Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Give Up the Ghost
Aside from attending my JTE's father's wake, there has been one other emotional ceremony here: graduation. And I'm not talking high school graduation when you're 18 and ready to get the hell out of your parents house and go to college. Japan makes a huge deal out of ALL graduations. I have a school with five children in it. One girl was graduating 6th grade and moving into junior high... upstairs. She had a 45 minute ceremony... Just. For. Her.
Don't mind the bitterness seeping out of my face. That's just the recollection of hours of sitting in the school gym watching the kids march around the stage, sing the same songs, and basically slaughter any sentiment that a graduation ceremony could have by practicing it to death.
Or, that's how I felt before.
When graduation day came, I couldn't have expected it to be the torrential wave of melancholy that it was. I thought: they've been practicing this for weeks; this won't be that emotional. Case in point: during rehearsal, when the graduating students turned to the students they would be leaving and sang an emotional song, I was almost outraged that they would practice it that way. REALLY? I thought. They're going to practice this emotional song the exact way it's going to be at the ceremony just because Japan is obsessed with formal ceremonies?! That takes ALL the feeling out of it! It's not going to mean anything come graduation!
Silly me. The younger students could hardly contain themselves the day of. Even more sadistic, they had to sing a song back to the graduating students, red-faced and blubbering. "Wasurenaide, sayounara to iou~"
Really, really sad. Way to drive it home, whoever picked that song.
If you don't already know, high school is not considered mandatory education in Japan. After middle school, you are free to become a fisherman without the country considering your parents child laborers. You'd probably be lost at sea when a fish three times your body weight pulled you into the water, but you could be a fisherman if you really wanted to.
Kids usually go away for high school, as Westerners go away for college. The underachievers in my village stay close to home, but hey, at least they're not doomed fishermen. One of my students was accepted into a university in Tokyo. Luckily, her grandmother lives there and can board her. Another of my students went to Aomori City and is living with a host family for the duration of her high school years. I asked her if she knew the people she would be living with. She said no; she had just met them a week before I asked-- about a month before graduation. Wow. Talk about a culture difference. Kids who don't have family in the area in which they want to attend high school or don't secure a host family live in school housing: dorms. Remember, we're talking about kids who just graduated middle school living away from home. But anyway, I digress...
Graduation was heart-wrenching. I'd only known the kids for 7 months (some of their teachers had known them for all three years), so I wasn't expecting anyone to really feel that broken up about saying goodbye to me. But could you blame me for being a little sad? I don't proclaim to be a great lover of children, but I do try to make the most of my time here in Japan. Well, as much as my ability permits. Sometimes I just don't have the right words to say. I think my kids understand that I like them though. Hopefully.
Back on topic, I couldn't believe how sad everyone was. Even the mayor's son, who's like the cool, young-ish, snarky teacher had his head bowed, tears plopping straight down to his chest from his eyes. He didn't look at a single kid as their procession finally filed out of the gym. It was a very humanizing scene, something I felt was extremely powerful and telling. I could honestly say I'd never experienced anything quite like graduation.
But the ceremony wasn't the end. After the marching, the songs, and the seemingly endless speeches, the mood shifted. Honestly, it was like suddenly the sun pierced the rainclouds and filtered into the school. The floor-to-wall length window in the assembly hall probably had something to do with it.
One by one, the graduating students walked down the stairs to great applause. Then, like the final scene of a movie, everyone sang a song. The crying had abated for now. Everyone sang and smiled. When the song was over, it was time for the students to go home. I stood awkwardly in the assembly hall as the kids said goodbye and hugged their favorite teachers. I actually almost cried. At that moment, I felt like a true outcast. It was a profoundly poignant thought, that seven months of my life could have had no affect on anyone.
That's when Kazusa came up to me with a large, pink envelope. Inside was a decorated card with a picture of all of the students and a goodbye note from each of them. She looked at me with a thousand words split between her eyes and tongue. It's hard for middle schoolers to express themselves in English. I've been lucky that I speak the amount of Japanese that I do. I don't know how I'd connect with the kids otherwise sometimes. Kazusa gave me a big hug and thanked me sincerely. She started to cry, which made me cry, and we both cried and hugged each other until we were sufficiently certain that we were being silly. I told her good luck, that she was a wonderful student, and that I know for a fact that she is very smart. She told me that she didn't like English very much before I got there but that now she was going to really try. I haven't heard anything as rewarding since. She was the only one to write her goodbye note completely in English. It wasn't perfect, but from the student whose first words to me were, "I don't speak English," I considered it a mission accomplished. It is one of the most rewarding feelings I've ever experienced. She truly validated all seven months of my time there.
We drew nearer to the door. None of the boys came to say goodbye. They were out the door as fast as possible. Only a few stragglers remained. I was delighted that Kazusa had said goodbye to me, but my heart still ached a little that nobody else cared. And then Mizuho saw me. She was still in the genkan, putting on her shoes when she turned around and saw me standing there. It was another scene ripped straight off of a reel of film. She flung herself on me, tears renewed, sobbing onto my shoulder. I held her for at least five minutes, her alternating between looking at me and burying her eyes into my shirt. I'd never had that experience before, of a child heartbroken to leave me. Needless to say, I was emotional. I cupped her face and told her that I was so proud of her for getting into the high school she had wanted. I didn't want to say goodbye to her. Before graduation, I had handwritten all 14 of them goodbye letters (in Japanese) with an e-mail address with which they could reach me. I told them if they ever planned to go to America, had any questions about English, etc., they could always contact me.
I hope she hasn't lost it.
The sadness of parting fades as all sadness does. I still have great kids to teach even though the others are gone. What is really daunting is that since I re-contracted for another year, I have to attend ANOTHER graduation. I really don't know what to expect next year. I'll be saying goodbye to kids I'll have known for a year and a half. If that weren't enough, when I leave that July, I'll have to say goodbye to all four schools-- to children I've known for two years.
It's difficult to think about, but I keep telling myself that my life isn't here in Japan. It isn't in Aomori. But it's not as if I yearn to stay. The pull of familiarity tugs hard from both directions, but I need to go back to the US. I know my life is there; it's just that leaving a life I've worked hard to cultivate for two years will be no great joy. I know once I'm back in the States, however, I'll realize that everything is as it should be, and Sai can change someone else's life now.
Don't mind the bitterness seeping out of my face. That's just the recollection of hours of sitting in the school gym watching the kids march around the stage, sing the same songs, and basically slaughter any sentiment that a graduation ceremony could have by practicing it to death.
Or, that's how I felt before.
When graduation day came, I couldn't have expected it to be the torrential wave of melancholy that it was. I thought: they've been practicing this for weeks; this won't be that emotional. Case in point: during rehearsal, when the graduating students turned to the students they would be leaving and sang an emotional song, I was almost outraged that they would practice it that way. REALLY? I thought. They're going to practice this emotional song the exact way it's going to be at the ceremony just because Japan is obsessed with formal ceremonies?! That takes ALL the feeling out of it! It's not going to mean anything come graduation!
Silly me. The younger students could hardly contain themselves the day of. Even more sadistic, they had to sing a song back to the graduating students, red-faced and blubbering. "Wasurenaide, sayounara to iou~"
Really, really sad. Way to drive it home, whoever picked that song.
If you don't already know, high school is not considered mandatory education in Japan. After middle school, you are free to become a fisherman without the country considering your parents child laborers. You'd probably be lost at sea when a fish three times your body weight pulled you into the water, but you could be a fisherman if you really wanted to.
Kids usually go away for high school, as Westerners go away for college. The underachievers in my village stay close to home, but hey, at least they're not doomed fishermen. One of my students was accepted into a university in Tokyo. Luckily, her grandmother lives there and can board her. Another of my students went to Aomori City and is living with a host family for the duration of her high school years. I asked her if she knew the people she would be living with. She said no; she had just met them a week before I asked-- about a month before graduation. Wow. Talk about a culture difference. Kids who don't have family in the area in which they want to attend high school or don't secure a host family live in school housing: dorms. Remember, we're talking about kids who just graduated middle school living away from home. But anyway, I digress...
Graduation was heart-wrenching. I'd only known the kids for 7 months (some of their teachers had known them for all three years), so I wasn't expecting anyone to really feel that broken up about saying goodbye to me. But could you blame me for being a little sad? I don't proclaim to be a great lover of children, but I do try to make the most of my time here in Japan. Well, as much as my ability permits. Sometimes I just don't have the right words to say. I think my kids understand that I like them though. Hopefully.
Back on topic, I couldn't believe how sad everyone was. Even the mayor's son, who's like the cool, young-ish, snarky teacher had his head bowed, tears plopping straight down to his chest from his eyes. He didn't look at a single kid as their procession finally filed out of the gym. It was a very humanizing scene, something I felt was extremely powerful and telling. I could honestly say I'd never experienced anything quite like graduation.
But the ceremony wasn't the end. After the marching, the songs, and the seemingly endless speeches, the mood shifted. Honestly, it was like suddenly the sun pierced the rainclouds and filtered into the school. The floor-to-wall length window in the assembly hall probably had something to do with it.
One by one, the graduating students walked down the stairs to great applause. Then, like the final scene of a movie, everyone sang a song. The crying had abated for now. Everyone sang and smiled. When the song was over, it was time for the students to go home. I stood awkwardly in the assembly hall as the kids said goodbye and hugged their favorite teachers. I actually almost cried. At that moment, I felt like a true outcast. It was a profoundly poignant thought, that seven months of my life could have had no affect on anyone.
That's when Kazusa came up to me with a large, pink envelope. Inside was a decorated card with a picture of all of the students and a goodbye note from each of them. She looked at me with a thousand words split between her eyes and tongue. It's hard for middle schoolers to express themselves in English. I've been lucky that I speak the amount of Japanese that I do. I don't know how I'd connect with the kids otherwise sometimes. Kazusa gave me a big hug and thanked me sincerely. She started to cry, which made me cry, and we both cried and hugged each other until we were sufficiently certain that we were being silly. I told her good luck, that she was a wonderful student, and that I know for a fact that she is very smart. She told me that she didn't like English very much before I got there but that now she was going to really try. I haven't heard anything as rewarding since. She was the only one to write her goodbye note completely in English. It wasn't perfect, but from the student whose first words to me were, "I don't speak English," I considered it a mission accomplished. It is one of the most rewarding feelings I've ever experienced. She truly validated all seven months of my time there.
We drew nearer to the door. None of the boys came to say goodbye. They were out the door as fast as possible. Only a few stragglers remained. I was delighted that Kazusa had said goodbye to me, but my heart still ached a little that nobody else cared. And then Mizuho saw me. She was still in the genkan, putting on her shoes when she turned around and saw me standing there. It was another scene ripped straight off of a reel of film. She flung herself on me, tears renewed, sobbing onto my shoulder. I held her for at least five minutes, her alternating between looking at me and burying her eyes into my shirt. I'd never had that experience before, of a child heartbroken to leave me. Needless to say, I was emotional. I cupped her face and told her that I was so proud of her for getting into the high school she had wanted. I didn't want to say goodbye to her. Before graduation, I had handwritten all 14 of them goodbye letters (in Japanese) with an e-mail address with which they could reach me. I told them if they ever planned to go to America, had any questions about English, etc., they could always contact me.
I hope she hasn't lost it.
The sadness of parting fades as all sadness does. I still have great kids to teach even though the others are gone. What is really daunting is that since I re-contracted for another year, I have to attend ANOTHER graduation. I really don't know what to expect next year. I'll be saying goodbye to kids I'll have known for a year and a half. If that weren't enough, when I leave that July, I'll have to say goodbye to all four schools-- to children I've known for two years.
It's difficult to think about, but I keep telling myself that my life isn't here in Japan. It isn't in Aomori. But it's not as if I yearn to stay. The pull of familiarity tugs hard from both directions, but I need to go back to the US. I know my life is there; it's just that leaving a life I've worked hard to cultivate for two years will be no great joy. I know once I'm back in the States, however, I'll realize that everything is as it should be, and Sai can change someone else's life now.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
ブログなう！
Living in Japan has been quite the experience. I have now been here for ten months, and I'm happy to report that there have been far more ups than downs while living here. Having said that, the purpose of this blog isn't to necessarily encourage you to join the JET Program (they're not paying me enough to justify advertising in my spare time); it's more to give everyone the information one would need to make the big life decision of moving to Japan.
You know moving to Japan is huge. You've heard the warnings, the cautions, the encouragement. For a few minutes, consider what moving to Japan will do for you as a person. Consider how you will cope with:
You know moving to Japan is huge. You've heard the warnings, the cautions, the encouragement. For a few minutes, consider what moving to Japan will do for you as a person. Consider how you will cope with:
1) Living alone
2) Making new friends (or sucking at life and making no friends)
3) Being the only foreigner in your location
4) Possibly having a long-drop toilet
5) The language barrier
6) Homesickness
7) Driving/Commuting
8) Never connecting with a Japanese person or fitting into the community
9) Being an assistant teacher
10) Being treated like a full-fledged teacher
11) Being reprimanded for your habits, your clothes, etc.
12) Being a novelty
Yes, I put having a long-drop toilet before overcoming the language barrier. What the fuck. I would never want one of those.
Anyway, my point is that living in Japan isn't 100% EXCITINGEASYSPECTACULARANIMECOSPLAYRAMEN!
It just isn't.
It just isn't.
It's life. You don't come to Japan and put your life on hold. You're still going to be living your life, just in a different location. You still have to do dishes, take out the trash, pay bills, allot yourself time to de-stress...
Don't come here expecting things to be so wildly different that you are no longer you. That's not the case. The worst thing you can do is come here with unrealistic (or unevaluated) expectations. What I mean by "unevaluated" is that you really need to think things through. JET can be fun; JET can be the bane of your existence, and sometimes it's not up to you which one it is. Your BoE can make your life a living hell or it can give you free nenkyuu just because you have a pretty face. JET is "what you make it" only to an extent. You can't control what BoE you get or if you're a prefectural ALT. Gird yourself for hard times.
Stepping out of the Negative Nancy shoes, my personal experience on JET has been very good. I have a nice house, I'm safe from tsunami; I'm reimbursed for gas I use to travel to my two schools in the mountains; my kids are well-behaved; I started playing futsal and have made some Japanese friends; my Japanese is improving; the ALTs around me have become some of my best friends; my BoE cares about my safety; my supervisor is incredibly easy to work with; I am not expected to act as a full-time teacher (making lesson plans, staying at school late, etc.); and I'm not made to feel guilty about anything.
I'm not exaggerating when I say I have the best placement in all of Japan. I'm proud of Sai. It's a beautiful place with great people. (Do you see how the gushing is slowly getting more annoying than the previous negativity?) I'm treated very well here, but I also don't ask for help that often and am really low maintenance. I try to make my supervisor's job as easy as possible, which I'm sure she appreciates. (She's a busy lady being a yakuza and all.)
I'm not exaggerating when I say I have the best placement in all of Japan. I'm proud of Sai. It's a beautiful place with great people. (Do you see how the gushing is slowly getting more annoying than the previous negativity?) I'm treated very well here, but I also don't ask for help that often and am really low maintenance. I try to make my supervisor's job as easy as possible, which I'm sure she appreciates. (She's a busy lady being a yakuza and all.)
One of the most important pieces of advice I can offer you is: be an adult. My friends and I can act like retards when we're together (PC mumbo jumbo, GTFO), but when I'm in public, I conduct myself professionally. Living in a small village mandates this. Someone sees me wherever I go. People talk. I don't want one immature action to haunt me for the rest of my time here. I'm not saying you have to wear a suit all the time and walk around frowning. Be yourself, but remember to have a little restraint. Teachers in Japan are role models. Make sure your students (and their parents) see you in the best possible light.
Make sure you have a goal in mind when you get here even if your goal is to come up with a goal while you're here. It's really easy to set your time here on JET aside from your normal life but DON'T DO IT. If you don't plan on staying in Japan for the rest of your life (or even the five consecutive years you're allowed to be in JET), spend your free time preparing for the future you know you want. A lot of ALTs I know are applying to graduate school or are in the process of at least searching for which schools they'd eventually like to get into once they leave Japan.
Another thing... if you get here and absolutely hate it, don't fucking break your contract. It's a huge inconvenience for your contracting organization, and it's a really poor reflection of you, your country, and the JET Program, which is already in danger of being terminated. For some reason, you are completely free to break your contract without legal penalization. You'll have to pay your own way to get back home and be a douchebag though.
If you're a sensitive person, this experience is still possible for you. This is the first time I've ever lived on my own. After high school, I had a roommate for a year and a half at university, and then my boyfriend and I rented an apartment together. It's not so bad though. In fact, if I didn't have a boyfriend to miss, I'd be perfectly content where I am right now. Living alone is the best way to get to know your own needs and solidify who you are. In my opinion anyway. It is imperative to get out at times, however. Make friends! Explore!
Hopefully I'll be able to write about all the other things I've wanted to talk about soon. Between work, studying Japanese, and trying to stay sane, I don't have much time for blogging. I do think they're somewhat helpful though, so I'll keep writing them. Maybe I do have enough time and I'm just being lazy. It's probably that.
Make sure you have a goal in mind when you get here even if your goal is to come up with a goal while you're here. It's really easy to set your time here on JET aside from your normal life but DON'T DO IT. If you don't plan on staying in Japan for the rest of your life (or even the five consecutive years you're allowed to be in JET), spend your free time preparing for the future you know you want. A lot of ALTs I know are applying to graduate school or are in the process of at least searching for which schools they'd eventually like to get into once they leave Japan.
Another thing... if you get here and absolutely hate it, don't fucking break your contract. It's a huge inconvenience for your contracting organization, and it's a really poor reflection of you, your country, and the JET Program, which is already in danger of being terminated. For some reason, you are completely free to break your contract without legal penalization. You'll have to pay your own way to get back home and be a douchebag though.
If you're a sensitive person, this experience is still possible for you. This is the first time I've ever lived on my own. After high school, I had a roommate for a year and a half at university, and then my boyfriend and I rented an apartment together. It's not so bad though. In fact, if I didn't have a boyfriend to miss, I'd be perfectly content where I am right now. Living alone is the best way to get to know your own needs and solidify who you are. In my opinion anyway. It is imperative to get out at times, however. Make friends! Explore!
Hopefully I'll be able to write about all the other things I've wanted to talk about soon. Between work, studying Japanese, and trying to stay sane, I don't have much time for blogging. I do think they're somewhat helpful though, so I'll keep writing them. Maybe I do have enough time and I'm just being lazy. It's probably that.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Ouch. I think you hurt my man-feelings with that one.
A simple blog to list some creature comforts you might find useful for your sanity during your stay on JET. (These will be in no particular order other than the order they spring to mind.)
1) A gaming system. Actually, this is my number one comfort. I lasted 5 months without my 360. By the fourth month, I was nearly shaking from withdrawals. Laugh all you want. Imagine living without your favorite hobby... and me laughing at you... laughing at your tears. My point is: whatever your favorite hobby is, don't just leave it behind in your home country. I didn't have enough room in my suitcase when first coming to Japan, and for a while, I was completely fine exploring my village and making new friends; however, after four months of this, I needed that piece of me I had left back in the US. Now that I have it, I'm less stressed and just generally happier to have something to do besides wait for someone to say something interesting on Facebook.
2) Your favorite toiletries. Yes, Japan probably has an alternative to whatever you use at home, but finding the right substitute costs money and can lead to frustration. If you have a favorite deodorant, lip gloss, chapstick, hair gel, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc., just bring it. The bottom line is that you're used to smelling a certain way. It can affect how you feel about yourself. In the first scorching-hot months you're here, don't you want to be at ease knowing you've put on a deodorant that isn't going to let you stink up the mayor's office when you meet him? If your Japanese isn't that great, wouldn't it be nice to have time to figure out which shampoo you'll switch to when your one from home runs out instead of panicking during your first visit to the grocery store when you can't read anything on the bottles? It'll probably take a little while to get used to living in Japan. Having these small items can really help.
3) Books in your native language. This isn't to say you can't find books in your native tongue or order them online, but I've found that it's nice to have some books in English around even if I don't read them that often. Books you've started but haven't finished are good. Who wants to buy a duplicate of a book if it's not possible for the original to be shipped to you? Just bring it.
4) Photos. This one may seem pretty obvious, but in this day and age, it's more common to have pictures on your computer than pictures by your bedside. You should bring pictures of your town/country/family/school to share with your students anyway. Bring some personal ones as well that you can look at when you're feeling down. I keep taking pictures, but they're just sitting on my iPhone or my laptop. There's a camera shop right down the road where I'm sure I could have them printed, but because I'm nervous, I haven't set foot in it. You'd think after eight months I'd be over it. The truth is that it's always awkward to meet people who already know about you. You feel obligated to talk to them. They're going to remember what you buy. I don't know if you're used to that stuff, but I'm definitely not. JET doesn't lie to you when they say you could turn into the town celebrity or at least the town walking piece of art.
5) Shoes. If you have big feet, ladies, bring cute shoes from home. Japan has the cutest shoes in the world, but if your feet are larger than a US size 8, be warned: you will probably not be able to wear any of them. When I went home for winter vacation, I bought about eight new pairs of shoes just to soothe my craving. It's hard not being able to buy the cutest shoes in the world! Guys, unless you're a basketball player (or the size of one), you should be fine. Still, bring your Nikes and your favorite dress shoes. Most men's Japanese shoes have a heel on them. If you're not into that sort of thing, bring your own. There are some really bitchin' tennis shoes here though.
6) Toothpaste. I know this should go under toiletries, but it's important enough to have its own category. Japanese toothpaste often has lower levels of fluoride (which fights cavities) than US toothpaste. We also have fancy whitening paste with peroxide bubbles, baking soda, magic fairies, etc. I brought two tubes of Sensodyne and a big tube of Crest (or something like that) with me. When I came back from winter vacation, I brought back even more to last me for the rest of the year. My teeth are not things I want to leave to chance. If you're like me, bring toothpaste from a brand you trust whose ingredients are in a language you know well. As a side note: Japan's toothbrushes are pretty simple. They don't often have zillions of bristles, have middles that flex, or pick up your morning paper. If you're cool with a plain, broad toothbrush, you'll find oodles of those in Japan. Toothbrushes take up hardly any room in a suitcase. Why not bring ones you really like?
7) Contacts. I am about to tell you something awesome. 1-800-Contacts does not check the prescriptions of international orders. Go to the website, pick your contacts, enter the power/diameter/whatever else it asks you, and ship them to your Japanese address. It takes one day for them to "verify" your prescription. (Funny, I didn't even tell you the name of my optometrist...) You'll receive your boxes of contacts in about two weeks. Personally, my prescription expired sometime last July. I received my contacts precisely two weeks later, and I am as happy as a clam that never dies but is super excited about immortality.
8) Credit card. To buy stuff online with. Come on, people.
Don't freak out and take everything with you. You do not need your baby blanket. Your DVD collection does not have to follow you across the ocean. Bring your absolute favorites, sure-- things you'd like to share with your new friends; movies that lift you up when you're depressed (and you will have those days). I live in one of the most rural areas of Japan, and I'm doing just fine. Sure, it takes me almost four hours to drive to the main city, but living in Sai is amazing. The sunsets, the nature, the students... If you are my successor, you have the most amazing job waiting for you.
There are probably other comforts I've forgotten to mention, but I'm pretty sure you know what you like and can't live without. These are just the ones that stuck out to me the most. If you have any questions about specific products, let me know, and I'll try to see if they're available in Japan.
This concludes our broadcast day. Bloop.
There are probably other comforts I've forgotten to mention, but I'm pretty sure you know what you like and can't live without. These are just the ones that stuck out to me the most. If you have any questions about specific products, let me know, and I'll try to see if they're available in Japan.
This concludes our broadcast day. Bloop.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
TOBY! You are close to death!
As I will be on the JET Program for two years, I decided to go home for winter vacation. Initially, I had firmly decided against flying back to the States due to the cost; however, I started to miss my boyfriend and caved easily when a friend of mine, Shadowcat, told me that a trip home wouldn't be a bad idea. Damnit. I'm not as stone-cold as I thought.
As I helped Shadowcat plan her itinerary for getting to Narita airport, my resistance to going back home crumbled. My resolve melted. It took about 15 minutes for me to decide I would be making my way to Tokyo with Shadowcat. Traveling with a friend is an incredibly good idea, by the way. It's way better to have someone to share the experience with-- from sharing meals to sharing stress. Our journey to Tokyo included a 4-hour car drive to Hachinohe, an 11-12 hour bus ride to Tokyo, and a 1.5-hour express train ride to Narita Airport. If I had done that journey on my own, forget about it. It was great having someone to joke with through all of the stress.
Traveling together also strengthens your abilities and resources. When Shadowcat and I were confused about our bus tickets and were worried about missing our bus, it was her phone that didn't have a dead battery and my Japanese ability that enabled us to talk to a customer service representative and get everything worked out. At the end of the ordeal, we could laugh about our former frustration and just relax.
If you decide to go home, know that it will cost from 1000-2000 USD for the flight. Unfortunately, since you could be placed anywhere in Japan, I can't tell you how to get to your closest international airport. There are five that I know of (not including air bases): Narita (Tokyo), Haneda (Tokyo), Itami (Osaka), Centrair (Chuubu), and Kansai. So, if you live far away from everything like I do, give yourself plenty of time to plan your traveling itinerary. This is also a great reason to make friends with fellow JETs. Doing things alone just sucks!
Travel Tip: Take a shower and wear clothes you want to sit in for 20-30 hours. Don't think, "I'm just going to be gross after the flight anyway, so I won't take a shower." SWINE! Take a shower. It'll make a world of a difference. If you're stressed out, lost, or about to miss your plane, the last thing you need to be thinking about is how gross you feel.
Another travel tip: Don't wear contacts. Wear your glasses and put your contacts in at your destination. You'll be sleepy, your contacts will be dry, and you will just generally not have a good time. They will be so unbearable that you will rip them out of your eyes in the airport parking lot and discard them without remorse.
Travel Tip 3: Do NOT under ANY circumstances forget that you need to buy a re-entry permit to get back into Japan. Yes, I put that in bold. And made it fucking huge. If you do not procure this permit, you will NOT be able to re-enter Japan on your teaching visa from JET. I don't care how much you cry. As soon as you leave the country, it will EXPIRE. Bye-bye, comfy job in Japan. Take note: Japan has gotten rid of this law, but it is not effective until 2012. Be careful. The re-entry permit can take a while to get if you live in an area where many foreigners live. I got mine in about 10 minutes because I live in the inaka. Situations will vary. You'll need your passport with visa and gaijin card. There will be a form that you fill out in the office. You'll also need to buy a special stamp for the form. Depending on your prefecture, it may be bought at a konbini or inside the building you get the permit but on a different floor. Ask around for the specifics! Your Prefectural Advisor should be able to help. Mine did. She rocks.
Travel Tip 4: Do not gorge on your home country's food. You will gain five of the eleven pounds back that you lost playing soccer all autumn. However, you will be slightly warmer than everyone else due to recent chubbiness. You will work harder to lose it again. I SAID YOU WILL WORK HARDER.
So, what have we learned? Going home doesn't mean you're pathetic. It doesn't mean you need to reassess your entire life. It just means there are things you need to do or people you need to see outside of your life in Japan. There's nothing wrong with that. If I weren't staying for two years, I would have toughed it out due to the money. As it stands, I'll be here collecting awesome paychecks for another year and a half. Mwahahaha.
Check your airline's policy on how many bags you can check for free. On Delta, I was allowed two free checked bags. When I went home, I put the smaller suitcase inside of the bigger one. When I came back to Japanland, I had two huge suitcases that flew free. Pack those bags and re-pack them to make sure everything fits properly. I actually could have brought a lot more stuff back in my larger suitcase. I've found, though, that I don't want for anything while here. On the rare occasions that we go to the foreign food store (four hours away), I don't grab a cart and start stock-piling. The only thing I bought last time was some A1 steak-sauce. The time before that, I think I bought a jar of jam. Being in Japan has made me very aware of what I eat, when, and portion size. Going back to the US was shocking. I didn't realize portions were so humongous at restaurants!
This was me: O_O
I enjoyed the food I ate during my vacation, but I won't be eating like that ever again. Japan has really put things into perspective.
Not sure if I left anything out. Ah, make sure you bring back some sort of omiyage for your coworkers. They will appreciate it way more than something you got from Japan. I brought my peeps three different types of jolly ranchers, and they loved them! Dollar store. Use it.
As I helped Shadowcat plan her itinerary for getting to Narita airport, my resistance to going back home crumbled. My resolve melted. It took about 15 minutes for me to decide I would be making my way to Tokyo with Shadowcat. Traveling with a friend is an incredibly good idea, by the way. It's way better to have someone to share the experience with-- from sharing meals to sharing stress. Our journey to Tokyo included a 4-hour car drive to Hachinohe, an 11-12 hour bus ride to Tokyo, and a 1.5-hour express train ride to Narita Airport. If I had done that journey on my own, forget about it. It was great having someone to joke with through all of the stress.
Traveling together also strengthens your abilities and resources. When Shadowcat and I were confused about our bus tickets and were worried about missing our bus, it was her phone that didn't have a dead battery and my Japanese ability that enabled us to talk to a customer service representative and get everything worked out. At the end of the ordeal, we could laugh about our former frustration and just relax.
If you decide to go home, know that it will cost from 1000-2000 USD for the flight. Unfortunately, since you could be placed anywhere in Japan, I can't tell you how to get to your closest international airport. There are five that I know of (not including air bases): Narita (Tokyo), Haneda (Tokyo), Itami (Osaka), Centrair (Chuubu), and Kansai. So, if you live far away from everything like I do, give yourself plenty of time to plan your traveling itinerary. This is also a great reason to make friends with fellow JETs. Doing things alone just sucks!
Travel Tip: Take a shower and wear clothes you want to sit in for 20-30 hours. Don't think, "I'm just going to be gross after the flight anyway, so I won't take a shower." SWINE! Take a shower. It'll make a world of a difference. If you're stressed out, lost, or about to miss your plane, the last thing you need to be thinking about is how gross you feel.
Another travel tip: Don't wear contacts. Wear your glasses and put your contacts in at your destination. You'll be sleepy, your contacts will be dry, and you will just generally not have a good time. They will be so unbearable that you will rip them out of your eyes in the airport parking lot and discard them without remorse.
Travel Tip 3: Do NOT under ANY circumstances forget that you need to buy a re-entry permit to get back into Japan. Yes, I put that in bold. And made it fucking huge. If you do not procure this permit, you will NOT be able to re-enter Japan on your teaching visa from JET. I don't care how much you cry. As soon as you leave the country, it will EXPIRE. Bye-bye, comfy job in Japan. Take note: Japan has gotten rid of this law, but it is not effective until 2012. Be careful. The re-entry permit can take a while to get if you live in an area where many foreigners live. I got mine in about 10 minutes because I live in the inaka. Situations will vary. You'll need your passport with visa and gaijin card. There will be a form that you fill out in the office. You'll also need to buy a special stamp for the form. Depending on your prefecture, it may be bought at a konbini or inside the building you get the permit but on a different floor. Ask around for the specifics! Your Prefectural Advisor should be able to help. Mine did. She rocks.
Travel Tip 4: Do not gorge on your home country's food. You will gain five of the eleven pounds back that you lost playing soccer all autumn. However, you will be slightly warmer than everyone else due to recent chubbiness. You will work harder to lose it again. I SAID YOU WILL WORK HARDER.
So, what have we learned? Going home doesn't mean you're pathetic. It doesn't mean you need to reassess your entire life. It just means there are things you need to do or people you need to see outside of your life in Japan. There's nothing wrong with that. If I weren't staying for two years, I would have toughed it out due to the money. As it stands, I'll be here collecting awesome paychecks for another year and a half. Mwahahaha.
Check your airline's policy on how many bags you can check for free. On Delta, I was allowed two free checked bags. When I went home, I put the smaller suitcase inside of the bigger one. When I came back to Japanland, I had two huge suitcases that flew free. Pack those bags and re-pack them to make sure everything fits properly. I actually could have brought a lot more stuff back in my larger suitcase. I've found, though, that I don't want for anything while here. On the rare occasions that we go to the foreign food store (four hours away), I don't grab a cart and start stock-piling. The only thing I bought last time was some A1 steak-sauce. The time before that, I think I bought a jar of jam. Being in Japan has made me very aware of what I eat, when, and portion size. Going back to the US was shocking. I didn't realize portions were so humongous at restaurants!
This was me: O_O
I enjoyed the food I ate during my vacation, but I won't be eating like that ever again. Japan has really put things into perspective.
Not sure if I left anything out. Ah, make sure you bring back some sort of omiyage for your coworkers. They will appreciate it way more than something you got from Japan. I brought my peeps three different types of jolly ranchers, and they loved them! Dollar store. Use it.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Veni, Vidi, Vici
A few days ago, I taught a sixth-grade class by myself. I was not prepared for this. My JTE had told me the previous week what the lesson was going to be, but I had no idea that I would be teaching the entire 50-minute lesson by myself. When I walked into the classroom, there wasn't even another teacher there to pass the torch. My JTE had left me no workbook (which all the activities are in), no textbook ("Sorry, kiddo. Gotta steal yours for a sec..."), and no activity CD.
I wanted to punch her in the ovaries.
BUT, I kept a smile on my face and improvised until I remembered what the hell I was supposed to be teaching. The last thing I needed to do was show my kids that I had no idea what I was doing. The great thing about the kids in Sai, though, is that they are impeccably well-behaved. I want to adopt at least ten of them.
I confiscated a student's book and quickly thumbed through the pages until I found one that looked familiar. Oh, YEAH! The lesson is about time. Uhhh... what am I supposed to do again? Long story short, my class was a complete success. The activity that took the longest was counting to sixty one by one. If someone messed up the subsequent number, we started aaaaall the way back at one. This tricky little game took up about 20 minutes of the class period. GENIUS!
The best part about the class was that my JTE's horrible pronunciation was absent. I taught the kids the way I thought they should learn. As an ALT, I've found that freedom in the classroom isn't so abundant. If you ever get the opportunity to have ANY say about how a lesson should be done, SPEAK UP! I have a lot of freedom in my elementary schools but not so much at my junior high. When I do get that freedom, I make the most of it, and I feel like my students benefit from my activities/lessons more than they do from being lectured at for 50 minutes.
Speaking of activities, a really great one that takes up a lot of time and gets the kids really active is a simple game in which you have three sentences on the board and the students have to guess which of the three is written correctly. For example:
1) Commander Shepard fights aliens.
2) Commander Shepard fight aliens.
3) Commander Shepard fight alien.
Only one of those sentences is grammatically correct. Two students go up to the board to secretly write their answers. Beforehand, however, one person from each team decides how much money to bet that the answer the other person on their team chooses will be correct. Whoever gets the answer right wins the whole pot of money. If it's a tie or both teams are wrong, the money stays there for the next round.
This is a REALLY great way to get the kids to use their brains, think quickly (I start counting down from 5 if they take too long to guess), and identify what's wrong in a sentence by breaking it down into smaller pieces. After I reveal the answer, I ask them why the other two sentences are wrong.
It's great to have some control in the class for your own sanity, but the most important thing is that leading the class also builds your relationships with your students on two different levels: as a teacher and as someone fun! For example, today I played the game I described above with my 9th graders. They got super into the game, which was awesome, but they tended to talk over me sometimes. I picked my favorite student to torment and called him up to the board. I was about to put my arm around him and embarrass him, but I thought that would be too much. So, I simply made him face the blackboard for a few minutes and let the class laugh at him. This may sound cruel, but at this point, my kids already know that I'm not being mean by isolating him. I adore this kid. He's one of the ones I want to adopt! I only made him stand up there with me for two minutes before I let him sit back down. Nobody likes overkill. As he walked away, I gave him a reassuring pat on the back. (Later, I was bent over laughing about a 1000 yen bill he had folded into looking like a turban was over Noguchi Hideyo's head. It was about 90% as funny as I was making it look, but I made it look 10% funnier to make up for picking on him earlier. See? I'm all about balance!)
The only reason I pick on him is because we have a really good relationship. He's the first of the boy students that I met, the first that I had an inside joke with (I call him mondaiji), and the only student I've sat down with and spoken to for two hours until eleven o'clock at night. You read right! I got to know him way better than any of the other kids. I seriously took out a pen and paper and interviewed him. I don't normally do that, but after about forty-five minutes of talking to him, I sensed that he had pretty low self-esteem. I wanted to make him feel important, so I asked him every question I could from his favorite color to his dream job.
I didn't want our conversation to turn into an English lesson, (and we did speak in Japanese a bit) but I still wanted to challenge him. I really believe in this kid. None of the teachers think he's smart, but I know for a fact that he is. When I speak to him in English, he generally understands what I want from him, he just has a harder time producing an answer for himself (I'm the same way in Japanese, so I completely relate to this obstacle). Neither of us were expecting to talk to one another for two hours, and by the time eleven o'clock rolled around, I could see he was exhausted. I decided it was time for me to go. I smiled at him and said, "You know, I'd leave, but your little brother is still playing with my iPhone..."
"Oi!" He yelled. "Kaeru tte."
(Hey! She said she's leaving.)
It was awesome getting to see an older brother interact with his younger brother. The little kid (who happens to be in my sixth-grade class) had been transfixed with a simple block-puzzle game on my iPhone for at least an hour. I told him I'd let him play with it some other time. I also gave him a Naruto cellphone charm since I had three of the same one in my purse at the time. Don't ask me why.
Kind of a long backstory to explain my justification for teasing this one kid, but that's what it is. I'm really sad that he's a 9th grader. It means I only have a few months left with him until he's off to high school in a completely different city. It's only been four months, but I've grown really attached to my kids. Sure, some I like more than others, but that's because some kids just naturally stand out while others take a little while to come out of their shells. You can always tell that a kid wants to talk to you if they're staring. And while I do approach these kids and ask them if there's anything they want to talk about, they always say no. If this happens to you, just know that they're embarrassed to be put on the spot/to have drawn your attention. With shy kids, I try to be extra encouraging and always smile at them.
Today at lunch, the music teacher asked if I played any sports. I had told everyone that I golf in my self-introduction, but no one knew that I recently started playing futsal (indoor soccer). Before I could say any more, the music teacher yelled across the room to another teacher: "DID YOU KNOW SHE PLAYS FUTSAL?!" I hate when people make a big deal about knowing a tidbit about my life, especially when I'm just a beginner at something (like I am at futsal). This also caused all of my 9th graders to stare at me. In all the commotion, however, I noticed that one of the shyer boys at my table nodded to himself with a quiet "sugee". We shared a brief smile. And that's what it's all about.
I wanted to punch her in the ovaries.
BUT, I kept a smile on my face and improvised until I remembered what the hell I was supposed to be teaching. The last thing I needed to do was show my kids that I had no idea what I was doing. The great thing about the kids in Sai, though, is that they are impeccably well-behaved. I want to adopt at least ten of them.
I confiscated a student's book and quickly thumbed through the pages until I found one that looked familiar. Oh, YEAH! The lesson is about time. Uhhh... what am I supposed to do again? Long story short, my class was a complete success. The activity that took the longest was counting to sixty one by one. If someone messed up the subsequent number, we started aaaaall the way back at one. This tricky little game took up about 20 minutes of the class period. GENIUS!
The best part about the class was that my JTE's horrible pronunciation was absent. I taught the kids the way I thought they should learn. As an ALT, I've found that freedom in the classroom isn't so abundant. If you ever get the opportunity to have ANY say about how a lesson should be done, SPEAK UP! I have a lot of freedom in my elementary schools but not so much at my junior high. When I do get that freedom, I make the most of it, and I feel like my students benefit from my activities/lessons more than they do from being lectured at for 50 minutes.
Speaking of activities, a really great one that takes up a lot of time and gets the kids really active is a simple game in which you have three sentences on the board and the students have to guess which of the three is written correctly. For example:
1) Commander Shepard fights aliens.
2) Commander Shepard fight aliens.
3) Commander Shepard fight alien.
Only one of those sentences is grammatically correct. Two students go up to the board to secretly write their answers. Beforehand, however, one person from each team decides how much money to bet that the answer the other person on their team chooses will be correct. Whoever gets the answer right wins the whole pot of money. If it's a tie or both teams are wrong, the money stays there for the next round.
This is a REALLY great way to get the kids to use their brains, think quickly (I start counting down from 5 if they take too long to guess), and identify what's wrong in a sentence by breaking it down into smaller pieces. After I reveal the answer, I ask them why the other two sentences are wrong.
It's great to have some control in the class for your own sanity, but the most important thing is that leading the class also builds your relationships with your students on two different levels: as a teacher and as someone fun! For example, today I played the game I described above with my 9th graders. They got super into the game, which was awesome, but they tended to talk over me sometimes. I picked my favorite student to torment and called him up to the board. I was about to put my arm around him and embarrass him, but I thought that would be too much. So, I simply made him face the blackboard for a few minutes and let the class laugh at him. This may sound cruel, but at this point, my kids already know that I'm not being mean by isolating him. I adore this kid. He's one of the ones I want to adopt! I only made him stand up there with me for two minutes before I let him sit back down. Nobody likes overkill. As he walked away, I gave him a reassuring pat on the back. (Later, I was bent over laughing about a 1000 yen bill he had folded into looking like a turban was over Noguchi Hideyo's head. It was about 90% as funny as I was making it look, but I made it look 10% funnier to make up for picking on him earlier. See? I'm all about balance!)
The only reason I pick on him is because we have a really good relationship. He's the first of the boy students that I met, the first that I had an inside joke with (I call him mondaiji), and the only student I've sat down with and spoken to for two hours until eleven o'clock at night. You read right! I got to know him way better than any of the other kids. I seriously took out a pen and paper and interviewed him. I don't normally do that, but after about forty-five minutes of talking to him, I sensed that he had pretty low self-esteem. I wanted to make him feel important, so I asked him every question I could from his favorite color to his dream job.
I didn't want our conversation to turn into an English lesson, (and we did speak in Japanese a bit) but I still wanted to challenge him. I really believe in this kid. None of the teachers think he's smart, but I know for a fact that he is. When I speak to him in English, he generally understands what I want from him, he just has a harder time producing an answer for himself (I'm the same way in Japanese, so I completely relate to this obstacle). Neither of us were expecting to talk to one another for two hours, and by the time eleven o'clock rolled around, I could see he was exhausted. I decided it was time for me to go. I smiled at him and said, "You know, I'd leave, but your little brother is still playing with my iPhone..."
"Oi!" He yelled. "Kaeru tte."
(Hey! She said she's leaving.)
It was awesome getting to see an older brother interact with his younger brother. The little kid (who happens to be in my sixth-grade class) had been transfixed with a simple block-puzzle game on my iPhone for at least an hour. I told him I'd let him play with it some other time. I also gave him a Naruto cellphone charm since I had three of the same one in my purse at the time. Don't ask me why.
Kind of a long backstory to explain my justification for teasing this one kid, but that's what it is. I'm really sad that he's a 9th grader. It means I only have a few months left with him until he's off to high school in a completely different city. It's only been four months, but I've grown really attached to my kids. Sure, some I like more than others, but that's because some kids just naturally stand out while others take a little while to come out of their shells. You can always tell that a kid wants to talk to you if they're staring. And while I do approach these kids and ask them if there's anything they want to talk about, they always say no. If this happens to you, just know that they're embarrassed to be put on the spot/to have drawn your attention. With shy kids, I try to be extra encouraging and always smile at them.
Today at lunch, the music teacher asked if I played any sports. I had told everyone that I golf in my self-introduction, but no one knew that I recently started playing futsal (indoor soccer). Before I could say any more, the music teacher yelled across the room to another teacher: "DID YOU KNOW SHE PLAYS FUTSAL?!" I hate when people make a big deal about knowing a tidbit about my life, especially when I'm just a beginner at something (like I am at futsal). This also caused all of my 9th graders to stare at me. In all the commotion, however, I noticed that one of the shyer boys at my table nodded to himself with a quiet "sugee". We shared a brief smile. And that's what it's all about.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Let's see if you bastards can do 90.
The textbooks the kids use in English class suck. They're short, childish, and don't give nearly enough examples for the students to attain any semblance of fluency. That being said, the teachers must teach from it; the students must learn from it. You, as the ALT, must deal with it.
THAT being said, as an ALT, it's important to remember that fluency isn't necessarily the goal. A big part of our job is getting kids comfortable with English. If you come here with fluency as your goal, you're always going to be disappointed. You're going to be stressed out, and your kids are going to be stressed out. If they're stressed out, they're not going to want to learn. And isn't that the opposite of what you want?
I've never considered myself a very patient person, so the best teaching tactic for me (and ultimately for the kids) is to just let loose in the classroom. Now, your JTEs are not supposed to abandon you in the classroom (mine have never), but some JTEs like to think of ALTs as substitutes rather than assistants. In the case where your JTE doesn't flake on you, you may find my methods effective.
I always try to be the energetic, funny, and helpful presence in the class, letting my JTE wield the mighty discipline hammer. For example: at my largest elementary school the other day, one student in my sixth grade class wasn't paying attention. This doesn't happen a lot in my classes, but you never can tell what's going on in a student's life at any given time. When this happens, I just try to include the kid more by having them repeat whatever vocab word we're working on at the moment or even asking them to come up with an entire sentence that uses the grammar we're going over. When I would call on him to repeat vocab words, he would do so immediately but then fall back into a stupor. I really wanted this kid to pay attention, so I stopped class for a second, looked him straight in the eye and said, "Am I boring you?"
Duh, of course he's not going to say yes; however, I knew I got through to him because he looked really shocked and embarrassed after I asked. I knew this tactic would work on him because he has already expressed that he finds me incredibly interesting. I let him think that he was giving the impression that I was boring. Yes, I made him feel bad; yes, I singled him out. But, I did it in a way that drew upon his feelings for me as a teacher instead of just yelling at him to pay attention (which would only conjure more negative feelings such as anger, boredom, nonchalance, etc. instead of evoking a self-awareness of his own attitude and a conscientiousness for my feelings).
I felt bad for calling him out and breaking from my usual happy-go-lucky persona, but I felt really bad when my JTE started laying into this kid. She spoke way too fast for me to understand what she was saying (besides the usual "you better pay attention"), but even I winced from the lecture she gave him. I definitely felt like it was my fault that he got yelled at. After my JTE yelled at him, she walked over to his desk and told him to answer her question: "Where do you want to go?", the lesson of the day. Like I said, this kid had not been paying attention, and I get the feeling that he really doesn't care for English too much. He just gave my JTE a blank stare.
I knew this was my chance to get back on his side. I stood behind my JTE and mouthed the entire answer to him word by word. She's the only one in the room who had no idea what I was doing. The rest of the class giggled at my minor betrayal of the JTE/ALT alliance, but the boy smiled gratefully at me over the JTE's shoulder. He knew I was looking out for him, and that's really all your kids ever need.
THAT being said, as an ALT, it's important to remember that fluency isn't necessarily the goal. A big part of our job is getting kids comfortable with English. If you come here with fluency as your goal, you're always going to be disappointed. You're going to be stressed out, and your kids are going to be stressed out. If they're stressed out, they're not going to want to learn. And isn't that the opposite of what you want?
I've never considered myself a very patient person, so the best teaching tactic for me (and ultimately for the kids) is to just let loose in the classroom. Now, your JTEs are not supposed to abandon you in the classroom (mine have never), but some JTEs like to think of ALTs as substitutes rather than assistants. In the case where your JTE doesn't flake on you, you may find my methods effective.
I always try to be the energetic, funny, and helpful presence in the class, letting my JTE wield the mighty discipline hammer. For example: at my largest elementary school the other day, one student in my sixth grade class wasn't paying attention. This doesn't happen a lot in my classes, but you never can tell what's going on in a student's life at any given time. When this happens, I just try to include the kid more by having them repeat whatever vocab word we're working on at the moment or even asking them to come up with an entire sentence that uses the grammar we're going over. When I would call on him to repeat vocab words, he would do so immediately but then fall back into a stupor. I really wanted this kid to pay attention, so I stopped class for a second, looked him straight in the eye and said, "Am I boring you?"
Duh, of course he's not going to say yes; however, I knew I got through to him because he looked really shocked and embarrassed after I asked. I knew this tactic would work on him because he has already expressed that he finds me incredibly interesting. I let him think that he was giving the impression that I was boring. Yes, I made him feel bad; yes, I singled him out. But, I did it in a way that drew upon his feelings for me as a teacher instead of just yelling at him to pay attention (which would only conjure more negative feelings such as anger, boredom, nonchalance, etc. instead of evoking a self-awareness of his own attitude and a conscientiousness for my feelings).
I felt bad for calling him out and breaking from my usual happy-go-lucky persona, but I felt really bad when my JTE started laying into this kid. She spoke way too fast for me to understand what she was saying (besides the usual "you better pay attention"), but even I winced from the lecture she gave him. I definitely felt like it was my fault that he got yelled at. After my JTE yelled at him, she walked over to his desk and told him to answer her question: "Where do you want to go?", the lesson of the day. Like I said, this kid had not been paying attention, and I get the feeling that he really doesn't care for English too much. He just gave my JTE a blank stare.
I knew this was my chance to get back on his side. I stood behind my JTE and mouthed the entire answer to him word by word. She's the only one in the room who had no idea what I was doing. The rest of the class giggled at my minor betrayal of the JTE/ALT alliance, but the boy smiled gratefully at me over the JTE's shoulder. He knew I was looking out for him, and that's really all your kids ever need.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Love, Love, Love
I have been here for one week shy of three months, and I've already shared something very huge with the community. Even more importantly, with my own JTE. Her father passed away this week and tonight was his wake. It's called a tsuya (通夜）and it is one step in the process of caring for the recently deceased. You can tell if the family is Buddhist if they are holding prayer beads.
First, I took off my shoes and stepped up into the large tatami room. I offered my condolence money envelope (ご霊前）at the designated area and was given a bag with a gift in it in exchange. In Japan, it is customary to bring condolence money in a special envelope with your name on it. The amount you can offer varies, but 5,000 yen is about average. That's what I offered. The gift you receive back is anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 of the amount of condolence money you give.
Next, I walked up to the main alter where a stone box filled with sand and extinguishing incense stood. I was offered a stick of incense and approached the box which stood in front of the most amazing alter I've ever seen. Thousands of flowers, beautiful lanterns, an ornate coffin-esque box containing the deceased's ashes, and piles of the most perfect fruit surrounding a picture of my JTE's father. I was in awe.
At the alter, you're supposed to say a small prayer and put the incense into the sand. When everyone had completed this task, the room was thick with the smell of pine or cedar, a haze of smoke bending along the air like water in a stream. I offered my incense and then faced the deceased's family, including my JTE. I felt so awful for her. On top of that, I didn't know what to do. I vaguely remember bowing and giving my JTE a sympathetic half-smile. Some attendees, such as the superintendent of education, gave the most respectful of bows by kneeling on the ground, their heads almost grazing the ground as they bowed.
After I showed my respect to the family, I sat in the second row of zabuton (floor cushions). At 6 sharp, the doors to the temple were closed, and the priest (who is actually also a teacher at my base school) performed a very long sutra at the alter. While he did so, the family passed the incense box between them and offered three pinches of incense each. Those in attendance were also given an incense box to pass down the lines. The box was split in half. On the right side was the incense, and you are meant to transfer three pinches of it to the left side. How you do this seems to rely heavily on how religious you are or how well you knew the deceased. After I picked up a pinch of incense, I held it quietly for half a second with my unoccupied hand underneath the incense before transferring it to the other side, hoping I looked thoughtful and not so out of place. I did meet the man once before he died, but he was very sick at the time and couldn't actually speak.
The whole process took about an hour and a half. After the priest finished the sutra, he sang a shorter sutra and then read what sounded like a character profile on the deceased, citing him as a very energetic man in life. Then my JTE's husband said a few words, thanking everyone for coming. It was difficult not to cry, watching my JTE try to keep it together. I stole glances at her from time to time during the wake. I didn't see her cry once, but she did dab at her nose with a handkerchief in an effort to keep herself focused on anything but crying. I was close to tears at least twice; I felt so terrible for her.
When it was time to leave, the majority of those in attendance departed and were given another gift. I was one of the last to leave. As I stepped outside, I saw two of my girl JHS students talking to my JTE. Their faces looked concerned, but it was obvious that they had no idea what to say. My JTE saw me and rushed over. Suddenly she was in front of me, dabbing at her nose, fighting tears. She told me thank you for coming. I couldn't take it anymore. I pulled her into a big hug. She burst into tears then, and she didn't stop crying. I told her everything was beautiful and that I'm glad I got to meet her father before he passed. We broke our hug, but she continued to cry. I told her I felt awful for her and that I was close to tears myself. I gave her another hug and she thanked me sincerely. I bowed deeply to her mother and other family members and made my way home.
I got in my car but couldn't drive for a few minutes afterward. I was reminded of my grandfather's passing that happened recently, and how difficult letting him go was... how it still is. I also thought about how the Japanese, as a people, are not comfortable with hugging. I sensed my JTE needed a hug, and I went for it. I swear her eyes were asking for one. I couldn't help myself. I don't like to see people in pain, and I definitely know when someone just needs to be embraced. I was relieved when she didn't pull away and even more relieved when she finally started to cry. She had been holding it in for so long, putting on a good face.
No matter how much people like their personal space, I believe that a hug in itself has a lot of healing power. Body contact is love-- a squeeze, reassurance. Everyone needs that at some point.
I felt like this was a good topic to put in this blog for a couple reasons. Firstly, to introduce how a Japanese wake proceeds in the unfortunate instance that you find yourself presented with one. Secondly, this is a good example of how you, the ALT, have to inquire about certain things because people won't tell you about them first. I was not invited to the wake. Don't be surprised if you're not invited either. They know it's not your culture or religion, and they don't expect you to go. The day I heard about my JTE's father's death, I immediately asked my supervisor when the wake was and if I was allowed to go. If you show interest, you will be rewarded. I'm so happy that I went. It showed everyone in the community that I care about them, and it showed my JTE that I am not just her assistant teacher but her friend.
That is the most important thing I've learned here: If I inquire about events, my teacher's weekends, where my students want to go to high school, that shows them that I am interested in them, that I care. Becoming a part of the community has become really important to me. I know I'll never be 100% Japanese, but if I'm going to live here, I'm going to try my hardest to spectate as little as possible.
First, I took off my shoes and stepped up into the large tatami room. I offered my condolence money envelope (ご霊前）at the designated area and was given a bag with a gift in it in exchange. In Japan, it is customary to bring condolence money in a special envelope with your name on it. The amount you can offer varies, but 5,000 yen is about average. That's what I offered. The gift you receive back is anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 of the amount of condolence money you give.
Next, I walked up to the main alter where a stone box filled with sand and extinguishing incense stood. I was offered a stick of incense and approached the box which stood in front of the most amazing alter I've ever seen. Thousands of flowers, beautiful lanterns, an ornate coffin-esque box containing the deceased's ashes, and piles of the most perfect fruit surrounding a picture of my JTE's father. I was in awe.
At the alter, you're supposed to say a small prayer and put the incense into the sand. When everyone had completed this task, the room was thick with the smell of pine or cedar, a haze of smoke bending along the air like water in a stream. I offered my incense and then faced the deceased's family, including my JTE. I felt so awful for her. On top of that, I didn't know what to do. I vaguely remember bowing and giving my JTE a sympathetic half-smile. Some attendees, such as the superintendent of education, gave the most respectful of bows by kneeling on the ground, their heads almost grazing the ground as they bowed.
After I showed my respect to the family, I sat in the second row of zabuton (floor cushions). At 6 sharp, the doors to the temple were closed, and the priest (who is actually also a teacher at my base school) performed a very long sutra at the alter. While he did so, the family passed the incense box between them and offered three pinches of incense each. Those in attendance were also given an incense box to pass down the lines. The box was split in half. On the right side was the incense, and you are meant to transfer three pinches of it to the left side. How you do this seems to rely heavily on how religious you are or how well you knew the deceased. After I picked up a pinch of incense, I held it quietly for half a second with my unoccupied hand underneath the incense before transferring it to the other side, hoping I looked thoughtful and not so out of place. I did meet the man once before he died, but he was very sick at the time and couldn't actually speak.
The whole process took about an hour and a half. After the priest finished the sutra, he sang a shorter sutra and then read what sounded like a character profile on the deceased, citing him as a very energetic man in life. Then my JTE's husband said a few words, thanking everyone for coming. It was difficult not to cry, watching my JTE try to keep it together. I stole glances at her from time to time during the wake. I didn't see her cry once, but she did dab at her nose with a handkerchief in an effort to keep herself focused on anything but crying. I was close to tears at least twice; I felt so terrible for her.
When it was time to leave, the majority of those in attendance departed and were given another gift. I was one of the last to leave. As I stepped outside, I saw two of my girl JHS students talking to my JTE. Their faces looked concerned, but it was obvious that they had no idea what to say. My JTE saw me and rushed over. Suddenly she was in front of me, dabbing at her nose, fighting tears. She told me thank you for coming. I couldn't take it anymore. I pulled her into a big hug. She burst into tears then, and she didn't stop crying. I told her everything was beautiful and that I'm glad I got to meet her father before he passed. We broke our hug, but she continued to cry. I told her I felt awful for her and that I was close to tears myself. I gave her another hug and she thanked me sincerely. I bowed deeply to her mother and other family members and made my way home.
I got in my car but couldn't drive for a few minutes afterward. I was reminded of my grandfather's passing that happened recently, and how difficult letting him go was... how it still is. I also thought about how the Japanese, as a people, are not comfortable with hugging. I sensed my JTE needed a hug, and I went for it. I swear her eyes were asking for one. I couldn't help myself. I don't like to see people in pain, and I definitely know when someone just needs to be embraced. I was relieved when she didn't pull away and even more relieved when she finally started to cry. She had been holding it in for so long, putting on a good face.
No matter how much people like their personal space, I believe that a hug in itself has a lot of healing power. Body contact is love-- a squeeze, reassurance. Everyone needs that at some point.
I felt like this was a good topic to put in this blog for a couple reasons. Firstly, to introduce how a Japanese wake proceeds in the unfortunate instance that you find yourself presented with one. Secondly, this is a good example of how you, the ALT, have to inquire about certain things because people won't tell you about them first. I was not invited to the wake. Don't be surprised if you're not invited either. They know it's not your culture or religion, and they don't expect you to go. The day I heard about my JTE's father's death, I immediately asked my supervisor when the wake was and if I was allowed to go. If you show interest, you will be rewarded. I'm so happy that I went. It showed everyone in the community that I care about them, and it showed my JTE that I am not just her assistant teacher but her friend.
That is the most important thing I've learned here: If I inquire about events, my teacher's weekends, where my students want to go to high school, that shows them that I am interested in them, that I care. Becoming a part of the community has become really important to me. I know I'll never be 100% Japanese, but if I'm going to live here, I'm going to try my hardest to spectate as little as possible.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Nande ya na?!
My friend taught me the cute way to say "nande ya nen" (see title) in Kansai-ben today. It's the equivalent of "you gotta be kidding" or "what the hell". I'm gonna use it all the time!
Anyway, I'm here to post my own statement of purpose that I wrote to get into JET. (GASP!) Since I'm already comfortably seated in my house in Japan, I don't see the harm in sharing what I wrote. I'm sure I don't have to tell you not to copy it verbatim. The things you should be copying are the words "internationalization", "intercultural exchange", etc. Those are the key words that will get you an interview. If you show that you understand what JET is and show your consulate or embassy that your goals intersect with theirs, you are golden. So, here it is...
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When I was one, my parents’ divorce severed my relationship with my Japanese family. To compensate for this early cultural denial, I have endeavored to study every possible facet of Japanese culture including classical Japanese literature that chronicles the evolution of bushidō, modern Japanese linguistics, language, and film. Expanding the cultural scope of my Japanese minor has served as an enriching balance to my English major, which has reinforced my knowledge of Western culture and instilled a desire in me to promote cross-cultural exchange in Japan
Pursuing a B.A. in English has honed my comprehension of the English language beyond a conventional degree; therefore, I am confident in my ability to explain challenging grammar points in effective and enjoyable ways. As an older sister, I also understand the importance of using hands-on activities in and out of the classroom to stimulate interest in learning and garner cultural appreciation. As an ALT, I will pursue my interests in cooking, photography, and film analysis during after-school activities in order to strengthen my teacher-student relationships and immerse students in American culture. As a member of the Spanish Honor Society, I organized after-school events such as dances and poetry readings to raise awareness about Hispanic culture. My enthusiasm for those projects will translate into the events and lessons I share while in Japan
I am also very excited about team teaching, because learning about new languages and cultures requires cooperation. Working in retail on the busiest shopping days of the year has strengthened my organizational and interpersonal skills in high-pressure situations, but most importantly, I have learned how to work effectively in a team comprised of various age groups. Throughout the years, I have also sharpened my leadership skills as vice president of my high school law club and as the youngest member of the Riverview Mock Trial team in 2004, which significantly strengthened my public speaking skills and entailed working in a productive, fast-paced environment with the same team for over a year.
The JET Program emphasizes the same values I want to portray when I begin my career, namely, promoting cultural exchange and acceptance between America and Japan
I am a dedicated, intelligent young adult who has always held a desire to learn with the intent to teach. I have made it my goal to create accessible, cultural education opportunities for younger generations of students so that they may appreciate the benefits of internationalization early in life. If accepted into JET, I will use the opportunity to deepen my understanding of Japan America
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At a two-page limit, they really don't give you a lot of space to talk about yourself, your goals, and how everything wraps up into one big JET ball. You need to plan exactly what information you want to get across and then find the best (and possibly shortest) way to relay that information. It's tough, but after coming to Japan, making tons of amazing friends both Japanese and other JETs, the entire process is worth it. It's hard to believe that all those agonizing months of writing, applying, waiting, interviewing, and waiting some more have already been justified in my short three months here. This truly is the most amazing experience of my life. If you want to get into JET, make sure you work on that SoP nonstop. I worked on mine for about a month until I was satisfied, and even then, I knew that it was still not perfect. (But, I got in.)
If you want it, go for it. I don't mind being your cheerleader.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Gucha Gucha
I have noticed that a lot of people are interested in knowing more about the JET insurance, so here is an important link: Accident Insurance Coverage Information. From there, you can pretty much find any information you're looking for. Also, check out the FAQ.
Also, about taxes: If you are from the United States, you are exempt from Japanese taxes for two years. You still need to file with the IRS back home, but you may not have to actually pay taxes for two years.
For some reason there is a big misconception about JET dental insurance. We DO have dental, it just doesn't cover braces, sealants, or porcelain crowns. It DOES cover: cleanings every three months, x-rays, cavity fillings, and crowns.
We are responsible for a 30% deductible, BUT Japanese medical procedures are incredibly inexpensive.
Vaccinations are not covered by JET insurance.
Note: automobile insurance is separate and not provided by JET. You will either have to hunt down your own insurance company or, if you buy your car from a dealership like I did, your salesman should provide you with insurance options. Speaking of driving, if you are intoxicated while driving a vehicle and caught, you will suffer heavy fines and most likely go to prison. You WILL be fired from JET if you are found guilty of drinking and driving. The tolerance level here is zero. JET insurance does not cover alcohol-related accidents. Don't even ride a bicycle under the influence. You'll be sorry.
That being said, drugs are also really frowned upon in Japan, which has some of, if not the, harshest penalties in the world for drug use/possession. If you have done drugs in the past, even if you don't do them anymore, do not tell anyone in Japan. The knowledge that you have done drugs can have the same effect on people as if you are doing them presently. Be careful who you tell your personal stuff to.
Internet: My supervisor let me decide which internet to get, so I just picked the one Black Cat had before me. This meant no one had to come and install anything; they just sent me my router and access information and activated my internet remotely. In Japan, you need to give two companies money before you can have internet, and you must pay them every month. One is your provider. The other is... unnecessary. My ISP is NTT East, and my... extraneous bill... is OCN. They have an English speaking line, so don't worry if your Japanese isn't so great. And hey, if you have a supervisor who doesn't think you can do anything for yourself, they may just do everything for you. My internet is 100Mbps when connected to the modem (supposedly) and 50Mbps using wifi. There is no fiberoptic service here, so my internet is ADSL. I was worried that it would be slow, but it's way better than any internet I've had in America.
Keitai: I got an iPhone. It was expensive as hell and worth every yen. I paid ¥46,080 up front for the phone, but over the course of two years, to make up for the price of the phone, ¥1,920 is deducted from my monthly bill. In short, after two years, the iPhone is "free". This is a set special for the iPhone. It comes with the White Plan, Service Pack S!, and the unlimited data package. The data package does not exceed ¥6,000/month. Of course, there are way cheaper phones. Hell, you can get some for free. The iPhone is one of the luxuries I really wanted to have. I can chat with my boyfriend anytime, anywhere, I have an HD camcorder and camera in my purse at all times, and lots more reasons. Once you see where your placement is in JET, you should check out the coverage areas for SoftBank, AU, and Docomo. Those are the three largest cell phone providers in Japan... and maybe the only three. I'm not too sure.
Hopefully, my next blog will be about my fun times. I have done so much in the past two months that I don't even know how to start or what to say. How do you condense so many new experiences into words? I'll figure it out. If you have any questions about cars, internet, etc., just ask!
Also, about taxes: If you are from the United States, you are exempt from Japanese taxes for two years. You still need to file with the IRS back home, but you may not have to actually pay taxes for two years.
For some reason there is a big misconception about JET dental insurance. We DO have dental, it just doesn't cover braces, sealants, or porcelain crowns. It DOES cover: cleanings every three months, x-rays, cavity fillings, and crowns.
We are responsible for a 30% deductible, BUT Japanese medical procedures are incredibly inexpensive.
Vaccinations are not covered by JET insurance.
Note: automobile insurance is separate and not provided by JET. You will either have to hunt down your own insurance company or, if you buy your car from a dealership like I did, your salesman should provide you with insurance options. Speaking of driving, if you are intoxicated while driving a vehicle and caught, you will suffer heavy fines and most likely go to prison. You WILL be fired from JET if you are found guilty of drinking and driving. The tolerance level here is zero. JET insurance does not cover alcohol-related accidents. Don't even ride a bicycle under the influence. You'll be sorry.
That being said, drugs are also really frowned upon in Japan, which has some of, if not the, harshest penalties in the world for drug use/possession. If you have done drugs in the past, even if you don't do them anymore, do not tell anyone in Japan. The knowledge that you have done drugs can have the same effect on people as if you are doing them presently. Be careful who you tell your personal stuff to.
Internet: My supervisor let me decide which internet to get, so I just picked the one Black Cat had before me. This meant no one had to come and install anything; they just sent me my router and access information and activated my internet remotely. In Japan, you need to give two companies money before you can have internet, and you must pay them every month. One is your provider. The other is... unnecessary. My ISP is NTT East, and my... extraneous bill... is OCN. They have an English speaking line, so don't worry if your Japanese isn't so great. And hey, if you have a supervisor who doesn't think you can do anything for yourself, they may just do everything for you. My internet is 100Mbps when connected to the modem (supposedly) and 50Mbps using wifi. There is no fiberoptic service here, so my internet is ADSL. I was worried that it would be slow, but it's way better than any internet I've had in America.
Keitai: I got an iPhone. It was expensive as hell and worth every yen. I paid ¥46,080 up front for the phone, but over the course of two years, to make up for the price of the phone, ¥1,920 is deducted from my monthly bill. In short, after two years, the iPhone is "free". This is a set special for the iPhone. It comes with the White Plan, Service Pack S!, and the unlimited data package. The data package does not exceed ¥6,000/month. Of course, there are way cheaper phones. Hell, you can get some for free. The iPhone is one of the luxuries I really wanted to have. I can chat with my boyfriend anytime, anywhere, I have an HD camcorder and camera in my purse at all times, and lots more reasons. Once you see where your placement is in JET, you should check out the coverage areas for SoftBank, AU, and Docomo. Those are the three largest cell phone providers in Japan... and maybe the only three. I'm not too sure.
Hopefully, my next blog will be about my fun times. I have done so much in the past two months that I don't even know how to start or what to say. How do you condense so many new experiences into words? I'll figure it out. If you have any questions about cars, internet, etc., just ask!
Friday, August 20, 2010
I believe in kindness and freedom and kittens.
Let's get one thing straight: it's fucking hot here. I thought it was going to be nice and chilly, but it's like being back in Florida EXCEPT there is no AC in the majority of people's homes and public buildings to escape to when you're seeping bodily fluid.
On Sunday, August 8th, when I was finished baking at 425 degrees and turned mid-cook to be browned on both sides, I decided to go for a walk to scope out the neighborhood. The second I walked outside, a cool gust of wind from the ocean wrapped me in its embrace as if to say: "Let's go on a refreshing adventure." As I was down for refreshment, I happily accepted the wind's request and began walking toward the junior high school. In a matter of moments, I began to hear laughter. After questioning my sanity, I decided there were actually people outside the JHS, summoned up all my courage, and headed toward the fun.
Apparently, I had unknowingly stumbled upon the 3rd grader's barbecue. (JHS 3rd graders, not like American 3rd grader age. They're all around 14 and 15.) As soon as I was seen, there was a huge commotion. The girl students lost their heads when they saw me and immediately started giggling and pushing their friends toward me. The boys stared at me suspiciously. The teachers ran up to me to introduce themselves and offer me food. The parents talked about me in Japanese and were surprised when I knew they were talking about me. Every time I answered them in Japanese, they laughed uproariously. It doesn't matter what you say here if you're a gaijin. You're always funny.
All of the 3rd grade girls came up to me to introduce themselves, and some shook my hand and giggled like I'd just told the most hilarious joke. It was pretty amusing, though at times I felt like I needed to check if there was actually something about me to laugh about. After I met all of the girls, the music teacher went and grabbed the obvious leader of the 3rd grade boys (he was the tallest and looked the coolest; it's really easy to pick these guys out) and made him introduce himself to me. All of his little minions circled around him as he tried to keep a tough face and shake my hand. He was completely embarrassed. It was awesome. I don't even remember his name, but I totally ate up his embarrassment.
Two 3rd grade girls took the initiative to stick with me throughout the barbecue and talk to me, half in English, half in Japanese. (I am SO relieved that I can partially speak Japanese. It has saved me so many times in conversations where the Japanese person I'm talking to is at a loss for words.) I then convinced the students and music teacher that, yes, we do have shaved ice with syrup on it in America. They are generally referred to as snow cones. It was like I pulled a rabbit out of my ass. Yet again, I amazed them. Sorry, Japan. We figured out how to chip ice and eat it, too. However, we don't pour condensed milk on ours, so I guess you kinda got your own thing goin' on there.
After the kids beat the crap out of two watermelons blindfolded, the watermelons were whisked away to be properly cut while the students prepared to light a giant box of fireworks. At this point, my fight or flight sequence initiated. One foot pivoted on the ball, one foot stepping backward, I nervously weighed the consequences of staying and leaving. If I were to leave, I would miss out on more bonding time with the students, their parents, AND the teachers, BUT I wouldn't have to suffer through the fireworks. If I were to stay, everyone would find out about my incredible fear of fireworks and sudden, loud noises and probably think I was strange for the entire duration of my time in Sai.
I decided to stay, and I'm glad I did. It turned out that the fireworks were really tame ones, mostly sparklers that kids ran around with. This dental technician I met at the BBQ, Dr. Spock, was really grabby and stood super close to me when he spoke. I'm pretty sure he had indulged a bit too much that night. At some point, Dr. Spock grabbed my wrist and led me to the students with the sparklers. It was a lot of fun. I taught a girl that she could write her name in the sparkler smoke, and all of the students came up to me saying "Fire please!" when they needed me to light their sparklers with my own. I think it was a great way to get to know all of them. =)
After the fireworks, it was time to eat the watermelon. Did I mention I hate watermelon? I decided I would just get a tiny, mangled piece and nibble on it a bit to blend in. My plan was promptly ruined by one of my new students, who happily handed me the largest slice of watermelon I have ever seen. I accepted the dripping piece of fruit and took a bite, doing my best to bite back the disgusted snarl behind my smiling facade. As I choked down the watery fruit, I realized this would be only one of many times I would just have to go with the flow. After a few bites, I quietly threw the rest away. Hey, I tried.
To make up for the watermelon experience, I saw a shooting star. My first ever! It was really beautiful. ^_^
Even more amazing, I was invited to an enkai! An enkai is a teachers' party where you get to watch all your coworkers get wasted and hear what's really on their mind. Unlucky for me, I hate beer, so I got this terrible tasting wine, and this guy next to me was smoking a lot. PLUS, I had to sit on the floor, which made my legs fall asleep immediately. After about an hour, I asked the music teacher who had brought me there, Lady Deathstrike, if she could take me back because I was getting pretty tired. Between hearing only Japanese, speaking only Japanese, drinking terrible, strong wine, and inhaling second-hand smoke, I was feeling a little ill. As soon as I stepped into my little oven of an apartment, I felt really content with my adventure. All I had to do was take the initiative to walk outside and go next door to the junior high school. My first visit to the school wasn't supposed to be until almost two weeks later, but I dove in head first and surprised myself by having a great time. (And also surprised my students, teachers, and the parents that I showed up without being told!)
The language barrier here can be extremely overwhelming. The best things to do are stay positive, keep calm, and laugh... a lot! Also, carry around a dictionary. Damn, that's good advice.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Flowers for a Hundred Yen
I've now been in Japan for almost 3 weeks, 2 of them in my actual placement in Sai-mura. I must say... wow wow wow. These past few weeks have been... what have they been? Let's let the events speak for themselves. Luckily the journal I've been keeping is right next to me. Otherwise, this blog may never be written. So, here we go!
My flight to Tokyo was pretty sweet. My consulate (Miami) flew out on Continental. There were TVs on the back of every seat, and you could choose from over 100 movies to watch along with some popular TV shows. There were also a bunch of games. I was entranced for about an hour playing that BookWorm game that's basically just Boggle. I watched The Hangover, Date Night, Alice in Wonderland, about 1/4 of Ice Age 3, and about 15 minutes of Pocahontas in Japanese before my brain started to hurt. I wanted to sing the songs, but I didn't know the words. Sadface.
After 12.5 (napless) hours, we reached Narita Airport. You'll hear from your coordinator that you'll be greeted either incredibly cheerfully or eerily and silently by fellow JETs. About every ten feet on your way to the buses, you will be waved on by a JET. You'll probably feel like a rat in a maze.
Make sure you have your blue accident insurance book with you. You'll be giving that to the JET guide on your bus ride to Keio Plaza. The ride is about 2 hours long, give or take. The only thing that sucks about it is more sitting. Get ready for your ass to hurt every day until you get to your contracting organization. The sitting! The sitting! But hey, you'll get to see Tokyo Tower on your way. Yeah, I wasn't that impressed.
All of the instructions you get about orientation and what will happen on your way to your CO are completely confusing and usually convoluted. But, there's a flow to Tokyo Orientation. Know what time and where you need to be, and you're golden. Just follow the mama or papa duck. Seriously, I'm surprised they don't wipe your ass for you. And those workshops they say are incredibly important are useless. Now, I'm not saying you should skip them and spend the day touring Tokyo, but... >_>
Depending where your CO is, you'll be taking a car, bus, train, shinkansen, or plane. I had an hour flight to Aomori airport and was picked up by my supervisor and two of my coworkers from the Sai kyouikuiinkai (Board of Education). The drive to Sai-mura was about 3.5 hours of mountains, trees, farms, and sunflowers. We did stop at a nice little restaurant along the way where apparently whatever meal I chose was what everybody would order. I chose pork ramen.
It was really scary to all of a sudden be thrust into a van with three Japanese. I've studied Japanese for roughly three years, but I have never been to Japan before this. I tried my best to ask intelligible questions to one of my coworkers who was sitting next to me. We'll call her Phoenix. Phoenix speaks some English thanks to Black Cat, but apparently Black Cat stopped speaking English after her Japanese got better. Now Phoenix doesn't really get any practice. Maybe I should help out.
When we got to Ohma (where the grocery store is), I hesitantly picked out some food to last me for the next couple days. I hate when you're taken somewhere by someone else's generosity and you feel like you're wasting their time. Long story short, I ate bananas and bread for the next two days.
I was really happy to see that Black Cat left the house in immaculate condition. She even left me little notes on things like on a Jamaican flag colored tin with a joint-smoking monkey on it: "I thought this was hilarious for some reason. Feel free to throw it out!" Will do, Black Cat. I only wish you'd left helpful hints on how to operate the gas stove, microwave, clothes washer, shower, and boiler before you left.
The principal of the junior high school came over to my house unexpectedly my first night in Sai. I was expecting to just sit around alone and unpack my stuff, but I was treated to an amazing dinner (complete with shrimp head soup!) by kouchou-sensei and kyoutou-sensei who tagged along. I haven't seen either of them since. I think kouchou-sensei was away fighting crime or something. Duty calls.
The next day was all about being issued my hanko/inkan, applying for my gaijin card, and creating a bank account. Oh, and learning how to sort the trash. It's no big deal here. I only have 5 different trash categories. On the JET video, there's some girl with 22. Yikes.
On Saturday (my fourth day in Sai), I nearly cried at the car dealership. The car I'm getting is fairly expensive, I couldn't understand what the salesman was saying, he was asking me what kind of insurance I wanted and showed me some ridiculous prices, and then it happened that since I didn't have my gaijin card yet, I couldn't even get the car. Needless to say, I was pretty frustrated. BUT, I didn't cry. I told myself it wasn't a big deal. Who cries over buying a car? Not this lady!
I also went to SoftBank to get an iPhone but was told without the gaijin card, I basically can't do shit. Whatever. I went out to dinner and karaoke with a bunch of other Shimokita JETs, and we had an awesome time! Totally made up for my shitty day of not being able to get anything done. It was really a great way to get to know everyone. I sang "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals and "Somewhere Beyond the Sea," the Robbie Williams version. I had NEVER sung karaoke before, so I was quite pleased that I came out of my shell a little and had a fantastic time. The two closest ALTs to me, now known as Rogue and Shadowcat, are also new JETs. This made it really easy to bond. We've actually almost hung out every day since we got here. During karaoke, we sang GaGa, Aqua, and a whole bunch of other embarrassing songs. ;)
Rogue is the Kazamaura ALT, and Shadowcat, the Ohma ALT. Since meeting, we have done karaoke, had a sleepover, cooked dinner together, gotten lost in the mountains for four hours, roamed around the most famous place in Sai-mura (Hotokegaura), seen about 7 monkeys and a kamoshika, and been to two festivals together. This is a really crazy way to start friendships! After Rogue drops off Shadowcat when the three of us hang out (Rogue is the only one with a car right now), she and I listen to crazy songs on full blast in her car and sing obnoxiously loud all the way back to my place. Songs butchered have included: I Need a Hero, Just Dance, Mr. Sandman, the Pokemon theme song, I'll Make a Man Out of You, and the list goes on.
I’d like to point out that I have not cried or felt homesick since I’ve been here. I’m working really hard at staying positive and staying busy. I don’t see the point in lamenting my move here. I had plenty of time to drop from the program. This is what I want to do, and I’m not going to cry about it.
This blog takes us up to Sunday, August 8th. My next blog will be up shortly!
Sai-yonara! ;)
My flight to Tokyo was pretty sweet. My consulate (Miami) flew out on Continental. There were TVs on the back of every seat, and you could choose from over 100 movies to watch along with some popular TV shows. There were also a bunch of games. I was entranced for about an hour playing that BookWorm game that's basically just Boggle. I watched The Hangover, Date Night, Alice in Wonderland, about 1/4 of Ice Age 3, and about 15 minutes of Pocahontas in Japanese before my brain started to hurt. I wanted to sing the songs, but I didn't know the words. Sadface.
After 12.5 (napless) hours, we reached Narita Airport. You'll hear from your coordinator that you'll be greeted either incredibly cheerfully or eerily and silently by fellow JETs. About every ten feet on your way to the buses, you will be waved on by a JET. You'll probably feel like a rat in a maze.
Make sure you have your blue accident insurance book with you. You'll be giving that to the JET guide on your bus ride to Keio Plaza. The ride is about 2 hours long, give or take. The only thing that sucks about it is more sitting. Get ready for your ass to hurt every day until you get to your contracting organization. The sitting! The sitting! But hey, you'll get to see Tokyo Tower on your way. Yeah, I wasn't that impressed.
All of the instructions you get about orientation and what will happen on your way to your CO are completely confusing and usually convoluted. But, there's a flow to Tokyo Orientation. Know what time and where you need to be, and you're golden. Just follow the mama or papa duck. Seriously, I'm surprised they don't wipe your ass for you. And those workshops they say are incredibly important are useless. Now, I'm not saying you should skip them and spend the day touring Tokyo, but... >_>
Depending where your CO is, you'll be taking a car, bus, train, shinkansen, or plane. I had an hour flight to Aomori airport and was picked up by my supervisor and two of my coworkers from the Sai kyouikuiinkai (Board of Education). The drive to Sai-mura was about 3.5 hours of mountains, trees, farms, and sunflowers. We did stop at a nice little restaurant along the way where apparently whatever meal I chose was what everybody would order. I chose pork ramen.
It was really scary to all of a sudden be thrust into a van with three Japanese. I've studied Japanese for roughly three years, but I have never been to Japan before this. I tried my best to ask intelligible questions to one of my coworkers who was sitting next to me. We'll call her Phoenix. Phoenix speaks some English thanks to Black Cat, but apparently Black Cat stopped speaking English after her Japanese got better. Now Phoenix doesn't really get any practice. Maybe I should help out.
When we got to Ohma (where the grocery store is), I hesitantly picked out some food to last me for the next couple days. I hate when you're taken somewhere by someone else's generosity and you feel like you're wasting their time. Long story short, I ate bananas and bread for the next two days.
I was really happy to see that Black Cat left the house in immaculate condition. She even left me little notes on things like on a Jamaican flag colored tin with a joint-smoking monkey on it: "I thought this was hilarious for some reason. Feel free to throw it out!" Will do, Black Cat. I only wish you'd left helpful hints on how to operate the gas stove, microwave, clothes washer, shower, and boiler before you left.
The principal of the junior high school came over to my house unexpectedly my first night in Sai. I was expecting to just sit around alone and unpack my stuff, but I was treated to an amazing dinner (complete with shrimp head soup!) by kouchou-sensei and kyoutou-sensei who tagged along. I haven't seen either of them since. I think kouchou-sensei was away fighting crime or something. Duty calls.
The next day was all about being issued my hanko/inkan, applying for my gaijin card, and creating a bank account. Oh, and learning how to sort the trash. It's no big deal here. I only have 5 different trash categories. On the JET video, there's some girl with 22. Yikes.
On Saturday (my fourth day in Sai), I nearly cried at the car dealership. The car I'm getting is fairly expensive, I couldn't understand what the salesman was saying, he was asking me what kind of insurance I wanted and showed me some ridiculous prices, and then it happened that since I didn't have my gaijin card yet, I couldn't even get the car. Needless to say, I was pretty frustrated. BUT, I didn't cry. I told myself it wasn't a big deal. Who cries over buying a car? Not this lady!
I also went to SoftBank to get an iPhone but was told without the gaijin card, I basically can't do shit. Whatever. I went out to dinner and karaoke with a bunch of other Shimokita JETs, and we had an awesome time! Totally made up for my shitty day of not being able to get anything done. It was really a great way to get to know everyone. I sang "House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals and "Somewhere Beyond the Sea," the Robbie Williams version. I had NEVER sung karaoke before, so I was quite pleased that I came out of my shell a little and had a fantastic time. The two closest ALTs to me, now known as Rogue and Shadowcat, are also new JETs. This made it really easy to bond. We've actually almost hung out every day since we got here. During karaoke, we sang GaGa, Aqua, and a whole bunch of other embarrassing songs. ;)
Rogue is the Kazamaura ALT, and Shadowcat, the Ohma ALT. Since meeting, we have done karaoke, had a sleepover, cooked dinner together, gotten lost in the mountains for four hours, roamed around the most famous place in Sai-mura (Hotokegaura), seen about 7 monkeys and a kamoshika, and been to two festivals together. This is a really crazy way to start friendships! After Rogue drops off Shadowcat when the three of us hang out (Rogue is the only one with a car right now), she and I listen to crazy songs on full blast in her car and sing obnoxiously loud all the way back to my place. Songs butchered have included: I Need a Hero, Just Dance, Mr. Sandman, the Pokemon theme song, I'll Make a Man Out of You, and the list goes on.
I’d like to point out that I have not cried or felt homesick since I’ve been here. I’m working really hard at staying positive and staying busy. I don’t see the point in lamenting my move here. I had plenty of time to drop from the program. This is what I want to do, and I’m not going to cry about it.
This blog takes us up to Sunday, August 8th. My next blog will be up shortly!
Sai-yonara! ;)
Monday, August 2, 2010
Monday, July 26, 2010
Star Wars Movies are not Children's Movies
Before you leave for Japan, you're going to want to get your crap in order. My coordinator suggested delegating a power of attorney and procuring a living will. I am doing neither of these things. If I die, I have nothing of value to be given to family or taken by the government. No car, no house, nada. My only possessions are as good as anonymous. If you have important adult-like possessions, you should probably do the aforementioned things. If you're like me, just do what you normally do and stare into space.
I have the glorious task of not only packing for Japan but also packing up everything I will not be taking and shoving it into my mom's garage for an indeterminable amount of time. I don't know how you feel about packing, but I am not a fan. Packing twice kind of makes me want to die.
As far as preparation goes, I have spent the majority of my time shopping for clothes. Aomori prefecture is incredibly far north, and the village I have been placed in might as well be in Hokkaido which might as well be in Russia. Okay, not really. But my point is that I need lots of clothes. So far I've been to two different malls, an outlet mall, and my mom's closet. If you'll be living in a northern prefecture, some things you'll need include:
- long johns/ long underwear/ under layers/ thinner clothes to wear under your heavier clothes (I realize these are all the same thing. I'm doing this for your benefit here.)
- snow jacket (You may not be familiar with snow. It does exist, and yes, it has the potential to be kind of cold. Your snow jacket should be well insulated and have full length sleeves. No cardigans unless you enjoy hypothermia. Hood preferable.)
- boots (Without a heel or with a modest heel, ladies. Snow is made out of water. Thus, it is slippery water. Must I explain further why heels on snow is a bad idea? Pretend you are a little train that needs enough grip to climb a hill. Have you ever seen a train wear high heels? My point exactly.)
- sweaters/ long-sleeved shirts (I shouldn't have to remind you about this, but I'm looking out for you.)
- socks: thick and thin (Don't forget that Japan is full of shoeists. Shoes are not allowed inside a lot of places and also have designated waiting areas. Make sure your socks are neither dirty nor holey.)
- gloves (Snow gloves are different than gloves you wear when it's just chilly. Buy a set of both. Glove liners are also a good idea for extra warmth and sweat-wicking.)
- hats (When I say "hat," I immediately think of Indiana Jones's epic fedora, but that's not going to help you here. Other than getting you awesome points, I mean. Get a warm hat that covers your ears.)
- scarves (Not the fashion scarves, the practical scarves, silly goose.)
So, if you've never lived in snow, there you go-- inside tips! Optional accessories include... earmuffs.
As with most things, every situation is different, but it's still a good idea to dress professionally at your office/schools. You're an ambassador of your country while you're on JET. Don't you want to take the time to look nice? Me either. Damn it.
Black Cat said the dress code was semi-casual (completely casual meaning jeans and t-shirt). She dismissed the option to wear jeans to work. Khakis and polos it is! Actually, I'll probably wear dress pants and a nice top to work on my first day. We'll see how well I can put together an outfit after 13 hours of jet lag.
If you have no clue what to wear to work, dress it up. You can never look too good when making a first impression. When you see what the other teachers are wearing, follow their examples. Of course, you can always continue to dress in your business attire when they're all wearing track suits, but you may look like a douche. Be prepared for that possibility.
I finally bought some omiyage yesterday! If you're not savvy on the whole omiyage issue, here's the rundown: "omiyage" translates as "souvenir". Giving (cheap/edible) omiyage upon returning from a vacation or trip is a standard Japanese custom (a way of thanking everyone else for working while you were off gallivanting like a poof). In a JET's case, it's simply a nice gesture to bring something from his/her hometown to share with his/her superiors. (This means don't bother buying your neighbor something. Unless your neighbor happens to be your vice principal, of course. If you make friend with your neighbor, however, you may want to get them something. They will return the favor! Possibly deliciously.)
Another important thing to know is that your gifts must match the social hierarchy of the school/office. The JTE (Japanese Teacher of English) should get a small gift. I bought glass paperweights that say "Sunshine State" and "Florida" on them. The vice principal must get something better than the JTE. I bought fire-glazed plates that show some kind of beach scene on them that also say Florida. (These were all really cheap in a gift shop in Orlando.) The principal must get something comparable to the vice president's gift but better. I actually forgot to get the omiyage for the principals while I was in Orlando, but I think I'm going to buy them bags of Starbucks's Via instant coffee. There are no Starbucks's in Aomori at all (from what I've read), and the Japanese are into instant coffee, so voila. I'm originally from Seattle, so giving Starbucks coffee is extremely appropriate, and don't you say otherwise.
I know I said the gift should be comparable to the VP's gift, but hey, the coffee is going to be way more expensive and delicious than some painted plates (They were $1.99). At least there's kind of a food theme...? I'm reaching, I know. I've actually yet to find out if I'm allowed to bring coffee into Japan. I hope so
The Japanese also like things that are individually wrapped. Remember that if you ever give them food. They don't want something if there's the possibility that someone else has touched it. Personally, I'm bringing some wrapping materials with me to Japan so I can individually wrap everything when I get there.
Last thing about omiyage: you don't have to give them immediately upon arriving in your placement. Wait it out for a bit, get to know people, and THEN shower them with cheap, foreign gifts they'll never appreciate and likely toss the moment you disappear from sight. (Oh, and don’t forget a gift for your supervisor.) As for the students, I bought Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse stickers that say things like "Fantastic" and "Girl/Boy Power". Yeah, I know. They were cheap, okay? I've heard kids go gaga for stickers, so we'll see.
If you'll be needing to drive in Japan, make sure to get your international driver's permit. If you're American, you win! You are from practically the only country that must obtain an actual Japanese driver's license after your first year in Japan. Don't you feel so lucky?! More to come on that when I actually have to take the test. *indistinct grumbling surely laced with colorful cuss words*
I'm sure there's more I wanted to say here, but I forget. I went to sleep before finishing this blog, and now I'm all confused. As always, direct any questions to this blog or TanukiSunrise@gmail.com.
I think my next entry will be about the vast amount of paperwork you will need to complete upon being accepted to JET that can utterly destroy your sanity piece by piece.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
That Metaphor Just Went Somewhere Horrible...
For those of you, like me, who are interested in the money aspects of JET, I've decided to make an entry about my current math adventure. Those who know me know I hate math; however, I love to know how many moneybags it will take me to haul my plunder back to the U.S.
Of course, these numbers will not be your numbers. I realize that. But if you're put in the inaka as I have been, they will be relatively close. It's generally difficult to make an accurate figure for how much one will be paying each month in utilities. Personal preferences aside (and those can vary incredibly), house/apartment size, weather, and whether your housing accommodation includes an AC unit factor into how much you'll be shelling out every month. Come with me on a glorious math adventure!
The JET salary is 3,600,000 yen/year. It may have fluctuated a little bit over the years, but it's never far from this amount. For me, this means $40554.23/year at the current exchange rate (which, granted, will probably change during my stay in Japan). And if you're reading this and thinking "HOLY SHIT! MONEY!" I am about to crush your precious little bubble of naiveté. There are TAXES in Japan! Doh! And you thought you could get away from them. Silly taxpayer. There are some taxes that you won't be able to weasel out of. These include the mandatory pension program, health insurance fee, and unemployment tax.
Yes, mandatory pension program. That means, every month, the Japanese government will take 25,000 yen out of your paycheck and sit on it until you leave Japan. The only stipulation is that you work there for at least 6 months. If you work for less than a year, you will not receive the full 25,000/month back. Don't blame the messenger. You will not be able to collect this money until you are back in your home country (or at least out of Japan completely) and file the necessary paperwork. For your convenience, here is a handy link to more info: JET Pension Info. You're welcome.
The refund after working for an entire year in Japan is equal to a month of salary, that being 300,000 yen right now. Also, there is a 20% fee taken out of said refund. However, this is also refundable. Why the hell they take it out in the first place, I just can't say. The point is that you can get it back after filling out MORE PAPERWORK! For this entire process, you will need a tax representative (in Japan) and a Japanese bank account. If you stay for two years, you get 600,000 yen; three years, 900,000 yen. However, if you stay for four years, you are capped off at 1,000,000 yen. You will not get another 300,000 yen from the pension program, and you'll have to wait that much longer to get your pension money back.
Like the pension fee, the health insurance fee and unemployment tax are automatically deducted from your paycheck before you ever see it. The health insurance fee is 13,000 yen/month, and the unemployment tax is 2,400 yen/month. If you've been following along, you know the total deductions from your paycheck add up to 40,400. Now you're left with 259,600 yen for a month's work. But wait! Now you must factor in your rent and utilities. Unfortunately, at this point, I can't factor in anybody's rent but mine. But I have faith that you, blog reader, can do simple math.
My rent is a ridiculous 9,000 yen/month (about $100). And I mean "ridiculous" in that the average cost of a JET apartment falls in the 20,000-50,000 yen/month range. So I'm pretty lucky on that front. As far as utilities go, water is roughly 1,800/month and electricity is about 4,000/month. In the winter, Black Cat's gas bill is approximately 10,000/month, and there's a guy who comes to fill up the kerosene tank for 2,000. I am in a very cold area of Japan, so I don't have AC. While my electricity bill is fairly low, my gas bill is going to compensate by being a total douche.
Okay, so, lots of numbers. But hopefully this gives you an idea of how much money you'll actually get to keep every month. On average, with utilities (leaving out winter expenses for now), taxes, and rent, I'll get 244,800 yen/month, which figures out to 2,937,600 yen/year, which is $33,092.25/year. This doesn't look as nice as the full 3,600,000 yen, but if you're living in the inaka like I will be, you're going to have nothing frivolous to waste your money on. Every month, my paycheck will go to groceries and... that's it. There is nothing else to spend money on in Sai-mura (if you want to get technical, there is actually nothing to spend money on in Sai. The grocery store is 20 minutes away in Ohma). Let's say I spend 18,000 yen/month on groceries. That's only 216,000 yen for the year, which gives me 2,721,600 ($30659). Nothing to turn one's nose up at. Some people make $30k a year before taxes and expenses. So, in short, JET can be a really great way to save up some money.
Some of that thirty grand is going to find itself traveling back to my U.S. bank account. Some will be spent on snowboarding trips, and a lot of it will probably go towards gas for the car I must buy. I'll also have internet and keitai bills to pay. Factoring those in right now wouldn't be helpful since I have no idea what I'm doing for either of them. My point here is that if you're in a situation like I have been placed in, you won't have to worry about money. I do know some people who have to pay 50,000 yen/month for their apartment because they live in more populated areas. While they're surrounded by things to do and restaurants to eat at, they just won't be able to save up the amount of money that I will. On the flip side, I live on a mountain. I must basically entertain myself. (Good thing The Old Republic is coming out soon. I've never played an MMO, but I would marry BioWare if such a union could be recognized by law. I'm also writing three novels, a video game RPG script, and a graphic novel.) I will slay thee, boredom!
In short, the number of moneybags I will need when I leave Japan is... one. The other hand must be free to wipe away the tears over leaving a job with decent pay and minimal work in a beautiful country. But it's too early to get nostalgic. I'm not even in Japan yet! 30 days and counting, by the way. Maybe my next blog will be about me panicking and setting the streets ablaze in my madness. Or maybe it'll be about my hunt for winter clothes and luggage. Regardless... you got questions, I (might) have answers.
If any of my math is wrong, I blame it on the American education system. >_>
Of course, these numbers will not be your numbers. I realize that. But if you're put in the inaka as I have been, they will be relatively close. It's generally difficult to make an accurate figure for how much one will be paying each month in utilities. Personal preferences aside (and those can vary incredibly), house/apartment size, weather, and whether your housing accommodation includes an AC unit factor into how much you'll be shelling out every month. Come with me on a glorious math adventure!
The JET salary is 3,600,000 yen/year. It may have fluctuated a little bit over the years, but it's never far from this amount. For me, this means $40554.23/year at the current exchange rate (which, granted, will probably change during my stay in Japan). And if you're reading this and thinking "HOLY SHIT! MONEY!" I am about to crush your precious little bubble of naiveté. There are TAXES in Japan! Doh! And you thought you could get away from them. Silly taxpayer. There are some taxes that you won't be able to weasel out of. These include the mandatory pension program, health insurance fee, and unemployment tax.
Yes, mandatory pension program. That means, every month, the Japanese government will take 25,000 yen out of your paycheck and sit on it until you leave Japan. The only stipulation is that you work there for at least 6 months. If you work for less than a year, you will not receive the full 25,000/month back. Don't blame the messenger. You will not be able to collect this money until you are back in your home country (or at least out of Japan completely) and file the necessary paperwork. For your convenience, here is a handy link to more info: JET Pension Info. You're welcome.
The refund after working for an entire year in Japan is equal to a month of salary, that being 300,000 yen right now. Also, there is a 20% fee taken out of said refund. However, this is also refundable. Why the hell they take it out in the first place, I just can't say. The point is that you can get it back after filling out MORE PAPERWORK! For this entire process, you will need a tax representative (in Japan) and a Japanese bank account. If you stay for two years, you get 600,000 yen; three years, 900,000 yen. However, if you stay for four years, you are capped off at 1,000,000 yen. You will not get another 300,000 yen from the pension program, and you'll have to wait that much longer to get your pension money back.
Like the pension fee, the health insurance fee and unemployment tax are automatically deducted from your paycheck before you ever see it. The health insurance fee is 13,000 yen/month, and the unemployment tax is 2,400 yen/month. If you've been following along, you know the total deductions from your paycheck add up to 40,400. Now you're left with 259,600 yen for a month's work. But wait! Now you must factor in your rent and utilities. Unfortunately, at this point, I can't factor in anybody's rent but mine. But I have faith that you, blog reader, can do simple math.
My rent is a ridiculous 9,000 yen/month (about $100). And I mean "ridiculous" in that the average cost of a JET apartment falls in the 20,000-50,000 yen/month range. So I'm pretty lucky on that front. As far as utilities go, water is roughly 1,800/month and electricity is about 4,000/month. In the winter, Black Cat's gas bill is approximately 10,000/month, and there's a guy who comes to fill up the kerosene tank for 2,000. I am in a very cold area of Japan, so I don't have AC. While my electricity bill is fairly low, my gas bill is going to compensate by being a total douche.
Okay, so, lots of numbers. But hopefully this gives you an idea of how much money you'll actually get to keep every month. On average, with utilities (leaving out winter expenses for now), taxes, and rent, I'll get 244,800 yen/month, which figures out to 2,937,600 yen/year, which is $33,092.25/year. This doesn't look as nice as the full 3,600,000 yen, but if you're living in the inaka like I will be, you're going to have nothing frivolous to waste your money on. Every month, my paycheck will go to groceries and... that's it. There is nothing else to spend money on in Sai-mura (if you want to get technical, there is actually nothing to spend money on in Sai. The grocery store is 20 minutes away in Ohma). Let's say I spend 18,000 yen/month on groceries. That's only 216,000 yen for the year, which gives me 2,721,600 ($30659). Nothing to turn one's nose up at. Some people make $30k a year before taxes and expenses. So, in short, JET can be a really great way to save up some money.
Some of that thirty grand is going to find itself traveling back to my U.S. bank account. Some will be spent on snowboarding trips, and a lot of it will probably go towards gas for the car I must buy. I'll also have internet and keitai bills to pay. Factoring those in right now wouldn't be helpful since I have no idea what I'm doing for either of them. My point here is that if you're in a situation like I have been placed in, you won't have to worry about money. I do know some people who have to pay 50,000 yen/month for their apartment because they live in more populated areas. While they're surrounded by things to do and restaurants to eat at, they just won't be able to save up the amount of money that I will. On the flip side, I live on a mountain. I must basically entertain myself. (Good thing The Old Republic is coming out soon. I've never played an MMO, but I would marry BioWare if such a union could be recognized by law. I'm also writing three novels, a video game RPG script, and a graphic novel.) I will slay thee, boredom!
In short, the number of moneybags I will need when I leave Japan is... one. The other hand must be free to wipe away the tears over leaving a job with decent pay and minimal work in a beautiful country. But it's too early to get nostalgic. I'm not even in Japan yet! 30 days and counting, by the way. Maybe my next blog will be about me panicking and setting the streets ablaze in my madness. Or maybe it'll be about my hunt for winter clothes and luggage. Regardless... you got questions, I (might) have answers.
If any of my math is wrong, I blame it on the American education system. >_>
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Once More, With Feeling
I've been possibly the luckiest JET from my consulate concerning being contacted by my predecessor and supervisor. I don't believe anyone else has yet been given the amount of information on their placement as I've received about my placement in Sai-mura. Because of this, I have had a lot of time to speak with my pred over e-mails and Facebook, positively bombarding her with every question I can think of. I've also corresponded with the woman who is to be my immediate boss, my supervisor, via e-mail (strictly in Japanese since she doesn't not speak any English), and she is incredibly nice. This preliminary correspondence has also included haggling with my pred over the belongings she wishes to sell before she leaves Japan. After three or four e-mails, we've almost got everything covered, and soon I'll have a finalized price. I'm particularly excited about a rattan floor lamp that she bought on a trip to Thailand.
Remember not to feel pressured to buy your pred's belongings. Surprisingly, this was the first thing she told me. (I guess I'm of the certain mentality that pegs everyone as a self-serving, greedy asshole.) She really put me at ease about deciding whether or not to buy her things. I'm really fortunate to have such a great pred. (Let's refer to her as... Black Cat from now on.) So Black Cat sent me a spreadsheet with everything she wished to sell, the prices of each item, freebies included with purchase, and even a list of things she would simply hand over to me without monetary transaction. During this process, I found out that my apartment will have a VHS player. Words cannot describe how completely, totally geeked I am about this development.
So as to not lose the informative vibe I've been trying to construct here, I will make a list of questions that I asked Black Cat and also a list of the things you may want to buy from your pred before/upon arrival at your placement.
_____
Questions:
How far is the nearest grocery store?
Will I need a car/bike? What kind would be best?
How is the public transportation?
How many schools will I be teaching at?
How many classes will I be responsible for?
What are the operating hours of the schools?
How long will I have to get settled in before classes start?
What are the dress codes for teachers in each school?
What will my obligations to the schools be during summer/spring/winter breaks? (Some schools will expect you to go in for a few hours even when classes aren't technically in session. Some schools are more lax about this. It's good to know what kind of environment to expect before charging in.)
What kinds of activities did you become a part of while there?
Is there a local dialect I should know about before I get there? Am I expected to learn it?
How long did it take to get the internet hooked up? (Yes, there is fast internet in the inaka.)
How much is rent? Will I have to pay any key money/deposits when I arrive?
Are there pets allowed? (Almost never. Ho hum.)
Can you tell me about the layout of the apartment/house?
Is there a futon or a bed? (In my case, I bought Black Cat's mattress so I won't have to sleep on the floor.)
Did you ever travel back home for any holidays? How much did that end up costing you? Was it worth it to go home and be somewhere familiar for a while?
Was there anything you didn't bring to Japan initially that you wished you would have brought?
What kinds of things did you miss from home and how did you compensate?
Did you send money back home? Which method did you use?
Would you recommend investing in a keitai?
What do you do for fun?
Why are you leaving the JET Program? (Something I personally thought was very important to ask. Thankfully, my pred had very good reasons for leaving and wasn't fleeing after a terrible one-year experience. She gave Sai three years of her life and decided it was time to start living life back home instead of observing it in Japan.)
How much Japanese should I know upon arrival? How was yours when you went? How much Japanese do you use per day? How much have you learned in your time there?
What are the age demographics? (For me, this was a valid question since Sai-mura is... well... a mura. If you end up in a city, this is an unnecessary question. You'll find all age groups.)
What kind of certification do I need to be able to...?
Are the teachers open to your ideas for projects/activities in the classrooms?
How are the kids you work with? (Temperament, willingness to learn, etc.)
Is there anywhere in (Your Placement Here) that is a must-visit?
Where are some of the places you traveled to while on JET? (Black Cat traveled to soooo many places in her three years as JET. If you live in the inaka, be prepared to have a lot of extra cash on you to be able to travel!)
How is the wildlife there? Is there anything I should be cautious about?
Are there lots of bugs? What kinds? Prevention methods?
What is the weather like? How did you deal with extremely hot/cold temperatures?
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Those are pretty much everything I've asked thus far. I'm sure I'll have tons more. Black Cat has been awesome about it. I seriously couldn't have asked for a better pred. As for buying her belongings, she informed me that she discounted everything 50% off of what she paid for it. I found that acceptable for pretty much everything she had to sell. The only things I can't buy from her are her snowboarding boots and bindings, because we don't wear the same size shoe! Blast!
Things she had to sell:
1 year-old mattress (Preferable to the BoE putting the old one back in that Black Cat says smells moldy. ::shudder::)
Zabuton (Cushions for guests)
Kotatsu set (Table with built in heater with a blanket on top and a reflective pad underneath. Essential for cold climates!)
Towels
Rattan floor lamp from Thailand (Pictured above!)
Sleeping bag (There can often be JET activities such as camp-outs.)
Snowboard (With boots and bindings that I cannot buy.)
Long wooden table to put out for guests
Double-sized futon set
Ironing board and iron
Brita container with filters
Nabe bowl and lighter (Nabe is a meal that many people share out of one bowl. It's considered the closest and most sociable way to eat together.)
Fan
Router and modem
Digital scale
Electric kettle
Things she's leaving for me for free:
Shower curtain and rod, pots, pans, silverware, chopsticks, glasses, garbage can, umbrellas, electric air scenter, toilet paper, laundry rod, travel maps, plastic bags, ECO shopping bags, hangars, desk lamp, cell phone charger, road map of Aomori, power bar and foot switch, SV cord so I can hook my laptop up to the TV, shampoo, conditioner, spices, cleaning supplies, canned/dried food, laundry detergent, tissue boxes, hand soap.
As you can see, she's not leaving me a Ferrari, but as I told her, I would be grateful if she left everything she could there. When I get there, I'll probably be so flustered and in awe that I'll forget something as simple as hand soap or toilet paper. It would be nice to have a few things at the apartment in case I temporarily lose my mind. If you're a germaphobe, ask your pred to throw everything away. As for me, I don't see anything wrong with using Black Cat's leftover shampoo and conditioner.
I do recommend, if you're living in a cold climate, to buy your pred's kotatsu. You've been warned. Dishes are also an expense that you can save on here. Hangars, spices, cleaning supplies, pots, pans... these can easily add up if you purchase them yourself when you get to Japan. I'm in the position where my pred decided to give me these things for free, but you may not be. In an e-mail from my contracting organization, the representative explained what comes with my apartment:
"It comes equipped with a washing machine, satellite TV, telephone, refrigerator, bed, desk, kerosene heater, gas stove, broiler, microwave, rice cooker, table, chairs and a vacuum cleaner."
Other than this, you decide what else goes in your apartment, so keep in mind that the little things for the kitchen that most of us consider necessary can add up considerably. If it helps, make a list of the things you use every day in your home country. That way you'll know exactly what you use and what you'll be needing in Japan. If your pred is bullying you into buying his/her stuff, don't fall victim. In that case, just go buy your own dishes. On the flip side, be nice to your pred. They're spending time answering your questions and also trying to make a fair return on the things they've purchased. The least you can do is have a little respect and common decency.
When all is said and done, I'll probably be paying Black Cat about $500 US dollars for all of her stuff, or around 46,000 yen. It may be more if I decide to buy her snowboard. Usually, dropping that amount of money would make me balk; however, as the Sai-mura JET, I will be receiving a 300,000 yen bonus upon arrival so I'll be able to buy things for my apartment and live until my first paycheck. Keep in mind, not every JET gets a bonus like this. I actually have no idea why I'm getting such a bonus. Before you hear from your contracting organization, make plans to bring at least $2000 US dollar equivalent with you to Japan for living expenses. If you're like me and discover that you'll be positively all right without saving up the extra money, all the better. Personally, I breathed a great sigh of relief when I heard the news. Now I don't have to get a loan, and I'll actually have money to buy clothes and luggage. Imagine that!
I hope this blog entry was helpful! I know how hard it can be to search for all the JET information one wants in a single place. Hopefully my blog has simplified things a bit for you. :) Again, I'm really grateful for Black Cat. When the time comes for me to be someone's lucky pred, I'll definitely make it as easy for them as Black Cat did for me.
About Me
- Tanuki Sunrise
- Sai-Mura, Aomori-Ken, Japan
- I am currently an ALT for the JET Program in Sai-mura, Aomori-ken. I graduated from the University of Florida in 2010 with degrees in English and Japanese language and literature. I am originally from Seattle, WA but for the past few years have called Florida home. I am excited to have been accepted into the JET Program, and I hope this blog will develop into something useful for future JETs!