Every Situation is Different, but the support is guaranteed

The JET Program is the most competitive program for teaching abroad for several reasons. Though the application process feels a bit grueling (partly because it's so competitive), getting accepted immediately puts you in contact with a vast and experienced support group. This is easily the most valuable part of the program, and was my main motivation for applying two times to get in.

Compared to other programs, we're pretty spoiled. The flight to Tokyo is covered, as is our later transport to our final destination. There is a 3-day orientation in Tokyo, which has a mix of useful and not-so-useful seminars to deal with as you cope with your jet lag. There is training at other points of the year, as well. The support system is easy to reach, at national and local levels. Because the program has been around for a few decades, most (not all!) new placements are moving into well-prepared housing and going to schools and boards of education that are used to ALTs.

However, the program preaches "every situation is different," and while that makes me want to pull my hair out at times, it's very true. I'm based at one decently academic senior high school in a pretty rural area, and have one less academic visit school I go to once a week. I create all of my lesson plans, worksheets, and more or less lead my classes. I spoke no Japanese before coming here, and my coworkers are very helpful and patient with me - and my English teachers are very much fluent.

However, I have friends that teach at 5 to 10 schools of varying level, make no materials of their own, are expected to communicate in Japanese (though they have studied it before) with non-fluent English teachers, and are more or less glorified tape recorders. Some Japanese teachers simply do not like working with ALTs, but that's just like any job anywhere. I personally love my placement, my schools, and my coworkers.

Living in Japan is amazing. It's a clean, safe country, with deep cultural roots that are amazing to see first-hand. The wage JET offers is more than enough to survive the expenses you may face, while still having pocket money left over to travel the country. JETs are not expected to simply show up, teach, and go home. They want you to interact with the culture itself, be it with after-school clubs, personal trips, or taking a private class in tea ceremony. And even as someone who is only just beginning to learn the language, I find that it's easy to live here. People are sympathetic and patient in general, even when the language barrier is horribly inconvenient. Being immersed in a language is a new experience for me, and it's paying off with the speed at which I'm learning. If you don't speak Japanese, don't let that stop you from applying! Just be adaptable and open to everything, and you'll be fine.

All in all, I am loving my current experience on JET and hope to stay for a few more years.