For JETs with Families

[ume no hana]

Since JETs who choose to bring their dependents to orientation are charged for that person, can we opt NOT to stay at the hotel then?
13,000 a night X 3=very expensive....
And, there are much cheaper places...

[altplustwo]

You can definitely opt to have your family stay somewhere else during Orientation. This is what I did. My husband and daughter stayed at a hostel nearby. They also opted to take the train from Narita Airport to Tokyo rather than the bus with me. This is because they planned on traveling around Tokyo a bit and with the Suica card it was cheaper.

[ume no hana]

You can definitely opt to have your family stay somewhere else during Orientation. This is what I did. My husband and daughter stayed at a hostel nearby. They also opted to take the train from Narita Airport to Tokyo rather than the bus with me. This is because they planned on traveling around Tokyo a bit and with the Suica card it was cheaper.

Great! thank you! I was under the impression that you HAD to stay at the hotel where the orientation will be held..

[teabot]

You can definitely opt to have your family stay somewhere else during Orientation. This is what I did. My husband and daughter stayed at a hostel nearby. They also opted to take the train from Narita Airport to Tokyo rather than the bus with me. This is because they planned on traveling around Tokyo a bit and with the Suica card it was cheaper.

Great! thank you! I was under the impression that you HAD to stay at the hotel where the orientation will be held..

i may be wrong, but *you* have to stay at the hotel. your family/dependents, however, is up to you. honestly staying in the hotel as a JET is a huge convenience with the included breakfasts/lunches, networking opportunities and of course this is where 99% (all?) of the seminars are. and they start early in the morning...

[ume no hana]

You can definitely opt to have your family stay somewhere else during Orientation. This is what I did. My husband and daughter stayed at a hostel nearby. They also opted to take the train from Narita Airport to Tokyo rather than the bus with me. This is because they planned on traveling around Tokyo a bit and with the Suica card it was cheaper.

Great! thank you! I was under the impression that you HAD to stay at the hotel where the orientation will be held..

i may be wrong, but *you* have to stay at the hotel. your family/dependents, however, is up to you. honestly staying in the hotel as a JET is a huge convenience with the included breakfasts/lunches, networking opportunities and of course this is where 99% (all?) of the seminars are. and they start early in the morning...

oh okay, so 'you' have to stay there, but your family can stay elsewhere?
How early in the morning do the seminars start?

[altplustwo]

Yes, you have to stay at the hotel. Your family can stay somewhere else.

[AVN]

oh okay, so 'you' have to stay there, but your family can stay elsewhere?
How early in the morning do the seminars start?

I didn't come with dependents but I would say *you* should stay at the Keio. If you don't you might really end up cutting yourself off from other new JETs that will be placed near you.
Also I can say from personal experience rushing around in work wear on a summer day in Tokyo is a bad way to start a conference. You'll be sweaty hot and tired before you even start.

I guess it's a choice you'll have to make but yeah

[ume no hana]

altplustow and AVNicholls: got it! thank you! I definitively agree that staying at the Keio hotel would be a great way to get to know the other JETs.

[ume no hana]

Regarding the Tokyo Orientation: I heard that families are welcome for a reception, does anyone know which day this is?

[Industrious_Ant]

I never saw anyone with their families at the orientation
Where did you hear that you could bring them?
Is there any way that your family could follow you to Japan a week or two after.
I know there is a strong desire to bring your family with you the day you get there, and many people probably have done it and loved it, but looking back at my experience I'm glad I didn't.

My husband came 2 weeks later. That was more than enough time for me to get adjusted to some crucial things without worrying about him baking to death in our un air-conditioned apartment, with no internet, no stove and no car. We literally had almost nothing when I got here and it was important that I could focus on my work place, and acclimatizing myself to our town a bit before he arrived. It actually helped me figure things out (like where is the grocery store, and what do I cook, and also getting some well needed sleep and rest after Tokyo Orientation).

That said, if you have kids, being away from them for too long can be a challenge in itself. If you can bare it, and they can bare the solo journey with their other parent (maybe with the assistance of a friend of the family to help with the flights, luggage, child wrangling, etc.) a week on your own would be in your favor.

I would also like to say, you might have a crash and burn experience right around the time you get to your town.
It's the exhaustion, the orientation, the jet lag, the culture shock...maybe you'll be fine...but if you are anything like me, you will find yourself about to break down in tears while watching the Japanese shopping channel on that first in my apartment. Having a mini meltdown on my own is always much better than my whole family having one along with me.

industriousants.wordpress.com

[mikesalvatore]

I joined my wife (she's the JET) at the group C orientation last year, and I brought our daughter too. She was 20 months old at the time, and she was the only kid. She was well-received by the organizers/special guests/politicians(?) in attendance - they flocked to her because she's cute. I may or may not have been the only significant other there...I didn't meet any other non-JETs. Group C is smaller than the rest AND the orientation is shorter. It was on the evening of the first full orientation day.

Our little girl enjoyed seeing her Mommy for a little bit. Between the jet lag and that busy orientation schedule, the reception was the _only_ time we could see her. We have no regrets about attending, and the (free!) food was tasty too

[ume no hana]

I never saw anyone with their families at the orientation
Where did you hear that you could bring them?
Is there any way that your family could follow you to Japan a week or two after.
I know there is a strong desire to bring your family with you the day you get there, and many people probably have done it and loved it, but looking back at my experience I'm glad I didn't.

Great advice! According to what i've read, CLAIR strongly discourages you to bring dependents/spouses to the Tokyo Orientation......but, it's not prohibited
That being said, I definitely agree that it would be easier to have your family join you a couple of weeks later........