Doing JET, need suggestions of where to live

[MMM]

Originally Posted by steven

Yea, I have nothing against the countries nearby, but there is an awful lot to see within the country. I've never travelled to another country since I've been here, although I know a lot of people really like to do that. If I were doing JET for only a year or 2 or something like that, I wouldn't be bothered by what my coworkers thought about me going to other countries... it's a chance that you might regret passing up!

A lot of the teachers at my school have talked to me and helped me find some cool places (they've even asked me for advice which is ironic but another story). However, I've heard teachers at my school, as well as other teachers making complaints which specifically talk about "ALTs" going to asian countries during vacations. I don't quite get why the complaints seem to revolve around "asian countries", but I understand that teachers get frustrated that their ALTs sometimes take off of work in the middle of the year so they can go on some paradise vacation.

I'm straying from the topic (which I apologize for constantly doing MMM), but there are teachers who look down on other teachers for taking trips or time off! That's one of the things that does bug me about Japan. I wish people would relax a little bit about certain things and just enjoy life for themselves, if not for their kids and family, once in a while.

Actually I got the "asking me for travel advice" sometimes, too. It was kind of funny. Just because I took the opportunity to travel around whenever I could.

I never heard the "complaints about travelling" business. My vice-principal was a bit of a jerk, so he made me come to work, even during summer break, as that was in my contract. For that month or so each summer it was just him and me in the teacher's office, and I literally had nothing to do. Neither did he, I expect. Every other teacher was off doing whatever they wanted.

[steven]

MMM, did you speak Japanese at the time? It might've been a different situation than what you perceived. Although that all depends on the school and the chemestry between the teachers for sure.

As far as staying in school every day during summer, that's the way it is. Maybe it used to be different, but now that seems to be the standard (it was always that way for teachers as far as I know, but I'm not sure about ALTs). You can always take time off during the summer. It probably depends on the prefecture/city/region, but for my area I get 20 days off and 5 "special" days which would be for use specifically during summer vacation. I've heard of schools not telling their ALTs about those special days... what for, I have no idea. As far as regular vacation, you are limited to a certain number of days, so some people might be concerned that their ALT has taken too many days off and can't afford to take anymore days off during the summer-- which actually doesn't make sense because the "days off per year" thing would reset at the beginning of the vacation.

If it was just you and your VP, you must've had a small school I imagine. I know that a lot of teachers are out on "official business" during summer as well. I know you're not concerned with it anymore, but if you ask your teacher about it, you might find out about seminars and junk that you can go to. I've been to 3 myself this summer! There are other similar things that many teachers are doing. For instance, some teachers are busy dealing with high schools to try to help the students get in (assuming it's a middle school of course). Teachers might also be out watching sports (that are associated with the school of course). There are games and practice games and straight up practice in nearby gyms and stuff like that. I've heard of schools that have their teachers drive around town to all the different places where the kids hang out to make sure they're not stealing and stuff like that-- which is basically like patrolling telling kids to go home and study and junk like that instead of hanging out at a rental shop or video game store or something like that. Some teachers are just enjoying life with their family by going on vacation though. There's all kinds of possibilities... some of which are more "official" than others. It all depends on the situation I suppose.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by steven

MMM, did you speak Japanese at the time? It might've been a different situation than what you perceived. Although that all depends on the school and the chemestry between the teachers for sure.

As far as staying in school every day during summer, that's the way it is. Maybe it used to be different, but now that seems to be the standard (it was always that way for teachers as far as I know, but I'm not sure about ALTs). You can always take time off during the summer. It probably depends on the prefecture/city/region, but for my area I get 20 days off and 5 "special" days which would be for use specifically during summer vacation. I've heard of schools not telling their ALTs about those special days... what for, I have no idea. As far as regular vacation, you are limited to a certain number of days, so some people might be concerned that their ALT has taken too many days off and can't afford to take anymore days off during the summer-- which actually doesn't make sense because the "days off per year" thing would reset at the beginning of the vacation.

If it was just you and your VP, you must've had a small school I imagine. I know that a lot of teachers are out on "official business" during summer as well. I know you're not concerned with it anymore, but if you ask your teacher about it, you might find out about seminars and junk that you can go to. I've been to 3 myself this summer! There are other similar things that many teachers are doing. For instance, some teachers are busy dealing with high schools to try to help the students get in (assuming it's a middle school of course). Teachers might also be out watching sports (that are associated with the school of course). There are games and practice games and straight up practice in nearby gyms and stuff like that. I've heard of schools that have their teachers drive around town to all the different places where the kids hang out to make sure they're not stealing and stuff like that-- which is basically like patrolling telling kids to go home and study and junk like that instead of hanging out at a rental shop or video game store or something like that. Some teachers are just enjoying life with their family by going on vacation though. There's all kinds of possibilities... some of which are more "official" than others. It all depends on the situation I suppose.

Yeah, I had just graduated with a major in Japanese. My Japanese was fine. This was in the mid-90s, so surely many things have changed. Most of my JET friends got the summers off...actually I was the only person I knew who had to go to school during the summer break. All of the teachers knew about it and were sympathetic, so maybe that's why no one grumbled about travelling.

I don't think the school was that small...I think it was 800 or 1000 students. I lived in a pretty urban area. I am aware of all the patrolling and sports and club activities which would happen at the end of vacation, but the teacher's office was a ghost town.

[steven]

Sounds like you got a bum deal when times were good... that's really too bad. Unfortunately I think rules have changed for current JETs regarding summer vacation. I've heard that things have gotten a little bit more strict over the years. I would kill for a whole summer vacation off!

Your school dwarves the schools around here! That means you must've had a lot of teachers gone at once. I'm suprised at your description of the teachers' room... it sounds like my school is quite different as there is pretty much always someone here (and I mean always). I think there was one day during obon where there were like only 2 teachers around, but that was an anomolie to say the least, and I'm sure other teachers stopped by during the day.

I have actually been curious about that "patrolling" thing and whether or not it happened in cities or more suburban areas. It's a little bit to my chagrin that it does happen to be honest. It's definitely the American left over in me, but that reminds me a bit too much of "1984" if you know what I mean.

[samurai007]

I had to go to school during the summer when I first got there too. From what I know it's mostly a high school/prefectural ALT thing, since the Jr High ALTs got the time off. Also, they were worried that since I was new to the country and didn't speak Japanese (unlike the previous ALTs at that school) that I would be rather lost and helpless and sure to get into trouble. Well, by winter break they realized that I was far more adaptable and able to get by than they first thought, so they relaxed the rules and I was able to travel a bit within Japan, but they strongly suggested I don't go to Asia, since it was dangerous, they said. That was ok with me... there were plenty of places I wanted to see in Japan.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by steven

Sounds like you got a bum deal when times were good... that's really too bad. Unfortunately I think rules have changed for current JETs regarding summer vacation. I've heard that things have gotten a little bit more strict over the years. I would kill for a whole summer vacation off!

Your school dwarves the schools around here! That means you must've had a lot of teachers gone at once. I'm suprised at your description of the teachers' room... it sounds like my school is quite different as there is pretty much always someone here (and I mean always). I think there was one day during obon where there were like only 2 teachers around, but that was an anomolie to say the least, and I'm sure other teachers stopped by during the day.

I have actually been curious about that "patrolling" thing and whether or not it happened in cities or more suburban areas. It's a little bit to my chagrin that it does happen to be honest. It's definitely the American left over in me, but that reminds me a bit too much of "1984" if you know what I mean.

I am not one to complain. Yes, all the teachers were gone at once. There were office staff here, but the teacher's office was just me and the VP over the summers.

The patrolling happened, but I don't know if it was a regular thing. Before school started certain teachers would patrol to make sure kids weren't smoking as they walked or biked to school. They would also patrol to make sure kids weren't riding motorcycles. Funny, huh?