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Anyone done the JET programme in Japan?

9 replies

CheeseEatingSurrenderMonkey · 15/10/2017 17:48

Looking into applying for the JET programme (spending a year teaching English in Japan) and just wondering whether anyone has been on it?

Thanks.

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CheeseEatingSurrenderMonkey · 15/10/2017 18:20

If anyone has any experience of it, it would be great to hear from you :)

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Allthebestnamesareused · 15/10/2017 18:33

Not first hand knowledge but my younger male cousin did this and had the time of his life! Enjoy!

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MaggieFS · 15/10/2017 18:34

Sorry this won't be the most helpful answer, but it keeps it active for you! Friend of mine did it 18 years ago and loved it. I went to visit her there. Quite a culture shock but she soon settled in and absolutely loved it. Good luck!

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chickenowner · 15/10/2017 18:36

I know a couple of people who did it in the 1990s - a while ago I know - but they both had a fantastic time.

I've worked abroad and I always recommend it to others, it's great to experience a different culture.

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user789653241 · 15/10/2017 18:45

They are lovely people. Respect foreigners. I bet you get the culture shock in the good way.

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howdoyoudecide · 15/10/2017 18:45

I did in 2005/6. It was a fantastic experience. But it was also a challenging year. I was in a small town. I didn't speak Japanese at all. I found just going to the supermarket stressful. The people in my town didn't speak much English at all.

The school underemployed me and there was a period of about 2 months when I didn't have one class. I couldn't drive which was annoying but the trains are very very reliable and I bought a push bike which everyone has and you can cycle on the pavement.

Plus sides - looks good on a cv. Travelled to Thailand , china and Malaysia and other bits of Japan.

Honestly, I broke up with a guy I was in love with to go so I think because of that I struggled to settle in . If I hadn't had that issue then I think it would have been amazing.

It is such a culture shock though and I say that as someone who has lived in other countries.

There was a while staff room meeting which lasted 30 minutes and when I asked what it was about, it was because one of the students had been hoarding text books. I couldn't believe how generally inefficient they were. I couldn't to begin with believe how they never questioned authority. It was literally freezing and the heating wasn't on. I was sat with scarf and hat at my desk but no one was willing to ask for the heating to be put on. It was then that I could see how they ended up in world war 2 the way they did. I apologise if anyone finds offence with my observations.

Looking back it was amazing . It was quite hard at the time. But it was worth it.

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howdoyoudecide · 15/10/2017 18:48

And I would do it again.

But I wish I could have bought a car and drove.

Also when I did it, you could have them book your return ticket to the uk or you could take be money. I took the money. I got about 2k and used it for an around the world ticket and went to china and then on to another country to visit some friends and then back to the uk.

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howdoyoudecide · 15/10/2017 18:49

Don't know much about it now but my apartment was also subsidised. So my rent was about £120 a month.