Wooo!
I HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH ECC!! Wahoo! They're my top Japan TEFL company to work for. :) The amusing thing about their email - "We would like to meet with you, however based on the information you provided, we assume you live a good distance from our Toronto office. Unfortunately, we are not planning any hiring sessions in your area in the foreseeable future. "
TORONTO IS IN MY AREA. Either it's a generic form email, or even Toronto doesn't know where Rochester is, which is just depressing.
I also got a kinda callback from GEOS (request for more info), and also from Interac. I might ignore Interac though, they seem to suck comparitively. But hey, that's more responses in a week than I got from DC in 3 months, so that's a good sign eh? And in looking further through my LP book I've decided that I can live anywhere in Japan, though I'd still prefer northern Honshu and certainly not Kyushu. But I won't be sobbing wherever they place me (jinx). Unless it's like, Okinawa. That would suck. ECC's hiring for the central Honshu cities, which is blah, but at least I'd be nearish Jen and Mina, and it's a good base for weekend trips. Interac is nuts, they're like "inexperienced teachers will be in rural locations as the large cities are more competitive". Yeeeeees, let's put the newbies who don't know anyone in Japan, speak no Japanese, and have no idea what they're doing in some tiny town where they're the only white person for 50 miles. THAT'LL GO WELL. No wonder people drop your contract like it's on fire.
?So, what exactly are you doing?
I'm applying to large Japanese TEFL companies that recruit overseas. I'll go through a few interview phases, they'll get me a Certificate of Eligibility and sponser my work visa, I'll go wherever they send me in Japan, and I'll talk English at some youngins for about $2500 a month. $1500 of that will go to rent and living expenses. As I'm planning to travel every chance I get and do things like buy a watch in Tokyo, I'm not going to be banking much. Preferably I'll get a contract with a company that offers some bonuses, like literal monetary bonuses, Japanese lessons, key money and deposits paid on an apartment, etc. Hopefully they won't make me drive. Maybe if I show them my driving record they'll put me in a city...
?Don't you need to speak Japanese to teach in Japan?
No. You're just there to provide some conversation practice, and to be white. In the words of Roberto, you're bling for the school.
?Why would you need to know any Japanese/Why do they even need you, don't they speak English? Why are you there if they don't?
Japanese kids take English in school, but it's reading and writing, and it's to pass a test. Thus they don't really know how to speak it, which is what we ALTs are there for. The amount of English spoken depends on where you are. Tokyo and tourist towns - fair bit. Rural towns - good luck.
?Shouldn't you get a TEFL certificate?
Yup. Wanna give me the $3000 to get one? No? Me neither. I'm going to try to get a job without one first. If I fail for a couple months, I'll rethink my strategy.
?Where is Kyushu/insert island/town name?
Japan has 4 main islands. From the top - Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu. Honshu is where Tokyo and Kyoto and most of the people are. Hokkaido is the pretty wilderness island with lots of snow, and it's the least accessible of the main islands. Kyushu is the hottest, it bears the brunt of the pollution from China (this is my own guesstimate, info on this is spotty), and it has an active volcano. Have fun breathing there Chuckles! But even Kyushu has it's upside - it's the most international of the islands, so I'll be able to find things I actually want to eat.
?So are you like, vegetarian, or what?
Uh, I'm gonna say...no. It's complicated. But I'm now in training mode, so I'll not only be eating a wide variety of meat, I'll be trying to force myself to eat just about anything there is. I'm trying to avoid another Vietnamesque food fiasco, so...bring on the crappy meat!
?Don't you hate fish? What the hell are you going to eat?
Good question! Rice. Mmm, rice. Lots and lots of rice. Malnutrition here I come! Again, this depends on the locale. If I'm placed in a rural seaside town, I'm pretty well fucked. They eat live squid there people. And squid eyes and brains. So hey, keep your fingers crossed that I get put in a city or on a mountain! (Mt. Koya-san had excellent vegetarian and fishless food, so I'm going with the theory that mountains have better food)
?How cold/hot is it?
Uh, seems to be kinda like Rochester. Stupidly hot and muggy in the summer, nasty cold and snow in winter. Worst of both worlds, that's us. Obviously the north is colder. I'd prefer north - I hate cold as much as I hate heat, if not more, but Japan's a conservative society so it'll be easier to layer up than wear tank tops.
?When are you leaving?
I don't know. The hiring/visa process generally takes a couple months, so probably sometime this winter, but I make no guarantees. I cannot stress enough how much I am NOT making any concrete plans. I'll probably be on the flight to Tokyo before I finally say "Ok, I'm definitely going to Japan."
?How long will you be there?
Standard TEFL contract is 1 year. After that, who knows? If I like it I'll stay another year. Or maybe I'll TEFL in another country. Or maybe I'll set off backpacking/volunteering/interning. Or maybe I'll hate it and return to Rochester with my tail between my legs. Unknown!
?Can I come visit you in Japan?
Absolutely. Crash space for everyone! Just keep in mind that you will literally be sleeping on the floor, as I probably won't have a couch. Japanese apartments use tatame mats and futons that you use as your bed at night and then roll up during the day to use your bedroom as the living room. Also, I will not be making piles of money (I'm starting to think I'll be lucky to break even), so I probably can't pay half your plane fare or whatever. But I'll totally take you out on the town for some squid brains delicious Japanese cuisine.
?My great-aunt just died and left me $10,000, do you want it?
Yes. Yes I do.
In other news, AW bought me a Flash comic today! The first new one with Wally, with the awesome DaVinci cover and the twins. I didn't have any covers/backers with me of course, so I took it home in an end-of-day envelope. :D Hopefully it doesn't have mango chicken on it (which is delicious btw). My first Flash issue, woo!
Hot damn that's a great cover.
TORONTO IS IN MY AREA. Either it's a generic form email, or even Toronto doesn't know where Rochester is, which is just depressing.
I also got a kinda callback from GEOS (request for more info), and also from Interac. I might ignore Interac though, they seem to suck comparitively. But hey, that's more responses in a week than I got from DC in 3 months, so that's a good sign eh? And in looking further through my LP book I've decided that I can live anywhere in Japan, though I'd still prefer northern Honshu and certainly not Kyushu. But I won't be sobbing wherever they place me (jinx). Unless it's like, Okinawa. That would suck. ECC's hiring for the central Honshu cities, which is blah, but at least I'd be nearish Jen and Mina, and it's a good base for weekend trips. Interac is nuts, they're like "inexperienced teachers will be in rural locations as the large cities are more competitive". Yeeeeees, let's put the newbies who don't know anyone in Japan, speak no Japanese, and have no idea what they're doing in some tiny town where they're the only white person for 50 miles. THAT'LL GO WELL. No wonder people drop your contract like it's on fire.
?So, what exactly are you doing?
I'm applying to large Japanese TEFL companies that recruit overseas. I'll go through a few interview phases, they'll get me a Certificate of Eligibility and sponser my work visa, I'll go wherever they send me in Japan, and I'll talk English at some youngins for about $2500 a month. $1500 of that will go to rent and living expenses. As I'm planning to travel every chance I get and do things like buy a watch in Tokyo, I'm not going to be banking much. Preferably I'll get a contract with a company that offers some bonuses, like literal monetary bonuses, Japanese lessons, key money and deposits paid on an apartment, etc. Hopefully they won't make me drive. Maybe if I show them my driving record they'll put me in a city...
?Don't you need to speak Japanese to teach in Japan?
No. You're just there to provide some conversation practice, and to be white. In the words of Roberto, you're bling for the school.
?Why would you need to know any Japanese/Why do they even need you, don't they speak English? Why are you there if they don't?
Japanese kids take English in school, but it's reading and writing, and it's to pass a test. Thus they don't really know how to speak it, which is what we ALTs are there for. The amount of English spoken depends on where you are. Tokyo and tourist towns - fair bit. Rural towns - good luck.
?Shouldn't you get a TEFL certificate?
Yup. Wanna give me the $3000 to get one? No? Me neither. I'm going to try to get a job without one first. If I fail for a couple months, I'll rethink my strategy.
?Where is Kyushu/insert island/town name?
Japan has 4 main islands. From the top - Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu. Honshu is where Tokyo and Kyoto and most of the people are. Hokkaido is the pretty wilderness island with lots of snow, and it's the least accessible of the main islands. Kyushu is the hottest, it bears the brunt of the pollution from China (this is my own guesstimate, info on this is spotty), and it has an active volcano. Have fun breathing there Chuckles! But even Kyushu has it's upside - it's the most international of the islands, so I'll be able to find things I actually want to eat.
?So are you like, vegetarian, or what?
Uh, I'm gonna say...no. It's complicated. But I'm now in training mode, so I'll not only be eating a wide variety of meat, I'll be trying to force myself to eat just about anything there is. I'm trying to avoid another Vietnamesque food fiasco, so...bring on the crappy meat!
?Don't you hate fish? What the hell are you going to eat?
Good question! Rice. Mmm, rice. Lots and lots of rice. Malnutrition here I come! Again, this depends on the locale. If I'm placed in a rural seaside town, I'm pretty well fucked. They eat live squid there people. And squid eyes and brains. So hey, keep your fingers crossed that I get put in a city or on a mountain! (Mt. Koya-san had excellent vegetarian and fishless food, so I'm going with the theory that mountains have better food)
?How cold/hot is it?
Uh, seems to be kinda like Rochester. Stupidly hot and muggy in the summer, nasty cold and snow in winter. Worst of both worlds, that's us. Obviously the north is colder. I'd prefer north - I hate cold as much as I hate heat, if not more, but Japan's a conservative society so it'll be easier to layer up than wear tank tops.
?When are you leaving?
I don't know. The hiring/visa process generally takes a couple months, so probably sometime this winter, but I make no guarantees. I cannot stress enough how much I am NOT making any concrete plans. I'll probably be on the flight to Tokyo before I finally say "Ok, I'm definitely going to Japan."
?How long will you be there?
Standard TEFL contract is 1 year. After that, who knows? If I like it I'll stay another year. Or maybe I'll TEFL in another country. Or maybe I'll set off backpacking/volunteering/interning. Or maybe I'll hate it and return to Rochester with my tail between my legs. Unknown!
?Can I come visit you in Japan?
Absolutely. Crash space for everyone! Just keep in mind that you will literally be sleeping on the floor, as I probably won't have a couch. Japanese apartments use tatame mats and futons that you use as your bed at night and then roll up during the day to use your bedroom as the living room. Also, I will not be making piles of money (I'm starting to think I'll be lucky to break even), so I probably can't pay half your plane fare or whatever. But I'll totally take you out on the town for some squid brains delicious Japanese cuisine.
?My great-aunt just died and left me $10,000, do you want it?
Yes. Yes I do.
In other news, AW bought me a Flash comic today! The first new one with Wally, with the awesome DaVinci cover and the twins. I didn't have any covers/backers with me of course, so I took it home in an end-of-day envelope. :D Hopefully it doesn't have mango chicken on it (which is delicious btw). My first Flash issue, woo!
Hot damn that's a great cover.