The prospective JET

Someone emailed me recently asking if I would participate in an interview via email as part of a communications course that the person was completing. As I was typing out my responses, I realized that this was a good opportunity to reflect on why I came to Japan and what I expected to get out of my experience here. I also thought that this might be some valuable information for prospective applicants to the JET Programme, so I decided to make it today’s posting. I should mention that it is a bit long, and may not be relevant to many, but hopefully of some use to some. Here is the interview:




Bryce: Hi, you must be Kim? Sorry about the mess, I’ve been a bit busy lately and haven’t had much time to vacuum.

Kim: no worries. Can I put my stuff here?

B: Yeah. Grab a seat over by the TV if you like. Are you hungry? Do you want some edamme beans? Senbei? Otherwise I’ve got potato chips, and peanuts were on sale at the supermarket – so I’ve got lots of peanuts.

K: Maybe just a glass of water?

B: Of course (sound of water pouring). Here you go.

K: Thanks

B: Shall we get started then?


K: Sure, now lets see… first question: how did you hear about the JET Programme and become interested in a job as an ALT?

B: I finished a teaching degree in 2006 and found that I didn’t have too many job prospects at home. I eventually landed a job working as a teacher on call (substitute teacher), but had also looked into teaching abroad. The JET Programme was something a few people, who had some experience in Japan, had recommended. I had not made any decisions to go abroad yet, but the application deadline was quite early (November), so I thought I had better apply in case I wanted to pursue this more seriously.

Working abroad was something that I’d been interested in, but wasn’t sure if I would ever get around to doing it. At this point in my life, I wanted to make some money and to gain some experience working as an educator. As for Japan, I didn’t really have significantly special interest over other countries; for me, it was an interesting place among many. I knew some people who worked over here and had really great experiences, and I think this probably influenced my decision on Japan quite a bit. Also, the more I looked into the JET Programme, the more it appealed to me in terms of the good pay, good history, and that it would give me an opportunity to work within Japan’s public school system (as opposed to a private language school). Working in the public system was/is more appealing to me because this is where I will ultimately end up working at home.


K: How much Japanese did you know prior to arriving?

B: I started studying a bit of Japanese in about April/May of the same year that I left for Japan (in August). I purchased 6 months worth of online access to Rosetta Stone, which I think was useful in introducing me to the language in general and in working with the different sounds. It was expensive though, and I didn’t put enough time into it. Ultimately, I came over with almost no Japanese ability whatsoever. I knew how to say “hello,” “goodbye,” count to 10, and maybe 40-50 or so words, such as “dog,” or “pen.”

I was a bit surprised to see that many of the people that get hired with the JET Programme have had a lot of experience with Japanese – either through studying it in university, or through practical experience of living in Japan previously.

The program is set up so that the people working with you are obligated to be very helpful in any sort of living matters. Any housing, banking, billing issues is dealt with through them, and I often, before endeavoring on something out of my comfort zone, will consult a coworker on the best way to go about this. They may also help me with useful language that I might use in these situations.

With the Japanese that I have been learning, I’d say that Japanese is not a necessary requirement to living in Japan, but it sure helps a lot. Also, the more I learn, the more of an appreciation I have for being here.


K: Are classes typically taught in strictly English or a combination of English and Japanese?

B: Classes are typically taught in a combination of English and Japanese. I think teaching in strictly English is the overall goal of the classroom, but this is often not practical. My main school is a very academic high school, so some classes I do get away with teaching only in English. One of my other schools however, having a lesson in mostly Japanese is also somewhat common.


K: What are the main responsibilities of your job?

B: The main responsibilities of my job are to plan and implement lessons for OC1 (oral communication) classes at my schools. At one of my schools however, some teachers plan the lesson, and then use me mostly as a pronunciation expert for their lessons; another teacher, I usually plan with in the morning and we teach the lesson together.

I was also asked to run a conversation club at my main school, which I would consider to be in the realm of responsibilities for my job. We meet for 2 hours once a week – although we rarely meet during exam periods and such.

I also help in grading exams: a teacher will put a portion from each of the 320 exams my students write on my desk, and I will mark for about 2 full days. I think this will be happening tomorrow.

I also work a bit as an English consultant for students and staff. Both will approach me with questions on grammar or word choice. They generally understand that most native speakers don’t understand grammar in terms of their native languages (this is the same for Japanese people and their language), so their questions are usually more like, “does this sound right to you?” or “how would you improve this.”

Often, people will want to have a conversation to practice English or to learn about where I come from.


K: What do you like best about your job?

B: I get to work with Japanese people – young and old, and very kind, considerate, and helpful ones at that. It’s very advantageous to be able to associate with people when in a foreign country – whether working or traveling, or whatever. They are not only eager to help me live comfortably, but they are also very eager to share what they know about their country. I learn more from talking to the people around me than through any book, or from wandering aimlessly on my own.

Being in a foreign country in itself is pretty amazing; the fact that I get paid to be here seems almost too good to be true.


K: What do you like least about your job?

Being away from my girlfriend. We knew that it would be difficult, and it is. A lot of people seem to come to Japan with few ties to home – or the ties that they do have are lost or change within a few months of being here. That being said, the 6 weeks that my girlfriend were some of the best times that we’ve ever had.

I like my school a lot, but not everyone has the same situation. For example, many junior high/elementary school ALTs will change schools every few weeks or so. They end up doing the same lesson dozens of times between the schools that they go to – maybe more. I’m sure that this situation also has its advantages as well. In my situation, I’m at the same three schools throughout the year. I think that this gives me more of a chance to build relationships with my coworkers.


K: What is a typical work day like?

I usually teach about 3-4 classes in a day and have about 3 free periods, plus lunch, which compared to home, is a very light schedule. The periods that I have free, I’ll spend planning lessons, talking with other teachers, or studying Japanese. It seemed a bit odd at first to study Japanese at work, but it seems to be considered a good use of my time by most of my co-workers. My supervisor at the beginning of the year, even made a point to tell me that it is in my contract to do my best to learn the language while I’m here (something I didn’t fully realize when I first signed on with JET). And it is important; I find that any amount of Japanese helps out a lot in the classroom – or in the rest of the school, city, and country.

Also, I usually ride my bike to my main school; these days, my back has been sore and so I’ve been walking to work. It takes about 20 minutes by bike and 35 minutes on foot. With my other schools, I take a train and I catch a bus. I pay the fares up front, and then I get reimbursed later on.

I stay a bit late some days to get work finished. Sometimes, when it gets busy, the only times that students can come by to see me is after school. There are also a lot of club activities after school, which are great ways to get to know the students and to participate in Japanese activities. Aside from the English club that I run, I’ve played table tennis with students, and have been meaning to go to the shogi club for some time (Japanese chess). Some students also had Janice and me as guests for tea ceremony.

There are also periods of down-time. For example, students at my school are writing exams all week, so I’m at work right now, answering these questions.


K: What do you typically do for fun on the weekends? Did you become friends with other JETs?

B: There are a lot of other JETs in my city – maybe 20-30? In the region, it’s probably close to 100. There are always lots of foreigners to hang out with in Japan. This can be a very good thing in helping to adjust to the country. Not only do they all speak English, but many of them have also been here for a few years and can be very helpful in all things Japanese. You also learn a lot about the various countries that they come from.

I should also mention that I live in, somewhat of, an actual city, so I am within close proximity to many JETs. There are also many JETs who are more rural, and may be an hour or two away from any central location.

Your time in JET could be one big party if you want it to be. There are always people going out to an Izakaya, or having people over. It’s also typical for the Japanese teachers to invite their ALTs out for drinks during the year. When I first got to Japan, I spent a lot of time getting to know the ALTs around me and there were various functions throughout my region, which were a great way to see what was outside of my city and to meet people as well. Lately, for the last couple of weeks, I’ve spent time at home catching up on work/studying, and keeping my apartment together – which has been a nice change of pace. A lot of people spend time on the mountains this time of year.

I think that in the spring, when the weather gets better, there will be a lot more happening again in terms of festivals and gatherings and such. There are still a few cities around me that I want to visit, and I’m considering a visit to Korea for maybe a long weekend in the near future.


K: How much time off do you get for the entire year? Did you do any domestic or international traveling during that time?

B: Vacations in Japan are a bit different than at home. At home, when the students aren’t at school (i.e. summer, winter, and spring breaks), the teachers don’t have to be there either. Here, at least in my situation, teachers are always at work unless it is a national holiday (there are maybe 10-12) of these every year. Aside from those, ALTs have 20 days of paid holidays that they can use. When you can use them may depend on what is convenient for the school(s) that you work at. Generally, it is encouraged that you take you vacation time during the time when students are on vacation (i.e. summer, winter, spring break). So far, I think that I’ve used 9 days of my vacation time.

As I mentioned earlier, when I first got here, I traveled around the prefecture a bit. I didn’t travel much until my girlfriend arrived in December. While she was here, we spent a lot of time in Tokyo and went all the way down to Hiroshima. I plan on doing a few more small trips in Japan, maybe another to Korea in the near future, and then when my contract is up in August, I’m thinking of seeing some more of Asia before I go home.


K: What is the cost of living like in Japan compared to the US or Canada?

B: I think the cost of living is quite comparable to the US or Canada. In Canadian dollars, I can easily get by spending less than $10 a day on food (today I think it was more like $5) – and I eat quite a bit more than the average Japanese person. Food can vary between regions; my city is on the cost, so seafood is very reasonable – I eat a lot of fish sometimes. Vegetables are reasonable; fruit is expensive.

Most goods – electronics and such are very comparable to home – although there are some good second hand places in Tokyo where I found good camera equipment for reasonable prices. Amazon.jp can be very useful for anything from books to electronics and it has English.

Traveling in Japan is expensive. Buses don’t cost too much, but if you’re going a long ways, they can take up a lot of time. Trains are expensive, and accommodation can vary depending on how you want to stay. If you meet lots of JETs, you can often stay for free at their place if you’re willing to return the favour. Otherwise, hostels are still expensive – maybe $50 a night; business hotels are around $70-80, and it goes up from their. There are also capsule hotels and manga cafes which can be cheaper, but I haven’t looked into them as of yet.

Alcohol is cheap compared to Canada, although maybe comparable in some ways to the US?

Many ALTs have their housing heavily subsidized by their contracting organizations. Some areas have it all paid for. I think about $300-ish is pretty standard/average – if not a bit high around here. My apartment is quite expensive though. I pay almost double this – partly due to the nature of my contractor, and also due to availability.


K: Which level of school do you teach? Does JET offer an opportunity to preference?

B: I teach at the senior high school level. I don’t think the program offers so much in terms of preference, but I think that they do try to match people according to ability and experience. I find that in my area, people with previous teaching experience seem to be in the senior high school positions. Also, people with previous experience with Japanese seem to work with younger students. However, there are many exceptions to this as well.


K: You briefly mentioned your living situation in your last email to me. Do you have any roommates in your apartment?

B: Again, due to availability, I wasn’t able to get any of the teacher apartments. Many JETs live in buildings with 2 or three other ALTs, and sometimes other teaching staff as well. I do live in very close proximity to about 6-7 ALTs, and many more within a reasonable distance. My apartment is quite central within my area and I can get by without a car. There are some ALTs where not having a car means not being able to go to the supermarket. Driving can also be expensive, but can also, I think, be subsidized depending on the situation.


K: Which city are you located in? Does JET offer an opportunity to preference?

B: I live in Iwaki, which is in Fukushima-ken, in the Touhoku, or north-east part of Honshu. It is about a 3-4 hour bus ride north of Tokyo, and I think about the same distance south of Sendai.

Within the application procedure, I think there are 2 or 3 spaces for you to put in requests in terms of location. They also say that where you request will not have any impact on your acceptance to the program and that they cannot/will no guarantee that your requests will be fulfilled. I think that I requested somewhere in the Kansai region and in Nagano – no real reason why, I just did. I guess I figured it would be central. Obviously I didn’t get either of them, which is fine by me, because I really enjoy it here in Iwaki. In hindsight, I may have requested somewhere in the south so that it wouldn’t be as cold as it is now – although, it was still fairly cold in Hiroshima when we were there, and I think it gets very humid in the summer.


K: What is the JET interview like? Do you have any advice for this process?

There are three interviewers. I think they intent one to be from Japan, one native English speaker, and a JET alumini. Also, I’ve heard that one of them is usually designated the tough interviewer who asks the tough questions. For me, it was – keep in mind, most questions so far had been about “why do you want to go to Japan,” “Do you have any experience with foreign cultures,” and such; his was, “if you were to be put in an elementary classroom, what sort of unit would you put together that would not only teach English, but also share you country, keeping in mind the age and abilities of students this age.” I think they want to see you think on your feet a little. Some other questions were, “how would you feel about being placed in a small rural community,” and “what is your experience with Japan?”

It’s like any other interview – take it seriously. Wear a suit – or at least a professional equivalent. Make sure you have a good idea of why you want to be hired, what you will be expected to do, why you are qualified for the job, and show that you are enthusiastic about going to Japan. Do some research: I don’t know about where you live, but in Vancouver, almost everybody I talked to knew somebody who knew somebody that had been in JET, or at least been in Japan with some other program. I even phoned the JET people in Vancouver and they let me speak with one of the people that were conducting the interview. I think that he basically told me what I’m writing here.

I’d also recommend learning a greeting in Japanese. Something along the lines of, “Konichiwa. Hajimemashite. Dozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu,” which translates roughly to “hello. It is nice to meet you.” and literally, “please take care of me,” or more practically, “I hope that things will go well between us.” This is a very standard and very polite/formal way to introduce yourself to someone you will be working with in Japan. If you can bring this to your interview, it shows that you’ve some understanding of Japanese formalities and that you have committed at least a small portion of time to the Japanese language.


K: What do you think the JET programme is looking for in applicants?

B: While the JET Programme is about bringing foreigners into Japanese classrooms in order to provide the expertise of native speakers, it is also about the sharing between different cultures. As such, the program looks for people who are not only enthusiastic about going to Japan, but also about their own countries. You should be prepared to show them that you have an idea of what it is about your country that you can share with people in Japan and how you might show it to them (i.e. photos are always good). I think that they referred to us as “cultural ambassadors” in that we are coming to Japan as representatives of our respective countries and that we should soak as much Japanese culture as possible in order to share when we get home.

You will also be working primarily with children/young adults. I’d say that it is essential that you show some aptitude in this area, and that some experience would definitely be an asset.

At some point, you should make a point of showing them that you have an open mind and that you are open to new experiences. Given that you will be living in a place where you won't be able to understand many of the things that happen around you, or maybe even some of the things that you yourself are required to do, it is important that you be able to keep a cool head and make the most of odd situations. The JET Programme also wants people that are capable of taking care of themselves within a foreign country. Some experience abroad would be an asset, or at least some experience around foreign languages.

And any knowledge of the Japanese language/culture is an asset.

Anyway, I think I’ve rambled on enough for today. I hope this is helpful to you and wish you the best in the future. Let me know if you have any more questions and definitely, let me know how it goes.