|
|
|
||||
|
||||
|
Moving to Japan in '09 -
09-28-2007, 06:09 AM
At least, that's the plan...
Nice to meet y'all. You can call me Keaton or Mike. I'm 20 years old, in college in NC, and the love of my life and I are separated by the Pacific Ocean. She has been visiting me as often as we can for as long as a tourist visa will hold up, but we're looking for something more permanent. She's looking for options to move here, and I'm looking for options to move there. I'm getting more familiar with the visa process, but legal mumbo-jumbo can only take me so far. So here's where y'all come in. If anyone has moved to Japan and has success (or failure) stories, I could use them! - How did you get there? - Did you get a job? What kind? Is is better to visit and get an interview, or apply online? What are some good companies/jobs? Is a work visa easy(ish) and quick(ish) to get, compared to the next option? - Did you marry? Marriage is on the horizon, but we don't know much about that process either. It seems like you have to come to the country, get married, go back home, and then wait. Well, this is all for now. The whole thing is pretty overwhelming. Anyway, thatnks so much, and if you ever need any help with learning Japanese, cinema, martial arts, or scuba diving, you know where to find me  
|
|
|
||||
|
||||
|
10-01-2007, 04:41 AM
What's up Mike and how's the weather in my home state of NC? I'm from Mooresville which is north of Charlotte at the end of Lake Norman.
Anyways, about your situation. I am not too familar with the specifics of all your questions, but I can answer a few. To start with, I am sure you know what I am about to say, to work in Japan you might as well teach English. I know what a lot of people think, teaching doesn't really sound like my thing. But to be completely honest if you work as an ALT in the public schools, it will give you a greater appreciation of Japanese life and greater understanding of what your darling, future wife had to endure as a child. And what your's will as well if you stay here that long. Now as far as the application process, you will want to definitely apply and get hired before coming. I don't know about your financial situation, but for me when I got out of college I needed a secure paycheck to pay those loans. JET program is pretty much out of the question since they are going to place you almost at random and I assume you want to be as close as possible to your miss's. Now if you are working and under the work visa, you are not going to have to leave Japan once you marry. The only people that would have to do that are people under a tourist visa who get married and their visa expires before immigration approves their new visa. Anyways, go to the Teaching in the JP thread. Read and post more questions if you have them.
|
|
|
||||
|
||||
|
10-01-2007, 04:45 AM
Oh yeah, the cell phone. Depends on whether or not your phone uses a SIM card or not. If yes, maybe you can use (even then though I highly doubt you will). If no SIM card which is quite common with carriers like Verizon and other US carriers, definitely no.
Either way, just suck up and sell your phone. It is not like your phone can type and recognize Japanese which will be necessary at some point.
|
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
10-01-2007, 05:07 AM
haha with all this talk about moving to a different country, i'm sure that you can give up your cell phone. the technology is also a little better than japan than it is here in the US.
raverboy
|
|
|
||||
|
||||
|
10-01-2007, 05:21 AM
If you plan on staying more than 3 months, you need to secure a job before you go.
JET is a great program, but unless you are married, there's no telling where in the country they will place you. You could try some of the major English schools... Or here is a link someone posted earlier today... Jobs in Japan : Search jobs - Jobs - Japan Jobs - Japan Info - Japan Apartments - Japan Classifieds - Japan Forums
|
|
|
||||
|
||||
|
10-04-2007, 04:57 AM
Thanks a lot for the information about the differences between the different programs and cell phones. I kinda thought my cellphone was soulbound to me after I attached it to my plan
 I've got ~1.5 years left in college. When should I really start hunting and applying for the positions? Is our school's Japanese teacher a good resource for this? Thanks again! Oh yeah, and my lover said いいんだよ！！！
|
|
|
||||
|
||||
|
10-05-2007, 03:45 AM
Quote:
Your Japanese teacher is not going to have any idea about getting a job as an English in Japan. He/she may know about the JET programme and most will encourage you go that route. Of course they will also know about Nova and will probably discourage you, and rightly so, from that one. The greatest thing your Japanese teacher can provide you with is a letter of reference. When I applied, I had a Japanese teacher for one reference, another professor to comment on my English/writing ability, and a third that was my manager at the restaurant I worked at. ps~ It's green dammit.
|
|
|
||||
|
||||
|
10-09-2007, 08:38 AM
Thank you for the information. Am I correct that JET is the program, and ALT is the job?
About living arrangements. I'm sure it differs from company to company, but I've heard that some will provide you an apartment, and others will help you find one. We're perfectly capable of finding one on our own, but if the company *forces* me to live in one of theirs, I have a few questions. Will my lover be able to live there with me? Also, I have a dog and a cat. I really don't want to give them up. I'm sure it's difficult to find an apartment that allows pets, and impossible if I'm forced to live in a company apartment that doesn't allow them.
|
|
|
||||
|
||||
|
10-09-2007, 09:07 AM
Quote:
On JET do not plan on being able to live with your GF. Company apartments will not allow pets, but family style apartments will. If you do go on JET, they will expect you to live where they place you, and that will certainly be cheaper than renting a new apartment anyway. What's the rush to live together?
|
 |
| Thread Tools | |
|
|
