When I taught English abroad in the inaka (countryside) of Japan, I lived in a very small, very old mountain village. From afar, it was beautiful. Rice fields surrounded the mountain, lush greenery was everywhere, and in the summer, tall cumulus clouds floated slowly across the sky. It was like a scene straight out of … Read more
When it comes to teaching English in Japan, the JET Program versus Interac is the Coke versus Pepsi debate of the ALT community. JET (Japan Exchange and Teaching) is a government program. Interac is a private company. Both provide Japanese public schools with Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs). While the average workday of an ALT is … Read more
A Day in the Life of an International Kindergarten Teacher in Japan Working as an ALT or at an eikaiwa (private language school) seem to be the most popular career options for foreigners in Japan. However, a field in which there are increasing employment opportunities is at international kindergartens. As learning English becomes a more … Read more
Things to Bring on JET Getting ready to move to Japan with the JET Program is both exciting and scary. Packing up your life to live in another country is a big step. Many of you have never been to the area you have been placed, so you don’t know what to expect. Some of … Read more
Working for the JET Program – 7 Things You Need to Do before Coming to Japan 1. Prepare a Short Introduction Speech in Japanese You’ll have to give a short introduction about yourself several times when you first come to Japan. This may or may not include some very important people (like the boss … Read more
7 Essential Tips on How to Be a Great ALT – JET Program 1. Be Super Chill and Go with the Flow This is the key to being happy at your workplace. There will be many times where you won’t know what’s going on. There will also be times where you’ll be asked to do a … Read more
Congratulations! You made it past the first round! Honestly, completing the application and essay is by far the hardest part. However, the interview can be pretty nerve-racking. Here are 5 tips to ace that interview as well as some questions that my friends and I were asked. 1. Be Yourself…Your Confident, Fun Self I’m not … Read more
If you want to get accepted into the JET program, you’ve come to the right place. I was accepted into the program as an ALT (assistant language teacher) a few years ago and loved every minute of it. However, this didn’t come easily. If awards were given out to JET applicants, I would definitely win the “Most … Read more
For those of you lucky enough to work as an assistant language teacher (ALT) with the JET Program, congratulations! You’ve made it past a long and sometimes nerve-racking application process. While JET is probably the best opportunity to work Japan as an English teacher, it also has some drawbacks. Here are 5 reasons why working … Read more