Hey guys
As some of you might know, I’m now in tokyo beginning my year long journey of trying to survive as a worker in Japan. Imabari-shi (city), Ehime-ken (state), Shikoku (the island) is my final destination and place of residence for at least a year. All JETS are flown in to Tokyo and put up in a swanky hotel right in the heart of this ultra-super-megalopolis for orientation, starting on Monday morning going to Wednesday afternoon. After that, we all get shipped to our individual cities.

List of people’s native countries I’ve met in the past two days (in no particular order):
South Africa
Jamaica
England
Scotland
Ireland
Australia
USA

Unlike private companies, JET (Japanese Exchange and Teaching – government-run) requires no TESL certification. Their focus is more on cultural exchange rather than strictly teaching English. Because of this, I’ve been fortunate to meet a wide array of people.
some were married and some even had families

A ridiculously small sample of people’s backgrounds:
mechanical engineering
ceramics
economics
international Business
english literature
asian Studies

Yesterday was ultimately fatiguing, for i was facing the deadly “being jet lagged/being incredibly busy for most of the day” combo. I will face that again today, for more lectures/presentations start in half-an-hour. mmm….the breakfast buffet is awesome here… Oh, JET threw us a very formal welcome reception in which the toast was initiated by several government ministers of education. They were very regal, but at the same time, humble, in their disposition and I could sense the pride they took in their work.

now for an attempt to get 10 minutes of rest~ I’ll post pictures and provide more detailed info later on…for those that are remotely (no pun intended) interested.

This is Ground Control to Major Tom…can you teach me english, please?

So, once more, postponing the mystery episode, I’ve decided to dedicate this article to what’s been on my mind and hands for the last week. To be honest, I’ve been on a JET craze. No, no, I haven’t taken out a $1,000,000 loan because I developed an interest in flying airplanes, but I have been engaged in the exciting process of applying to the JET Program: Japan Exchange and Teaching Program.  

For those of you who don’t subscribe to the “3LAWRTET Times” (that’s 3 Letter Acronym Words Related to English Teaching…Times,) the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program is a Japanese government-funded program in Japan that brings successful applicants from across the world into the country to help teach English to students in the schools. The program has been operating since 1978 and, last year, accepteda little over 5,000 participants from across the world to come and teach the students about the English language and culture. It’s considered to be one of the world’s largest exchange programs and is definitely the most popular and well-known. 

Because of its popularity, it’s also quite competitive, depending on what country you apply from. A recent podcast I listened to interviewed the president of the JET interview board from New Zealand, who said that in that country, a higher percentage of people who apply get accepted rather than rejected. In the U.S., simply due to sheer number of applicants, I believe it’s the opposite….but what draws people to the JET program?

WHY???

It probably differs per person, but what draws me most to the JET the program is the fact that I would get to both give and receive at the same. By teaching English, I’d get to learn how to better communicate myself to others (through trial-and-error – experience is the best teacher,) learn about how Japanese culture functions (both in-class and out-of-class,) and receive the gratification of having enriched the lives of students with the power of knowledge and communication. The obvious fact that I’m fascinated by the Japanese culture and want to learn more holds true. This is also an actual job, which most college graduates are in need of, but I can honestly say that this is one of my last motives for applying to JET. They do pay well, but if I was in it for the yen/dollars, I would stay back here in the states and save up for more future Japan trips. I can’t think of anything else I’d want to do in the near future than spend a year (or more) teaching English in Japan. 

So, with that said, one might say, “Cool. How do I do it”

The answer: a nice lengthy application process (which I am currently engaged in)

How? Tell me how, now!

To apply for JET, you can go to the JET Official Website and get all the information, plus a link to the application. Here’s the homepage for the United State’s JET Program: http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JETProgram/homepage.html . You first fill out the online application, submit it online, but then it will generate a PDF file for you to print out. You must print this out, and submit all required documents with it, such as school transcripts, proof of graduation, reference letters, medical forms, etc. The required forms are on the application system. 

There are three different positions within JET: Assistant Language Teacher (ALT,) Coordinator for International Relations (CIR,) and Sports Exchange Advisor (SEA) I will only list the duties the ALT position, for that’s the one I’m applying to, plus it’s probably the most popular position sought. 

From the JET Website, general duties of an ALT:

a. Assistance in classes taught by Japanese Teachers of English in junior and/or senior high schools;

b. Assistance in English language education, usually conversation training, at elementary schools;

c. Assistance in the preparation of supplementary materials for teaching English;

d. Assistance in the language training of Japanese Teachers of English;

e. Assistance in the instruction of English language clubs;

f. Provision of information on language and other related subjects for people such as Teachers’ Consultants and Japanese Teachers of English (e.g., word usage, pronunciation, etc.);

g. Assistance in English language speech contests;

h. Participation in local international exchange activities;

i. Other duties as specified by the contracting organization;

j. Be interested in the Japanese education system and particularly in the Japanese way of teaching English;

So, as you can see, the job is pretty involved. If you’re going to apply, be sure you’re not one of the many who might think JET really stands for Japan Entertainment Travel, or some variation of that. While I have no experience in the program (yet, hopefully,) I have heard many testify this. Of course, everyone’s experience will differ, depending not only what part of Japan he/she ends up at, but what the attitude the person his/herself has toward it. And, if I get in, I promise to document all of my experiences with it. If I don’t get in, I promise to document all my experiences up until not getting in…

Tiiiiime, is on my side. Yes it is. 

Anyway, it’s long process. The applications are due in Washington, D.C. by Nov. 25th. After this, you wait to see if you’ve been selected from the first round of applicants. If you have,  you then get invited to an interview  in the city you applied from (in my case, Chicago, takes places in February.) After this interview, the results are announced in “Early April,” which you then have to submit a few more items, such as submitting yourself to a background check, graduation proof, etc. etc. etc. So, the steps are spread out a little bit, and I can imagine this will require a bit of distraction from time-to-time as to not wonder “Did I get in?” But practice patience, I will. 

If you happen to have any other information on JET, have participated in JET, or know someone who was in JET, please feel free to comment below!

I am very excited about this process, no matter what the outcome may be. Please wish me luck!

Check over the weekend for: MYSTERY EPISODE!!!

IMG_5593.JPG, originally uploaded by walrus713.

(Above – Noah’s Luminous Ark…but not really- Of course the first thing that you expect to see when you walk to the giant Ueno Park in Tokyo is an……. array of lit-up animal frames that are wearing bow-ties? This was the greeting staff I encountered walking at the corner of the park. It was quite beautiful, and the picture does not do any justice to the novel set of animals (is that godzilla to the right?))

So, I’ve fully recovered from the jet lag. I apologize for not having updated for a couple weeks, but if you’ve taken similar trips abroad to a foreign land, you can understand that it’s quite a bit of culture shock upon return… The first day I fell asleep at 7:00, woke up at 3:30, then it tended to shift an hour later each night – very low brain activity in the first week! I did not practice, was not productive, and couldn’t even reflect upon the trip (only now am I mentally starting to.) I got back on the 6th, and I had a gig with the Elgin Symphony on the 8th, which meant I had to drive to the city on the day after I returned to pick up some instruments and mallets from my locker. That was tough, but I enjoyed the performance.

So, you might ask, do I miss Japan? I resolutely say, “Yes!” I find it interesting that, in a way, I feel like I am learning more about Japan after being back from it than I did when I was in Japan. This phenomena can be explained by thinking of being in Japan as a time for intake and absorption and being out of the realm of Japan as been the time where I can start to fully process the data that I received. Does anyone else feel a quasi state of denial when returning from a trip? It definitely happened, but it feels quite mentally distanced, as if from another lifetime?

Things I miss about being in Japan, in no particular order:
The immaculate cleanliness
The incredible food; especially the PERFECT SNACK avail. at your local Japanese 7/11: Ultra-soft breadsticks embedded with chocolate chips (150 yen for 12!)
The modesty of the people
The art of subtlety that the Japanese have refined in such beauty
K’s house hostel and the great friends I made (and still keep in touch with!)
Karaoke rooms
Various child-like tunes played to signal a change of traffic light
The ability to wander at night and feel perfectly safe
The overly complex yet ultra-convenient subways and trains
The quaintness of the Gion district in Kyoto
Running low on money, feeling like I was a vagrant, as opposed to a sightseer.
…and much more!

I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays, and will continue to do so through new years.
Please continue to check here often, for I will update much more now that I have recovered!
More to come, i promise!