Thank you for this helpful insight! I recently got placed in Northern rural Hokkaido as a JET this coming year. I'm very excited but still a little nervous with the adjustments.
Oh my gosh congrats! I'm glad this video was helpful. It's definitely normal to feel a little nervous. Be sure to be patient with yourself when adjusting during those first few months 😌 The Hokkaido JETs I met were wonderful and some of us are still in contact so I recommend getting some FB and LINE contacts as soon as you get there! Enjoyyy 🥰🤸🏽♀️✨️
Was searching for vids like this and I have to say you’re sooo pretty! Hope I can get some value from this video as well as I’m planning on applying to the program this year.
*Elvis Presley voice* Thank you very much 🤭 I hope the tips were helpful! And good luck with your application. Applying can be a pretty long process but just make sure you're starting as early as possible and you'll be golden ✨️
so stunninggggggg. i wanna teach at aeon school in next 6 months or so ima apply. i would search the whole island on foot just to go get some rice and saba with youuuu listen to you talk more. so flawless beautiful
I had countless experiences where some weird assembly or event was happening in the gym that I wasn’t briefed on. It never even occurred to me to feel offended or left out. And anyways I wouldn’t have wanted any of the overworked teachers feeling like the additional duty fell to them to keep the clueless foreigner appraised of every detail about the school calendar (I taught at a few different schools so maybe that was a contributing factor). I would just wander curiously behind the crowd and figure out what was happening on my own. It’s all part of the process of discovery!😅
girl you are so beautiful!! can you tell me more about what specific things ALTS do? someone else said that they lesson plan as an ALT and I honestly had no idea that ALTs do that. I want to know more so I can apply my skillsets to the specific things ALTS do in my statement of purpose. thanks!
Hi there! First of all thank you for the compliment 😭🥺🤭 Secondly, unfortunately I can't say with full certainty what an ALT definitely does because every situation is so different. In my case, I prepared fun classroom activities, speaking topics and presentations on my country. But I've heard of ALTs who lesson plan (like you mentioned), co-teach every lesson, and mark essays/tests. So it really all depends on your school! I have some older videos about JET up on my channel that could be helpful. Please don't hesitate to ask any more questions and I'm wishing you the best of luck in your application 🤸🏽♀️✨️🤍
Heey Gurl! new subbie here :) Loving the content! I'm planning to apply to teach English in Japan sometime next year so your videos are super helpful. Im watching all your videos!! Would it be possible to upload the videos in a higher quality pweeeease? Would love to see your channel blow up and think this would help as I love your presence! Hope you're enjoying your time and can't wait to see more x
@@Misqado hello hello hello 🌸 I'm so glad you're enjoying and gaining insight from my videos! 😭 I hope you get the job that suits you best 🥰 I would love to level up my videos but I'm recording on my phone right now (saving up for a camera 🥲🥺) and that's why they're so low Q. But hopefully soon! Thanks for the sub and good luck on your endeavors ✨️🤸🏽♀️
Hi Alex! I would like to know more about the accommodation and apartment size in the program. Do you think the apartment is big enough to do yoga/meditation? Also, how did you keep fit during the JET program? Another question I have is about the fellow ALTs. How many ALTs are there in each school? Were your coworkers ALTs or were they all Japanese? thank you! I am thinking of applying now for 2025.
@@thina5348 Hey Thina! Thanks for these great questions and good luck preparing for your application 🤸🏽♀️🤍 Unfortunately (as with any JET questions) my answer is going to be specific to my experience only. Because I was in a rural town, I had a big apartment! Three bedrooms, kitchen, and living/dining area (more than enough space for exercise 😄). But it differs from location to location. If you're in a city, you're more likely to get a small space :( I stayed fit by walking in the afternoons and doing home workouts (no gym in my little town). Again, every situation is different 😭 usually all schools only have 1 ALT but you might be in a big district where there are up to 5 ALTs in one office. It all just depends on your area. All my coworkers were Japanese! I hope these answers helped and I'm sorry I couldn't be more specific! That's just how this program is. Let me know if you have any other questions 🌸
@@alexccen thank you so much! May I know what you think about jet as from a career perspective ? Do you think it added to your resume and in what way did it ?
Hello. I'm Japanese. Isn't the JET Program designed not for foreigners who genuinely want to teach English to Japanese people, but for those who simply want to extend their stay in Japan as a form of long-term tourism?
@@Greenforrest7342 Hi! That's a really interesting question. Personally, I've never seen it that way. It's advertised as a teaching program, so I always saw it as such. I also think it would be very difficult to live as a tourist as part of the JET program considering that it's a full-time, Monday to Friday job!
Hey ✨️ It depends on your school rules, but generally smart casual is allowed. Pants are totally okay! I have a video where I speak about this in more detail and show some examples 🥰: th-cam.com/video/HVjRaAOl8xg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Q4KsMIOQHTEOS4qR 🌻
@@nokulungadlomo1205 hello! JET covers your first flight to Japan and gives you a flight home at the end of your contract. Everything else (tax, insurance, rent, utilities) comes out of your paycheck. Hope this helped!
Hi! Sorry for my late reply 😭 It really depends on your interests. So if for example, you're an active person with a lot of hobbies and a big social circle - Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, and Kagoshima (or any major city) would be a good bet. I'd recommend finding some pictures/videos of different prefectures and seeing if they spark anything in your mind!
@@AroosaArthur hello! I'm good thanks ✨️ I hope you are too. Thanks for the question! Unfortunately I can't answer that as they change the questions every year and with every applicant. Just be prepared to answer why you want to join the program, why you're choosing Japan, and why you'd be a good fit for JET.
First off, thanks for making such a positive and honest video. I've been slightly turned off/worried lately by the number of "Don't teach English in japan" (ftr, often referring to companies such as NOVA and GABA and other "black companies") videos that are showing up in my algorhythm as I genuinely want to feel excited about the decision to teach in japan! So thank you. I have a couple questions :) 1. When you said on average, you teach 2 to 3 classes per day and then there's a lot of downtime. Do you get paid for the down time, or do you only get paid for the classes taught? (sorry... I'm pretty sure it's salary but I'm actually just at the beginning of my JET research because I just got my degree so this option just opened up for me!) 2. My biggest concern about the JET program is that they decide where to put you... I heard you can ask to be placed in certain areas and try to be as passionate about why you want that to influence their decision but it doesn't always play out that way.... Did you want to teach in Hokkaido specifically and ask for it? Or was that where you were placed and you just made the best of it and made it home? 3. Do you teach in many different schools all over Hokkaido or are you generally placed within just one?
@@nathanafi hey! Thanks for your thoughtful response and I'm glad you enjoyed the video. There's definitely a LOT of negative chatter about teaching in Japan (justly so, some of these companies are insane!!!) so I'm glad I could bring a different perspective. And congratulations on graduating! It's only up from here 🎊 ✨ 1. You get paid a set salary every month, regardless of classes taught! One of the best things about the programme 🥺 2. Yeah, location is a bit of a doozy. From what I've heard, if you choose Hokkaido, you're gonna get Hokkaido 🤣 I chose it as one of my options because I wanted to see more of rural Japan. It all depends on where they have openings honestly. But your statement of purpose and interview do weigh heavily, so make sure to speak about why you want a specific location. You might just get lucky! 🤸🏽♀️ 3. I had two high schools that I alternated between daily. Unfortunately, you only hear about your schools shortly before leaving for Japan but this type of teaching seems to be pretty common (2 schools) especially in the inaka. Most importantly, come with an open mind and always remember your why 🌱 Good luck on preparing and applying and feel free to ask my anything else! I'm happy to help ✨️
They also live in California. This matters. The cost of living is the issue. Living in Japan is much less expensive, on average. Also, it is not all about money. The life experience is priceless.
That's a very broad statement. From an American perspective, yes, it's not as monetarily rewarding as in the past because of Japan's low yen. As a South African (and I'm sure many other countries can relate) however, you can do JET and benefit from experiencing Japan and a good salary! It's also good to keep relativity in mind. You would be earning a good Japanese salary, so your quality of life in Japan would be decent too.
@@alexccenI'm an incoming JET from Europe and the salary is low compared to here but the cost of living, rent etc is also much lower in the prefecture I'm going to, so I'm sure it won't feel like a low a low salary since I'll have a decent sum left after paying for necessities
@@letusplay2296 oh cool, incoming JET! I hope your time on the program is great 🥺 And that's exactly what I meant by relativity! You'll have enough to spend in Japan (don't buy too many konbini desserts though 🤭)
![🇿🇦 South African in Japan 🇯🇵 - Answering your Questions! [Q+A]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pQX_uDOOaJk/mqdefault.jpg)
finally found someone who is still making videos,,,,,, other youtubers who talked about JET program made video three tears ago
Oh really? I guess after JET many people leave Japan and leave TH-cam too 😅 welcome to my channel! I hope you enjoy it ✨️
A lot of people move to Japan and make it their whole personality, and when they don't get immediate success on TH-cam because of it they quit both.
Saaame I've been looking for recent JET program content
Not you wearing my colour palette 🤭😍great job Alex🤸🏾♀️🫶🏾really informative!
Let's just say you inspired me 🤭 thanks for watching Naz! ❤️✨️
Thank you for this helpful insight! I recently got placed in Northern rural Hokkaido as a JET this coming year. I'm very excited but still a little nervous with the adjustments.
Oh my gosh congrats! I'm glad this video was helpful. It's definitely normal to feel a little nervous. Be sure to be patient with yourself when adjusting during those first few months 😌
The Hokkaido JETs I met were wonderful and some of us are still in contact so I recommend getting some FB and LINE contacts as soon as you get there!
Enjoyyy 🥰🤸🏽♀️✨️
I hope it goes well for you! I’ve only recently found out that thing was something I can do when I finish college, and I’m excited to try!
wow thanks! I start soon and i'm very excited :)
Oh my gosh congratulations for getting in! Make the most of it ✨️🤸🏽♀️🤍
Was searching for vids like this and I have to say you’re sooo pretty! Hope I can get some value from this video as well as I’m planning on applying to the program this year.
*Elvis Presley voice* Thank you very much 🤭
I hope the tips were helpful! And good luck with your application. Applying can be a pretty long process but just make sure you're starting as early as possible and you'll be golden ✨️
Thank you for this! I’m thinking of applying this upcoming cycle. 😊
Yay! I'm glad you found this video right on time then ✨ good luck and make the most of it!
This was incredibly helpful, thank you!!
I'm so glad omgee! You're welcome 🌻✨
so stunninggggggg. i wanna teach at aeon school in next 6 months or so ima apply. i would search the whole island on foot just to go get some rice and saba with youuuu listen to you talk more. so flawless beautiful
I had countless experiences where some weird assembly or event was happening in the gym that I wasn’t briefed on. It never even occurred to me to feel offended or left out. And anyways I wouldn’t have wanted any of the overworked teachers feeling like the additional duty fell to them to keep the clueless foreigner appraised of every detail about the school calendar (I taught at a few different schools so maybe that was a contributing factor). I would just wander curiously behind the crowd and figure out what was happening on my own. It’s all part of the process of discovery!😅
That's the kind of attitude that makes you adjust well in new and changing environments! Thanks for sharing I'm taking notes!☺️
Thank you for this insightful video 🫶🏼
@@zuleikadesouza366 aw thank you for your comment! I'm really happy that it was helpful 🥰
Fellow Alex here, it's so valuable to see a perspective from a woman of color!
@@Alexandra-xv1qm hey Alex! I appreciate this comment so much and I'm happy to help 🧡
visited hokkaido and had a great time, but had that 'turn away' expereince from outer osaka and tokyo.
@@Justcetriyaart ah I'm sorry about that! I'm hoping that with more exposure to tourists it'll eventually fade away completely 🥺
girl you are so beautiful!! can you tell me more about what specific things ALTS do? someone else said that they lesson plan as an ALT and I honestly had no idea that ALTs do that. I want to know more so I can apply my skillsets to the specific things ALTS do in my statement of purpose. thanks!
Hi there!
First of all thank you for the compliment 😭🥺🤭
Secondly, unfortunately I can't say with full certainty what an ALT definitely does because every situation is so different. In my case, I prepared fun classroom activities, speaking topics and presentations on my country. But I've heard of ALTs who lesson plan (like you mentioned), co-teach every lesson, and mark essays/tests. So it really all depends on your school!
I have some older videos about JET up on my channel that could be helpful. Please don't hesitate to ask any more questions and I'm wishing you the best of luck in your application 🤸🏽♀️✨️🤍
Heey Gurl! new subbie here :) Loving the content! I'm planning to apply to teach English in Japan sometime next year so your videos are super helpful. Im watching all your videos!! Would it be possible to upload the videos in a higher quality pweeeease? Would love to see your channel blow up and think this would help as I love your presence! Hope you're enjoying your time and can't wait to see more x
@@Misqado hello hello hello 🌸
I'm so glad you're enjoying and gaining insight from my videos! 😭 I hope you get the job that suits you best 🥰
I would love to level up my videos but I'm recording on my phone right now (saving up for a camera 🥲🥺) and that's why they're so low Q. But hopefully soon!
Thanks for the sub and good luck on your endeavors ✨️🤸🏽♀️
Hi Alex! I would like to know more about the accommodation and apartment size in the program. Do you think the apartment is big enough to do yoga/meditation? Also, how did you keep fit during the JET program? Another question I have is about the fellow ALTs. How many ALTs are there in each school? Were your coworkers ALTs or were they all Japanese? thank you! I am thinking of applying now for 2025.
@@thina5348 Hey Thina! Thanks for these great questions and good luck preparing for your application 🤸🏽♀️🤍
Unfortunately (as with any JET questions) my answer is going to be specific to my experience only. Because I was in a rural town, I had a big apartment! Three bedrooms, kitchen, and living/dining area (more than enough space for exercise 😄). But it differs from location to location. If you're in a city, you're more likely to get a small space :(
I stayed fit by walking in the afternoons and doing home workouts (no gym in my little town).
Again, every situation is different 😭 usually all schools only have 1 ALT but you might be in a big district where there are up to 5 ALTs in one office. It all just depends on your area.
All my coworkers were Japanese!
I hope these answers helped and I'm sorry I couldn't be more specific! That's just how this program is. Let me know if you have any other questions 🌸
@@alexccen thank you so much! May I know what you think about jet as from a career perspective ? Do you think it added to your resume and in what way did it ?
Are you still teaching through a different program?
Hey! Yes and no? 🤭
I'm still teaching, but for a private company now. It's an eikaiwa so I'm no longer in a public school!
Hello. I'm Japanese. Isn't the JET Program designed not for foreigners who genuinely want to teach English to Japanese people, but for those who simply want to extend their stay in Japan as a form of long-term tourism?
@@Greenforrest7342 Hi! That's a really interesting question. Personally, I've never seen it that way. It's advertised as a teaching program, so I always saw it as such.
I also think it would be very difficult to live as a tourist as part of the JET program considering that it's a full-time, Monday to Friday job!
@@alexccen Thank you!
Hy Cloete, what kind of clothes are you allowed to wear to work?
Do you wear pants?
Hey ✨️
It depends on your school rules, but generally smart casual is allowed. Pants are totally okay!
I have a video where I speak about this in more detail and show some examples 🥰:
th-cam.com/video/HVjRaAOl8xg/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Q4KsMIOQHTEOS4qR
🌻
@@alexccen Thank you, Iet me check it out🙏
Hi, I have to ask do you pay for your own accommodations, insurance, flight to there or do they help atleast. 😅
@@nokulungadlomo1205 hello!
JET covers your first flight to Japan and gives you a flight home at the end of your contract. Everything else (tax, insurance, rent, utilities) comes out of your paycheck. Hope this helped!
Hi! what region or prefecture would you recommend?
Hi! Sorry for my late reply 😭
It really depends on your interests. So if for example, you're an active person with a lot of hobbies and a big social circle - Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, and Kagoshima (or any major city) would be a good bet.
I'd recommend finding some pictures/videos of different prefectures and seeing if they spark anything in your mind!
Hey, how r u? I'm planning to apply for the post of assistant language teacher. Can you tell what type of questions will be asked in the interview?
@@AroosaArthur hello! I'm good thanks ✨️ I hope you are too. Thanks for the question!
Unfortunately I can't answer that as they change the questions every year and with every applicant. Just be prepared to answer why you want to join the program, why you're choosing Japan, and why you'd be a good fit for JET.
First off, thanks for making such a positive and honest video. I've been slightly turned off/worried lately by the number of "Don't teach English in japan" (ftr, often referring to companies such as NOVA and GABA and other "black companies") videos that are showing up in my algorhythm as I genuinely want to feel excited about the decision to teach in japan! So thank you. I have a couple questions :)
1. When you said on average, you teach 2 to 3 classes per day and then there's a lot of downtime. Do you get paid for the down time, or do you only get paid for the classes taught? (sorry... I'm pretty sure it's salary but I'm actually just at the beginning of my JET research because I just got my degree so this option just opened up for me!)
2. My biggest concern about the JET program is that they decide where to put you... I heard you can ask to be placed in certain areas and try to be as passionate about why you want that to influence their decision but it doesn't always play out that way.... Did you want to teach in Hokkaido specifically and ask for it? Or was that where you were placed and you just made the best of it and made it home?
3. Do you teach in many different schools all over Hokkaido or are you generally placed within just one?
@@nathanafi hey! Thanks for your thoughtful response and I'm glad you enjoyed the video. There's definitely a LOT of negative chatter about teaching in Japan (justly so, some of these companies are insane!!!) so I'm glad I could bring a different perspective. And congratulations on graduating! It's only up from here 🎊 ✨
1. You get paid a set salary every month, regardless of classes taught! One of the best things about the programme 🥺
2. Yeah, location is a bit of a doozy. From what I've heard, if you choose Hokkaido, you're gonna get Hokkaido 🤣 I chose it as one of my options because I wanted to see more of rural Japan. It all depends on where they have openings honestly. But your statement of purpose and interview do weigh heavily, so make sure to speak about why you want a specific location. You might just get lucky! 🤸🏽♀️
3. I had two high schools that I alternated between daily. Unfortunately, you only hear about your schools shortly before leaving for Japan but this type of teaching seems to be pretty common (2 schools) especially in the inaka.
Most importantly, come with an open mind and always remember your why 🌱 Good luck on preparing and applying and feel free to ask my anything else! I'm happy to help ✨️
@@alexccen Thanks so much for your super kind and thoughtful reply! 😊 Sorry for the slow response... I could've sworn I replied to this.
Omg 13:59 😂 I thought you're American 😮
Kanti you're my homie🇿🇦🇿🇦
Yes gorlie! Born and raised 🤭🇿🇦
Are you planning to do the JET Programme?
Hey, how's it going? Great channel and nice video.👍21👈Have a nice day!😊
Thanks! You too ✨️
Now Starbucks baristas and McDonald’s employees in California are earning more than JET ALTs and CIRs earning $20/hr
Oh, I had no idea!
In my case, fast food workers work way harder than I did on JET 🤭 so, as they deserve!
They also live in California. This matters. The cost of living is the issue. Living in Japan is much less expensive, on average. Also, it is not all about money. The life experience is priceless.
With USDJPY at 157 yen to the dollar is it even worth it? Japanese wages are damn low now
You do know Japan has different costs relative to their Yen, right???
You need to be rich to be able to afford to JET. Doing it only for the experience and not needing the money
That's a very broad statement. From an American perspective, yes, it's not as monetarily rewarding as in the past because of Japan's low yen.
As a South African (and I'm sure many other countries can relate) however, you can do JET and benefit from experiencing Japan and a good salary! It's also good to keep relativity in mind. You would be earning a good Japanese salary, so your quality of life in Japan would be decent too.
@@alexccenI'm an incoming JET from Europe and the salary is low compared to here but the cost of living, rent etc is also much lower in the prefecture I'm going to, so I'm sure it won't feel like a low a low salary since I'll have a decent sum left after paying for necessities
@@letusplay2296 oh cool, incoming JET! I hope your time on the program is great 🥺
And that's exactly what I meant by relativity! You'll have enough to spend in Japan (don't buy too many konbini desserts though 🤭)
@@alexccen thanks!
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