A Life-Changing Experience - Teach English in Japan with Interac

I have an interesting perspective on this company. Overall my experience has been highly positive. The professionalism and support of the company staff is better than many other companies offering the same thing in Japan. I have no negatives in my situation but many of my friends do. If you have a regular 9-5 contract you're golden. But many BOEs(boards of education) want ALTs to work extra hours for different reasons. The BOE believes interac will compensate you and interac often skirts responsibility for extra hours. That is where many of the complaints I hear about stem from. I myself have a pretty standard contract and only worked a few weeks extra hours for a local speech contest. My school is lovely and the interac company even comes to drive me to places if I need to commute far for a meeting since I don't have a bike. I would highly recommend although I do also realize that my circumstances are quite lucky and standard. Deviation from the norm causes issues.

I would definitely recommend working for Interac. I worked for the Tokyo Kito Kanto branch, based in Ibaraki prefecture. I found the branch staff could not do enough to help me whenever I had a problem. Since I didn't speak Japanese before going, I needed lots of support upon arrival to organise bank accounts and so forth. A gentleman from the office was appointed to me for two days to help me to organise all this. I could never have done this without that support. Throughout my year and a half there, I felt supported to the point of "looked after" by the branch staff. The assistance I required from them varied from having random mail translated for me, to the best place to buy a suit, to having medical notes translated into Japanese.

The age of the ALTs with whom I worked were considerably younger than I was (I was 34 when I arrived, most were early 20s). I did find the younger employees to be quite cliquey, but this was insignificant to me as I preferred to make friends locally to appreciate the culture better and learn the language. Nevertheless, had I been more of an early 20s "goer outer", I would not have been stuck for people to play with.

In terms of the work, I worked in a small town's junior high school (ages 12-15). I worked with all classes, including those with additional support needs. I was given the opportunity to coach the running team as well as the responsibility for preparing select students for the EIKEN tests and the English Interactive Forum (like a slightly diluted debating competition.) The day to day work was a lot of fun, most of the time. This is very much the kind of work where you have to be seen to be keen and willing if you want the job to be more than reading from a book (no one will ask you to do more, but the job becomes much more fun when you do.)

With regards living in Japan (despite the linguistic challenges it presented in the beginning) it is a fantastic place to live. Eating out is cheap (compared to the UK), the skiing is fantastic, the people are considerate and respectful, everywhere in the country is easily accessible (if you avoid the Shinkansen, buses are fantastically comfy and cheap cheap.)

I miss Japan terribly: it really gets under your skin. Before I moved to Japan I was working back home as a pharmacist. I planned to go back to pharmacy after a year or two out there. The experience in Japan, owing in no small part to Interac, whetted my apetite for teaching and as such I am back home doing a postgraduate course to become a primary school teacher. When I made the decision, I was completely supported by my branch manager, who (once again) couldn't do enough to help.

Japan is a beautiful country with many secrets and the culture is huge on politeness and being on time. If you cannot adapt to being an alien in a foreign land with all it's laws and social codes then you're in for rude awakening. My experience with Interac is summed in one word, serendipity. I had no idea what to expect and found myself in love with life as a Sensei, and Japanese resident.

From my first phone interview, I was pretty much hand held for the entire process up to my departure. Of course, I asked to be hand held because I'm not afraid to ask for help when I'm not confident and I always show gratitude to everyone that is patient with me and kind.

Before I filled out any applications, I did my research and read about the company and the culture so I would not be completely culture shocked. I even went to Japanese Exchange classes where they taught me the magic words in Japan. In Canada, the magic word is "please" but in Japan, they have more and they really are magical!

While there, I learned to document everything especially in an email. If something was unclear, I would ask other ALTs then call my office or set up a time to stop by, bring little snacks and have a face to face discussion. With resolving problems, it can be tricky but it is necessary. You must push your best to go in with a good attitude and various solutions to any problems you have expecting nothing. Some things cannot be helped but that should not deter you from wanting be a great teacher and person.

Many of my problems were common and yes, it's expensive to live in Japan but that's where you have to be creative like finding an awesome roommate or buying your own furniture if you're renting a futon, etc.

There are always disgruntal and unhappy people who can find anything to complain about and it's not easy to stay away from them without isolating yourself which is unhealthy social behavior. However, there was a handful of ALTs and Interac staff that were really supportive and willing to help. No matter where you are in the world, you can attract more bees with honey than you can with vinegar because the world owes us nothing.

I went to Japan with goals of enriching the lives of my students with positive leadership. I had Cedric as my trainer who speaks over 50 languages fluently and was one of the inspiring teachers I had ever met. I had no idea how much personal and professional growth teaching in Sendai, Miyagi with Interac would be. From my main school life at Miyagi Daiichi Koko to my very early morning starts at the Children's Hospital and my Special Needs school, my students and senseis taught me to fall in love with life each and every day.

I really had no idea what to expect but decided to keep an open mind. To my surprise, the opportunity and care Interac gave me as Sensei in Japan is an experience that I highly recommend and so grateful to have discovered.

Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu! \(*^^*)/

I came over in April of 2012. The recruiting process was pretty simple. A couple of applications, a couple of interviews, a trip down to the embassy for the visa paperwork. Nothing too extreme and the company was actually very helpful throughout the visa process. I did get bounced around a bit as far as placement. The first one didn't work out or something so I got shifted before I came over. The transition was seamless in the sense that all that changed was a place and its name.

When I got here, the support was pretty good. I asked to move into my apartment before training so I could drop my luggage off and retool for training and they accomodated my request. The training was good, and I learned a lot from it. The support was pretty decent too, with an IC to help get settled in. The car was also a blessing, though mixed once you realize that it's costing you about ¥30000 a month and the company's allowance is maybe ¥15000.

I'm still in the same place. I like my schools and my city so I don't feel like moving. That said there are some issues with the program. Primarily, the system is designed as a revolving door, such that you tend to feel undervalued if you stay on. A lot of the support that you get fades after you renew. Want to move out of the Interac steered apartment? They won't co-sign unless it's another leopalace, which are expensive. Want to get your own car to save money? They won't do a thing to help you, and you have to file all the paperwork with them and get insurance to their spec.That seemingly small NHS and pension payment you had in your first year when you had no taxation base will grow, but your pay won't and even if you're on campus and working longer than 30 hours a week, your contract and pay are based on 29.5 so they don't have to pay the half that they would if you were 30+.

Japan's hospitality is somewhat legendary and it's largely embodied at Interac from the support staff all the way up to the CEO (story to follow on that one). I have lived in Japan previously and speak and read well enough that I made my way through university doing Japanese sales support and translation. That does little to change the fact that when my plane touched down I was on the other side of the world with a couple of suit cases and not much cash to my name. That's a fairly intimidating prospect.

Interac makes the transition easy though. We had someone there to meet our group and show us to the hotel we'd be staying at during orientation and in the morning we had someone to show us how to get to the office. The main office staff is a mix of native Japanese and foreigners all of whom are friendly and helpful. Even beyond the initial orientation phase some of the people in the home office kept in touch with me and a few of the others that came in with me and we would all occasionally get together to go eat or do karaoke.

The orientation itself was pretty useful. Obviously a portion of it was dedicated to administrative issues like how your health insurance works and such. That portion is not exactly a barrel of laughs but it was reasonably concise and conveyed useful and necessary information. The majority of orientation was devoted to teaching. That part is really useful if, like me at the time, you have little experience with teaching in a classroom setting. Basically it's a team of Interac's highest rated and most experienced teachers giving you a quick crash course on the cultural expectations of Japanese classroom as well as how to prepare good lesson plans and such. Again, they managed to condense a lot of useful information into a relatively short time period.

As for my actual assignment, I enjoyed it very much though I think the specifics of my assignment may be atypical. I was with Interac on a short internship contract so rather than being permanently placed at a few schools, I was placed with one of the branch offices near Chiba. While there, I had an elementary school that I taught at two days a week and spent the rest of my time working in the office doing various translation jobs. For example if any of the ALTs in the area needed to see a doctor but didn't have the language skills to handle that I would meet them at the hospital to serve as an interpreter.

Now to wrap things up, I promised a story about the CEO of the company. One day while I was working in the office we found out that the CEO was going to be in town for a surprise inspection and people were running around frantically tidying up and trying to make sure everything is in order. As you might expect, Japanese companies hold their employees to some pretty high standards (for example even the people taking your order at McDonald's are expected to practice their smile in the mirror so they can greet customers properly). As a result people were really freaking out over this inspection. Some of the Japanese employees told me horror stories about inspections at other companies where the supervisor would see some violation of company protocols and dock the branch manager a month's pay.

Needless to say I built up an image of the CEO as one scary dude in my mind. When he finally got there he and his assistant (who I assume was probably a VP or something) looked around for a bit and then had a meeting with the branch manager. I have no idea how the meeting went and I didn't ask as I didn't see that as my business. When they got out of the meeting though my manager said the CEO wanted to see me.

Oh hell, what did I do, right? Well as it turns out the CEO just wanted to take me to lunch to ask me about my experiences as an ALT and make sure I was being properly looked after and the like. He was actually a really nice guy. Anyway, the point of that story is this: Interac realizes their ALTs are critically important to the success of the company and need to be treated accordingly and that attitude starts right at the very top and proceeds all the way down to the rank and file.

I applied online, very soon after submitting the full application I was first given a basic phone interview with a very friendly woman out of the Utah Interac office, next I was given much online information to study. Then, a second phone interview was to quiz me on how much of the online information I had studied and remembered, which I passed fine. I was granted an in-person interview in Los Angeles with one of Interac's truly wonderful recruiters, Mr. Stephen Madsen. I brought my A+ game to the table and did my very best, somehow when I left there I knew that I had gotten the position! About 6 weeks later I received an email with an employment offer! It brought me to tears and I knew my life was about to change in a very big way. This was in early Spring 2013. I came to Japan in August that year and as soon as arriving in Okayama, Interac representatives were there meeting everyone with open arms and big smiles. I remember waiting by the big fountain by Okayama station alone before anybody had arrived, sort of worried. When the Interac people showed up and other future employees came one by one, I knew that I was in good hands and everything was going to be alright.

We had our one week intro training which I found very interesting and fun! Afterward, I was sent off to Maniwa City to begin my journey. Everything wet great in my schools and my Branch Manager Ryan was always just a phone call or email away. I was in contact with the office for anything I needed, and they were always there for me to send help or instructions. Even though I was a big city California boy and world traveler, I felt totally comfortable and taken care of in the middle of nowheresville, rural Japan.

Living in the countryside was very lonely at times but I found a nearby bus that went straight to Osaka so I would go there once every 3-4 weeks and have a very wild weekend! I could write a best selling book about my experiences in Japan (and I've only been here two years), but long story short, there are many English teaching companies in Japan but the one I would recommend most is Interac. There are so many companies that wouldn't think twice about ripping off a new employee but I have always seen Interac treat myself and others with extreme fairness. They all have big hearts and I really could not imagine being treated better by a company, especially as a newcomer to the education field.

Being in Japan has given me a chance to really dig in deep and learn about a TOTALLY different culture. I have descended completely into the world of Japanese competitive arm wrestling and it is a total rush. I may not be in Japan forever but if you're afraid of being alone or getting stranded in a foreign country, just make sure you're working for Interac because they have always got your back. If you do your job well and give what you're expected, you will always have a good time here. They are very fair.

The bad stuff: Japanese girls are only cute on the outside. They are as crazy as women anywhere else in the world so if you're coming here searching for love, pick another country. Japanese people in general have one HUGE social flaw: communication. I'm not saying don't come, just don't be surprised when people here aren't always genuine in what they will say to your face or when potential mates promise you the world and then disappear forever with no apparent cause. I have made some TRULY great Japanese friends in the strength world here and I consider most of them exceptions to this rule.

Food variety is pretty bad, there are two kinds of food in Japan: Japanese food and Japanese food. Say goodbye to steaks, real cheeseburgers, hot dogs (as you know them), pizza, philly cheese steaks... if I go on I will begin to weep.

If you're placed in a non-driving position, well, I hope you love walking! I'm a 315 lb power lifter, we do not enjoy long walks on the beach, we love sitting on a beach chair and eating meat! You will walk a LOT. In Okayama I had a company rental car (that Interac paid for! Some companies make the EMPLOYEE pay for those cars that are required for some positions, TOTALLY unfair. Interac takes the burden for that which is another proof that they are a great company).

Save your money and come try out Japan for a year! If you don't like it, you can return home with a whole new outlook on line and a priceless new set of life experiences. If you do like/love it, stay! If you never come, well, let's just say regret is one of the worst feelings in the world.

The Interac staff is very hard working but one thing I truly appreciate is how understanding and down to Earth they are. Whatever problems I've had, they have always been understanding and helpful, they have a great sense of humor too which really helps someone a little on the wild side like myself!

Look at any job website for teaching in Japan and you'll see that many companies don't provide visa support. This is a huge thing all by itself.
Some other companies promise a position and rent you a dorm room to stay in until they find you a position and also during training. If Interac says they found a place for you, then you can be assured that they'll place you. And they set me up in a hotel room for training.
They help you with getting an apartment and all the utilities connected.
This is another handful of huge hassles they help you avoid.
I remember one time the gas bill didn't come one month and the next month the gas company sent me a notice. I had no idea what to do. Certainly didn't want my gas turned off in the middle of winter. Called up the office and they took care of it really quickly.

All companies have a down side. You won't get paid for school vacation months for instance. Other than that I liked most of the people they hired to help me get set up. A couple took me out to lunch and brought me treats. I became good friends with the other ALT's.
I think Interact doesn't get enough credit for how decent they are and how much behind the scenes work they do

Had a pretty good time working for Interac. I got placed in a few good schools with a bunch of fun kids and a few troublemakers. Overall I feel like it was a year well spent. Biggest challenges were getting used to life in the school and obviously the language. Salary is good enough for living alone and other than the first month being a bit tight I was alright.

Not much to say about the management; I wasn't much in contact with managers, other than the occasional training sessions and notice e-mails, but then again when I did have issues they were usually handled fine. I got a lot out of the year but that was probably because I felt like I fit in well with the society and culture over here. Moved on to different ventures now but as an introduction to Japan I'd recommend Interac. Good way to get your foot in the door of Japan.