Aspiring Canadian JETs 2012

[Theatrefreak]

I've been placed in Kirishima-shi, Kagoshima-ken! :0)

[Smasha]

I'm in Sendai-shi, in Miyagi-ken. It's not really near my requested areas (Hokkaido, Gunma, Nagano prefectures), but sounds awesome all the same. Even though I requested suburban, I'm not surprised I'm in a city, since I also don't drive.

So far, everything I've read about Sendai sounds really cool, and I'm really excited to go there.

Without wanting to sound ignorant or rude, but isn't most of Sendai still in ruin...I don't quite understand how they are able to send Jets there but maybe I just don't keep up with the news enough.

Someone enlighten me?

[manechac]

I have been placed in Hokkaido! It was my first choice so I am super excited. It says that I am a prefectural ALT but I have no idea what that means. Would anyone know by any chance?

[AVN]

I have been placed in Hokkaido! It was my first choice so I am super excited. It says that I am a prefectural ALT but I have no idea what that means. Would anyone know by any chance?

It means you'll be working for the prefectural government which means you'll be working in SHS.
Come on over to the regional information thread on Hokkaido
Glad to see some fellow Canadians coming over!

[lobsterdance]

Without wanting to sound ignorant or rude, but isn't most of Sendai still in ruin...I don't quite understand how they are able to send Jets there but maybe I just don't keep up with the news enough.

Someone enlighten me?

The vast majority of Sendai is fine. Only the eastern suburbs were hit by the tsunami and recovery in the city has been very fast. I think you're picturing the smaller coastal towns and areas that were very badly damaged. In Sendai City the current living conditions for JETs are exactly the same as before the quake.

[Gizmotech]

Without wanting to sound ignorant or rude, but isn't most of Sendai still in ruin...I don't quite understand how they are able to send Jets there but maybe I just don't keep up with the news enough.

Someone enlighten me?

The vast majority of Sendai is fine. Only the eastern suburbs were hit by the tsunami and recovery in the city has been very fast. I think you're picturing the smaller coastal towns and areas that were very badly damaged. In Sendai City the current living conditions for JETs are exactly the same as before the quake.

Seriously! I traveled through Sendai on GW and you wouldn't know there was anything wrong with the place. That being said, I came from the west and traveled south, still, you'd never know.

[AVN]

Without wanting to sound ignorant or rude, but isn't most of Sendai still in ruin...I don't quite understand how they are able to send Jets there but maybe I just don't keep up with the news enough.

Someone enlighten me?

The vast majority of Sendai is fine. Only the eastern suburbs were hit by the tsunami and recovery in the city has been very fast. I think you're picturing the smaller coastal towns and areas that were very badly damaged. In Sendai City the current living conditions for JETs are exactly the same as before the quake.

Seriously! I traveled through Sendai on GW and you wouldn't know there was anything wrong with the place. That being said, I came from the west and traveled south, still, you'd never know.

Yeah... I just spent all of Golden week in Tohoku. You wouldn't know anything had happened. I didn't go gawking at the coastal towns that were affected but it's not like the whole of Miyagi and Iwate are disaster zones...
This post kind of made me... yeah just wow.

[JTB]

Hey all,

I've been placed in Okayama-ken, Ibara-shi! Any other Canadians in Okayama?

[BrianPaulson]

Hey all,

I've been placed in Okayama-ken, Ibara-shi! Any other Canadians in Okayama?

Congratulations on your Okayama placement; it's a great place to live! If you haven't already done so, you should join the Okayama AJET group on Facebook.

[JTB]

Hey all,

I've been placed in Okayama-ken, Ibara-shi! Any other Canadians in Okayama?

Congratulations on your Okayama placement; it's a great place to live! If you haven't already done so, you should join the Okayama AJET group on Facebook.

Just did, thanks

[egg]

Hey guys, long-time lurker first-time poster here, just received my placement e-mail, looks like I'll be heading to Tokushima of Shigoku~
any Canadians in the Shigoku area??

small question though, I've noticed that some people already know which shi they're going, but in my letter it only states that I got placed in Tokushima-ken, but doesn't say anything more in detail. Should I expect more information soon? Or is something missing?

At first I was a bit dismayed at not having been placed in any of my picks at all (all three were in Kyushu)
But after reading about Shigoku for a bit, I'm actually quite pleased with my placement!! Sounds like a fantastic place!

[cherylmeryl]

Hey guys, long-time lurker first-time poster here, just received my placement e-mail, looks like I'll be heading to Tokushima of Shigoku~
any Canadians in the Shigoku area??

small question though, I've noticed that some people already know which shi they're going, but in my letter it only states that I got placed in Tokushima-ken, but doesn't say anything more in detail. Should I expect more information soon? Or is something missing?

At first I was a bit dismayed at not having been placed in any of my picks at all (all three were in Kyushu)
But after reading about Shigoku for a bit, I'm actually quite pleased with my placement!! Sounds like a fantastic place!

If your placement only states the "ken" then you are most likely a prefectural JET and will teach at a high school. You unfortunately have to wait some time for your specific contracting organization to let you know exactly which town you will live in.

[Smasha]

Yeah... I just spent all of Golden week in Tohoku. You wouldn't know anything had happened. I didn't go gawking at the coastal towns that were affected but it's not like the whole of Miyagi and Iwate are disaster zones...
This post kind of made me... yeah just wow.

Thanks for the update, guys!

Like I said, I haven't followed the news on that part of Japan as close as I did after the initial event, and on the 1 year anniversary. I know that might seem odd to people, considering I applied to JET and all, but I have never been a big news media follower so I usually find out things last. my concern over people going to that area was not really in regards to living conditions. Personally, if I went there, I would be emotionally affected by it more than anything. I admire the Japanese people and their resilience in the face of such tragedy, but I would be overcome with sadness for them if I was reminded of it every day. That really was my main concern, so please do not think I am ignorant or selfish- just get emotionally involved in everything( a friend of mine was visiting Japan when it happened- I was a wreck)

[jpsensei]

Couldn't sleep last night, got placed in Okinawa and completely lost my ****!

Any other Canadianese going there?

[CalgaryPC]

Hey guys, long-time lurker first-time poster here, just received my placement e-mail, looks like I'll be heading to Tokushima of Shigoku~
any Canadians in the Shigoku area??

small question though, I've noticed that some people already know which shi they're going, but in my letter it only states that I got placed in Tokushima-ken, but doesn't say anything more in detail. Should I expect more information soon? Or is something missing?

At first I was a bit dismayed at not having been placed in any of my picks at all (all three were in Kyushu)
But after reading about Shigoku for a bit, I'm actually quite pleased with my placement!! Sounds like a fantastic place!

As mentioned, it most likely means you're in a high school, which are administered at the ken (prefecture) level. It could also be that they haven't quite sorted out where exactly in Tokushima you'll be (because of town mergers, transferring JETs, etc.).

BTW, I was in Tokushima when I was a JET. It tends to be a little more laid back, except for Awa-odori, which you'll be arriving just in time for. It's is essentially a 4 day street party (longer if you follow the festivals around the prefecture). Scuba diving & surfing down the coast is good in summer too. Wonderful place, especially if you aren't looking for a big club scene (and Kobe and even Osaka aren't too far if you do want a big-city fix).