[MMM]

I don't want to discourage Espie from applying. If she can get in, great! If they can accommodate her family, great!

As a JET I think my work day was done around 4:30...if that is the case then day care that ends at 5 will work. I think I was asked to work 35 hours a week. In my time I think I was asked to be somewhere on a Saturday maybe once a year from my school. I was also supposed to go to the renewer's conference, which it sounds like has been cancelled. (Too bad. It was a real good time.).

Your point about bullying is worth considering. I guess I would worry less about bullying at the elementary school age because of skin color, but more from language ability. I don't know if Japanese schools have JSL programs like the ESL programs we have in the US. I worry more about hazing at the JH and high school levels, but kids can be cruel at any age.