Alternates 2012

[Emidono]

After the anime convention and having no cosplays to work on I am now without distractions and it's really taking it's toll..And friends as a distraction isn't really working since many are busy with work/school and my boyfriend is a shortlister so seeing him getting ready and talking about JET all the time does not really help..I think it's really disappointing that being an alternate not only brings down my mood on it's own but is also affecting my relationship, even though I know I should be stronger so it doesn't..Ugh, what a mess I've gotten myself into

[frank]

So, I just got a call to say that I've been upgraded as a CIR.

She tried to call this morning but I was in an exam, so she said to my housemate she'd call back in the evening. Got the call around 9pm, and even when she said she was from the Embassy of Japan, I was wracking my brains to think what job at the embassy that I'd applied to.

So, next wave of upgrades coming, I guess.

Congratulations!!! That is awesome

[japanorbust]

After the anime convention and having no cosplays to work on I am now without distractions and it's really taking it's toll..And friends as a distraction isn't really working since many are busy with work/school and my boyfriend is a shortlister so seeing him getting ready and talking about JET all the time does not really help..I think it's really disappointing that being an alternate not only brings down my mood on it's own but is also affecting my relationship, even though I know I should be stronger so it doesn't..Ugh, what a mess I've gotten myself into

So after lurking for ages I finally registered.
And let me just say, Emidono, I feel your pain. I am in an almost identical situation: I too am a Toronto alternate, and my girlfriend was shortlisted. It sucks. I know. However I remain hopeful even though I have no clue about the possibility of an upgrade. But I'm also hopeful for other reasons: I applied with Interac and ECC and am considering AEON and other organizations. I know the reputation of these organizations varies but let's face it, anything that isn't JET sucks, at least from the perspective of the alternate!
Also, I am considering getting a working holiday visa and going with her to Hyogo prefecture. The coordinator from Hyogo prefecture asked her whether or not I would be coming, indicating that they could arrange accommodation for 1 or 2 which is nice. Have you considered this?
So yeah, don't let those feelings of hopelessness take over. We could still get upgraded after all and there is more than one way to skin a cat!

[Emidono]

After the anime convention and having no cosplays to work on I am now without distractions and it's really taking it's toll..And friends as a distraction isn't really working since many are busy with work/school and my boyfriend is a shortlister so seeing him getting ready and talking about JET all the time does not really help..I think it's really disappointing that being an alternate not only brings down my mood on it's own but is also affecting my relationship, even though I know I should be stronger so it doesn't..Ugh, what a mess I've gotten myself into

So after lurking for ages I finally registered.
And let me just say, Emidono, I feel your pain. I am in an almost identical situation: I too am a Toronto alternate, and my girlfriend was shortlisted. It sucks. I know. However I remain hopeful even though I have no clue about the possibility of an upgrade. But I'm also hopeful for other reasons: I applied with Interac and ECC and am considering AEON and other organizations. I know the reputation of these organizations varies but let's face it, anything that isn't JET sucks, at least from the perspective of the alternate!
Also, I am considering getting a working holiday visa and going with her to Hyogo prefecture. The coordinator from Hyogo prefecture asked her whether or not I would be coming, indicating that they could arrange accommodation for 1 or 2 which is nice. Have you considered this?
So yeah, don't let those feelings of hopelessness take over. We could still get upgraded after all and there is more than one way to skin a cat!

I also applied with other organizations..I even had an interview with Amity and am waiting to hear the results. But these others just so seem eeeh... They actually seem a little terrifying. Although I'd want to go to Japan, half of me hopes I don't get accepted so that I don't get worked like a dog and have to give up on the JET waiting list. What would you do if you got a working visa there? My boyfriends Sapporo (lol) prefecture hasn't asked if I was coming along but a bigger accommodation means more $$ and would be unfair if I didn't have a job of some sort also..
Anyway, it'd be nice if aannnyoonneeee from Toronto had an upgrade. Even at the orientation session they didn't seem very hopeful of many (or any) upgrades

[Gekishinken]

Yeah I got an offer from AEON (amitys parent)back in January and they just seemed so....bleh. It felt more like a sales job to me rather than a teaching job. Based on my personal experience looking for alternatives in Japan and doing interviews I would recommend dispatch companies over eikaiwa. Eikaiwa work has a high turnover rate for a reason. I really liked speaking to Interac and had an interview with Altia lined up before I was upgraded. I think either of those would be good choices for people who still want to go to Japan but feel they wont get JET. If you are going to apply other places though you should probably act quick because many places have deadlines for fall start.

[MitchDoogle]

Just looked at my email after being gone all day, and found out I've been upgraded from the Denver consulate! I'm so excited I can barely breathe right now! Thank you so much to everyone who has posted on this thread from day one. You have made this wait tolerable, and I truly hope you all get the same joy I am having right now, and soon. Good luck!
-Mitchdoogle

[mobiuschic42]

Just looked at my email after being gone all day, and found out I've been upgraded from the Denver consulate! I'm so excited I can barely breathe right now! Thank you so much to everyone who has posted on this thread from day one. You have made this wait tolerable, and I truly hope you all get the same joy I am having right now, and soon. Good luck!
-Mitchdoogle

Congratulations!

[Loerian]

Congrats MitchDoogle You should hear about your Placement soon, I am so Happy for you

[Cliodhna]

I've been absent from the forums as a whole for awhile now due to graduation and packing to move house to another state, but I just wanted to check in and say CONGRATS to all the upgraded alts!!! Keep hanging in there, everybody!! And if it's any encouragement, the few people that have said that upgraded alts tend to get their placement requests more often than immediate shorlisters could very well be correct! I got my placement today and sure enough it was my very first requested prefecture!! So keep up the faith, everyone! There's good things waiting for you when the time is right!

[jou_chan]

Just looked at my email after being gone all day, and found out I've been upgraded from the Denver consulate! I'm so excited I can barely breathe right now! Thank you so much to everyone who has posted on this thread from day one. You have made this wait tolerable, and I truly hope you all get the same joy I am having right now, and soon. Good luck!
-Mitchdoogle

Congrats!!!!!!!!!!

[tkmd]

So does anyone know when the "second wave" happens more or less? Or did it already happen?

[franky999]

So does anyone know when the "second wave" happens more or less? Or did it already happen?

when people receive their placements they don't ( at least for our country ) have to accept or decline them, they are already considered to have accepted the placement if they accepted when they were first chosen for the short list and the placements have just recently come out.

So what this means to you is that there will be people out their that got their placements and are unhappy, but haven't said anything yet. Give it time and as they think it over and eventually get up the guts to turn it down the upgrades will start coming in. Dont give up and have patience, I know how hard the wait is

[chips822]

Sending a quick message to just let everyone know I was upgraded!! I just found out yesterday while in Swansea, Wales with no computer (my grandmother called my emergancy phone saying JET called my mom and I needed to get to a computer right away!) Luckily my friend had her phone so we hunted down some free WIFI to send a reply.
When my grandmother told me I started crying in the middle of the restaurant, the server thought I was nuts... My friend that I am traveling with had to convince me this morning that I hadn't dreamt it, and that it had really happened.
Good luck to everyone who is still waiting for an upgrade! I will be keeping my fingers crossed for all of you

[Smasha]

Sending a quick message to just let everyone know I was upgraded!! I just found out yesterday while in Swansea, Wales with no computer (my grandmother called my emergancy phone saying JET called my mom and I needed to get to a computer right away!) Luckily my friend had her phone so we hunted down some free WIFI to send a reply.
When my grandmother told me I started crying in the middle of the restaurant, the server thought I was nuts... My friend that I am traveling with had to convince me this morning that I hadn't dreamt it, and that it had really happened.
Good luck to everyone who is still waiting for an upgrade! I will be keeping my fingers crossed for all of you

woot, woot!!!! congrats!!!!! now start to freak out about what to do and what to pack before you go!

[IkaSomen]

Is it only me but it seems like Toronto is lacking upgrades.