Applying to the JET Program -Vlog #4 - picking your location

[ShowersNeiked]

What Bachelors do you have, or what did you Major in?

[myargonauts]

@ShowersNeiked I have a BA in American History with a minor in Japanese Studies from UCSD

[violinasama]

This might be really tricky, but about the driving thing... I have a driver's licence (Canadian). But for example... Could I .. "lie" about it, and say that I don't have one, to cheat on the place I'll be put ? I mean if you can't drive, are they going to put you in a place that you need to drive for 20 minutes to get to work or just put you there still... ? This is funny question maybe but.. ahaha

[myargonauts]

@violinasama You can check the box that says you can't drive, but it might seem a little strange to your employers when you arrive, realize you do want to be able to drive and then seek help getting a car or Japanese DL. I don't think the info one way or the other hugely influences your placement. Many JETs come over with no intention of driving in Japan and get by just fine biking and taking public transport. I survived with only a scooter my 1st year, but getting a car was a good choice.

[davidmillarkirk]

Hey Jason. First of all, I would like to thank you for your excellent advice. I am from Ireland and will be applying for the 2012-13 year. I have traveled Japan and my ideal placement would be Nara.

My question is though, if I am selected, regardless of where I am placed, will there be other JET's close to me, or will I be in total isolation? I've noticed quite a few of the Irish JET's for this year have been placed in close proximity. Thanks.

[undergroundalcoholsi]

Hey Jason. I'm filling out my JET form and want to be able to get to Tateyama in Chiba easily, as I have a friend there. Do you know what the best locations would be? Somewhere with good transport routes, reasonably close to the town. Or is there even a possibility of being placed in the town itself? I've been looking for lists of JET-participating schools and haven't found any that would suit my request

[myargonauts]

@undergroundalcoholsi hinging your decision to do JET based on a very specific placement request is just a recipe for disappointment. You can certainly pick a city close to where your friend lives, but there is no guarantee, so you should really decide if you want to do JET if you don't get placed there, since the app is a lot of work. Best of luck.

[fepenico]

Hey, I recently hosted college students from various prefectures but are going to school in Tochigi. Despite it being only 2 weeks, we developed a strong friendship and I hope to see them once again. Would it raise some concerns if I picked their prefectures or Tochigi for this reason? Perhaps it would be better to pick these locations with different reasons? Thanks.

[myargonauts]

@fepenico I think it's perfectly reasonable - "I once met some exchange students from Tochigi and after they told me about where they live, I wanted to see more for myself" type of reasoning is fine

[fepenico]

@myargonauts Fantastic. Gonna apply for the 2012-2013 year, so I'm trying to get a head start =D. Thanks so much.

[coalflame]

hey Jason, i was just wanting to clarify on the type of degree you need to qualify. You said previously that you only need to graduate from uni to get a job in Japan but you also mentioned needing a four year degree such as a BA. I have two papers left in a Bach of Education (3 years) Primary specialisation. Do i still qualify for Jet?

[myargonauts]

@coalflame go to your country's JET homepage and read the requirements - I'm not sure what type of degree qualifies in other countries, but it has to be a full degree.

[skr1p7k1dd]

I'm really interested in this. I have been learning Japanese by myself and was thinking about some way to live in Japan for a short while and this seems like a dream come true.

I am freakin' nervous thinking about it, though. What kind of teaching do you do? Do you teach by yourself? Or do you have a Japanese person to help you convey your thoughts? I am just on the edge of fluency. I can hold small conversations by speaking and can write(computer lol) pretty well too. Any advice for me?

[myargonauts]

@skr1p7k1dd For what teaching is like as a JET ALT, check out my playlists on Jr High and Elementary teaching. Learn as much Japanese as you can before you come - while you won't need it in the classroom that much, it will help in your daily life.

[Fireburt765]

I thought it was funny how you didn't want Hokkaido. I'm from Dallas as well, born and raised, and I lived in Hokkaido for half a year. Best, year, ever. either way Texas or die :)

[shoutsistershout]

Hi Jason!

I'm applying to JET for the summer of 2011. I am very excited to begin this application process, however, I do have one concern. My boyfriend (practically my fiancé) and I are both applying to JET and would like to be placed in the same location.

1. What is the possibility of this happening?

2. What do we check off in the application?

2. If placed in the same location, are we allowed to live under the same roof? Or is all housing single-occupancy?

Thanks!

[myargonauts]

@shoutsistershout They'll only put you in the same house/apt if you're married before you leave for Japan.

Apts vary in size quite a bit - my guess is that most JET apts would be fine for a couple, but there are a few where it would be pretty cramped.

What if one of you gets in the other one doesn't? Will you/he still come to Japan? If so, then you can mark that down on the application.

For more specific info, talk to your consulate rep after you get the app.

[princesspout89]

As far as placement goes.. what if the applicant has a significant other, like a fiance or boyfriend, already living in Japan and would like to live in the same area or the same town? Would the JET people take that into consideration?

[myargonauts]

@princesspout89 yeah - I think that would be an example of a good reason to get placed in a specific location that you pick. I think they would do the best they can to accommodate a request like that, but of course, all the JETs in the town you want may not be going home that particular year, so there are no openings, so you'd be offered somewhere else.

[109mytiger]

Why no JET in Tokyo?

[myargonauts]

@109mytiger scroll down - I answer this a few times below

[geezwoman]

Did the Japanese where you did JET speak a dialect other than the Tokyo one?

[myargonauts]

yes - in my part of Shimane, the local dialect is called "Izumo ben" but it seemed that only older people really spoke it with any regularity.

[geezwoman]

One thing I'm afraid of is going to JET and picking up an obscure dialect of Japanese. Thus, I would like to be stationed in an area without a dialect. But if my current "standard" Japanese were not to get muddled with another dialect, thus making me able to speak two dialects, that'd be even cooler.

[imdaman765]

So I heard that on the application there is a section for rural/semi-rural/urban, that you can choose. You always say that Shimane is rural, but with 30,000 people in it, that seems more semi-rural to me. So, I am just wondering what do you think would be considered semi-rural?

[myargonauts]

Izumo is probably semi-rural, but it's the exception in Shimane, other than Matsue. Most places in Shimane would be considered rural.

Semi-rural would perhaps be locations in Hiroshima ken, for example, that while rural in and of themselves, are still very close to a big city like Hiroshima.

[rally200pimp]

How much money does one need to bring once hired and processed? Thanks

[myargonauts]

in my main JET playlist I have a vlog titled "Money" that covers this topic in more depth.

I brought about $1000 with me when I first came to Japan, and that just about lasted me until I got my first payck.

[hunter35]

So if your a foreigner And say i wanted to teach english in tokyo, could i do that w/o joing something like jet?

[myargonauts]

Sure - there are plenty of private language schools in/around Tokyo that hire foreign teachers. Just check the internet for job listings and salary ranges.

[SpinningBirdKick1]

My brother temporarily worked abroad in Japan as an english teacher, and he didn't have a college education, but he was married to a native,so I'm not sure if its mandatory that you NEED to be a college grad to work in Japan.

[myargonauts]

you can get work without a degree that's paid "under the table." Many spouses of JETs do the odd bit of English tutoring to keep themselves busy and earn a little extra money.

But to have an official job here, you have to have a work visa, and to get that visa you have to have a college degree.

[syriangamer]

Care to explain why JET's dont get put in Tokyo?

[myargonauts]

here is a reply I gave to a comment on this video a few pages back:

yeah - a big part of JET is getting foreigners out into rural Japan, where many students would never see, let alone speak, to anyone not Japanese otherwise. Tokyo has plenty of foreigners - they don't need us there.

[demonvamp33]

I think id even go to somewhere in Kyushu to avoid the cold hehe

[demonvamp33]

i have the exact same reason for my choices hehe ive lived in brownsville texas all my life and i hate winter with a passion.. right now im thinking of Kobe, Osaka or kyoto but i don't graduate till spring of 2010 so ive got some time to thing about it

[Forveya]

very good advice! i'll remember not to pick tokyo!

[Hitomi328]

I just wanted to say "thank you" for all this information:)

[42317]

I'd rather be unconnected to my home culture... that's a good idea for people who are prone to get homesick, a condition which is unknown to me. Language difficulties aside I felt right at home in Japan.

Add-on: You can graduate in anything IF YOU'RE A NATIVE SPEAKER OF ENGLISH. Other people have to have studied English (major or minor).

Good advice on place picking, by the way.

I'd go back to Hirosaki anytime, icy roads or not. :-)

[cottima]

I have a driver's license and use it. However, I would rather not use it. Will this be viewed negatively? If so, to what degree? Also, about Tokyo, what if I what a certain city in Tokyo? Thank you to whoever responds!

[cottima]

Sorry, I mean that I would rather not use it while living abroad.

[vladimirpalefire]

Jason, I love your videos. I'm currently applying but I've heard different things about placement (obviously forget Tokyo). I've heard that even if you do request a placement, the chances that you'll get one of your three choices is close to 0%. A former JET said he intentionally asked for rural/backwater placements, but he didn't even get placed anywhere near any of them. And he had good reasons too. I've heard different things. Thanks.

[houktg]

Heya, I'm a little late to the party, but I've recently been checking out your vlog backlog (backvlog?), and just wanted to join the chorus to let you know how awesome you are for doing this stuff. I've definitely enjoyed the videos, and after spending time surfing some of the more negative JET forums, it's nice to hear from someone as enthusiastic about it as you. So thanks, keep it up, and all that good generic stuff!

[myargonauts]

cool beans and all those generic thank you words! :)

Glad you're enjoying the vids!

[tommiskey]

I too am a comic collector, and I took a short box of some of my favorite books with me to Japan, to show them the difference between US comics and manga. The typical comment was that the full color is nice, but that they are far more expensive than manga. By the way, I used my time in Japan to gather a nice collection of over 1500 manga, many never seen in the US, and shipped them home by sea mail at the end of my 2 years. Have you been collecting manga?

[myargonauts]

not really. I rent the occasional book when I want to study Japanese, but I'm not really that into any particular series. I just get my American comics shipped to me and I'm happy with those. I'll probably just give them away or donate them when I leave to save on shipping them home.

[fisge]

EZ PZ. :D

[Smashingblue]

Watching these videos makes me even more interested in applying, but being that my degree is in nursing (BSN), I don't think it'd be the most responsible thing to do. Maybe after I get some experience in the field and decide to look for a change. (along with a pay cut. :P) However I still plan to continue visiting the country. By the way nice job with the videos, really lays out the process and gives potential applicants some very useful information.

[bjeramos]

i placed kanagawa as my first choice. don't ask what i put as the next two (haha though none of them were tokyo), but i sorta explained in my study-abroad experience attachment that i'm more than happy if they placed me in the kanto/chubu area.

[emergencyincas]

Hey, thanks for the random comic recommendation. I've always wanted to check out Mage or Grendel, but havn't spent the money to do so.

[hitmanlineman54]

do they not have jet in tokyo or is it just very slim chances that one will be placed there?

[myargonauts]

yeah - a big part of JET is getting foreigners out into rural Japan, where many students would never see, let alone speak, to anyone not Japanese otherwise. Tokyo has plenty of foreigners - they don't need us there.

[hitmanlineman54]

ahh i understand now thank you very much for clearing that up

[winDragon79]

If I were applying to Jet I'd want to be placed in Fukuoka or Osaka. They remind me the most of Chicago for some reason, bustling city but still very peaceful. :D

[myargonauts]

both are good choices - I hope to visit Fukuoka and Nagasaki in November.

[basch2020]

My only preference is Okayama, do many applicants get to work there?

[myargonauts]

Okayama is a good choice, if you have a good reason for wanting to go there, as I doubt many applicants request it.

[SchoolhouseTechno]

This was a really informative video, explaining individual points on the application is good.

If I were applying this year I would probably be figuring this stuff out on my own, but it's nice to learn it like this a while before I apply.

[JapanPlz]

Interesting. Sorry i didn't know you mentioned the college degree major thing elsewhere or i wouldn't have bothered you with yet another PM on the same thing. Thanks for the vid and all the useful info :]

[myargonauts]

no worries - I enjoy getting the emails, but I am starting to get the same question a lot lately. Good luck!

[calisleeper22]

I live in sacramento and im 21 and dont have a license our public transport is ok I think but we are a driving state good video I think I'm going to try JET out My japanese is so-so but are there many African-American JETS

[myargonauts]

There are a few African-American JETs, but not that many as compared to black JETs from other countries, like England and South Africa.

One new JET that you might want to check out has her own page here on YT - search for stinachristina - she lives now near Kobe.

African-American JETs have their own SIG here too, so maybe search for that online for more info.

[rodgerswan]

great, another video! just need to get my transcripts now, and then check everything over once more and I'm just about good to turn things in. thanks again for the videos!