JET Vlog #2 - getting started on your Japan prep

[GrayXIII]

have you heard about Living Language's japanese package? I bought that and it seems pretty good. It's got a workbook, small dictionary, and audio CDs with it.

[myargonauts]

@GrayXIII thanks for the info

[georgezimmer]

"oregano gozaimasu"

[disneydiva21]

what is jet and is it only in japan ?

[myargonauts]

go to my main channel page and click on the official JET page link for more info about JET.

And yes, it is only in Japan.

[myargonauts]

I think that would be super cool and most of the kids would really dig it - I showed a pic of my brother in Iraq (Army) and the kids were always interested. But you should make sure it's ok with the teacher before hand just cuz some are ultra pacifist and could get offended.

[thesudge]

I'm applying for JET this year, and these blogs are just awesome.

Thanks for taking the time to do them!

[myargonauts]

cool - glad they're helpful :)

[kyubisharingan]

"GENKI an integrated course in elementary japanese" is an awsome book! really good for self study (i know....i use it lol). Im at the intermidiate level thanks to the book

[kraids543211]

Would bringing a guitar to Japan be a bit over the top?

[myargonauts]

it'd be fine, but a bit tough to get here. You'd either have to ship it - which might cost more than it would be just to buy a guitar once here, or use it as one of your two bags at check-in, and you'll need clothes, etc, more than a guitar. But finding one to play once here shouldn't be difficult.

[kraids543211]

Alright, thank you, I appreciate your help and quick responses to my questions :)

[Domikaze]

These Vlogs are great. I actually was fortunate enough to study abroad in Kyoto last Spring/Summer so I already have experienced some of these things that you have been mentioning. But I think these videos are really well informed and are helpful for just about everyone (whether they have been to Japan or not). Thanks for making these!

[myargonauts]

you're welcome - thanks for watching!

[Tesfaldet]

thanks for the vids, I'm planning to learn Japanese and pursue a career of Game Designing over there.

[myargonauts]

you're welcome and good luck in your Journey to Japan!

[SpinningBirdKick1]

Great video. I learned a lot with Japanese for Dummies and if you want to learn vocabulary pretty well, Rosetta stone is a pretty good software...but has its flaws

[pinkally1986]

Japanese for Busy People is a great book, comes with a CD too. :)

[freeinjapan]

the kana addition is best; it helps you read as well as write japanese.

[koritsimou]

I've heard through the forums not to get your heart set on staying more than a year, or getting the placement you want, but I'd like your opinion too. The rumour is that getting into Tokyo is no good, but I'm hoping for Tokushima or bust. And were you planning on staying for four or five years? Or did you just go over there thinking, "I'll do this for a year and come home."

How about your life over there? What kind of apartment do you have? Is it small? Did you bring your own cell?

[readchomsky]

Excellent video!

[joker1251]

I love your Vlogs. Very informative and funny.

I really wanted to ship my bike if accepted, (BMXer). but i guess not lol

[myargonauts]

thanks for watching!

You can certainly ship your bike, but my guess is that it would be really expensive and you'd have to ship it back someday too.

[akualt]

ah-ray-got-u -go-zai-ma suuuu :D hahaha That was so funny. I really like your videos. You are so nice and friendly. Thank you for your videos.

[myargonauts]

Thanks for watching!  :D

[katorulez93]

lol the bike thing was funny, your videos so far are great. like sometimes with people in videos if they just talk it gets boring but so far all your vidoes are great. i dont even come close to getting bored. well gotta watch all your other videos!!!

[myargonauts]

Thanks for the nice comment.  :)

Don't watch too many of my vids all at once - you don't want a "Jason overload"... LOL

[knightyaccha]

Remember that what makes you popular and likable in Japan as a JET is your NOT speaking Japanese...be careful using Japanese.

[WhiteMatrix2006]

I am currently minoring in Japanese at my university. Just finished my first year of taking the classes. In Fall of 09' I will be doing study abroad at Meikei University right outside Tokyo for 4 1/2 months so that I can get a good handle on what life will be like in Japan and get to use my Japanese a lot more. Thank you very for your videos. Very informative.

[Watemon]

Thank you for the vlogs, sir. I'm starting my junior semester of college and happened upon the JET Program about a month ago and am heavily interested in applying come Fall '09, so these videos are great in getting a ballpark idea in what to expect upon arrival and such.

Please keep posting, I look forward to this series!

[myargonauts]

Thanks for watching. Think about taking some Japanese classes your senior year if you have room in your schedule.

[kansaiPJ]

Very informative. Wish I had something like this back in the years before I did the JET thing. Great resource.

[Dominilucy]

Arigatou Gozaimasu! The video was very helpful, I already started looking around my room and thinking of things to show the students but it would be helpful to know the age group... I am getting so anxious in terms of getting placement. It is very exiting, but it is great that your making these Vlogs because it makes me feel like I just might be a little more prepared. Arigatou again... I have to go practice my Katakana and Hiragana

Ja Matte Ne!

[nyannyan123456]

what kind of hours do you have to teach in jets. plus what is a ball park figure on your pay scale

[myargonauts]

good questions... I'll answer in an upcoming vlog

[fisge]

You know, I never really thought about the importance of the 自己紹介, especially in a formal classroom setting. You're right, though! I need to figure out what I can scrounge up to bring from my boring town. ;)

[stinachristina]

I've been sort of studying. I took a Japanese course at the local Adult Ed center, but I should self-study more. Funny thing is, I want to a Chinese restaurant last week and I was looking at the characters like "this means that and that means this!" and breaking apart the phonemes, I didn't know the Japanese word for the character, but I still felt awesome! ahahah

This summer I plan on shooting a lot of video from around the Bay Area, so that should probably come in handy.

[myargonauts]

that's a great reminder for me for the jikoshokai vlog - shooting video and digital pictures - thanks!

Yeah - it feels great when you can actually use your Japanese in public :)

[eselous]

Great videos Jason, I've been offered a job from Interac, starting in laste August, somewhere in Japan. Although I'm not doing JET, your videos are very helpful indeed. I have the lonely planet phrasebook already, useful so far. Would you recommend any language-learning software, such as Rosetta, or are books best!

Watched almost all your vlogs, I've always been very interested in Sumo - couldn't believe how relevant and interesting your vlogs are! Thanks again, Ed.

[myargonauts]

Interac is cool too - some of the local schools now use Interac. Glad the vids are helpful!

I never used software to learn Japanese, but I'll put up a bunch of links in my "learning Japanese" vlog that should help. Cheers!

[Senoska]

Thank you for the videos Jason, I enjoy these. Granted I have not been accepted into JET, these are still fun to watch. Three more years until I finish college before I've even got a shot. Keep up the good work.