[jasonbvr]

1,150 yen and 52 minutes from Tokyo. Does it really matter what Tsukuba is like when you are that close to Tokyo? And you say that you will be working in an international school meaning that the majority of your coworkers will be foreigners. I doubt you will have troubles. On the home stay, all the home stay stories I've heard include being showered with anything you want and still being treated as an adult. As in go out all night and party, we don't mind sort of adult treatment.