I'm thinking of applying to JET and teaching English in

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That formatting looks like ass, ...sorry.

I also wanted to mention I've been watching "Jvloggers" for years now, so it's not something I just thought "hey, I'll do that". It's been rolling around in my mind for awhile now, and I feel like I'll always regret it if I don't try.

It'd also be amazing if anyone here who has taught English in another country could chime in. I've heard a speaking gig in China is incredibly easy, but pay and placement can vary wildly. I chose Japan cause I find it more interesting than teaching in China or Korea. I also started taking Japanese language classes last month and will continue regardless of my decision. I should also clarify that I haven't taken depression medication for 3 years now, in case it sounded like a potential concern. I also haven't seen my parents or brother in 10+ years so family's not really an issue, but I would miss my grandparents and a couple friends.

I guess what I'm really asking is,
1. General thoughts?
2. Reasons I should
3. Reasons I shouldn't

I haven't done it myself, but I hear it's really spotty. As in, some people have a nice experience while others have really terrible experiences. From that, I'd assume it's mostly expectations.
From what I know

The pay is terrible
Japanese people tend to be pretty racist
You will NEVER fit in

I've also heard that you barely teach. You just sit in a classroom and speak English every now and then. I'd assume you aren't going to be an actual "teacher" in the traditional sense, more like a teacher's assistant.

Anyway, I'd say go for it if you really want to. Like you said, worst comes to worst you can just go back home. Just don't expect it to be some sort of paradise.

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>>18271036
Thanks for the response.

First year JETs make a little over $30K, which isn't amazing, but it's also not too shabby for cheap rural life living or being paid right out of college.

They are. I don't think it's hostile racism, but it's "you will never fit in" racism and assuming a lot of things about the person.

I heard that too, and I'm more than fine with it. I have no interest in being a teacher, though it might be kinda fun to interact with kids, whether they be younger or older.

same, haven't done it myself but I know two people who've gone to "teach English". one is a grill who went through a program like Jet (maybe it was jet I dunno). She's now teaching kindergarten age kids and she's been there for about 3 years now. She still barely speaks any Japanese. Seems to enjoy living there.

The other is a dude who took a more diy approach and enrolled in a Japanese language school. He couldn't find work after school and came back. But I suspect he wasn't trying very hard and treated his whole trip like a vacation.

I say go for it too. I wish I could travel the world

I'm in Japan on JET right now. You don't have a choice in where you go or what grade you teach. As long as you are cool with that, there's no reason not to apply.

I don't understand what "going all out in your application" means. It's an application and a statement of purpose essay. It isn't time consuming or demanding.

If you have any questions feel free, but keep in mind every situation is different on JET so my placement in Shizuoka city is nothing like a placement in Makinohara, Shizuoka.

If you go don't become a stereotypical gaijin teacher with yellow fever. Try to make use of the experience and learn the local language.

I'm teaching English abroad right now - not in Japan, but in another East Asian country. It isn't an idyllic lifestyle, but it's a decent enough one (better than decent if travel is your number one priority), and while the pay is average, it's pretty high relative to cost of living & how much work you actually have to do. Personally I'm able to save quite a bit of cash per month for grad school.

If you're interested in it, why not do it? Like you said, worst that happens, you just come home. If JET doesn't accept you, do understand that there are other options, both in Japan and the rest of E. Asia.

>>18271036
>You will NEVER fit in

Are you a middle/high school or are there really adults who worry about 'fitting in'? I can't even tell if this is irony or not

I make about $120k in Japan in finance, no way I would live here if I weren't a mega weeb with yellow fever though, it's boring AF otherwise

>>18272485
There are some white guys who assume their knowledge of Japanese will help native Japanese people accept them as not foreigners.

That never happens. People will constantly ask you where you are from, if you can use chopsticks, if you can eat [any Japanese food].

"not fitting in" isn't being said in the high school sense of being invited to parties, it means that no matter how bad you want it and how hard you try, you won't become less of a foreigner.

Some people get really fucking bitter about it.

>>18272500
>people have suffered genocide/slavery because of their ethnicity
>white people can't cope with being asked if they can use chopsticks a few times

really makes you think

I wonder if these same guys have a complex about Asian girls being attracted to their whiteness too (while casually fucking them of course)

You gotta be a beta among betas to feel bitter living in Japan

/trv/, /r/tefl

>>18272414
>I don't understand what "going all out in your application" means.

It means I'd put good effort into it.

>You don't have a choice
Not if you want to go, but everyone I've ever heard speak of it says you give a numbered preference of age/grade to teach and placement.

Is it worth citing an urban preference then a suburban one? If not, why do they ask?
I seriously doubt anyone really gets what they ask for, but a 1% chance is better than 0%, no?

>>18272447
>There are other options

Any you'd recommend? I'm terrified of the NOVAs of the eikaiwa world, though I think they might be better after everyone was purged of management by the gov?

>>18273702
Of course they ask you what you want. I'm just saying there is no guarantee you will get it. Some people request a city, get the countryside, and leave after a week, and that sucks for everyone.

Its worth citing and explaining why you want an urban or suburban area, but the point is you have to be willing to go wherever they tell you.

The most important things, location wise, are climate, transportation, and friends.

Will an extreme climate make you unhappy? You said no, so that's fine. What if you need to bike a half hour to get to work every morning? Is that OK? Or if you go to five different schools and are required to buy a car in Japan, is that OK?

If there is some reason you can't do those things, explain why when you give your preference of location. I did, and later on I was told they were taken into account for my placement.

Last, if you are in the middle of nowhere and there is nobody but old Japanese people and your students, are you cool with that? You might be hours away from other foreigners. Some people are thrilled at that, some absolutely hate it.

>>18274103
>I'm just saying there is no guarantee you will get it.
I know. I hope I've been clear about this as well. I'm asking however if citing an urban or suburban is worth it, and if not, what's the alternative? Buying a bike I probably wouldn't do if it was for work as I can barely ride now. A car would be perfectly fine though.

Like I said, I would never say no to a rural placement. It'd give me an excuse to get a scooter and learn to ride. I actually have terrible balance and have always wanted to ride motorcycles, but I failed the test two years ago because of balance. I think this is another example of my optimism. Maybe I won't get a cool city, or even a comfy suburb, but there's still tons of shit to look forward to. Plus I could always travel to the nearby city on holidays so whatever.

>I did, and later on I was told they were taken into account for my placement.
This is useful info, thanks.

>Last, if you are in the middle of nowhere and there is nobody but old Japanese people and your students, are you cool with that? You might be hours away from other foreigners.
I mean it'd suck in that regard, but I currently live in Florida and 90% of my interactions are with old people so I seem to get along fine. I guess if there were literally no one in their 20s-30s then idk if I could cope, but that's probably not realistic even in super rural Japan. I've also heard rural placement usually means traveling to 2-3 schools per week. Did you or anyone you know do that? How was it? What are the pros and cons? Also can you talk about your time there a bit? Do you have steam, discord or face? I'd love to chat and ask some questions.

>Getting my actual teaching cert. next fall
>In English, nonetheless

Not OP, but I'm also very interested in teaching English in Japan.

I assume having an actual degree/certification, and a content area in English, will help, no?

>>18274194
>Job boards list requirements
>Asks on Chinese cartoon board instead of eslcafe.com
Oh, brother.

>>18274194
OP here so no real experience, but JET's FAQ says teaching experience and a TESOL/TEFL isn't required but will help.

Maybe I should volunteer at the boys and girls club near me just to boost my application.

>>18274205
I only just started thinking seriously about teaching in Japan (as I wasn't even sure I was going to be a teacher at all until late last year).

What are some other helpful resources/sites?

>>18274211
This thread.

Read about other people's experiences.
Look at what kinda of jobs you want to do.
Go to job boards and read the requirements for those jobs.
Meet those requirements.
Go back to the job boards and apply.

>>18274210
You should volunteer working with kids because any experience with kids is better than no experience with kids.

>>18274211
There are hundreds if not thousands of "Jvloggers" who talk about their experience.

Some of my favorites
https://www.youtube.com/user/myargonauts (favorite)

https://www.youtube.com/user/unrested
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHL9bfHTxCMi-7vfxQ-AYtg

I'd stay away from the biggest ones like Rachel and Jun, and Gimmeabreakman, as they became personality channels instead of about teaching English.

>>18274222
Yeah. I currently volunteer at a cat shelter but been toying with the idea of leaving. The B&G club is 1 block from my place.

>>18274230
>>18274218

Thanks

I'm going to be looking more into this in the next year. Teaching in Japan seems like it'll be a big life experience, be it good or bad.

I've been learning moonrunes for 7 months now too, so hopefully that can help me.

>>18274230
I kinda like Rachel and Jun, but more for their little stories and their relationship than anything having to do with Japan.

>>18274238
/r/tesoljobs

>>18274164
Yeah, put down your preferences and a brief explanation of why. If you have a good Prefectural Advisor (JET who works in government and helps coordinate jet stuff) they'll read it well.

I'm at a single high school and its pretty nice. I do know a few people who travel to multiple schools, they seem ok with it but some wish they were in one place so they could teach more effectively.

I don't have a discord, but I have a Line. If you are serious about moving to Japan, you may as well download Line now. Search my ID: Pkadden

>>18274194
It isn't necessary but it will be a huge help, and it will make you a better teacher obviously. You'll be a lock if you don't fuck up the application and interview.

To both of you ,btw: please care about teaching. Living in Japan is cool, but you are being hired to help students. Never forget that. The ones that do are the worst jerks around.

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>>18274249
>I kinda like Rachel and Jun

They just strike me as incredibly shallow. Everything is happy. Everything is good. Everything is sunshine. I admittedly only watched like 2 full hours of them across several videos, but they seem plastic. I'm sure they're nice people irl.

I love Jason (argonauts) videos because he's fat, older (I think he was late 30s when he joined JET), and went to rural Japan. He's also optimistic and a nice guy, but realistic about shit you won't like about Japan. Weather, bugs, no one to speak English with, etc. It's a refreshing to have an adult talk about teaching English instead of a starry-eyed 20 year old.

>/r/tesoljobs
What do you mean?

>>18274268
>You'll be a lock if you don't fuck up the application and interview.
The interview will probably be the hardest thing for me. I'm just not good at those.

>To both of you ,btw: please care about teaching. Living in Japan is cool, but you are being hired to help students. Never forget that. The ones that do are the worst jerks around.
I totally understand that. It's part of the reason I'm becoming a teacher in the first place over here, in the US. I want kids to enjoy English literature (and appreciate the language) more than anything - even if I know I won't be teaching that in Japan.

Not that I'm not looking forward to enjoying the country itself, however.

Would I be able to add you on Line as well?

>>18274279
Yeah, sure. My experience is different from most, i think. But I'll answer what questions I can.

Don't worry about the interview. There are a few weirdos and jerks who live around here and I honestly have no idea how they got through. But if they can do it, you'll be fine.


The interview: rumor is the application, statement of purpose, and interview are heavily designed to weed out people who will get homesick immediately, or overwhelmed immediately, and break contract. Indicate that you are ready and excited to live in Japan, perhaps explaining why you wont get homesick/overwhelmed, and you'll be fine.

>>18274270
>They just strike me as incredibly shallow. Everything is happy. Everything is good. Everything is sunshine.

I agree, but it's still better than yet another bitter loser like Ryan Boundless.

Balance is preferable but if you're going to go off the deep end it's certainly better go off the positive end.

Anyway, to anyone ITT, I've been teaching English in Japan for 3 years feel free to AMA. I've never done JET but I currently have a job that's arguably better. I like my life in Japan, I'm not bitter but I can be objective.
Kind of a Chad normie, which is rare for this gig.

>>18274295
If you didn't do it through JET, how'd you do it.

Did you have to get a car/a JP license?

How is it, navigating in general?

Do you know the language?

>>18274295
>Ryan Boundless
The DSP of Japan, he's great.

Do you have a line account as well or another way to contact you? I'm about to add this anon too.
>>18274268

>>18274268
I searched Pkadden but found nothing.

My Line is TunaCat

>>18274312
Oh shit, sorry, pkadden. No capital P.

TunaCat brought up an Asian man with a kanji name, I'm kind of assuming that isn't you?

>>18274319
Nah. I'm white af.

Peter?

>>18274327
Yup. Fire away. But if I don't respond, school has just started for the day so now I've got shit to do.

>>18274303
>If you didn't do it through JET, how'd you do it.
Initially I was hired by one of the larger private language (eikaiwa) schools. Worked there for a year and a half, then got my current job.

>Did you have to get a car/a JP license?
Nah, I don't drive, I live in Tokyo.

>How is it, navigating in general?
Easy. Japan is super convenient.

>Do you know the language?
Somewhat. For my current job I did have to pass a language check so some of the interview was in Japanese. I'm still not great. Well, my reading ability is actually pretty good. I can generally read comics for example as long as I have my dictionary app to look up some words I don't know. Speaking and listening is lower.

>Do you have a line account as well or another way to contact you? I'm about to add this anon too.

Feel free to email me, tmij888 at gmail

>>18274335
>>18274319
I'm the other anon who wanted to add you:
ronasokily

>>18274337
>Initially I was hired by one of the larger private language (eikaiwa) schools. Worked there for a year and a half, then got my current job.

How much different is an eikaiwa from something like JET?

Super broad question, but what might be the least convenient/most irritating part of the job/of living in Japland?

>Feel free to email me, tmij888 at gmail
Will do, thanks!

>>18274351
>How much different is an eikaiwa from something like JET?

Generally more work and stress and bullshit. I had a 9.5-10 hour day with like 5-6 classes a day. You work nights, I had mainly adult students. Work Saturdays, your weekend is Sunday and Monday. Very different really.

JET is a very a good gig. Better pay and much less work. Public school jobs are do nothing. I know because I did the public school thing in Korea a year before Japan. Well my public school Korea job wasn't completely do nothing. It was 4-5 classes a day. But I have a buddy in JET who has like 2 a day.

My current job is like 2 a day though. Very very happy with it.

>Super broad question, but what might be the least convenient/most irritating part of the job/of living in Japland?

Only thing for me really is not being able to communicate 100% effectively at all times and that's mostly on me.

>>18274376
How is it, getting along with the other teachers (the native teachers)? Was there any issue in the beginning?

>>18274376
>public school jobs are do-nothing

Guy on JET here : please don't go around telling people this.

Some absolutely are do-nothing, but some require a lot of work. Usually those are given to applicants with education backgrounds, but not always.

My job is more difficult than JET prepared me for. I've grown into it, but I wish I had been told to expect it rather than people repeating that ALT positions are always easy.

>>18274462
Umm, sounds like you don't know what the fuck you're talking about senpai.

>>18274467
I'm in Japan right now about to teach a class with a lesson plan I made myself. My job isn't "do nothing".

I'm not a parrot who speaks when the JTE asks. I know some people are, but most people I know actually have to prepare lessons.

>>18274462
Some certainly are more work than others, like I said, my Korea job was about 4 classes a day and I prepared my own lessons, but it's not difficult--at least I don't think so. I did nothing for weeks at a time when the students had breaks and there's just a lot of downtime during the day. Out at 4:30pm. Easy peasy man. My JET friend has 2 a day and he's a tape recorder. That's very common. It could be because I started ESL a couple years after being in the work force in the US, but I found public school a cake walk. My eikaiwa job was a bitch. 6 classes a day, 10 hours. Most eikaiwa schmucks will laugh in the face of any JET brat who says they work hard, just saying m8.

>>18274441
None, I got a long with everyone. I was lucky I think with my first eikaiwa company, manager was nice and all my coworkers were good. It can make a big difference. I know some people had insufferable managers.

>>18274532
>lesson planning
Yeah five minutes. Don't strain yourself, gaijin.

>>18272597
Serfs were white

HOW BECOME TEACHWR?

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I have an unrelated college degree and no teaching / volunteer work , and no Japanese skill.. the only boon I offer is english!!!!

How can I get a job via JET? I don't mind if it's not big city

What does working jet entail? Especially for someone like me with nothing to offwr

I promise I'm not a weaboo no sarcasm

>>18275152
>how can I get a job via JET?

Apply in October, which is when applications open. Your degree doesn't matter.

Working on JET can require anything from :

-biking miles a day to work
-driving to 2 or 3 different schools every week
-having nothing to do for long stretches of time
-being swamped with work especially during Speech Contest season (October November)

Every school is different. Some people get placed somewhere nice or have good teachers to work with, others do not.

>>18274621
Not because of their ethnicity though.

Does having tattoos affect my chances
(Upper arms and chest )

>>18275284
Not of getting in, but you won't be able to go to hot springs. As long as you can conver them up at school, you'll be fine.

>>18275298
That's good to hear, I was concerned that because of the stigma and that I'd work with children I'd just get turned down.
I wear long sleeve button downs all the time anyway, can't even see a hint of them.

>>18275311
Yeah, that's fine. There's a guy in my area who is Maori, he has an awesome ta moko on his arm. His school used to make him cover it up, but after 3 years I think they are fine is students see a little of it.

>>18272597
this is less a white people thing and more of a westernized thing.

Japan is so homogenous and has so few foreigners, they have a different mindset about integration than someone say from America.

Most Americans pretty much feel if you are foreign, come legally, speak english and naturalise as a citizen, then you're just American.

You can become fluent in more Japanese than a Japanese person, you can change citizenship to Japanese, and the public at large will always view you as not Japanese.

Its true for any race too, just being asian doesnt get you out of that view.

>>18275391
>just beimg Asian doesn't get you out of it

Are you kidding? It makes it worse. I know a few Japanese people who love Western foreigners and hate Chinese or Korean foreigners.

>>18275406
yes.

and its not even meant as a negative thing for most japanese, like one might assume.

its just "not japanese."

I spent a year in Kapan doing an exchange program and a lot of my friends from there eventually went back to Japan as JET teachers. Every single one of them is fucking miserable and hates it.
Japan is a weird place as a westerner. It's glorious if you're just a tourist who doesn't have to commit to it. It's mostly awful for people who actually move there and try to build a career, because you'll never succeed, ever.

>>18275406
This. Non-Japanese Asians will have a shit time in Kapn, prepare for a LOT of harassment, especially if you're a flip

>>18275391
Why would you want to be seen as Japanese? It just means more expectations about how you should act. You get paid more if you market yourself as foreign talent too

>>18276117
Because weebs want to be Japanese. That's why they study Japanese and move to Japan.

When they find out they will never be Japanese, they get bitter but often stick around because they can't leave what they have devoted their lives to.

>>18276178
I studied Japanese, moved to Japan and mostly stay here for the 2D, I have no interest in being Japanese though

Haven't really met anyone like you describe

>>18276178
If you're a teenager or something, sure.

You can like/appreciate a culture without wanting to become part of it. In a way, I really like that near-xenophobia the Nips have. I wish more countries were like that.

I'm interested in teaching in Japan because I'm interested in the culture and the people, the language and the entertainment/art. If I go there I understand I'll never be accepted as Japanese, but that's fine so long as I'm still seen as a human and given respect - and I've heard that's pretty much how it happens.

>>18276192
>interested in the culture and people
Real sad, anon. You weren't smart enough to have real hobbies or interests that you had to define yourself as a "cultural appreciater". I'm sure you think cooking is a hobby with a lot of depth and richness to it to? Pathetic

>>18276194
>He says, on a taiwanese stick figure appreciation website

>>18271073
>She's now teaching kindergarten age kids and she's been there for about 3 years now. She still barely speaks any Japanese
Hows this possible?

keep up the mindfulness! (get the Williams/Teasdale audiobook if you haven't already).
let your folks and friends know about your apprehension, just in case.
get some NLP done to prep you up before you go.
do an online TESOL course if you haven't got time to do the full month long one beforehand.
try and make some friends as soon as you get there - get out, join a club or two, sports, hobbies, etc, anything that gets you in touch with people.

and good luck anon!

>>18276251
If you work in English and have friends that speak English, you can get away with survival Japanese.

Are my chances hurt at all if I'm Asian? And for all the actual JET people here, how much Japanese did you speak before going into the program, and how well do you speak it now? Is immersion alone enough or did you still have to study on the side?

How do people do jet with no Japanese knowledge? Insane

>>18276831
>Teaching English
>BUT HOW CAN YOU DO THAT WITHOUT KNOWING JAPANESE?
I don't speak Russian either but I manage to get by.

>>18276463
no. because that would be rachist.

This might be a stupid question, but how do I maximize my chances of getting a decent job/school? The stories here about having to go to 2-3 different schools or driving around a bunch are making me kinda anxious.

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>>18276966
Can't speak from experience obviously, but from what I understand, JET has you for 8 hours a day. If you're going to multiple schools, you'll probably only have 3 or so classes. Whereas if you're at one school, you'll have 5.

What you're doing varies, but not how long you're working (some exceptions like staying late/preparing for festivals and stuff).

>>18276831
You're an assistant to the English teacher. ALT=Assistant Language Teacher. Your superior is a Japanese guy probably with broken English who utilizes you for pronunciation, general assistance, and cultural exchange (they like to hear about your lifestyle). This is all from watching videos and reading from JETs though so don't take my word as gospel, I'm just the OP.

>>18277020
Thanks for the insight. Is there any way to influence whether you get one school or multiple schools, e.g. through previous education, other certificates, etc?

>>18271036
>Japanese people tend to be pretty racist
trust me OP it's nothing

this meme gets blown out of proportion by young white americans who get buttblasted over being watched in a store / having someone cross the street to avoid them, or over comments about their ability to use chopsticks or write kanji

The JET program is one of a billion options to teach English overseas, Japan included

Japan is one of the strictest countries about foreign English teacher requirements because of all the kids who want to move there after seeing too much Japanese pop culture. So their market is over saturated. There are still other countries in Asia and the world to TEFL in if you don't make JET

>>18277961
>All this talking
>No actual recommendations or names given with "whys"

Thanks for the bump I guess. Also I'm being bitchy cause my date flaked on me.