Any non-English JETs?

[Petruha]

Hello, everybody.

I'm an aspiring JET in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. I've never applied to JET before, as I've heard all the non-English positions are reserved for ambassords' children and similarly "important" people. I just felt it wasn't worth the time needed to get the application forms in order and turn them in. However, this year the Japanese embassy in Russia specifically posted a JET request for a Russian ALT in Nemuro, which sort of coincided with an increased interest in teaching on my part (I have some experience as a private tutor with both Russians studying English\Japanese and Japanese studying Russian, and at that time had my first experience actually teaching a class), so I applied.
I was just wondering how different my JET experience might be with a different language. I don't suppose Russian is part of the compulsory curriculum even in a place like Nemuro, so I guess it would be an elective course, meaning I could expect more enthusiasm from the students, but that's about the only possible difference I can think of.
Opinions, advice, anything is welcome.

[Cliodhna]

Hmmm, was the request for someone to teach Russian or teach English? From what I've been able to tell from the forums, sometimes areas request fluent english speakers from different regions in order to gain exposure to different accents. Could this be what the request was for? Either way, if it is indeed for teaching Russian, I can't imagine that your experiences in the JET community as a whole will be very different as your english seems great! The only difference I can think of might be your interactions with the teachers depending on your Japanese level. As for students, I can't imagine it would be that different from the average class. This is a very interesting opening you've found!

Also, welcome to the forum!! I've always wanted to visit St. Petersburg- the museums around there seem amazing.

[Petruha]

The request specified that the applicant must be fluent in English because they are supposed to assist in both Russian and English classes. I don't think it's an accent thing because there's no native use of English among Russians so there'd be nothing to expose the students to. It's not as weird as it sounds, actually. Nemuro seems to have strong ties with Russia (all their road signs are in Russian - I thought they only did that in Niigata city because it has a huge Russian community), so it's only natural the local board of education would promote the study of Russian among the town's kids.

And thanks! Saint-Petersburg is an unique and amazing city. Not being a native myself, I feel really lucky to get to live, study and work here.

[SaitamaPA_Denise]

Hello, everybody.

I'm an aspiring JET in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. I've never applied to JET before, as I've heard all the non-English positions are reserved for ambassords' children and similarly "important" people. I just felt it wasn't worth the time needed to get the application forms in order and turn them in. However, this year the Japanese embassy in Russia specifically posted a JET request for a Russian ALT in Nemuro, which sort of coincided with an increased interest in teaching on my part (I have some experience as a private tutor with both Russians studying English\Japanese and Japanese studying Russian, and at that time had my first experience actually teaching a class), so I applied.
I was just wondering how different my JET experience might be with a different language. I don't suppose Russian is part of the compulsory curriculum even in a place like Nemuro, so I guess it would be an elective course, meaning I could expect more enthusiasm from the students, but that's about the only possible difference I can think of.
Opinions, advice, anything is welcome.

I think your JET experience will depend as much on your prefecture as what language you are teaching. There are a handful of other ALTs that teach non-English languages. I can't speak from experience, but the impression I get is that because the main focus of JET ALTs in English teaching, non-English languages might inadvertently get a bit overlooked when it comes to what a prefecture or CO does for its Jets/ALTs. And a lot of the teaching materials Jets get from CLAIR, for example, focus on English.

There are Self-Support Group Leaders, which is explained a bit here. Basically, Jets who speak the same non-English language can help support each other, so they could prove to be a useful resource both for work and JET life in general. I think most Russian Jets are CIRs, but since some CIRs teach language classes as well, even if there are no other Russian ALTs they may be able to provide a lot of insight.

[Patryn]

even as an elective subject, you might find that the students have no more interest in studying Russian than they do English. Sometimes it's forced onto them by their parents and stuff! xD

But yeah, apply and see! The Japanese Embassy usually does the selection so it's worth a shot that they'll give you a fair go.

[Ertai87]

Welcome to the forums Petruha. My first comment is that, if your posts are indication, your written English is certainly better than many of the native speakers who post on these forums, and I really wouldn't worry about your accent too much, the JET programme has JETs with all sorts of accents.

As my father is fond of saying, "If you don't ask the question, then they can't say yes.", along with his corrollary, "What's the worst they can say? No. Then you're no worse off than you were before.". If you don't apply you can't get accepted, so fill in that paperwork and take your chances. I wish you all the best!

P.S. This advice also applies to asking girls out, asking people to share their chocolate and asking your boss for a raise, although I never had much luck with the last one .

Wow, I thought my dad was the only one who had both of those sayings.

...are we brothers?

@Petruha: Your English is actually pretty good. Going by that, you should have no trouble applying for an English ALT position if it turns out that they want that rather than a Russian ALT position.

[Petruha]

Welp, I got invited to the interview next Saturday.
Now, time to panic, remember I never bought a suit, run around screaming, bang head on walls etc. Things are progressing smoothly.

[Cliodhna]

Welp, I got invited to the interview next Saturday.
Now, time to panic, remember I never bought a suit, run around screaming, bang head on walls etc. Things are progressing smoothly.

Sounds like the rest of us at interview time! Get yourself all spiffed up and good luck at your interview!!!

[Akichi_Ren]

Hi! I'm a fellow non-English aspiring JET. I've got my interview next Thursday. There's only one spot available from here (Finland), so I'm nervous like you wouldn't believe. >_<;; We don't usually get that many people applying, but it's still pretty competitive... Anyway, good luck with your interview! I hope it goes well.

[Musashi]

I have a friend from Russia who moved to japan. (Though she is married to a Japanese person now)

Anyhow she works as an English teacher for Interac, and speaks Japanese, English, Russian, and Ukrainian. Her accent isn't strong, and she's a great teacher.

So I'd believe there are a few alt positions in JET for Russians.

[Akichi_Ren]

Oh, I forgot to clarify that I'll be teaching English (if I get accepted) even if I myself am not a native... so I guess that makes me non-English as a person, but not as a JET? Anyway, maybe this is slightly off-topic, but is anyone else here a non-native? (Except Petruha of course. And should I start a new thread for it, or is it fine to discuss here?)

As for the accent thing, I don't have a Finnish accent when I speak English, but my accent is a horrible mix of different accents and it worries me a little bit... >_<; They always tell you to speak with your own accent, but I don't really have one and I'd rather not speak English like Kimi Räikkönen.

[Petruha]

Akichi_Ren

I'm probably being delusional and overly optimistic, but I feel that if got past the initial screening in a non-English speaking country, you'd need to REALLY goof up to fail the interview. Let's hope for the best for both of us and, if things go well, see each other at the orientation in Tokyo

Musashi

Uhh... she sounds a lot like someone I know. Does she happen to reside in Sapporo?

[Akichi_Ren]

Yeah, on the other hand, I may put my foot in my mouth about something... So it could go either way. XD

By the way, do you ever lose confidence in your English skills or feel like you have more to prove just because you're non-native? I mean, I know my English isn't perfect, but the same goes for my Finnish too. My pronunciation is all right, but I still worry if it's good enough... Especially since I don't have that many opportunities to practise. A friend of mine once asked me to help with his school assignment. It had something to do with what English mistakes foreigners usually make. I recall him saying that he received a poor grade because I made too few mistakes so he didn't have much data to work with. So, I know I must be somewhat OK, yet I still second-guess myself all the time. Do I have the right to teach a language that isn't mine, so to speak? I've tried to put a positive spin on it by saying that it's easier for me to relate to kids learning English as a second language because I've done that myself. I can understand the difficulties. But I wonder if that's enough.

Oh, and I tend to use British spelling, but it's difficult to keep it strictly British and the American spelling is often taught at schools even here. On top of that, I write fiction (in English) as a hobby so I enjoy stretching the language in strange ways. This can manifest itself as strange sentence structures or unorthodox word use, which in turn makes people question my English skills... I think I'd get away with much more if I were a native.

[OdysseyOfNoises]

Do I have the right to teach a language that isn't mine, so to speak?

Yes. Your English is easily good enough, and for a sizeable proportion of people learning it as a second language, it acts as a lingua franca, not as a means to communicate with native speakers.

[Petruha]

Changing the topic a bit... I've been researching other JETs' experiences and there seems to be this consistent attitude that Hokkaido positions have the worst working conditions - less than two weeks vacation, no paid sick leave, nightmarish hours... Is it true? I mean, I'm still going to go through with the interview and it's still a dream job, but I just want to know what I'm getting into.