would find another one and the process continues until you accept one.
I'm just skeptical on the information that I am given. The recruiter said during the seminar that they would hire 5 people globally. 3 people including in myself in that seminar/interview have been given the positions. So am I suppose to assume that some interview locations in the States or the UK hire nobody? Furthermore, "the best offer is usually the first one". How do I know whether this is true or not? I definitely don't and there is the possibility that they will try to get rid of less popular placements first. It is their jobs after all to fill in the placements.
Anyways, enough rambling. Thanks guys for the posts. I'm beginning to see a clearer picture. |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 10:37 am Post subject: |
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| chaoticoni wrote: |
| Also, if I do decide to reject this offer, does anyone know what happens afterward? I asked them this question when I was given my placement and they simply said they would find another one and the process continues until you accept one. |
I just told you what happens in my last post!
They have to get people out here in only a couple of months. Do you really think they just continue offering placements until every one says yes?
Is there a chance you will get offered an urban placement if you decline this one? There is a very, very, VERY (!!!) small chance that you could. But as I said before you are at the bottom of the list in line for one. People already employed at Interac get priority on any free placements (we were asked about whether we wanted to change way before Christmas) and then they are offered to in-country hires who may already have roots planted, kids etc, thus their needs to be considered more greatly.
You, as an overseas recruit with likely no real reason to be placed in any specific placement, are used to fill what is left. They will try to take your preference into account, but if you asked for urban and there are no urban placements left then you get dispatched to where ever they need you... what else did you expect would happen if you were hired by a DISPATCH company?
If you decline this position you likely won't be offered another placement (just like my training roomate that I mentioned before). You will be asked whether you want to come as an alternate or delay until the summer... I've already explained what these two options involve so I won't repeat myself further. |
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chaoticoni
Joined: 01 Jan 2011
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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You are right Seklarwia, and it was an oversight on my part and the excitement of adventure or partial fear blinding my judgment. To me, it seems that I will be able to find something interesting regardless of where I'm placed. As such, I decided to reject the offer.
I'm aware now that I have little choice of where I can be placed and priority be given to others. Even if I am going as an alternate, I'm not going to regret the decision. Japan is Japan and I will be able to enjoy the small subtleties throughout. |
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mattmusashi
Joined: 07 Oct 2010
Posts: 10
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| Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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| I'm curious what city you interviewed in? And I would take Iwate. |
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chaoticoni
Joined: 01 Jan 2011
Posts: 5
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| Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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| I interviewed in Toronto, Ontario. |
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extradross
Joined: 23 Apr 2010
Posts: 81
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 7:21 am Post subject: |
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| As an infrequent visitor to this board I usually 'tune in' around this time [Jan-March] for a read of the 'prospective' ALT threads.....every year as pay declines and conditions worsen with the dispatch companies we get these same threads usually from the North American contingent newbies....where do 'you guys' hang out, party, what bars are open late, what activities can I do at the weekend?'-NEVER any concern with the nature of the position itself -as a teacher, that they are supposed to be going there for....maybe some of these ALT dispatch scumbag companies that are offering 180-220 thou per month get what they deserve? I just feel slightly sorry for some of the kids...... |
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pnksweater
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 173
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Mon Jan 24, 2011 7:33 am Post subject: |
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| extradross wrote: |
| As an infrequent visitor to this board I usually 'tune in' around this time [Jan-March] for a read of the 'prospective' ALT threads.....every year as pay declines and conditions worsen with the dispatch companies we get these same threads usually from the North American contingent newbies....where do 'you guys' hang out, party, what bars are open late, what activities can I do at the weekend?'-NEVER any concern with the nature of the position itself -as a teacher, that they are supposed to be going there for....maybe some of these ALT dispatch scumbag companies that are offering 180-220 thou per month get what they deserve? I just feel slightly sorry for some of the kids...... |
True, but the job varies so greatly depending on what schools and what teachers you work with. Given how frequently teachers get shuffled, and the time they take telling you where you�ll actually be working, it�s not like the newbs can ask or get any useful information on their particular work situation. Even with JET, I found out what schools I�d be teaching at months after I learned my placement. |
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