Aspiring Canadian JETs 2012

[michelleamy]

Thank you for the congratulations, everyone! I leave April 10th (scary-soon!), and my prefecture is Hyogo but I don't know my exact placement yet.

Do you mind sharing some information about your application with everyone? I understand that one BOE's ideal JET isn't the same as another's, but since you've already been accepted, it would be encouraging to see what kind of application made it through. I think these questions don't reveal too much personal information, and could be answered with yes/no:

Sure, I don't mind sharing some information. I hope it doesn't worry anyone, because all kinds of different people are sure to get in.

1) Were you willing to drive in Japan?

Yes.

2) Did you request Yokohama (Vancouver's sister city in Japan) placement?

No, and actually, Smasha is right--I'm not from Vancouver. I actually live in Prince George, which doesn't have a sister city (I believe).

3) Lots of volunteer or work experience?

The experience that really interested the interviewers was 4 months I spent volunteering as an English teacher in Northeastern Thailand in 2010.

4) Lots of sports or hobbies?

Nope, just one: ballroom dancing!

5) Lots of experience teaching?

Relatively speaking, a decent amount for a non-professional educator. Aside from volunteering in Thailand, I taught art to teenagers at a local art gallery part time over four years. I also spent the past year TAing a beginning Japanese class at my university.

6) Lots of experience working with children?

Not really. At the art gallery, as I said, I was teaching teenagers. In Thailand, however, I did teach one class of 7- to 8-year-olds.

7) Lots of Japanese Culture experience?

Not much aside from studying Japanese at university for 2 years.

8) Lots of Foreign Culture experience? (for those unfamiliar with Vancouver, 47% of the population are visible minorities, so this part of the application is pretty easy for us)

I didn't mention it in my application, but at the interview they found out pretty quickly that I am half Asian and I guess that might count. But my city doesn't have as many visible minorities as Vancouver, as I live in a northern logging/mill town. In my application I only mentioned travelling to Thailand, but in my interview it came up briefly that I had travelled to other countries as well. I don't think I specified which.

9) What is your level of Japanese comprehension (5 was native fluency in the application)?

I think I said 2 for speaking and listening, and 3 for reading and writing.

Hope that helps!

[Smasha]

OMG, Michelleamy!!!! I do Ballroom Dancing as well!!!! WEEEE!!!! So you task is to scout out what ballroom dancing is like in japan, where to dance, and report back to me if i get in!!! If I get placed close, we can go to events together!!!! OMG, sooo excited!!!!! Hyogo is pretty close to Kyoto right? That was my top choice and the entire block around it was my second, so maybe I'll get lucky and be nearby to you!

Your interview answers/topics are kinda similar to mine, and I am sure some other people as well. They are very interested in the non-traditional teaching experience you might have. I have done drama education, summer camps, and stuff of that sort. It's very hard to remember all the things they asked me, but I hope my answers were satisfactory.

Good luck, travel safe, have fun and don't stress out too much. You will be great!

[ali_the_ant]

Question: my friend who also interviewed said her panel told her Canadians would find out their acceptance/rejection BY April 1rst. Did anyone else ask and get told the same thing? I'm just curious.....

[Gekishinken]

Question: my friend who also interviewed said her panel told her Canadians would find out their acceptance/rejection BY May 1rst. Did anyone else ask and get told the same thing? I'm just curious.....

That seems awfully late, I'm American and we are finding out early April

[czcz1028]

Hey All,

I am from Calgary and I will be leaving April 10 as well!! I am going to Okinawa. Any current Canadian JETs in Okinawa right now?

[Brevan]

@michelleamy:
Thank you for answering each of my questions, even with some detail! My experience with teaching and living abroad do not compare well to yours, so I do not feel bad for being passed up for early departure. While your answeres hit each target straight on, mine were merely glancing blows. I hope you will be too enthralled studying stuff about your placement to read this comment until you have settled down in Hyogo. Congrats again!

@Smasha:
Unfortunately my question (2) was worded poorly, but you correctly inferred that I was curious if anyone accepted had applied to their sister city. Perhaps a BoE would get a political nudge to look at requests from their sister city favourably. I selected Northern Japan instead of my city's sister because I miss snow. That aside, it's good that your application was similar to an already accepted application! While michelleamy was chosen 1st, surely you will be chosen 2nd, while I will maintain hope for any position before September.

@czcz1028:
Congratulations on your Okinawa placement! You get to peruse the "Current Jets" forum with pride rather than hope now. That forum would be a good place to ask about other Okinawa JETs. Any chance you'd feel comfortable answering the same questions I asked michelleamy? Since her details provide a baseline, you could keep answers to simply: Yes, No, More, and Less.

[danicoro]

Any word on when we can expect feedback for departure groups A/B/C? I see suggestions that we're looking at early April?

[Smasha]

@michelleamy:
Thank you for answering each of my questions, even with some detail! My experience with teaching and living abroad do not compare well to yours, so I do not feel bad for being passed up for early departure. While your answeres hit each target straight on, mine were merely glancing blows. I hope you will be too enthralled studying stuff about your placement to read this comment until you have settled down in Hyogo. Congrats again!

@Smasha:
Unfortunately my question (2) was worded poorly, but you correctly inferred that I was curious if anyone accepted had applied to their sister city. Perhaps a BoE would get a political nudge to look at requests from their sister city favourably. I selected Northern Japan instead of my city's sister because I miss snow. That aside, it's good that your application was similar to an already accepted application! While michelleamy was chosen 1st, surely you will be chosen 2nd, while I will maintain hope for any position before September.

@czcz1028:
Congratulations on your Okinawa placement! You get to peruse the "Current Jets" forum with pride rather than hope now. That forum would be a good place to ask about other Okinawa JETs. Any chance you'd feel comfortable answering the same questions I asked michelleamy? Since her details provide a baseline, you could keep answers to simply: Yes, No, More, and Less.

Breven, I agree with you on the sister city point, they possibly would be inclined to select you if you applied from a sister city, and put them on the application, but I didn't put one down for mine either because I simply didn't know too much about it. I did prepare to talk about it in the interview, but no one ever asked me. I did not apply for early departure so I will have to wait with the rest of the crowd. Very sorry you didn't get ED, but don't despair, there is still a good chance! For those of you wondering when we'll know, I was told it was late March/early April at the Vancouver consulate. So expect an answer(hopefully a good one) within 2-3 weeks. So good luck to all!!!!

[dannybaccala]

Question: my friend who also interviewed said her panel told her Canadians would find out their acceptance/rejection BY April 1rst. Did anyone else ask and get told the same thing? I'm just curious.....

At my interview there was a notice that said we would be finding out the week of April 16th.

[Smasha]

Question: my friend who also interviewed said her panel told her Canadians would find out their acceptance/rejection BY April 1rst. Did anyone else ask and get told the same thing? I'm just curious.....

At my interview there was a notice that said we would be finding out the week of April 16th.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!!!!! That\s really late, I can't wait that long!!!! Where did you interview?

[HerrKaiser]

:'( this waiting... It makes it rather difficult to focus on the thesis I need to write in order to graduate... congrats to all the early departures who have been accepted! (I'm mad jealous, I wish I could have applied for early departure)

[mikesalvatore]

From the Toronto consulate:

Candidates invited to interview for the 2012 JET Programme should expect interview result notifications from the Consulate General of Japan in Toronto by the beginning of April 2012.

http://www.toronto.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/e ... gramme.htm

It's only a few weeks.

[jim]

Has anyone in Canada (Vancouver) received notification of an Early Departure?

Congratulations! I also applied for Early Departure in Vancouver, but haven't heard anything. Hopefully today I'll get lucky.

Do you mind sharing some information about your application with everyone? I understand that one BOE's ideal JET isn't the same as another's, but since you've already been accepted, it would be encouraging to see what kind of application made it through. I think these questions don't reveal too much personal information, and could be answered with yes/no:

1) Were you willing to drive in Japan?
2) Did you request Yokohama (Vancouver's sister city in Japan) placement?
3) Lots of volunteer or work experience?
4) Lots of sports or hobbies?
5) Lots of experience teaching?
6) Lots of experience working with children?
7) Lots of Japanese Culture experience?
Lots of Foreign Culture experience? (for those unfamiliar with Vancouver, 47% of the population are visible minorities, so this part of the application is pretty easy for us)
9) What is your level of Japanese comprehension (5 was native fluency in the application)?

I'm currently on JET and if I'm being honest hardly any of that came up in my interview. They don't really ask for too much experience as such, just an open-mindedness to experiences. Japanese comprehension is irrelevant and regardless of where you're from you'll have more chance of winning the lottery than getting sent to Yokohama.

[Ertai87]

From the Toronto consulate:

Candidates invited to interview for the 2012 JET Programme should expect interview result notifications from the Consulate General of Japan in Toronto by the beginning of April 2012.

http://www.toronto.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/e ... gramme.htm

It's only a few weeks.

Ooh, only 12 days? Sweet.

[OttawaPC]

Any word on when we can expect feedback for departure groups A/B/C? I see suggestions that we're looking at early April?

Yes, you should hear back around early April for Group A/B, for Group C it will be later.